A beautifully written, quietly devastating, emotional gut-punch of a book. This book reaches a hand into your chest and squeezes - I doubt it will be letting go anytime soon.

Arden has a way of writing heroines that are so fiercely competent, strong, and take-no-shit in such an understated way, with no affectation or pretention. They just are, and I adore them so much for it.

Katherine Arden, I will follow you anywhere 🫡 (but preferably not to a WWI trench).

I became a fan of Katherine Arden’s writing after reading her Winternight trilogy. When I saw her announce her next adult novel, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it—especially when I learned ghosts and a magical hotel were involved. However, my expectations for this book were very different from the reality.

I never felt connected to the characters; nothing caused me to disliek them, but neither was there anything that endeared them to me. None of the characters were developed into three-dimensional characters. They read as flat to me. In addition to feeling a lack of connection with the characters and story, the pacing was very slow. The story didn’t feel like it started until almost the 70% mark.

I appreciate what Arden was going for with this book. She shines a light on WWI and how brutal it was for everyone: soldiers, nurses, and their families. She shows how ghosts, of what haunts us in the night, who we used to be, lost loved ones, and what we have done, follow us throughout our lives.

At the end of the day, this book wasn’t for me, but it may be right for you. If you’re interested in the premise, you should check it out!

This is very different from Arden's previous adult fantasy, "the Winternight Trilogy." Although it involves different themes and settings, she still manages to build such layered characters that have complicated relationships with their circumstances. The dual POV was a great choice and it felt like I was able to see through both sides of Falaman's mirror.

4.25

I have the seemingly unpopular opinion of not really enjoying The Bear and the Nightingale, so I was hesitant going into Arden’s newest release but I’ve been loving historical fantasy lately and loved the idea of exploring World War I and all the ways the world changed during that era.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts got off to a rocky start for me. It took a couple of chapters to get into the writing style and find the sense of place, but at about 15% I was completely immersed. The book follows two siblings, Laura and Freddie in a sort of dual timeline. They were both on the front in 1917 when Laura was injured and returned to Canada and Freddie went missing, presumed dead. The book starts in 1918 for Laura and I’m the assault where Freddie goes missing for Freddie, and I really liked the way the two timelines bled together.

Thematically, I think this is doing a lot in regards to the exploration of the era. In the author’s note, Arden talks about how WWI is often overshadowed in U.S. history by WWII, but the amount of technological and societal change during WWI is frankly quite jarring. Arden does a great job exploring grief and PTSD and the horrors of war.

I had some minor qualms with this book. There were a couple of relationships I wanted to see more development from, there were some transitions that I thought could be smoother, but overall I had a great time with this and have not been able to stop thinking about it since I started it.

During the Great War, Laura a combat nurse, sets out searching for her brother Freddie, believed to be dead. But haunting signs say he’s not. Freddie awakens in a pit of dead and wounded bodies. He’s too scared to go back into combat, so he hides himself with a mysterious man.

This story is deep and full of haunting pasts coming out. This isn’t a dark tale, more of a story of heartbreak and tragedy. We find ourselves caught up in the eyes of a brother and sister taking on two sides of a war, that leaves you sort of awestruck. The journey of these siblings takes us from battle to an odd hotel to an even odder owner. All in all, it tells of sacrifices and that breath we hold while standing almost on the brink of death to be reeled back.

This whole story was breath taking and just raw. I don’t know how else to explain it only that you must read it.

This really was a truly stunning novel. Arden is known for her beautiful historical fantasy world in The Bear and The Nightingale trilogy, and she brings much of the same beauty, harshness, and whimsy to this story. Set during WWI, we follow siblings as they face the realities of the war.

The fantastical elements were wonderfully depicted. Without giving too much away, the “hotel” and Faland really stole the show on this front. The descriptions and imagery surrounding these two were so evocative and captivating. I really adored this portion of the storyline. Ghosts play a part as well, but not in a cliche sense. Beautiful storytelling, but I don’t think any of us expect any less from Katherine Arden.

There was heartbreak and so much emotion sprinkled throughout but the ending was beautiful. Can’t recommend this enough to fans of both historical fiction and fantasy and anyone who loves beautiful words.

I just loved this book. It was definitely a different kind of story than Arden’s Russian folktales but it still has the same enchanting feel. A wonderful story of love and loss. This is a must read for historical fiction lovers.

I really liked this book. It was dark, and sometimes grueling, but the heart of the story was the love shared between Laura, Freddie, and Winter. An excellent depiction of the horror of war.

Wow, Just Wow! There are truly no words to explain how amazing this book is. Katherine Arden put everything she had into and it truly shows. I love the light she shed on the in despicable horrors of war. The Warm Hands of Ghost will forever hold a spot on my Top 10 list. It’s beautifully written and hauntingly addictive. Hats off to Katherine!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts opens with nurse Laura Iven working in a hospital in World War I Canada. She's all that's left of her family except for her brother, Freddie, who's been fighting in Europe and who she hasn't heard from in a long time. She receives a package that has her traveling overseas to try and find him and the story begins.

I'll preface this review by saying I absolutely loved Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy, I ate it up so fast! When I saw she was coming out with a new adult book, I instantly added it to my tbr. I did it not knowing what the book was about and that it wouldn't be like The Bear and the Nightingale but to keep an open mind. What I didn't think would happen is that I'd be bored....after reading a little bit, I knew this book wasn't for me but I kept going to finish it. I've seen rave reviews about this book and I'm sure it works for lots of people but I couldn't get into it. Historical fiction is a very popular genre at our library so we're definitely ordering a copy it just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For how short it was, this took me quite a while to get through. I’m not sure why, since there wasn’t anything I could put my finger on that I didn’t like, but I took my time meandering through this one. Until the last 50 pages, which I cried through.

There was a lot packed in here, from sibling devotion, the horrors of war, the inequalities of war, to finding redemption and love again. Plus it was all done both literally and metaphorically!

It was really good, and it made me cry (which doesn’t often happen), so take that for what you will.

Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

It took me some time to immerse myself in this book, because it's a genre I don't typically gravitate towards. However, by the halfway mark, I was engaged in the story. Katherine Arden is a writer that I previously really enjoyed, with The Winternight Trilogy being one of my favorite series, and so I was exited to see what she would write in the future.

"The Warm Hands of Ghosts" follows Laura and Freddie Iven at the time of World War I. The narrative unfolds through dual POVS, alternating between the siblings: Laura, grappling with the belief that Freddie is dead, and Freddie, revealing the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

Arden's athmospheric prose captures the essence of the era, unflinchingly portraying the reality and horrors of the Great War. While I liked the characters, overall something about it fell a little flat for me. It's possible that I simply wasn't the intended audience for this book. Nonetheless, I admire the care put into it and and how it was written. [3.5 stars round up to 4.]

A combat nurse searches for her brother during the Great War while a darker strange force intercepts him. The story is set during the Great War and follows Laura Iven and her brother Freddie Iven. Laura is a combat nurse who was discharged from the corp while her brother was still fighting in the front. She's living in Halifax, Canada but receives word of her brother's death along with a few of his things yet something doesn't ring true to her. Laura is determined to find her brother and what actually happened to him, and that begins with her journeying to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. While there she begins to hear a strange rumor about a strange hotelier who's wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion and Laura just knows he is connected to her brother somehow. While Laura's story takes place in 1918, we also follow Freddie's story set in 1917, where we get to see what has happened to him. Freddie wakes up after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German man named Hans Winter. Freddie and Winter work together and form an alliance as they find a way to escape. Yet their escape is short lived as they soon find refuge with a strange man who has the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear... Can Laura find Freddie before it's too late? This is a beautifully written story that really captures the PTSD and trauma of war. Despite that, this one definitely was not for me. I was expecting something a bit more, yet this was really slow and honestly, not for me because I found myself getting bored over and over. I adored Arden's previous books but this one just did not work for me personally at all. I think if you enjoy war time stories this would be for you, as someone who does not, and was expecting a bit more paranormal/magical elements in the story this one was definitely less magic and more historical. The story focuses on trauma and sibling relationships and the historical war time, and if you enjoy quiet slow burn stories then give it a go, I feel like it would work for you. I just didn't find myself all that invested in the story and the characters felt flat to me. About the 30% mark had me just not caring all that much about what was happening and finishing the book felt a bit like a slog. I will continue to read Arden's books though because the author has a really beautiful way of writing and I look forward to what she comes up with next.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thanks to netgalley for the E-arc.
This was a DNF for me. I could not connect with the story, the writing was great, but I was not feeling the story, it was boring.
Laura was not a likable character. I could not empathize with her, because she was not showing any feelings, or emotions to connect with her. Is like she was an empty shell there was nothing in her to like her and her chapters, she was just boring.
Now Freddie's POV, were better, but it was not enough for me to keep going.
I'm glad I got to read it so I could cancel my pre-order and a monthly box with this book.
DNF 26%

Slow start but the more I sit here and ponder, I realize this book is one that I will treasure. The more I mull over the details, the more I become awed with the story. We follow dual POVs of Laura and Freddie, sister and brother lost at war during World War I.

Katherine Arden does an incredible job of describing the hellscape that is war. The gory imagery of the battle field and working the frontlines as a nurse sounds unimaginable.

I also loved the supernatural aspect of this story. It meshed in perfectly. The hotel was a liminal space that soldiers dreamed of, if only to forget their nightmares. The ones who escaped, only wished to return. That’s what brought me to tears at the end. The pain that both Laura and Freddie had to face.

This feels very different from Arden’s previous work but made sense and was well done.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Katherine Arden and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC. ♡

KATHERINE ARDEN THE WRITER THAT YOU AREEEEEE! 10/10 read. I have tears in my eyes.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is about a sister, Laura Iven, who is willing to do whatever it takes to find her brother, Freddie Iven. The plot was phenomenal and absolutely haunting in its description of war. I was already a big fan of Arden's writing from her previous works and this was only served to solidify my love for her storytelling. Fair warning this book goes into depth about the horrors of WW1, there is loneliness and grief as well as depictions or real events that took place during this time. Along with the horror you get the paranormal in the forms of ghosts that surprisingly fit the story so well!

You HAVE to read this book as soon as it comes out on February 13, 2024.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts, by Katherine Arden, is not just a ghost story. True, it is replete with evil, unearthly (and earthly) malice, blood, creepy old buildings, darkness and death wrapped in mystery. Ghosts are a recurring motif, as are deadly flowers, noxious gas, nasty weather and explosions. Symbols of the soul and death abound. All of the requisites for a good old-fashioned ghost story are there, but Arden uses them primarily for their background spookiness while setting her main focus on a malevolent, unrestrained evil that feeds off of human desires.

The plot, set in a most cataclysmic period in human history, the First World War, braids together the narratives of two main characters - Laura Ivens, a Croix de Guerre awardee for her extreme bravery while in service as a nurse in the war, now home in Halifax after being wounded, and her brother Freddie, an artist, now soldiering on the front lines in Belgium. As happened during the American Civil War, there is a surge of interest in the supernatural; soldiers openly discuss their encounters with ghosts of their fallen comrades; in North America and Europe séances and psychic mediums are highly sought after. Whether these experiences are PTSD hallucinations, are actually real, are merely entertainments, or are the chicanery of swindlers is unclear, but in actual fact, in 1897 there were over 8 million spiritualism followers in the U. S. and Europe.

Arden uses this ambiguous reality of ghosts to build mystery throughout the story, both in the readers' minds and in pragmatic, non-believer Laura's. Another, more organic mystery develops when Freddie stops responding to Laura's letters and a box of his belongings is delivered to Laura, but with no accompanying telegram about his demise. When an accidentally overheard séance involves a spirit who avers that Freddie is alive, Laura decides that she must return to the war and find him.

Thus begins a well-researched and carefully plotted tale of the supernatural. Arden very deftly juggles two different timelines, one for Laura and one for Freddie, building suspense as to when or if they will ever meet, while also painting layer after layer of the horrors of war and its effects on humans, to the point where sanity and madness are indistinguishable and evil is so omnipresent that it may come to be perceived as pleasant and desirable.

Unfortunately, the story doesn't emerge unscathed from the enormous undertaking Arden set for herself. When the plot gets moving and the confrontation with evil begins, the reader does experience pity for the very real plight of the characters, but because the over-long story lines are split between two different characters and their experiences at two different times, identification with either one, necessary to develop the fear essential to a ghost story, is limited. The reader's focus becomes the plot and the mystery between reality and hallucination, not the development and change within the character. This, in turn, diminishes the catharsis the dramatic tension of a ghost story demands from the reader. The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a story well worth reading, but with some grit on the part of the reader to persevere. The importance of the themes makes it worthwhile.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is an early contender for my favorite book of the year. It’s a tour de force. There’s a lot of plates spinning in this historical-gothic-ghost-horror-fantasy, and Arden manages them with the grace of a seasoned professional. The book has two parallel but offset timelines: the first beginning in January 1918, covers Laura, a heroic combat nurse who has come home from the front after suffering an injury. She receives her brother Freddie’s things, a typical indication that he is dead, but the letters from her nurse colleagues indicate that something else may be going on. Meanwhile, in November of 1917, Freddie wakes up alone in a dark pillbox with a German soldier. They band together to get out, and they form a bond. As they desperately try to get out of no man's land they meet a mysterious violinist who may be more than he seems. As Laura fights to find the truth about her brother, and Freddie fights to stay alive, the book charts their course across Belgium.
This is not the kind of book I usually like. It moves at the slow pace of history. It’s mostly about people’s feelings, and their relationship. It (and this is historically accurate, so it’s not a complaint) is far, far, bleaker than I usually like my fiction. And this book is unflinching. It is not for the faint of heart. It is full of mud and guts and body parts and death. So when I say that I loved this book, that means something. It is clear that Arden spent a long time thinking about this book and it shows. It is very finely crafted. The two timelines interleave in a way that does not feel jarring or irritating. There are some very, very, fine sentences. And the book is thinking deep thoughts about big themes, like “is the appropriate reaction to the end of the world despair or courage?” But it never becomes moralistic or overwrought. It’s going to keep me thinking about those big themes for a while now too.
I recommend this book to people who like gothic tragedies, have strong stomachs, and are ready to sit with some philosophical questions for a while.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

The writing is absolutely incredible and I still can’t get over just how good it is. I was easily transported into this world and it took no time at all to be swept away in it each time I picked the book back up.

This is a dark, hard read with plenty of descriptions of the horror of war. The fantasy element was interesting and kept we flipping pages.

The brother/sister relationship was beautiful and I love how strongly that bond shined through. There was a large cast of side characters and each was as intriguing as the last.

LGBTQ Rep
Content- fword, gory, death, darkness, horrors of war

A very powerful and moving story. I was fascinated by the prose and unable to tear myself away.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.