A review by sarah_ever_after
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

4.0

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden was a highly anticipated book of mine and I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. Katherine Arden is once again masterful in weaving fantastic elements into a historical setting. The setting of this book is WWI but the focus is not on the politics. Instead it explores the effects of war on the soldiers and how evil could profit off the vulnerability of soldiers who are experiencing hell on earth. There were so many moments of history that were well represented such as the rise in spiritualism, medical advances, and specific tragic battles. I really enjoyed researching the history alongside my read. The magic is the supporting actor to the themes. Some of the common themes explored here are PTSD and memory. The author definitely incorporates the philosophical idea of Nietzsche that memory is what makes us human and I loved that element. There are some very minor subplots of romance that were beautiful and complimentary to the darkness of the setting. Katherine Ardens authorial tone is definitely cemented for me as a haunting one. I find I am still thinking of this story long after closing the book. I deducted one star because I felt like the beginning was a little slow. I enjoyed the setting and the themes more than the characters. It is rare for me to say but I think this book could’ve been just a little longer. I would probably recommend The Bear and the Nightingale to new readers of Arden as a starting point but I think that those who enjoyed the Winternight Trilogy will appreciate this one as well.