ajardine12's review
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
thenaptimewriter's review
4.5
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hardcopy. All opinions provided are my own.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is one of those engrossing—& not in a polite way—books that grabs you & doesn’t let go.
Set during World War I & featuring two siblings—a woman & a man—who have been separated by war, this book is largely concerned with the front, the combat hospitals & ruined villages & military fortifications where protagonist Laura & her brother Freddie find themselves.
This is a world that’s been in flux for a long time. Their parents worried & warned about the end of days in the 1910s & their once outlandish, paranoid predictions feel all too real in World War I.
Former combat nurse Laura is retired but—upon receiving mysterious items that belonged to her brother & potentially contradictory news about what happened to him—she resolves to return to Europe, serve as a nurse again, & use her downtime to investigate what actually happened.
Laura’s perspective is fascinating, as is her brother’s, who we shortly learn was imprisoned in a collapsed fortification with an enemy German soldier. Left to die, the lines between sides blur, & their journey together further complicates it as their relationship is tested by violence & death, potential & actual.
The war horrors in this book are real & imagined, & there’s a visceral violence to what happens to people ravaged by war & who are ravaging others. It’s often sad & disconcerting but there is hope too, in the relationship between Laura & Freddie & their burgeoning loves.
This is a fantasy that will hold your attention, entice you & leave you feeling both hopeful & unsettled.
4.5 ⭐️. Out 02/13.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is one of those engrossing—& not in a polite way—books that grabs you & doesn’t let go.
Set during World War I & featuring two siblings—a woman & a man—who have been separated by war, this book is largely concerned with the front, the combat hospitals & ruined villages & military fortifications where protagonist Laura & her brother Freddie find themselves.
This is a world that’s been in flux for a long time. Their parents worried & warned about the end of days in the 1910s & their once outlandish, paranoid predictions feel all too real in World War I.
Former combat nurse Laura is retired but—upon receiving mysterious items that belonged to her brother & potentially contradictory news about what happened to him—she resolves to return to Europe, serve as a nurse again, & use her downtime to investigate what actually happened.
Laura’s perspective is fascinating, as is her brother’s, who we shortly learn was imprisoned in a collapsed fortification with an enemy German soldier. Left to die, the lines between sides blur, & their journey together further complicates it as their relationship is tested by violence & death, potential & actual.
The war horrors in this book are real & imagined, & there’s a visceral violence to what happens to people ravaged by war & who are ravaging others. It’s often sad & disconcerting but there is hope too, in the relationship between Laura & Freddie & their burgeoning loves.
This is a fantasy that will hold your attention, entice you & leave you feeling both hopeful & unsettled.
4.5 ⭐️. Out 02/13.
mannis's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lalala_hehe's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
novelshire's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
booksbybrady's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lory_enterenchanted's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
What would the Devil do in a hell created by humans? That is the question at the heart of this story, which starts out with extreme gruesomeness based in the horrors of WWI, and gradually shows a more tender side. War certainly shows the worst in human beings, but also brings out the best: their capacity for self-sacrificing love. The Devil wants to rob us of the emotions that both bring us pain and teach us of our indelible spiritual connections; he offers us oblivion to soothe the first, but in so doing breaks the second. With her images and events based in the experiences of war, Arden brings the situation to life and makes us think about how we would choose.
sely83's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
A fairy tale was the first thing that came to my mind after I finished reading.
A war fairy tale. Faland has a magical vibe, and he keeps the story flowing, and he creates the plot twists necessary for the story line. In my opinion the most interesting character in the book. I wasn't to fond of Laura, but she was essential.
I would have loved to have more "ghosts" in the book. Less Laura and the girls.
I feel that the end was a bit rushed, and everything that happened was never hinted previously. I cant say more without adding spoilers.
The writing was good.
The book was overall good. I just started thinking it was more ghotic, but in the end it
was not disappointing.
A war fairy tale. Faland has a magical vibe, and he keeps the story flowing, and he creates the plot twists necessary for the story line. In my opinion the most interesting character in the book. I wasn't to fond of Laura, but she was essential.
I would have loved to have more "ghosts" in the book. Less Laura and the girls.
I feel that the end was a bit rushed, and everything that happened was never hinted previously. I cant say more without adding spoilers.
The writing was good.
The book was overall good. I just started thinking it was more ghotic, but in the end it
was not disappointing.
bookedupwithlyndsay's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
As someone who absolutely loves The Winternight Trilogy, I went into The Warm Hands of Ghosts with high expectations but the story fell flat for me.
The writing style was stilted and I found it difficult to connect with Laura. I liked Freddie’s POV and wish Laura was completely cut out because I never found myself invested in her as a character.
It’s obvious that Katherine Arden researched a lot about the setting but unfortunately the characters and plot just didn’t do it for me.
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for providing an ARC.
The writing style was stilted and I found it difficult to connect with Laura. I liked Freddie’s POV and wish Laura was completely cut out because I never found myself invested in her as a character.
It’s obvious that Katherine Arden researched a lot about the setting but unfortunately the characters and plot just didn’t do it for me.
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for providing an ARC.
schlinkles's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5