▁who ▁lives ▁in ▁the ▁far ▁north ▁Saf a , ▁the ▁Cz are v ich ▁Cz ar ▁Gu id on , ▁Saf a ' s ▁father ▁Princess ▁Marg are tta , ▁the ▁Cz ar ▁Gu id on ' s ▁sister ▁Far ida , ▁otherwise ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Cz ar its a ▁K atr ina , ▁Saf a ' s ▁mother ▁Mar ien , ▁Saf a ' s ▁nur se ▁V anya , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Cz ar ' s ▁soldiers ▁ ▁Th emes ▁and ▁elements ▁from ▁fol kl ore ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁counter po ises ▁the ▁spiritual ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁sh aman ▁with ▁the ▁political ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁Cz ar . ▁The ▁absolute ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁Cz ar ▁and ▁the ▁pre val ence ▁of ▁sla very ▁in ▁the ▁land ▁are ▁represented ▁as ▁product ive ▁of ▁evil . ▁The ▁Cz ar ' s ▁power ▁is ▁shown ▁to ▁be ▁on ▁uncertain ▁ground ; ▁although ▁he ▁has ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁over ▁others , ▁he ▁is ▁ruled ▁by ▁his ▁fear ▁of ▁losing ▁his ▁Cz ard om . ▁ ▁The ▁sh aman , ▁however , ▁whose ▁power ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁knowledge , ▁lives ▁free , ▁wal ks ▁invisible , ▁and ▁is ▁all ▁but ▁inv ul ner able ▁to ▁harm . ▁ ▁The ▁familiar ▁fair y - t ale ▁roles ▁are ▁switched : ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁prince ▁who ▁is ▁imprison ed ▁in ▁a ▁high ▁tower , ▁and ▁the ▁w itch ▁res c ues ▁him ▁from ▁the ▁w icked ▁prin cess . ▁ ▁The ▁tale - t elling