Reviews

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

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lisamchuk's review against another edition

4.0

Oh my this was sad. The WWI historic setting and the light horror elements, both of a supernatural and wartime nature, were so vividly described I felt I was there in that time and place, making this incredibly atmospheric. It was slow paced, but so intruiging that I wanted to keep reading to find out how it would end, though it was almost too slow and repetitive in the middle that at times I just wanted to get it over with. The characters were very likeable, and the ending was satisfying so it made it all worth it.

nlovoldegar's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

iitscharli's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

vlyon's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

katmystery's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Arden explores the horrors of World War I in this a haunting and moving tale about a Canadian army nurse and her brother, a soldier on the front lines in Belgium, struggling to maintain their humanity and morality when caught between the war and the devil himself.

It was not a comfortable read, but a deeply thought-provoking one; I cared about the characters so much that I was anxious the entire time for them. Though the book was quite dense, it truly immersed me in its world. Arden clearly spent a long time researching the time period, and the result is incredible.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction and WWI stories who like their histories with a touch of the paranormal.