Oh Wow! I am going to need some time to recover from reading this. I want to sit with Laura and Freddie's stories a little longer. The devastation of the war is so horrific but I could not stop reading. The emotional impact this had on me reminds me of reading The Book Thief for the first time. I don't usually cry while reading, but I did for this special book.

I am in all my feels right now. I can already tell this is some of the best writing I will be reading this year.

This is a Historical Fantasy set during WW1. Arden has done her research and I have learned many things I never knew about what WW1 was like for those who lived through it.

The story is about a woman looking for her brother who was presumed killed in action, but it’s about so much more! As the publishers blurb states, there is a “speculative twist” to some of the events, enough to give the book a haunting feel but still tying it firmly to our world and experiences.

I was happy to find Arden’s Author Note at the end of the book explains how processing WWI is intimately tied to the fantasy genre (think Tolkien) as a means of coming terms with some of the trauma involved and the extent of the devastation of the war that was to end all wars.

All of this coalesces into a moving and inspiring story. I know this book will be in my top books of the year. DON’T miss it.


Thanks to DelRey publishing for sending me this advanced reader copy and access to an e copy on NetGalley.

Thank you to Del Ray for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Arden’s writing when I first read through the Winternight trilogy. I was thoroughly excited when I heard she was releasing a new novel, this one set during WW1. Arden wove the stories of each character together so smoothly as their plots connected. With just a sprinkle of magic over the story, it reflected a lighter magical taste than what is found in the Winternight Trilogy.

Laura Iven is a Battle Nurse from Nova Scotia, having been injured in battle has returned home to a grave event that send her life into a new whirlwind. Her brother, Freddie, has been lost in the battle and is presumed dead. She sets out to find out what happened to her brother on the battlefield and returns to the war front.

The exploration of hope in a hell on earth was so interesting as Arden dives into the morality of the soldiers on the war front. She opens up thoughts about the choices and motivations during a time when just opening your eyes can be traumatic. The balance of hope and wonder brings out faith in things of the unknown, like the warm hands of ghosts.

Katherine Arden's The Warm Hands of Ghosts is her first foray into adult fantasy/fiction since her stunning Winternight Trilogy, which I adored. So I couldn't wait to pick up her latest novel, which combines the haunting and mythical elements of Satan and Hell on Earth with the historical aspects of WWI in Flanders, Belgium from 1917 - 1918.

Dual timelines alternate between Alfred "Freddie" Iven in 1917 fighting in one of the Great War's deadliest battles and his sister Laura Iven in 1918 a nurse wounded during the war and living in Halifax as she tries to recover. In Freddie's timeline, he finds 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 only to be separated as they seek asylum.

Laura is devastated when she learns that her brother has been killed in action, and through a series of fortuitous events returns to the front to volunteer at a private hospital while seeking answers to her brother's sudden disappearance. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Gradually their timelines converge as Laura struggles to free her brother from the hands of the ruthless Falan.

While Laura's timeline was a bit less convincing, I loved Freddie's as he struggles to remember Hans and their escape while giving himself - and his memories - over to Falan in exchange for an escape from the horrors of war. The implications of war as hell is kept front and center and the menacing yet charming Falan is portrayed vividly.

I did think the story wrapped up a bit too easily but still enjoyed this ghostly reminder of the lives impacted by war.

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but when I see a book by Katherine Arden-- I read it. This book was beautifully written, and I actually really enjoyed the story. I loved the dual timelines and having both sibling's POVs. Laura and Freddie were both easy to love characters, and I was so interested in both of their journeys.

I had no idea where the book was going at first, but then slowly everything becomes clearer and starts making more sense. At first, I felt like the pacing was to slow but now that I've finished I feel like it was perfect and the build up to the events that happen felt really satisfying.

I was hoping for more fantasy/magic/paranormal/something from this book, but it reads more like a historical fiction with a fantasy element...sort of. If you were hoping for something like The Winternight Trilogy-- this isn't it, but it was still a very good and compelling read.

Thank you to Random House and Del Rey for this ARC!

I’m not usually one for stories set in the World Wars. I find them far too depressing for the payoff to be worth it. However, I did enjoy Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale, so I gave this book a shot and wow was I glad I did. With beautiful prose, intimate character studies (against the depressing backdrop of WWI), and a striking memorable story, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a must-read for any literary fantasy fan.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is one of those rare books where the characters feel so real, their psyches so thoroughly explored, their weaknesses and vulnerabilities laid bare for the reader to see. Pair this with a story set on the front line of World War I, where every day men die by the thousands in all sorts of gruesome manners, and Arden presents offers some of the best character work I’ve recently read. This isn’t a book where the idea of a ‘likable character’ comes to mind, but one of an almost voyeuristic nature, where we watch down on characters put through the most hellish conditions and are forced to make heartbreaking decisions for mere survival.

The story structure is one I’d almost describe as slice-of-life, if slice-of-life could take place largely on the front lines and at a war hospital. We follow POVs of the Iven siblings. Laura, a discharged field nurse returned to the frontlines in search of her missing brother Freddie, and Freddie, a Canadian soldier assumed dead, forced to pick his way back to safety and make some terrible choices on the way. The first 70% or so of the book is mostly a tale of survival, detailing their day-to-day lives at the war front, largely reacting to the sorts of horrible occurrences one encounters at war. It’s only in the last portion that these two storylines truly begin to converge. I particularly enjoyed Freddie’s storyline, and especially the relationship built on pure survival he develops with the German soldier Winter.

Arden ends the book with a letter to the reader, discussing motivations behind the book and themes she wanted to explore. There’s one quote in particular that so beautifully encapsulates everything I loved about this book.

What use would the lover and exploiter of mortal flaws have for a place that torments without accounting for vice or virtue, a place that renders the infinitely interesting human soul a number in a ledger, a body in drab?

Katherine Arden, The Warm Hands of Ghosts
Because the beauty of this book is Arden’s ability to carve out a story of these two individual souls, give them triumphs and struggles, moments of joy and moments of tragedy, set against such a hellish, cruel backdrop. My favorite character is the one who personifies the devil in all his human glory, carefully serving out personal intimate cruelties, while a man-made war ravages indiscriminately in the background.

Overall, I rate this book a 5/5. I’m not typically one for stories set in the World Wars, but Arden blew me away with The Warm Hands of Ghosts. Beautiful prose, incredible character work, and a story of human tragedy and triumph.

Wow, this novel was so beautiful, so tragic, so hopeful. I’m a mix of emotions after reading but I loved it and highly recommend!

I am a huge fan of Katherine Arden — I loved her Winternight Trilogy and Space Spaces series. The Warm Hands of Ghosts was so different but so similar to these books.

Laura Iven, discharged from the army, is a nurse in Halifax when she receives her brother’s belongings from the Great War. But there was no message that said he brother died. And when she stumbles upon a seance and hears he’s still alive, she travels back to the war to find her brother.

Freddie Iven is stuck in the trenches with a German man named Winter. Both lean on each other to survive. And when they come across a mysterious man name Faland, everyone’s lives change.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

First I must praise the quality of the writing. The story is crafted in such a way that you don't even realize the heavy topics you are delving into until you are brewing on the questions they raise later in the day.
What are our limits?
How does our perspective change the "evil" we see?
How would you react to a complete shift of your world?

Second i must tell you this is NOT a romance as i thought it was. But even though that is what I wanted I am NOT sorry i read it and would recommend this to those seeking an introspective journey.

I really enjoyed this dream-like ghost story of siblings trying everything they can to reunite, dead or alive. This is not a book for someone who enjoys fast-paced thrillers with a lot of plot. This is a slow-burn beautiful journey on unlikely friendships, ghosts, music putting you into trances, and family we make. If you like Katherine Arden's style and atmospheric writing, you will enjoy this one.

Katherine Arden might be the only writer there is to get me reading a novel set in WWI.

I absolutely adore her writing style and mesh of different genres. It is rare to find an author that can write in such a way, that I’m devouring every word.

In The Warm Hands of Ghosts we follow Laura, a combat nurse, as she searches for answers regarding her brother, Freddie. We switch every chapter between Laura’s present POV and Freddie’s Past POV until they meet together for a conclusion. While we revisit the brutal realities of war, we also meet the devil and spend a short time exploring his lure. Sadly, much of his mystery remains.

Without giving too much away, I really enjoyed switching between POVs. I found Freddie’s to be more exciting with a faster pace. Although Laura’s POV was slower, there is nothing without purpose and a slow, increasing dread is constantly felt.

While I enjoyed the story and characters, I wish to have learned more about Jones and “The Fiddler” as well as his hotel.

I also enjoyed Laura’s romantic interest and was rooting for the given outcome. However, Freddie’s romantic interest is where my love for the novel took a nose dive. I think the bond was powerful enough without making it sexual. It felt more forced and out of place than a natural progression. It added nothing to the story for me and diminished my interest in the remaining pages.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to her next novel.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a well-written, eery but interesting tale. I went in blind and highly recommend anyone else reading this to do the same. The story was woven well, with intricate characters whom you want the best for. It was painful and heartbreaking, but realistic.

The lack of the additional 2 stars are to not fault of the book, but my own - do not go into this novel expecting it to be in any way similar to The Bear and the Nightingale. Arden pivots completely with this novel, and it is incredible! Just not what I was expecting (again, totally a reader issue and not an issue with the book, writing, or author).

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. This book was not what I was expecting. It is being marketed as a historical fantasy ( if I remember right), however it didn’t come off as that for me. The writing style of this is so drastically different from the authors other books. It felt like there was a lot of unfinished thoughts, actions and plot lines that seemed to just fizzle out, All the side characters and Laura (female main character) all seemed flat. Personally, I disliked most of this books. The only parts/ storyline I really enjoyed reading was Freddie’s (male main character and Laura’s brother). This books would have been so much better for me if Laura and her plot line were either removed or there was less of it.

Freddie and his story with Winter and Falange are honestly the only reason I didn’t dnf this. They were the only characters that didn’t feel flat. Their stories, the events they go through and the trauma that they have to deal with are things that I feel should be talked about. I’m very grateful that Katherine Arden brought these themes and aspects into the book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC of this title for my honest review.

2.5/5.0 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the gracious opportunity to review this arc.

I, unfortunately, had to DNF this at 50%.

Now let me start by saying that I had high hopes going into this. I have recently really started to appreciate the historical fiction genre, without AND without the fantasy or other genres thrown in the mix. With that being said, the way this is being marketed makes it seem as though the fantasy aspect plays a bigger part in the story. I did not find that to be true for most of my reading. I was just started to get to threads of fantasy thrown in there around the 40% mark and even then, it was extremely brief.

I found the MFC, Laura, to be a very rough character and her storyline matched her personality. It was very monotone and boring. It seems that every response from her was quite sarcastic even when not necessary by any means. I understand that she was dealing with a lot but even then she was just not a very dimensional character. Laura's brother, Freddie, had a much more interesting story line but towards the middle it to become stagnant with not much movement.

The overall pace of the story is very slow. Given the synopsis and title, I was expecting more paranormal activity to take place. The seance at the beginning was really setting a good flow of the story, but then other than the occasional vision from Laura, it's not there. It really just became a back and forth story of the characters moving from place to place. This of course means, based on how much I read, that if there was other paranormal activity that really happens it will take place after the 50% mark, which is far too long into the book for my liking. There were so many parts of the story where I feel like it could have either included it or just been taken out all together.

I can admit I appreciate that the author did very meticulous and thorough work studying the war and can be noticed in detail even from the beginning of the story. All descriptions of the war felt realistic and gave an excellent mental picture.

As a final note, I don't think this was completely horrible to where I would never finish the story. I just feel like expectations were not met which caused disappointment, but I see myself finishing this in the future.

Grab your hot beverage of choice and settle in under a warm blanket on a cold day for this read!

If you are a fan of historical fiction and love the added aspect of the paranormal or fantasy this is the book for you!

The story, the setting, the timeline were all so well plotted and forward driven that this ended up being a one sitting read for me.

Readers who enjoy books like Lovely War and The London Seance Society will devour this book!

Title: The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Publication Date- 02/13/24
Publisher- Penguin Random House- Del Rey
Overall Rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, I have never read a book like this before. This was also my first book by Katherine Arden and I am pleased to say I thoroughly enjoyed her writing. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a well crafted historical fiction that adds the paranormal. I want to start off by saying if historical fiction is something you really dislike, it’s not like in the backdrop of this story, it is the main genre. I am not the biggest historical fiction person however, I really loved this. Just use extreme caution if you are not interested in WW1 and a very slow wartime story. If you can get past those elements there is so much to take away from this story.

What worked: This is just such an interesting story about a deeply sad time in history. Often, we see historical fiction taking place during WW2. In my experience, it is rare to find a book about WW1. If you do decide to read this, make sure you read the author's note at the end it’s very important and informative and touches on the lack of interest in WW1. Throughout the story we learn about the madness and horrors that war creates and I appreciate that Katherine Arden showed how women were involved and the horrors they faced too which are almost always left out in literature.

The characters, you will meet some deeply moving, resilient, bad ass characters. Wow, our main character, I would love to see this story be turned into a movie just so I can see her on screen. It would be impossible for me to formulate the words to show the strength these characters possessed that isn’t too far off from the real lives of those during WW1. This book doesn’t play sides. If you read it you’ll see what I mean.

The paranormal aspects were very well developed and interesting. They also wove into the story in ways that made sense and weren’t too complicated. Reading this, makes me want to read the Bear and the Nightingale trilogy also by this author. She combines history and folklore in deeply meaningful ways. I’m realizing I’m using the word deep a lot but this book truly has depth to it in ways I didn’t expect.

One of the strongest points of the book is the ending. I loved the ending. Not much else to say about that except read it and find out. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time.

What didn’t work: For some this story may be too slow. As someone who has grown to love slow pace, character stories, the middle of dragged on just a bit too much. That’s the only reason this isn’t a five star, I wonder if it could have been slightly shorter or if that’s my lack of experience with historical fiction speaking. This is really my only complaint.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this amazing opportunity!

It is so hard for me to rate the books that ended up being my whole life and personality.
This book was just that.
It is a masterpiece in my eyes but I might be and probably am biased because I’m obsessed with the author.
The cover did not disappoint at all.
Highly recommend for you guys to grab it as soon as it is out.

This was such a beautiful and fascinating book. Like many arc readers, I wanted to read this book because I found the Winternight Trilogy to be profoundly transforming. It is still one of my favorite reads, and so I was excited to read another sort of magic historical story from KA.

Despite knowing what I thought was a decent amount about WWI, I found myself constantly googling things while reading this story because there was so much really interesting history that she was delving into that I knew nothing about—especially in Canada! It was cool to get to use the story and the characters’ journeys to do my own research.

There is something spellbinding about everything KA writes and this is no exception. It is, admittedly, a very slow paced book, but I think that will make for a wonderfully atmospheric audiobook, which I will be listening to as soon as my library has a copy.

Thanks to netgalley for granting me this arc!

Full disclosure, I DNF'd this book just a few chapters in. I was so excited to receive this ARC, and so disappointed when I started reading it. I loved Arden's Winternight trilogy and thought I would love this newest work as well. The writing in this novel is vastly different from what Arden has produced before, and it does not click with me at all. The sentences are short and choppy; I could overlook this if they flowed together well, but they don't. I found myself rereading each paragraph multiple times, and still not absorbing what was happening. I made the decision not to continue with the book to spare myself this experience the whole way through.

Such a beautifully atmospheric and haunting book! Katherine Arden's writing is absolutely amazing and I can't wait to read her other books!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is not primarily a fantasy/romance, but rather historical fiction based on WW1 with the tiniest drop of magic (which might as well be a metaphor) and the tiniest amount of romance - very subtle, and I am so happy that this isn't another romanticized war story.

(There are graphic descriptions of wounded soldiers, body parts falling, and a lot more gruesome wounds and deaths - please don't read it if you can't deal with such descriptions.)

Let me start by saying that I’m in the biggest reading slump I’ve been in in the past two years. I DNF’d this book at 17%. I can acknowledge that this is a good book and that I could probably enjoy it at a different point in time. However, right now, me and this storyline/ writing style are simply not getting along. Consider this a soft DNF because I’m likely to pick this up at some point, just not now.

I did love the depth of the characters that I had seen in only the very beginning of the book. I can already see who they are and what they stand for. It’s refreshing to read a book by an author who understands their characters. The plot simply didn’t catch my attention in the bit that I read. Ill try it again later!!