Katerina is a young Russian noblewoman who dreams of being a doctor. Unfortunately, her destiny seems to be marrying some nobleman and living a domestic life. Still, Katerina studies Latin and old medical journals in her free time. She plans to apply to schools in other countries where women may be able to practice medicine.
When taking only this characteristic into account, I for one am all for Katerina as a main character. Gotta love a girl who goes after what she wants, even if it isn't the societal norm. Of course, there's more to the girl than grand dreams. Ever since she was a little girl, Katerina has been able to raise the dead. She considers it to be a curse and hides this talent away from everyone. Russia at that time was very anti-dark magic, and necromancy is one of the darkest arts, so hiding is ideal.
Unfortunately, Katerina's talents catch the attention of a classmate whose family is all witches and blood drinkers. Their brother, the Prince Danilo, is impossible for Katerina to resist. An accidental use of powers also brings her close to the tsar's son George, who is basically Mr. Darcy. The story gets its stride, and it's basically a whir of parties, balls, undead soldiers, vampires, werewolves, and more parties.
All in all, this was another excellent beginning to yet another series. I really like the historical aspects of the story, mixing in fantasy and horror with actual Russian history. Knowing the tumultuous history on the way for Russia and the world, it should be very exciting to see what sort of adventures are next for Katerina.
I received a copy of The Gathering Storm from Netgalley, but in full disclosure, it expired before I finished the book. So I bought a copy for my nook. It's available for purchase now.
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