Though the whole book read like a retelling of one of my favourite movies, it has it's own way of creating a new and exciting world. The writing is superb!

S. Jae Jones sets her first YA novel, Wintersong (St. Martin's Press, digital galley) in 19th-century Bavaria, drawing on German legend, Greek myth and Christina Rossetti's famous poem "Goblin Market.'' It's narrated by 19-year-old Elisabeth, the innkeeper's eldest daughter, who has always looked after her younger siblings, including a musically talented brother and a beautiful, foolish sister. When the mysterious Goblin King chooses the sister for his bride, Elisabeth, who is strongly attracted to the eldritch stranger and who composes music, sets out to rescue her. Read the book as a fairy tale or as romantic fantasy, but by all means go back and reread Rossetti's poem, still as irresistible as the luscious apples and quinces hawked by the goblin men.
from On a Clear Day I Can Read Forever

This is the story of Elizabeth, or of Liesl, or a mixture of the two. As a young girl, she used to dream of the Goblin King, and he would dream of her. As Liesl grows up, she forgets, except for the stories of her grandmother, who remind her to beware of the Goblin King. But Liesl is too old for such stories.

Then, her sister, Käthe, is taken by the Goblin King, and her family is put under a spell, and no one remembers who Liesl's sister is but Liesl. Liesl must find a way to break into the Goblin King's realm and rescue her sister.

A fantastical romp through the Goblin underground, this story will leave the reader wondering how much of the story was real, and how much of it was made up as the line between reality and fantasy continuously blurs.

I would recommend this book to lovers of teen literature looking for a coming of age story, and lovers of fantasy and fairy tales.

It's "Labyrinth" fan fiction. Your mileage may vary.
I am a huge, huge fan of Labyrinth; have been since I saw it in the theater... in some ways, the movie probably adjusted the direction of my life in ways that would be fairly significant down the road; so I'm giving out an extra star for that. S. Jae-Jones also captures the attitude of Bowie's Goblin King perfectly; his dialogue was on the nose. Points for that.

However, the writing is not quite professional. The word "austere" does not mean quite what the author thinks it means, and it must've been used dozens of times.

I liked the setting, which brought something a bit original to the story. The girl that is wooed by the Goblin King here is Liesl, an 18th-century composer, frustrated in her creative efforts by the shadow of her brother. Her quest is to rescue her kidnapped sister. The sister aspect brings in Christina Rosetti's 'Goblin Market' (explicitly quoted) but does not port over that poem's nuances at all.

The first half of the story, which will feel quite familiar to fans of the movie, I really quite enjoyed. The second half, which in a wish-fulfillment-y way, gets Liesl together with her Goblin King, as she tries to figure out the curse under which he lives, was not nearly as successful for me. The pursuit is always more exciting than the quotidian drama of relationships, and the book brings in a back story that really drags it down, as well as a strong Christian theme which is totally out of place in Henson's world of Faerie.

I ended up really rather surprised that this was picked up by a major publisher - but, if you're a fan of Labyrinth, go ahead and check it out - it'll give you some amusement, guaranteed.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are unaffected by the source of the book.

As you might know, I love fantasy, what you might not know is that I also love the everything related to the fey. That’s the main reason why I wanted to read Wintersong, well, that and the beautiful cover.

“Once there was a little girl who played her music for a little boy in the wood. She was small and dark, he was tall and fair, and the two of them made a fancy pair as they danced together, dancing to the music the little girl heard in her head.”

One of my favorite things about Wintersong is the writing. Jae-Jones’ writing is enthralling, lyrical, breathtaking. Words are string together in a special way that conveys sound, flavor, touch, feeling. The pace is a bit slow at times, but I didn’t lost interest in the story.

Elisabeth is an inn keeper’s daughter. Her mother was a former singer and her father a violist and music teacher. As a child she played with the Goblin King, but as she grew up she put all her dreams and desires on hold. She had a rough upbringing and was made to believe that she was ugly, untalented, only good to work in the inn. But Elisabeth is a talented composer and musician on her own right, but leaving under the shadow of her talented little brother. When the Goblin King looses patience with her, he lures her sister Käthe into the Underground.

The Goblin King is basically the king of the fey. He’s fair, slim, with an otherworldly beauty, he’s a trickster, a master of illusion. The world building uses old fey lore and new elements to create a unique landscape and magic under the earth. Although I liked the Goblin King, he was really hard to get to know. He tried to keep himself at a distance from everyone, including Elisabeth.

“The kiss is sweeter than sin and fiercer than temptation.”

I’m not sure how much of the plot I can reveal without giving away the story, but Elisabeth thrives in the Underground. She grows a lot as a character, into loving herself, her power, her talent, and believe in herself. The physical parts were done very tastefully (I mean, they are married)

I was disappointing with the ending. It only makes sense to me if Wintersong was the first book in a series. It was a big open ended (which is a BIG pet peeve of mine), but also it was kind of cruel. I mean, there were supposed to be consequences, and then nothing happened? I’m not saying that the book is not good, just that I wished to a happier ending. That’s not wrong, right? *Please Ms. Jae-Jones – is there another book coming? A short story?*

“Love is the bridge that spans the world above and below, and keeps the wheel of life turning.”

Overall, I liked Wintersong, but I was disappointing by the ending.

I should preface this by saying that I have never seen Labyrinth so that did not in any way influence my reading experience. I was drawn to this book immediately after reading the blurb because I saw that it was going to deal with The Goblin King and I am head over heels IN LOVE with Christina Rosetti’s The Goblin Market (it’s only one of the best epic poems ever written).

I’m so glad to report that Wintersong DID NOT disappoint. I loved the lush atmosphere of The Underground, the vibrant classical music interwoven throughout, and the romance. The Goblin King is definitely on my list of book baes now. (What can I say? I cannot resist a trickster with a haunting past and a somber heart.)

Liesl was an interesting protagonist to follow, and I really enjoyed her internal dialogue. She really comes into herself throughout the story, and I like that she owns who she is (including her less savory parts). It can be hard to admit when we aren’t acting selflessly, but she really comes to terms with her good and bad, and I thought that was really cool.

The Goblin King is someone I want more more MORE of – I seriously couldn’t get enough of him, and I am already dying for book two so that I can see him again. I thought the chemistry between Liesl and him is electric, and I am shipping them so hard. Book two had better have answers because the ending of Wintersong definitely left me dangling and in despair. Like I said, I just really need more of everything.

In summary, there is gorgeous prose, a delicious book boyfriend, and a sizzling romance, all intertwined with classical music and a fantastical setting that is sure to delight. This is a series to watch.

As a child of the 80's one of my all time favorite movies (and we're talking still to this day) is "Labyrinth." This book, to me at least, is extremely reminiscent of that film and, honestly, I am a-ok with that! Did I think it was as great as my favorite movie? Well no, of course not. There's a reason why it's my favorite movie. That being said, I am excited that a new generation will have an opportunity to enjoy a similar story. One that is, maybe, a bit more modern fairy tale. One that will speak to them. And while I can't give this all the stars because the Goblin King of "Wintersong" is no David Bowie, I do appreciate that the author was able to take a familiar story for those 80's kids and make it completely her own. Complete with storytelling that is compelling, characters who are interesting and pacing that will keep teens reading. A definite must for all YA collections.

This lyrical tale is filled with aspects of Greek mythology, sacrifice, love, loss, and classical music. Elizabeth is a strong protagonist who doesn't fall into insta-love, but is passionate in a time where women were discouraged from realizing their true potential. A good read and hopefully there will be a sequel as the author has stated via social media.

3.5 stars

When I picked this book up, I had already heard some pretty amazing things about it, so I had high hopes!

I have to admit that I have incredibly mixed feelings about this book right now, even days after finishing it.

Elizabeth… or Liesl as her friends and family call her has always been the plain one in the family… the responsible one taking care of her younger brother and sister and putting her hopes and dreams to the side to make sure they are happy. Kathe is everything she is not… beautiful and curvy and fun and her brother Josef is a musical genius and his talent lies in the violin. Liesl herself is an accomplished composer but only Josef knows… and the Goblin King.

Everyone has heard the tales of The Goblin King. He’s the Lord of Mischief and Ruler of the Underground and as Liesl quickly realizes, he’s also the boy she played with in the woods near her home when she was younger. When Kathe is taken by the Goblin King to the Underground, Liesl will do anything for her freedom… even sacrifice herself. There is a reason that the Goblin King has been trying to get Liesl to agree to marrying him, and there is a price to Liesl if she says yes.

Like I said, my feelings were really mixed about this… on the one hand, I really loved the story-telling. The writing is just gorgeous and the magical and fantastical aspects were really interesting but not so complex that they were hard to follow. There are goblins and changelings and deal-making and magic throughout and I was so intrigued by all of it.

I think where my mixed feelings come for this is with the pacing of the story, and the retelling itself. It’s my understanding that the bones of this story come from Labyrinth, which I have never seen, so I didn’t have that to use as any kind of guide to what was coming but you could tell that it was a retelling because there were elements from other stories as well. I felt that the beginning had a bit of a slow start so struggled to really immerse myself, and then suddenly a ton of things were happening and it was kind of hard to keep up with all the twists.

I was also kind of meh about the romance here. Jae-Jones does a great job building the tension between these two but it sort of just kind of fizzled for me when they were finally together. We had this great build-up for them, but then it just did nothing for me. I wanted more passion, and less of the miscommunication and arguing that seemed to be what we got most of. There are a couple somewhat sexy scenes in this one though that definitely place this read in the upper YA age range, but I wasn’t as convinced that there was this amazing connection between them. I also feel like we didn’t really get to know much about The Goblin King. I never felt like we heard much about his story and his history and why he was so sure that Liesl had to be his wife.

Which brings me to the end of this book… this so did not work for me. I felt like once Liesl was down in the Underground, they are just sort of living life and composing music and eating dinner together and blah blah blah… I just didn’t get the point… what part of the story was I supposed to be invested in here, and then suddenly, Liesl has to make a decision that will change everything and then the story is done. And when it was done, my immediate reaction was … THIS IS IT? Where is the rest of the story? Why does this feel unfinished? Is there a sequel and when is it coming?

So yes, overall, I wanted to love this more than I did… but there were parts that were just wonderfully done and if you’re on the fence about picking it up, I suggest giving it a try. With beautiful writing and fantastic world-building I’m excited about the closure that I hope book 2 will give me!

WHAT I LIKED:

THE BEAUTIFUL WRITING. Cue my screams. Hahaha, kidding but I cannot get over how beautiful the writing of this book is. It is incredibly poetic, lyrical and beautiful. It reminded me so much of The Star Touched Queen with the stunning prose and I fell in love with it
The folklore vibes. I am such a sucker for a good retelling that uses old folklore and culture to create a new and vivid world and that is exactly what Jae-Jones did! It was beautiful and unique and so mystical and otherworldly…which brings me to my next point
THIS BOOK IS SO OTHERWORLDLY IT’S INSANE! I could not get over how well this book was able to transport me into this new world and era. I felt as if I had just time travelled into this whole different place that was filled with snowy forests, cute cottages and dark magic.
THE MUSIC!!! I am not a very musical person. I listen to music but I cannot play any instruments, do not sing and am all round very dumb when it comes to my musical knowledge including musical history and to see the music in this book written with such detail was mind blowing. I loved the focus on music and what it represented for the different characters too!
Twisty, turny and unpredictable. It was impossible to know what would happen next in this book! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, constantly waiting for the ball to drop!
A D D I C T I V E ! I cannot even tell you how hard to put down this was. My iPad was literally GLUED to my hand the entire time I was reading this. I refused to get up off the spot on my bed, even to get food because I had to know what would happen next!
THE CHARACTERS. It would take me an entire page and then some more to put into words how much I adore the characters but I’ll try to keep it short. They were so loveable and unique and layered and three dimensional and realistic and flawed AND flawless and I CAN’T DEAL!!!! I adored Liesel and her selfless self and The Goblin King and his selfish self. I loved the way these two characters were such stark contrasts yet at the same time they were so perfect for each other. Also:
The romance Nothing more needs to be said other than ALL THE FEELS!!!
LEFT ME WANTING MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE. The first thing I did when I finished was google whether there was to be a sequel or not. Thankfully, there is. *lets out deep breath* I need to know what happens with my favourite characters, I need to know where they end up
Left me wanting to re-read. You know that feeling when you finish reading a book and then you think, oh crap, but I want to read it again, I haven’t had enough of them….and then you look at the mountain of homework on your desk? Yep, me. But in all seriousness, I am probably going to end up buying a hardcopy of this, re-reading it, tabbing up all the pages and then probably writing another raving review.

WHAT I DISLIKED:

There were a few confusing occurrences in the book. At times, I wasn’t sure what had happened, why it had happened and basically I spent all my time asking anyone who would listen about their thoughts and opinions on what had actually happened. *cough* Brittany *cough*
Not what I expected. I went into this book expecting something and got something completely different. But not sure it’s something I dislike since I did really love the idea!

Blog: https://bookishdiana.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/wintersong-book-review/
Blog post Published: 2/23/2017

“I looked him straight in the eye. "What was it your father used to say?" Hans said nothing. He turned his head away. "What's the use of running, if we are on the wrong road?”

So I went into this book with no expectations , I went in thinking "Hey if its at least a 3 out of 5 stars it will be okay" but WOW this book exceeded my expectations on so many levels. So i had never even heard heard/seen Labyrinth(oops). This book is a piece of art, it masterfully and delicately planned out and written. I was blow away from the very first sentence. The first chapter or so was pure genius, it was so beautifully written and draws you into the story, you just can't hold back.

It was dark, beautiful, poetic, romantic, and sexy and every way.

“Once there was a little girl who played her music for a little boy in the wood.”

So basically its about a girl who played music for a little boy, she completely(or did she) forgot about the boy. Yet the boy never forgot her. She continued her life and continued to grow up and change. She composed her music being in the shadows of the flame(her brother and sister), desire for greatness, and attention. (Remember the boy) Well he waited for, like he waited a long time for her in his depressing and gloomy world. He eventually grew impatient and then decided to kidnap her sister(interested now? things now got interesting) They soon go through going from strangers, to enemies to lovers but you know from the beginning that there story didn't deserve a happy ending or you knew it wasn't going to happen.



Liesl (the girl) starts like a sweet lullaby, starts out slowly and then grasps you into the story. It gives you the nostalgia feeling

Overall Liesl wasn't the typical beautiful jaw dropping beauty who everyone thought was beautiful, however it was slightly over emphasized a bit.

The Goblin King was your typical swoon worthy boy that you absolutely fall in love with the moment you meet him. I'm still not sure I love him, but he was by far my favorite character. His character broke me in so many ways. He's the most interesting and intriguing character and I wanted to get more from him.

Also before I forget to mention, there is a clear division in the book, it kinda felt like 2 different stories kinda interwoven in the strangest wave. The beginning felt like a chase and game it was wild and beautifully written. While the second half gave you kind of a feeling of a soft spoken lullaby, giving all of your feels and emotion of the aftermath of the beginning.

The main reason I dropped a star was because of the fact the ending didn't feel like an ending. The story just kinda stopped. I didn't feel satisfied, and honestly I grieved because of the ending. It left me with too many questions and just left so many questions unanswered. It kinda felt like someone just shut the book in my face, and then burned all the other copies. It just felt so dis attached..............

Recommended for mature readers

This was one of those books that we both felt pretty neutral on because while it had pretty prose with vivid descriptions that transported us into the world, it left us wanting a lot more. This felt over before it really began and had us wishing the pace slowed down so we could savour the story, the relationships, and the world just a bit more.

While every story is a copy of a copy of a copy, and WINTERSONG is technically a retelling, this story felt like nothing new. It was too easy to compare this one to others that have come before it and realize that these books did things so much better than this. It was too easy, too predictable, and too similar to dozens of other stories that have the same basic plot line.

However, the musical aspects were really interesting and I loved to see how it was incorporated into the plot itself and that it was deemed part of the magic system as this made me really happy. In relation to this, the magic worldbuilding was incredible but definitely not used as much as it could have been.

I was disappointed with the quickness of all the relationships as it felt as though things happened too quickly. I was hoping for a magical journey but it felt as though everything started and stopped too quickly without me really getting to be immersed.

This is definitely a check out from the library or a pass from me. Or just watch the movie Labyrinth. Either or will work fine.

DNF at 14%

Unfortunately, I could not finish this novel. I tried, I have been trying for months, but I could not connect with the characters or the writing.

The premise was interesting and is the central reason as to why I wanted to read this novel in the first place. I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusion of music and music prodigies. I was fascinated by the temptation of the Goblin King and was looking forward to fully meeting him in the novel, but I could not get past the protagonist.

Leisl is a tragic excuse for a protagonist. Jae-Jones may have been able to get away with her maybe even 5 years ago when YA fiction was all about tragic romances and women not having an opinion, but this is 2017 and YA fiction has improved so much that I have become a powerful advocate for it. Leisl's character may have gone through a significant character development, but I do not have the patience for novels like that. She has no backbone and constantly shames her sister, while simultaneously comparing herself to Kathe. I abhor novels that pit young women against each other for no apparent reason and I could already pick apart a few occasions of this in the first 5% of the novels. This set off major alarms bells for me.

I can't sit there and read a novel where the protagonist frequently engages in self-deprecating discourse, which is only utilised to make the reader empathise with her and despise her sister. Like I said, if this were 5 years ago, Wintersong would have been a hit. But this isn't 5 years ago. We're in a world were young women see the value in themselves and want novels that feature that too. Some books in the YA genre need to catch up. It's disappointing.

I'm disappointed. I fully expected to like - perhaps even love - this novel. The premise sounds fantastic. But I can't stomach protagonists such as Leisl.

The writing was very touch and go. There were many moments I was blown away by the beautiful paragraphs, and other times I found the sentences plain cheesy.

I did not enjoy Wintersong and I was not able to finish it. I usually give books at least a 100 page chance to immerse me into the novel, before I decide to DNF, but this year I've decided that poor quality books are not worth my time.

Wintersong: 5/5
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I'm SUPER excited about this book and I'm so happy that it's officially out in the world now! I read it last fall and have been dying for more ever since! I can't wait for you all to read and I highly highly recommend it to everyone!
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Wintersong follows Liesl, a nineteen year old gifted composer. When her sister is kidnapped by the Goblin King--the mysterious and beautiful Lord of Mischief and Ruler Underground--Liesl makes a dangerous bargain with him. To free her sister, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King, which he accepts. Spirited away into the Underground as the Goblin King's new bride, Liesl will learn that the price she paid was perhaps much higher than she first believed
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I absolutely LOVED this book and I am completely obsessed with it! JJ's writing is beautiful and fluid and though it takes place in a German-inspired world, it feels so fresh and new! It felt very much like East by Edith Pattou meets Phantom of the Opera, with a dash of the Hades and Persephone myth! (And as a HUUUUUGE fan of Phantom, this book was 😍😍😍😍😍😍! Pure gold!)
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It was a book that sucked me in right from the beginning and had I not had work and other duties, I would have read it in one setting! Wintersong is incredibly compelling with beautiful, luscious writing (i.e. *THE* best possible combination a reader could ever ask for!) I cannot recommend this book enough! It's perfect for fans of ACOTAR and The Star-Touched Queen, so if you liked either of those book, I very much suggest you try Wintersong!
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Thank you so much to @griffinteen for sending me a copy of Wintersong and I really do hope you guys give this book a try! (Also I hope my review made sense, because I think it wasn't so much a review as it was incoherent flailing 😳... 😂😂😂) Can't wait to go out and buy my hard copy!!!

I really loved this story even though I know it's a bit problematic. The sacrifices that the main character is willing to make and the misery she puts herself through are unfortunately not signs of a great relationship. I did appreciate the unhappy ending.

Ok, so I must say I was't sure what to expect when I heard about this book. I had never heard of the movie The Labryinth and so th entire concept of The Goblin King was a new experience for me. I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea, but paired with JJ's writing and her amaznig characterization, I knew it would be right up my alley!
Liesel has heard the story of the goblin king from her family for many years. They tried to warn her about him, but as she grew older, the magic of the tale became lost on her. She no longer believed. Until her sister is one day taken by thee same goblins she came to stop believing in. The goblins decide to let her sister go with a price... Liesel. And she readily agrees.
THe number one thing I LOVED about this book was the characters. I really felt like Liesel was so brave and though her sister didn't think anything through, she was amazingly written as well. As a character driven reader I was completely invested in trying to find out more about what happened to them. Which is one reason I didn't give this the full 5 stars. I was hoping for more background on the goblin's tale (as I said, I haven't seen The Lbaryinth) and it was missing in the story. For those like me, I wished it was there to give it a little more background.
Then there was the writing style. I mean, are we SURE that JJ is a debut author? Because her writing style proves she's been doing this for a LONG time lol Everytime I cracked open this book I was sucked to a completely different place. The imagery in this book is EVERYTHING. The way I was transported underground and the market and every other place this book took me is something I look for in everey book I read (Hence the name Take Me Away!) so, in short, it definitely delivered.
Last but not least, let us not forget the romance. HOLY SMOKES. There was a point in time when I had to question whether or not this was NA or YA. In other words, I loved it haha I don't want to go into more detail, BUT I will say that this romance, gave me all the feels, both good and bad, and I can't wait for everyone to finally meet the character tomorrow!

2.5 Stars

WINTERSONG is a story of the Goblin King and the woman he seeks as his bride. It's based on the German folklore of the Erlkönig, but told in such a way to make this tale uniquely the author's own. Full of history and a dark fantastical underworld, readers who enjoy faeries, retellings, and similar stories of death taking a bride may enjoy this one.

This story started off so well. I loved the way I felt immersed in the culture and historical setting. I liked the characters and the mystery surrounding Der Erlkönig (the Goblin King) and the traditions passed down by Liesl's grandmother. I also liked parts of the story, which felt very faeish and the bond between Liesl and her siblings, even though parts were strained. The writing was well done overall and very beautiful in places. I also liked the sweet moments between the Goblin King and Liesl. You get these glimpses throughout the story of the relationship they could have. Music was weaved through this story everywhere. Music has been a part of my life for a long time and so I loved that about this story.

Unfortunately, I had some issues as well. Parts were hard to follow. Other parts seemed overly difficult or too easy for the heroine, making it drag in places and making me feel like the story was longer than needed. I also felt like Liesl was an unreliable character, or maybe just inconsistent. There were times when I thought she would do as she should and then other times were she was cruel or did things she shouldn't and I didn't like her (or when she throws tantrums). It's hard to love a story if you don't love the protagonist. She did eventually mellow out a little and I liked both her and Erlkönig in the end, although I wasn't too sure about the twist. It felt a little like musical sacrilege.

Then there was the content. It completely crossed a line for me about half-way through where the author was overly descriptive and the characters almost slept together. I just didn't expect that type of content. I already didn't like some of the descriptions and so coupled with the scene... Just not what I needed to know or read and I didn't feel the author needed to go that far when she could have easily conveyed what happened with far less. From that point on there was almost constant innuendo, suggestive references, and then fade-to-black scenes. Add to that a gay relationship (just not my thing) and conversations that went in circles and it made it tough to be invested. There were sweet moments mixed in among all of this, but not the most enjoyable reading.

In the end, the story frustrated me. I began it with such hope. I liked parts of it, but equally disliked others.

Content: Recommended for 18+. Innuendo and descriptive scenes that felt more like adult romance or erotica. Some violence and grotesque scenes.
Source: Received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley and the tour host, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

Hi. Given permission on Thursday 9th February. Finished my last book and the tried to download this today but I can't as it's archived. As a result, I can't read or give feedback. Sorry.

UPDATE

I managed to download it.

Essentially, I am disappointed with this novel. I didn't care enough about the characters so reading felt like a duty not an investment. The language was clunky; I understand the tone the writer was trying to achieve but it just left me cold.

It had so much promise but it didn't deliver.