Amid the horrendous tragedies and turmoil of World War I, nurse Laura will stop at nothing to discover the fate of her brother Freddie who is fighting in Belgium and goes missing. This book is full of intrigue, mystery, and the unexplained. Death and ghosts follow at every corner. I absolutely loved this book. It is very different as it portrays the war in a very ragged honest way and constantly has you turning the page to find out what happens next. The storyline is 10/10. Definitely one of my tops reads of 2023.

Katherine Arden is an absolute master of writing and this book only continues to prove that. During "the Great War," Laura finds out that her brother has gone missing, but something feels off. Laura decides that she is going to figure out what happened.

This novel was so unexpected in all of the right ways. It's very different from her other novels, but brings the same level of atmosphere and care for her characters that we've all come to love. It is lush and beautifully written, but does not pull its punches on some of the harder topics. I highly recommend this book, even if historical fiction/fantasy is not your thing.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nowhere seems more appropriate for a story about the lost and forsaken than a story set in one of the World Wars, whether it’s a fantasy or straight historical fiction. And the search for one of those lost, forsaken souls sparks off the events of “The Warm Hands Of Ghosts,” Katherine Arden’s historical fantasy about a woman’s search for her brother, and that brother’s fall from grace. It’s not a comfortable or complicated book, but it does have a certain dark, dismal charm.

It’s 1918, World War I is raging, and nurse Laura Iven has little other than her work to occupy her – her parents died in freak accidents, she suffered some nasty injuries in her field work at the front, and her brother Freddy has just been declared missing, presumed dead. Then a seance tells her that Freddie is still alive – and though she doesn’t entirely believe it, she decides to go back to the front with her new friends Pim Shaw and Mary Burton to find out what happened to him.

Soon after arriving, the women take shelter in a strange, dreamlike hotel, where a man named Faland plays the fiddle and tantalizes people with a magic mirror. While Laura searches for some sign of her brother, she is told stories about the Fiddler and the sinister spell he weaves over the people who find him – and she begins to wonder if Freddie’s fate might somehow be connected to this man.

Alternating chapters also show what happened to Freddie the year before – how he was left for dead in an overturned pillbox, with a German soldier named Hans Winter. The two men bond as they try to find a way back to one of their armies, and Freddie goes to extreme lengths to make sure his new friend will survive. But these lengths also put him in the hands of Faland, and a Faustian pact that will steal away what is most precious to him.

“The Warm Hands of Ghosts” is a book that is easier to appreciate than to actually enjoy – it’s a beautifully-written, beautifully-sculpted tale about the horrors of war, the price people will pay to escape them, and the bonds between people facing those horrors. But at the same time, Katherine Arden’s tale has stretches that aren’t exactly gripping, especially in Laura’s part of the story, and while the grey bleakness of the war is well-explored, she doesn’t really fully address the implications or theological aspects of the story that she brings up.

Furthermore, the alternating chapters from Laura and Freddie’s perspectives do start to sap some of the tension, especially when Faland’s true nature reveals itself – you kind of want the story to just stick to Freddie and explore the horror of his situation. Instead, every time something important happens in one of the parallel narratives, it’s cut off and we switch to the other one.

The characters also are a mixed bag – Laura is a character that it’s easier to admire than to like, being a rather cold and prickly woman. It’s entirely understandable, and well-displayed, how she became that way, but it’s hard to warm up to her. Supporting characters like the enchantingly feminine Pim or the bluntly practical American doctor Jones end up feeling more like characters you want to follow. And Freddie is a more raw and dynamic character, since his journey is more horrifying and gripping, as is his relationship with enemy soldier Winter.

“The Warm Hands of Ghosts” is a striking, well-written and well-researched tale of war, loss and the sinister forces that underlie human horrors. However, it needed more fleshing-out of some aspects of the plot, and a heroine who feels less cold and armored.

"Do not despair. Endings—they are beginnings too."

[Review contains spoilers]

Let me start off by saying that the title of this book is absolutely beautiful. It is so evocative, and the promise of a haunting WWI tale of ghosts and the strength of sibling bonds made me very excited to pick up The Warm Hands of Ghosts. It sounded very much like Katherine Arden's latest novel was specifically catered to my interests. And perhaps there was just too much hype to live up to because the story that I ended up getting here was incredibly lackluster.

➺ The characters: an emotionally distant cast

The Warm Hands of Ghost was a novel that felt very...safe? What I mean is it doesn't really take any risks in terms of storytelling. However, this by itself is not a dealbreaker for me. No plot is ever entirely unique or groundbreaking - I can love and enjoy stories that have been told a thousand times over if the characters are complex and engaging. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is narrated via alternating POV chapters between Laura, a combat nurse during WWI, and Freddie, her missing solider brother. Even though we're with Freddie and Laura through some of the darkest moments of their lives, I felt like there was always this wall between the reader and these characters. I could never connect to their emotional struggles, which in my opinion is crucial for a story about war.

Laura has all of the makings of a great protagonist on paper but for some reason just never came alive for me. She is apparently persistent, clever, strong-willed...but outside of this I cannot tell you anything about her as a person. She doesn't grow or change in any significant way. She never truly exists outside of the confines of being a sister desperately searching for her brother, and this relationship defines too much of who Laura is. In fact, the only real "growth" she goes through is related to her brother, when in the end she realizes that saving him did not bring her the peace she was desperately hoping to find.

Freddie, on the other hand, is a little more interesting. He is an artist with a poetic soul, forced by the hand of history to grow up before his time. If you've read any war fiction or even true accounts, his character will at once feel very familiar. That doesn't make the suffering he endures any less substantial, but, like Laura, Freddie never really grows beyond this. There was so much missed opportunity with his character, which has already been encapsulated so much better in other reviews than I can articulate.

The rest of the cast was just as bland and all felt like the author was trying too hard to be clever. We've got three quirky elderly sisters who may or may not be clairvoyants, a beautiful widow who is of course more than she appears to be, a mysterious violinist who may or may not be the devil. Speaking of this violinist, I thought that Faland was a terrible "antagonist." Having this primary villain be the devil just downplayed all the actual human evil and atrocities that happened in the rest of the story. I suppose there was some attempt at nuance with him offering people solace from these aforementioned atrocities, but it didn't work for me personally.

➺ The plot: a failed blend of the historical and fantastical

"A man once told me, in great earnest, how he saw his brother, dead three years, in his dugout, leading him away just before the heavy came down. Ghosts have warm hands, he kept telling me, as though it was the greatest secret in the world"

The actual plot of this book was all over the place. Entire chapters would go by where nothing substantial happens, and then Laura rescuing her brother occurs in such a short and anticlimactic manner. The various chapter headings hearkening to a religious Armageddon felt like they were used solely for vibes and didn't offer anything for the story's structure or setting.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts was also much more lacking in magic than I was expecting based on the blurb. I knew I wasn't getting a full-blown fantasy, but I was, however, expecting more fantastical elements blended with the historical setting akin to something like Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. This blending of fantasy and reality is always very difficulty to pull off though because we're dealing with an actual period in history and the tragedies of war which were very real. It definitely wasn't accomplished successfully here.

➺ The writing: a stilted and distant voice

I also keep hearing a lot of praise regarding Arden's writing and so was looking forward to finally dive into her work. This book must not be representative of her best writing though because I personally didn't find anything special about it. There's a lot of descriptive prose but nothing I would describe as "poetic" or "lush."

I was overall disappointment by The Warm Hands of Ghosts and the promise of the brilliant and haunting story that this could have been. In the end, it did not really do anything to separate itself from the myriad of other historical fiction books about there.

I was so excited to read this, coming from one of my all time favorite authors! It is different from the Winternight trilogy, but fantastic in its own way. The horrors of war and loss were real, each telling of Laura and Freddie's experiences and losses were tangible. The perspective from a combat nurse and soldier were captivating on their own, but the addition of the otherworldly hotel takes the story to another level. The portrayal of the devil and the choices made to give him what he seeks but without losing yourself played upon the theme of seeking safety and nurturing in a tumultuous environment. I only wished the hinted romance was developed more, steamy scenes are what I think Laura deserved after her harrowing journey! Perhaps a sequel? Highly recommend!

Brutal, heartbreaking and haunted. Arden wove her ghosts so effortlessly into the actual historical horror of her setting and came away with something viscerally raw. A war book and a book about the worst times that comes by its hope with difficulty but utter honesty.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the e-arc of The Warm Hands of Ghosts. I am a *huge* fan of Katherine Arden, so this was a dream come true!

This was a huge departure from Arden’s previous works. There were many aspects of this book I loved, and some I didn’t.

What I loved:
I loved Freddie, Winter, and Faland. The battlefield myth surrounding the psychosis-inducing fiddler hotelier was intriguing and I think helped encapsulated the trauma that soldiers face. However I am generally a fan of magical realism, especially when it comes to chaotic characters such as Faland and the legendary Woland. I loved the World War 1 setting, and the inclusion of the Halifax explosion. Many WW1 stories are pretty American-centric so that departure was quite nice. You can tell that Arden put a lot of her heart into bringing this story to life as it was evident through her beautiful writing. The evolution of the relationship between Freddie and Winter was heartwarming and led me to wonder how often something like that happens in real life. I don’t think that is an aspect that is explored or discussed much. As always, Arden’s writing was wonderful and full of philosophical musings.

What I didn’t like:
Like many other reviewers, I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if it was solely focused on Freddie, Winter, and Faland. While I appreciate Laura and her determination to find her brother, I just feel like her and the other women’s characters and roles were not that captivating and I did not care for them nearly as much as I did for the three men. Arden knows who to write great women- take Vasya and all the other women from The Winternight Trilogy. The women in TWHOG just fell a bit flat for me, unfortunately. Perhaps if this book was longer and allowed for more character development it would be okay, but even at this length the three men were just more complex and dynamic, especially with Faland interfering.

I will share links to socials and websites where this review will be published closer to the book’s pub date.

If you know me at all you would know that I love a sibling story and I was hoping to love this one more than I did. When I first started reading the book I found myself unable to focus and immersed into the story wholly. The writing was jarring and silted to me that it takes me out of the story for the most part. As for the characters, I can see what Arden was trying to do with them but I wasn't fond of Laura at all nor find her compelling as a main character (another reason that it was hard to push onward with the book). I enjoyed Freddie arc and his pov a whole lot more. Overall I was really intrigued by the concept of the novel but the execution of it left much to be desired.

DNF @ 15% because the way that this is written is so jarring. It really doesn’t flow and so it’s very difficult for me to become immersed into this story. I still want to try to read Arden’s previous books, which I’ve heard people rave about, but this isn’t it. The writing feels stilted, it’s too halting.

An absolutely gorgeous and harrowing ghost story set during WWI. I'm excited to recommend a historical fiction novel - with a touch of the supernatural - that is as heartbreaking as it is ultimately hopeful.

I couldn't wait to start "The Warm Hands of Ghosts." The Bear and the Nightingale Trilogy is one of my favorite series and I was looking forward to seeing what Katherine Arden would do next. Novels set during WWI always draw my attention as my grandfather fought in this war. He spent time in Ypres and Ms. Arden's descriptions ring very true. I especially enjoy stories from a nurses perspective, so again this book hit the spot. The mood of the book was foreboding and the weight of war and the fall out of PTSD came through clearly. The book left me wanting to hear more from Laura as the war finished and her possible plans for a recovery hospital.

Dark, depressing, and slow with succinct writing. That may not sound like a rave review, but I believe it’s an accurate summary. This will be hit-or-miss for readers, I think. If you liked “Divine Rivals,” come see what WWI was like in real life.

A fairy tale was the first thing that came to my mind after I finished reading.
A war fairy tale. Faland has a magical vibe, and he keeps the story flowing, and he creates the plot twists necessary for the story line. In my opinion the most interesting character in the book. I wasn't to fond of Laura, but she was essential.
I would have loved to have more "ghosts" in the book. Less Laura and the girls.
I feel that the end was a bit rushed, and everything that happened was never hinted previously. I cant say more without adding spoilers.
The writing was good.
The book was overall good. I just started thinking it was more ghotic, but in the end it
was not disappointing.

I really liked the idea of this book, and I absolutely loved The Bear and the Nightingale series, so I was a little disappointed with this! Laura wasn't a super compelling main character and the plot felt a little rushed for me from her and Freddie's POV. It's clear that she really put the work into researching WWI, but that effect doesn't do much for the reader unless they're a WWI buff.
Cool concepts, just not executed as well as I expected for such an incredible author.

I feel as if, for the entire time I was reading this book, I was reading it through Faland's mirror. I felt very distanced from the story. With the dual POVs, and such short chapters, I was never able to fully invest in either character.

And, frankly, dual POVs seemed unnecessary - in fact, Laura's whole story felt unnecessary. She had every ingredient I love to make an excellent character, but she fell so flat, felt so dull, and honestly didn't seem to do a whole lot. I cared much more about Freddie, but because of the dual POVs, we didn't get to spend enough time with him or with Winter. I was rooting for them so hard, but also didn't feel invested. It was a strange feeling.

There is such a good story buried in this book, but, in my opinion, it wasn't executed. We never got deep enough in any character, in any plot point - especially involving Falad, which for sure could've been fleshed out more. Overall, this should've been amazing, but was not for me. I'm very disappointed.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a hauntingly beautiful tale about war and everything it takes. Katherine Arden researched WWI super well and it is obvious so I appreciate that aspect of the book. Unfortunately, I don't feel like Laura was super compelling as a main character and would have liked to see more of Freddie and Winter as I enjoyed their storyline more. While the characters were interesting enough, at times it felt as though I couldn't reach them causing me to be unable to fully invest myself into the story. I would have enjoyed this book so much more if the story had focused more on Freddie, Winter, and Faland or if the plot had been a little more developed. The Warm Hands of Ghosts was still quite enjoyable, but I was left wanting a little more.

With hauntingly in-depth descriptions and lyrical prose, Arden has once again weaved together an unforgettable tale.

“The Warm Hands of Ghosts” alternates between two perspectives, each bringing us closer to the climax of the novel. While slow starting, every detail is found to be important to the culmination of the story.

There were numerous times in this novel that I felt my heart drop. From panic-inducing situations and shocking reveals, the moment we made it to the crux of the plot — it was an intense battlefield.

The characters were well-rounded in their feelings and actions, I watched as each of their personalities formed throughout their traumas and following actions. You could see the research that went into this tale of war and survival and it leaves you with a heavy heart.

I felt connected to our main characters and the others who helped them find their way. Between the descriptions of war, the warm hands that guide us, and the temptation of the new world vs the old, it is clear this will be a story that stays with me. That is all you can hope for from a novel.

Thank you Del Ray, RandomHouse Publishing, and Netgalley for allowing me to hear the tale of Laura, Freddie, Pim, and Winter with this advanced reader copy. It was such an honor to be chosen as an early reader!

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As I huge fan of Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy, I was very excited to read this. I found this to be equally well-written and compelling, but in a different way than that series was. Warm Hands of Ghosts is less about fantasy and magic and instead centers on ghosts, the supernatural, and how people are haunted by their trauma. World War I is the perfect setting for this, and Arden made the horrors of trench warfare feel incredibly real. I know she did a lot of research for this novel, and it showed. Descriptions were vivid, and her characters felt lived in and realistic. These felt like real people scarred by trauma and still struggling to go on.

I think the blurb reveals enough about the plot - to say more would spoil things. I found it to be an excellent read and would highly recommend it. The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars is precisely because it made the war feel so real. This is a grim, depressing read in many parts, and though it doesn't give up on hope in the end, it can make for a tough reading experience in places. I will continue to look forward to Arden's work and read anything she writes in the future. This book has proven that her work is consistenly strong, even in different contexts and genres.

Gosh, I really wanted to love this book. I went into this book totally expecting to live it, but it just fell really flat. Which is sad, because you can see so much potential here.

Firstly, it was really hard to connect with any of these characters. Across the board, they all needed more development. You spend so many chapters with Laura that you'd think she has the best development out of them all, that you'd be connected to her the most, but that's not what happened. Her character is really one dimensional, even as you watch her go through trauma. She just....never develops. And then there's the weird romance written into the past few chapters with Jones. Like, what? Where did that even come from? There were no hints of romance between these two, no tension, nothing. Why even add that, especially so late? As for Mary and Pim, also, meh. They served a purpose in the book, but I'm not really sure they were necessary.

The real heroes of this story were Freddie, Winter, and Faland. I actually think if these characters had been further developed this book could have been amazing. Just drop the ladies (at least mostly) and let the stars shine. We get a better idea of Faland from the author's note, but he could have used so much more description, development, etc. He could have been such a good plot point, but he was hazy at best. Maybe this was on purpose?

But, Freddie and Winter, man could this have been an amazing story. But again, we're spread so thin going between characters that we don't get to know them enough. We watch them walk through this huge trauma, but it's like watching through smoke. Not enough detail, not enough emotion, no enough development.... Like, we're expected to believe that all of a sudden these dudes in 1918 blindly accept romantic love for each other? Had either of them felt this way before? Are we exploring a trauma bond? It feels like there was a leap made with little to no explanation. I'm fine with the leap, but do it some justice.

And the ending? I think it's sad that Laura went through all that to basically lose her brother anyway? At least that's the way it seemed. And I'm supposed to be comforted by Jones showing up? I just....was let down.

This story had so much potential. I was expecting so much from an Arden book. But it was jumpy, underdeveloped, and just, lacking.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-ARC of this book.

Can we talk about Katherine Arden’s books? I have been in love since The Bear and The Nightingale series! After I read those I went back and read everything! Sometimes you just click with an author’s way of telling a story and that is a gift!

It is January 1918 and Laura Iven has been wounded and sent home from the Medical Corps. She is not happy about this and volunteers locally. But her brother, Freddie, is still in Flanders, fighting. He is constantly in her thoughts and she believes she can find him and bring him home.

Returning to Belgium, she is notified of Freddie’s death. But she has a strong feeling something isn’t right. And when she hears stories of haunted trenches, and a strange guy who gives soldiers the gift of not knowing.

Maybe Freddie escaped and is now wandering around not knowing who he is!

November of 1917 and we hear from Freddie who has come to trapped under an enemy soldier and lots of rubble.
As the two form a sort of friendship, they decide to remain together and look, here is a guy offering oblivion!

Lots of Historical Fiction here, as well as some paranormal and I enjoyed it a lot!

Netgalley/ RHPG Ballentine Del Rey February 13, 2024