Thank you to @NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I really like Katherine Arden’s writing and I loved The Winternight Trilogy. This one is more historical fiction infused with fantastical horror stemming from the traumas of war. I don’t think most historical fiction makes me think as much as this one did and there is
a lot of symbolism that can be drawn from the story.

I often struggle with magical realism in stories because I find the explanation for the magic to be lacking but I think Arden was extremely smart to use the trauma of war with the sickness or medical injuries to weave the fantastical elements into this book as a way to explain the story.

I also think the WW1 setting worked great for the story and that the authors note really highlighted a lot of WW1 that tends to be glazed over today but I also wondered how/if this story would have fit within the Vietnam war because of US politics and the anti-war momentum of the time.

This book made me think a bit more about how the military responded to desertion and I learned that it is still law today that desertion during war can be punished by death.

Overall, I enjoyed this one! I don’t think this one is as amazing as The Winternight trilogy, but there was so much that I liked and I will continue to read anything Katherine Arden writes. This one releases tomorrow 2/13/2024!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a standalone historical fantasy set against the backdrop of World War 1, in which a former army nurse heads back to the front in search of answers about the death of her soldier brother.

This book was incredibly different in tone and voice from what I went in expecting of a Katherine Arden novel, and I loved every bit of it. Though different from my expectations, I felt like the writing really highlighted the odd, liminal feeling of so much of the novel's events. There was so much here that dealt with a dark and dissonant time to be a human, with the rapid development of technology in direct opposition with the brutal and widespread deaths that occurred on a daily basis.

I did feel like in some ways I was held at more of an arm's length from the characters than I typically would prefer, however in this case it didn't bother me as much as it normally would. I still felt like I learned just enough of the characters to be invested in their arcs, without the overall atmosphere of the story being bogged down by too much character development.

In all, though it was incredibly different than what I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and it really solidified for me how talented a writer Katherine Arden is. I absolutely look forward to whatever she does next.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts
x Katherine Arden
Pub Date: 2/13/24

This is my first Katherine Arden novel, and it's a mashup of historical war fiction with a supernatural flair.
You're taken through the dust filled warzone with our main characters, Laura, Freddie, and Hans, as they each are searching for something they've lost.
Along the way, trouble lurks and behind enemy lines takes on a whole new meaning. Lines become blurred between friend/foe and the most surprising of characters has a backbone of steel.
The sprinkle of romance was what I was hoping for, and the author didn't overwhelm us with it...staying true to the structure of the story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Katherine Arden, for this suprising arc!

I really wanted to love this book. I came back to it again and again hoping it would catch on, but it just wasn’t keeping my interest.
Laura is a hard character to like. I kept waiting and waiting for the paranormal aspect to show up and when it did it wasn’t at all what I was hoping for.
I would like to give this book another chance but at this point it’s a DNF at 44%
.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"This is a good place and a good year for monsters."

This is a story that takes the first world war and emphasizes everything about it - the wounds, the specific horrors of trench warfare, and the defiantly deep bonds that can grow between humans who meet on opposite sides of a battlefield.

As the quote above, delivered gravely by a Belgian brothel Madame to Laura, expresses, the concept of dark things beyond our comprehension taking advantage, influencing, or even causing terrible events in history is easy enough to believe. Tragic events in history were preceded by strange harbingers seen by many, astrology is full of patterns to unfortunate periods in human society, mediums' warnings go unheeded.

Katherine Arden's beautiful writing channels these nebulous concepts, adds a hint of trickster fairytale, and stirs in some analysis of human nature to create a unique piece of historical fiction with paranormal aspects examining the first World War. Even the beginning was singular, the story starting in the aftermath of the tragic Halifax explosion and on the opposite side of the Atlantic from most of the war.

I found this a real gem of a book, the setting well chosen, as the supernatural elements are plausible yet the story is firmly, descriptively grounded in the muddy horrors of trench warfare and profound loss. The ending is bittersweet, with both tender moments and sorrow, just as the end of wars are. And even side characters, like the brusque, pragmatic American Doctor Jones, were oddly charming and had me invested. The book is closer to three hundred pages than four, but feels like a full-blooded war story.

Finally, Arden's heartfelt, philosophical author note at the end almost had me more choked up than the story. She is such a great writer. This is my first favorite book of 2024; full five stars.

Rating: 2.5 stars. I like where this book went, the ending is satisfying, but I do feel the setup could've been executed better. Laura feels rather impersonal as a protagonist, key side characters are dumped on us without taking time to invest us in them, and the exposition was a bit clunky, hence a slow start. The visceral and emotional urgency is also missing from Laura's POV, which made reading her chapters tedious as if I was watching a distant war documentary.

Freddie should've been protagonist with Laura as a secondary protagonist, not vice versa.

Furthermore, the philosophizing could've been truly excellent, but even that landed shallow as I felt little connection to Laura. For how compelling her experiences were and are, Laura feels strangely stymied in her vulnerability since it feels like she's constantly brushing off human emotions in an unrealistic and unrelatable way as though she's operating on auto-pilot. She lacks in character aside from the author constantly reminding us just how accomplished and war-weary she is, hence resulting in Laura feeling like a standard paper cut-out of a war heroine.

I love subtly written reserved characters, but Laura was reserved to the point that she fell flat.

That said, I do like how the story ends. I've taken issue with Katherine Arden rushing her finales in the past, but here she takes time to neatly wrap up moral takeaways, re-establish bonds between characters, and overall conclude on a lovely, bittersweet note. There are some romances and plot twists that could've been fleshed out better, but the ending did move me in concept. I simply wish Laura's character arc hadn't been so stagnant because I found little investment in her and side characters related to her, which took away much of the impact at the end.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe. Even though the setup of our heroine failed to grip me, I found the secondary protagonist of Freddie to be emotionally compelling from the start (I immediately teared up in his introductory chapter), and the presence of the villain contributed to a mysterious undertone that was both intriguing and fable-like, which contributed to a haunting tone overall.

**Long story short**
- Laura is emotionally distant as a protagonist, but Freddie is compelling
- Intriguing mystery, tantalizing atmosphere
- Romances and plot twists escalated too fast
- But ending is relatively satisfying

This is definitely a different writing style than Arden’s other series, and when I first started reading it caught me off guard a bit. Once I got into the story, I got hooked.

After a slow start, I was invested in these characters, in the mythical club and man that ran it, and the war itself.

This book is SO interesting!

Fair warning, if you are expecting an escapist and etherial fantasy a la The Winternight Trilogy I suggest you let that go now! I love Ardens previous books and definitely felt compelled to pick up The Warm Hands of Ghosts because of that.. it was in the author letter I received with my ARC that I realized I needed to set aside my expectations for this book and allow this story to sweep me away to wherever it would take me. I'm glad I did because I found a very enjoyable and heart wrenching story written by an author with stunning story crafting and beautiful prose!

During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise!

Y'all know a good ghost story is one of my FAVORITE subgenera's and this book absolutely delivers when it comes to the eerie and often otherworldly feel.

Laura Iven, a revered field nurse during WWI, was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders, and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

I love books that teach me, push me, and force me to grow alongside these characters. I learned of Flanders Fields in Belgium, the site of major battles during the First World War where millions of soldiers from many countries were either wounded, killed, or missing in action. Setting the story against this backdrop lent deeply to the feelings of ghosts all around, wandering and mixing with the living. Ardens writing transports you, leaving you feeling the weight of war, the horrors and death all around you. This book left me pondering broken systems, healing, guidance (both seen and unseen), darkness in all its forms, and so much hope. Although written about WWI its startling to compare to 2024 and to still see similarities and hurts to this day.

all in all this story was moving, thought provoking, and one that I can see myself revisiting and gaining something different from it each time. This book won't be fore everyone, but I truly believe that it will find its audience! If you like historical fiction fantasy with a mix of new and old, this might be fore you!

as a note: I also had the chance to immersive read this book with the audio thanks to PRH audio and I must say, the performance of this story was fantastic! I was completely swept away by the dual narration and highly recommend listening to this if audiobooks are your jam! thank you PRH audio for the ALC!

major content warnings for this book. Arden did an amazing job researching and learning about the horrors of this time and it shows! in this you'll find: WWI, descriptive imagery of war, Halifax Harbor explosion, mentions of chemical gassing, death, murder, gun violence, talk of suicide and suicide ideation, nightmares, crowd crush scene, hospital settings during war time and all that implies, claustrophobia, captivity, gore, violence, blood, and more that i'm sure i'm missing!

Laura Iven, a field nurse during WWI, was wounded, discharged, and sent home to Halifax, Canada. She is stunned when news arrives that her brother Freddie, a soldier in the Canadian Army, is missing and presumed dead. As she touches his bloody jacket and ID tags, she can't believe what she sees and reads to be true.
Despite struggling with a painful leg injury, Laura decides to return to Flanders, Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. She's determined to discover the truth of what happened to Freddie, in the hopes that he's still alive.
Engaging and utterly captivating! Katherine Arden is truly a master of her craft.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-arc.*

The Warm Hands of Ghosts
A Novel
by Katherine Arden


The Warm Hands of Ghosts features Laura and Freddie Iven, siblings who have sacrificed much to the war effort of WWI. The tale opens in 1918. Laura, a combat nurse, has sustained an injury and is sent home from the front. Not long after, she receives the dreadful news that her brother has been lost in action and is presumed dead. But Laura can’t seem to reconcile what she is told with the effects returned to her. Desperate to discover what has happened to her brother, she returns to Europe in search of answers. Letters from a fellow nurse and friend, provide clues for where to begin her search.

Rewind to 1917, when Freddie awakens in an upturned pillbox. Frightened and aware there is only a short amount of time to escape alive, he resorts to an uneasy alliance with a German soldier, who is also trapped. It is evident that the two must band together to free themselves. Their uneasiness and mistrust ultimately gives way and a bond is formed between the two men. As they desperately attempt to escape the war torn countryside, and search for news of his sister Laura, they meet a mysterious stranger.

We trek across Belgium, as the siblings search for one another. Will Laura uncover the truth about her brother’s disappearance? Will Freddie have the strength to fight to stay alive? We root for this brother and sister to find one another before it’s too late.

Katherine Arden has given us an atmospheric gothic historical fantasy, rich with an array of unforgettable characters, that slowly unfurls. But don’t let that description fool you into thinking that Arden dilutes the horrors of war, because she does not. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a story about the lengths one will go to for love, the depths one will fall to obliviate the memories of war and the boundlessness of hope.

Many thanks to the author @Arden_Katherine, @DelRey and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2024, and it did not disappoint. I was immediately drawn into the story and the characters. Katherine Arden is such a lyrical author and I am obsessed. I found myself not being able to pick which POV I enjoyed more. It held my attention so strongly.

Historical fiction about battlefield nurses and soldiers in the trenches in WWI, illness and disaster at home and loss and deprivation abroad. A ghost story, a fantasy, a haunting exploration of families and grief. I really feel the limits of my own abilities of expression, trying to tell you how excellent this book is, or to even provide a basic description that satisfies me. I can say "allegorically fantastical, visceral WWI historical fiction," and sure, that's factual—but it's so wildly insufficient. The book is superb.

Canadian siblings Laura and Freddie are tossed and tumbled by WWI in this novel of devotion, resilience and ghosts. Laura, a nurse, is back in Canada having served hard time working with soldiers wounded and gassed, when a ship explodes in Halifax harbor- her parents are killed and she repeatedly throughout the novel will see the ghost of her mother. Her brother Freddie finds himself in deep trouble alongside a German, Hans Winter when they are buried as the result of shelling. Laura believes Freddie is alive and sets off back to Europe to find him. This is told by both of them- it's an emotional, grim in spots and mysterious quest where Faland, a mysterious fiddler looms large. To be honest, I was most confused by the chapters with Faland and Freddie although less so when he appears in Laura's chapters and especially her friend Pim. Over to others as to how they feel about Faland and what he represents. I kept reading because I very much committed to Laura and Pim. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Magical realism? Folklore? A ghost story? All of the above? It's an interesting read.

The Warm Hands Of Ghosts is a story that unfolds during war about a sister’s search for her brother. Laura, a war nurse, and her brother, a soldier, are each on a mission to reunite with each other, not knowing whether the other is safe or alive during the conflict. They both embark on a journey filled with uncertainty through the chaos of war.

The author’s writing style of this book is beautiful and I enjoyed her descriptions. The story was a slow buildup, starting with details of Laura’s life as a war nurse, her discharge and her life after. I really enjoyed the brother’s character, Freddie. I found myself wanting to skim through Laura’s sections to get back into the story of Freddie and his struggles. I was expecting a bit more from Laura as a character and was wanting a deeper connection with her. There is a light touch of magical realism entwined within the story involving ghosts and the fiddler character that made it much more interesting to me.

Overall, I’d recommend reading if you are looking for a historical fiction / war fiction with light touches of magical realism.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I was really excited to read something new by Katherine Arden! I have to say that I am super impressed the same author created this and The Winternight trilogy (both of which I really enjoyed). And overall, I think this was good! The only problem for me was the pacing. I wasn't super into it until about 65% but then after that, I read it QUICKLY. So, I subtracted a star for that.

I think the settings were well researched and interesting, from the battlefields, to the hospitals, the hotel, the parkey's house, etc. I think every character was well fleshed out and even the characters that made one appearance (like some of the soldiers) still pulled at your heart strings. I enjoyed reading the slow burn "romances" that weren't really romances...more intense connections built on shared trauma... but made you happy that the characters had found something good after all the bad. The horror elements actually messed with my mind. The whole hotel thing was mind boggling and gave me so much to think about. It really made me wonder what I would do in that situation. I liked that there were fictional horror elements like the ghosts and hotel but there were also the real elements of horror behind a war like PTSD, hallucinations, nightmares, flashbacks, injuries, violence, etc. that felt so incredibly real and vivid.

There were also a few things that happened at the end that made me rethink the entire book and I think that's art. I love when one chapter can make you change everything you thought about the entirety of the story and how you felt about the characters.

This book was tragic and dark and full of trigger warnings, so it might not be for everyone. But, I think it was a really great, original read that I will definitely recommend.

4/5 stars!

I definitely love the unique premise and think the Historical Fiction mixed with speculative almost paranormal plot lines is going to be a major hit. Normally this would be something I am ravenous for, but I found the plot and two POVs (and different timelines?) a bit confusing at moments. It was an interesting and enjoyable read, but I did find myself wanting to put it down quite a bit. I’ll absolutely be recommending the title, as I feel like it was a me issue and not the book!

4.5
If you're looking for a fun light hearted read, I suggest you choose a different book. This story is heart wrenching and tragic. I could never imagine what it's like to face war, to hear the screams of people dying in the trenches next to you and not know if they are your enemies or not. I think that Katherine did an amazing job with her descriptions, she doesn't shy away from the horrors . I won't lie, I'm not a a fan of historical fiction, and I almost put this book down once I realized how dark and sad this book was with minimal fantasy elements, but I'm so glad I didn't.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc from Random House Publishing Group!

This was a very dark book, nothing cheery about it at all. Yet, I could not put it down. It highlighted WWI in ways I have never seen it done before. The majority of the book was about the battlefields themselves: the mud, the fighting, the despair, the illness, the injuries. Laura, a nurse who had been injured and sent home to Halifax, witnessed the death of her mother when an explosion occurred. She lived with the guilt of not being able to save her mother. She also missed her brother who was either missing or dead around Ypres.
This book vacillates between Laura and her brother. It became confusing as the two story lines connected but it did not harm the basic story. The confusion may have been purposeful, as it highlighted the confusion of the battlefield for me.
This book is about the craziness of war and what it can do to a person's mind. As Freddie loses his mind, he meets Faland, the fiddler. Faland took memories from those that had minds already destroyed in the war. Is Faland real? If so, he was the devil himself.
I had difficulty rating this book. It is dark enough that I did not enjoy it. But then, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I was impressed by the scope of the author's writing. So, I am taking the middle road and giving it a 3 star rating.

Katherine Arden weaves masterful craftmanship and emotional storytelling in this new historical read.

Combat nurse Laura receives an unexpected package with her brother’s belongings, and something about it seems off and out of place. He is said to have died in combat, but pieces of the story seem unsettling and missing. She crosses paths with individuals who help aid her in finding out what happened to her brother, and she begins digging a little deeper into the mystery of his disappearance.

I loved the paranormal touches, the sweet relationship dynamics, and the well-rounded moments. At times, the pace of the story was quite slow, but the mystery and intrigue of the plot kept me on my toes.

Keep this new read in mind if you love historical pieces, emotional reads, and Katherine Arden.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a story about Laura, a nurse on the front lines of World War I, and her brother Freddie, a soldier who is missing and presumed dead. It is also a story about grief, love, trauma, hope, healing, and music.

The prose is beautiful; Arden meticulously builds relationships between characters that invite you in to share in their love, be it romantic, familial, or platonic. She describes some of the worst horrors humanity has inflicted upon itself while also finding space to celebrate the small acts of kindness that allowed people to keep going.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.