Arden expertly weaves a tale of tragedy, hope, loss, and love in The Warm Hands of Ghosts. This fabulism take on World War I is unflinching in its portrayal of the horrors of World War I. But when the only magic in this world comes with the price of your soul, the real wonder, and triumph, lies in learning how to live after the world ends.

Perfect for fans of The Night Circus and Divine Rivals, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a masterpiece.

I really enjoyed Katherine Arden's Bear and the Nightingale series. Her talent for weaving beautiful prose is extraordinary and her talents continue to grow with each story she writes.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts follows siblings Laura and Freddie Iven, a combat nurse and soldier in the Great War. This book was both beautiful and haunting, the characters even more so. I will most definitely be on the lookout for Arden's next book!

Katherine Arden's The Warm Hands of Ghosts is her first adult book since her incredible Winternight trilogy, and so, yes, my expectations were very high despite myself. And so it's with some gratitude that I tell you that Ghosts is wholly its own kind of book, one that's far more melancholy and mournful than the Winternight series ever was, even as it once again blends together historical fiction and supernatural elements into something that only enhances both sides of the equation. It's the story of Laura Iven, an English World War I nurse who returns to the battlefield, scars and all, in an effort to find out what happened to her brother, who may or may not be dead. But even before Laura starts seeing images of her dead mother nudging her along her path (or away from things), there's an unreality to the nightmarish and apocalyptic horrors of the war, only underlined all the more when Laura and her companions arrive in an unusual haven from the war that shouldn't really exist. Beyond that - and beyond the alternating chapters from Laura's brother Freddie's perspective, which find his own fight for survival depicted in stark and harrowing terms - I don't want to get too much into the details, as this is a book of subtle pleasures and quiet reveals, with much implied and left to the imagination to fill in, and that makes the story all the richer and better. But suffice to say that this is, as the title implies, a ghost story...but not in any traditional sense of the word, so much as it's a story about the ghosts of the war, whether they be literal, imagined, or psychological ones - or perhaps all of those at once. It's also a story about what it's like to look down the barrel of the end of the world, and to grapple with how we got to this point and to try to find any way to cope with the damage and scars and hurt left behind. The Warm Hands of Ghosts isn't as epic in scope as the Winternight books, nor is it as horrific as her YA Small Spaces series, but it undeniably is the work of that same author, who tries her best to find a way to dramatize a period in history where everything was changing and nothing would be the same - and finds, somehow, that the supernatural might be the best way of depicting entirely man-made events. It's a lovely, heartbreaking, painful book, and if its more subtle, quiet, and withdrawn than her other work, none of that makes it any less wonderfully crafted and told. Rating: **** ½

I loved Arden's <i>Winternight Trilogy</i> and have really enjoyed her YA books, but I was admittedly a little bummed when I saw that her next book was going to be set during World War I. I'm not a huge fan of books set during wars, especially given the rash of World War II books that are popular right now. However, <i>The Warm Hands of Ghosts</i> is one of my favorite books of the year and might even fall above the <i>Winternight Trilogy</i> for me.

The story is devastating. It covers aspects of World War I that I had no idea about or had only the briefest idea about. Arden hits on the absolute tragedy this war was for those who served and the long-term harm it did. Readers looking for a repeat of characters like Vasilisa won't find them in this book because the characters in this one are wholly their own and fighting their own wars.

I adored this book and cannot wait to see what Arden does next.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

The book has potential but it fell so short. Plot was bit of a miss and the characters undeveloped and not so interesting.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

Let me preface to say if you are looking for this to be like The Bear and the Nightingale you'll be disappointed. They're completely different, so don't go in expecting the same.

I wouldn't recommend reading if you are bothered by graphic descriptions of battlefield violence, of injuries or medical procedures.

Its set in WWI, in the middle of death, despair, heartache on the battlefields and the trenches.
Laura Iven has been honorably discharged after her field hospital was bombed, it had been set up near a munitions dump and it was thought to be too terrible a target to be hit. Her hands are scarred from years of working in bad conditions to save the lives of soldiers, her leg a web of scarring from shrapnel.
She moved home just in time to disaster to strike in the Harbor, killing the family she has left. Only her brother Wilfred Iven is left of it, and it appears he's gone missing or is presumed dead.

Laura has seen too much, lived through too much, she is haunted by her own ghosts of war. It's altered her, it doesn't feel like she belongs in society, where is a place for a woman like her? Hardened, and stubborn she goes back to find out what happened to her brother. The circumstances of his supposed death don't add up to her.

And she finds rumors of a supernatural character, and a magic hotel that appears. Those that visit often pine for it, some are willing to die to get back to it. Is the battlefield the devil's playground? An ancient gods plaything? A creature of the other world come to collect the worst moments humanity has to offer? Who and what is this violinist?

Wilfred and Laura circle each other in this tale, will she be brave enough to pull her brother back through his memories and hold him in this realm? How much of himself will he give away just to be rid of the worst moments? Losing the things that make him- himself in the process? Will he face his reality?
Laura will have to face her own reality as well, and stay rooted as she goes. And an enemy solider will help her do it. When everyone is a pawn in someone's larger game, and you're caught in the tide of war, did you even have a choice to begin with?

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a historical fiction taking place in WW1, but with magical realism. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, as I have not read any of the author’s previous works. But let me tell you I was blown away. The way the author details the terror and the realities of the war and PTSD was captivating. It is heartbreaking and sad at times, but also focuses on hope and love. It is a very thought provoking book and I could tell the author put a lot of thought and research into it. The book has duel POV with two amazing characters. Both of their stories were interesting to me and I always wanted to get back to the other one to see what would happen. I really enjoyed this book and immediately preordered a copy!

5/5

A haunting and sweeping tale about the power of the bonds we share set against the First World War. A discharged war-worn nurse must face an evil that extends beyond the horrors of the battlefield to a sinister force that may have led her brother and others like him astray. Katherine Arden transports readers to 1918, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, friend and foe, and the traumas we endure and strive to overcome. A book both long-awaited and completely worth the wait, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a marvelous piece of speculative fiction that faces the atrocities of the war with such grace and humanity. The ghosts here are as paranormal as they are man-made and you may just find yourself allured by a fiddler before the end comes. This book has stayed with me in the months after reading like the best kind of ghost story.

Full review to come at a later date on my blog.

While this book isn't a genre I would normally pick up, I couldn't help but to pick up anything written by Arden. Adding ghosts to a historical fiction narrative was something I was not expecting from her with Arden's last book being more fantasy all together. This book beautifully showcases the power of family and war and how love can transcend all.

I’ve been a fan of Arden’s work since I first read her Winternight Trilogy, which I wrote about here and here. While her previous work has been some of the best fantasy and horror I’ve read, she stretches way beyond those genres here in a book I can only describe as quietly incandescent.

The utter horror of World War I has been documented in so many ways that Arden doesn’t feel obligated to give a history lesson here. Instead, she examines the humanity (and inhumanity) experienced by average people caught up in situations too big and too awful to comprehend without going mad. She beautifully renders the utter heartbreak and the paralyzing fear experienced by soldiers, nurses, and doctors, juxtaposed with love, affection, friendship and the human capacity to just get on with it and worry about details later.

In Winternight, Arden wrote about a place called Midnight and the struggle between Chaos and Order. I recognized some aspects of both those things in some scenes here. The character of Faland reminded me a bit of The Bear – the bringer of chaos, the eater of souls – but the character here was developed in such a way that made me cringe but also want more. The concept that the war was so horrific, that it was murdering the old world and making way for the new, was so carefully balanced with the idea that it was also changing the nature of evil itself is one that has kept me thinking long after finishing the book.

I’m not often completely surprised at twists in a story, but the twist near the end of this one left me entirely nonplussed and drained. Arden’s treatment of relationships – brother & sister, mother and child, friend & enemy – is so intricate and beautiful that some scenes made me cry. That doesn’t often happen.

Despite the chaos and horror, the threads that pull it all together are love and madness. How can humans endure utter madness yet still find their way back to those who love them? How much can one person endure before they give up and what lengths would you go to in order to bring your loved one back from the brink?

This book comes out in early 2024 and I predict it will be on all the “Best of 2024” lists. It is a triumph for Katharine Arden and a gift to us all.

If there’s one thing I can always rely on, it’s Katherine Arden to write something beautiful, evocative and atmospheric no matter the setting or layout of the novel. Even in the horrifying realities of Belgium in the throes of WWI, she somehow was able to take themes around the temptation of oblivion amidst unimaginable horror and turn it into a reflexive study of human perseverance and the lengths we’ll go to to save those we love. I had no doubt I’d love this book, as an ardent fan of the Winternight trilogy and Katherine’s writing, but I wasn’t expecting to love a war story just so much. Laura and Freddie were both extremely layered characters and they both went through gut wrenching journeys from beginning to end.

Set near the end of WWI, we follow the stories of Canadian siblings Laura— nurse who was injured on the front lines and is trying to do what she can from home, and Freddie— soldier in Belgium who’s gone inexplicably missing. When Laura learns of her brothers disappearance and finds the situation suspicious, she decides to travel back to the front lines and find her brother, but strange rumours of a fiddler with powers capable of erasing memory start to trickle in, she finds herself wrapped up into a story far greater than her own.

This story almost felt like a music piece in itself— delicately unravelling, the strains of love and vengeance and perseverance trickling through the louder booms of war. Katherine didn’t flinch from the realities of WII, from the muddy horror of no mans land to the PTSD that follows, but overall, this is a story of hope. And just like when I turned those final few pages of Winter of the Witch, I found myself sitting with the knowledge I’d just read something spectacular. If you’re in any way a fan of Arden’s writing or enjoyed books like Alice Winn’s In Memoriam or Catherynne Valente’s Deathless, you’ll love this. I couldn’t recommend it more.

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.

⭐️: 4.5 / 5

Publication Date: February 13, 2024

I want to thank Ballantine, Del Rey and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, were the setting and atmosphere of the story. I loved that this was set during the First World War and one of our main characters is a Canadian field nurse. As both this time in history and Canadian involvement in war are two topics that I rarely read about in popular fiction. I found the descriptions of the trenches to be harrowing and the hospital scenes to be truly chaotic.

As for my reservations, this is very slow to start. And I will warn fans of the Winternight Trilogy if you’re going into this story expecting something similar to that you’ll be in for quite the shock, personally I didn’t have a problem with the changes in style but I do think it’s worth noting. I’d also not been totally shocked by one of the reveals towards the end as it felt pretty apparent what was going on but still found the motivation intriguing.

Overall I really loved what this book became. I’ll admit it was slow to start but once it got to the halfway point I couldn’t stop turning the pages to find out what came next. The ending was beautifully done and had me teary eyed. So I’d still recommend this book for people to try, and go into it with an open mind.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- World War I stories
- War Nurses
- Dual POV & timelines
- Character driven stories
- Dark magical realism

⚠️ PTSD, scars of war, body horror, violence

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is a hauntingly beautiful story that will slip under your skin and stay with you long after it is done. Arden has masterfully researched and written a World War I story that shows the horror of war and the human connection it can forge. It is a beautiful story with characters you care deeply about. The plot and prose draw you in, and you want to stay wrapped in them. I didn't want to put this book down. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is easily one of my new favorite books, and I can't wait for others to be enchanted by this tale.

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for the eARC.

This was a very interesting book dealing with Laura's search for her missing brother, Freddie, during WWI. I liked all the historical details and the snippets of spiritualism and the slight paranormal slant. But mostly, it dealt with the horrors of the war and the field hospital setting where Laura returns after an injury sends her back home to Canada. It's there that she learns that her brother is maybe dead, maybe not, maybe somewhere in-between.

What a wonderful and interesting premise. As prevalent and popular as World War II books are, there are far fewer historical fiction books that get great focus about World War I. This book aims to do just that, and succeeds by humanising it and creating a very clear and descriptive view of the horrors of the war, as well as the historical impact. The story follows a young woman who had served as a nurse in the war, and her brother, a soldier. The story is at times harrowing, sad, and touching. I would definitely recommend this to someone trying to get insight into how the war affected individuals across the globe. Often I think as an American it is harder to understand the impact of the way because our country was far less affected by it than European countries. However, this book does just that, and introduces a beautiful story at the same time. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction, and also likes beautiful storytelling.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me by surprise. I requested it initially because I loved Katherine Arden's other works, The Bear and the Nightingale and Small Spaces, but I didn't know if a story about a nurse in World War II looking for her lost brother amidst the explosions and madness would be up my alley. It was. It really really was. I was captivated by Freddy's chapters in particular. The realism of war and the juxtaposition of Faland's hotel to that from his perspective really drew me in. And of course, his relationship with Winter. I absolutely feel this book tells a compelling story of the devil on a battlefield, while always keeping in mind that the real horror is the battlefield. Laura, our protagonist being haunted by the ghost of her mother and the journey she makes through this books up until the tail end when the title of the book comes into play is beautiful. This book is queer, atmospheric, haunting, and was a genuine pleasure to read. 4.5/5 stars.

Evil hovers over the root of misery. It takes readily from the familiar.

Katherine Arden creates an unforgettable novel that sits alongside the horrific tragedies forced upon humanity through war. Arden sifts through the souls perched on either side and shines a light on the empty void of that Black Hole.

Laura Ivens is a field nurse during World War I. She's been recently discharged due to a serious injury while in France. She returns to her former life in Halifax, Canada. Laura crosses the ocean between the horrors of war that she witnessed and then back to the horror of losing her parents in a boat explosion in Halifax. She now walks with difficulty due to her injury, but the heaviness of loss weighs in a far different way.

Alone, Laura pines for the sole survivor of her family other than herself.......her brother Freddie. Freddie is serving in the Canadian army in Flanders. A simple box arrives at her doorstep. Inside is a bloody jacket and an I.D. with Freddie's name on it. No matter how many times she lifts out the contents, she refuses to believe that Freddie is dead.

So Laura rejoins her field hospital staff in France intent on finding out what really happened to Freddie. Armed with questions, she seeks the truth either way. What she finds are the rustling leaves that scatter within nightmares. What is real and what exactly are the things that wrack the souls of the walking wounded? Their eyes have seen things better not spoken of. Phantoms of the night coiling up in the darkness of the mind.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is like nothing that you've read before. Arden takes on a mighty storyline and she weaves it through experiences known only by those in the trenches forced to be heroes when terror rules the land. She incorporates a bit of paranormal into this one to add to the eeriness of spirits who still claim those battlefields. It's involved, tightly packed, and lined with many forceful characters seeking refuge from the enemy without and the enemy within.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Del Ray Publishers and to Katherine Arden for the opportunity.

I loved this! Spiritualism, the Great War, independent women... so many of my favorite things tossed together. My expectations were high and they were rewarded. While the plot did lose its momentum a little in the middle, the world-building was immaculate, the characterizations were sharp, and it really stuck the landing. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a spooky, immersive read.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a historical fiction novel set in World War I where field nurse Laura Iven is looking for her brother, a solider who is missing, presumed dead. Going back to the Belgium front, Laura learns of a mysterious hotelier who makes bargains with soldiers so that they can forget their worst memories. I thought that the premise sounded really interesting and I settled in for a ghost story with a side of history. I specifically read this book in October for the spooky vibes. I'm a huge fan of the Bear and the Nightingale and was excited to read another one of Katherine Arden's books!

Andddd I thought it was just okay. I thought that the book would more fantasy adjacent and explore being haunted by war. After reading the author's note, it seems like she was more interested in helping people understand the atrocities of WWI. While a noble goal, I feel like I have already gotten that point from other media and was looking for a reimagining of the conflict. I came in wanting ghosts and a mysterious hotelier and only got that for a fraction of the book.

I saw another reviewer say that they would have liked this book better if it only focused on Freddie, Laura's missing brother. I kind of agree! Laura's viewpoint was very focused on field nursing, which I'm interested in, but again didn't give me the spooky narrative I was expecting. I feel like the author could have picked one person to focus on and then would have been able to lean more into the fantastical elements. I really liked the premise and have previously loved how Arden weaves myth into real historical events. There just wasn't enough of that in this book for me.

Overall, I recommend this book if you're super interested in WWI and want another book on the subject. 3 stars from me. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book, my thoughts are my own!