“She was called ‘light of salvation’ by the great Rus chronicler Nestor, ‘wise’ by history, ‘cunning’ by the people and ‘holy’ by the church,” is the apt description of Olha of Kyiv by the author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Written more than a century apart, two fictional accounts of Olha, a real female monarch of Kyiv, explore facets of the ruthless ruler’s personality. The Kniahynia’s Comb and Bloody Wedding in Kyiv will leave readers staggered by Olha’s enigmatic blend of devotion and ferocity.