4.5 stars rounded up. This is a perfect fairytale short story. Naomi Novik is so good at making new fairytales feel like they've existed already for hundreds of years.

I loved the sibling dynamic and thought Celia was a great character. The sibling bonds explored were unique and dynamic. The way it concluded was tied so neatly together, which made it so satisfying. This book could have easily been a full-length novel, and I would have loved it. That is why I am not giving this a full 5 stars, because I wanted more! A great read!

I enjoyed THE SUMMER WAR as a novella despite being team "this really should have been a novel", but honestly almost everything Naomi Novik writes is better than so much of the majority of what else is out there that's she's an auto-buy for me and I'm always going to eagerly devour her work. I'd recommend this book for fans of fairy tales, fae, family, and great fantasy writing--Novik is simply one of the best and most assured authors working in the genre these days, and every collection should have her books.

As with all Naomi Novik's books, The Summer War is very well written in typical fairytale style with compelling characters overcoming adversity. For some reason this quick tale didn't hold my attention as much as her books usually do but it was clever and had a satisfying ending. The structure was exactly what you'd expect from a fairytale and the pacing was spot on as well. It was meant to be a new, old fashioned fairytale and that's exactly what it was.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was delightful, with the fluid writing and fairytale vibes I’ve enjoyed in Novik’s other works. I loved that sibling relationships took center stage, with all their due nuances and complexities. The world-building is done through large bouts of exposition, which I don’t mind, but might put off readers averse to this sort of storytelling, so be warned.

Overall, I only wish it would’ve been a full novel instead of a novella, as I was left wanting more!

Naomi Novik is a master at storytelling. Even though this was a novella, I still found myself captivated by the premise and the characters. The story focuses on Celia, a young witch, who only discovers that she has powers when she accidentally curses her brother. The rest of the novella follows her and her two siblings as they deal with the consequences of this.

I finished this quickly and enjoyed the read. It is a great vacation read or a novella to enjoy between longer, heavier reads. While others have said that they wish this were longer, I am impressed by Novik's ability to weave a powerful story in such a concise manner. The characters, setting, and conflicts were flushed out enough that I didn't feel like anything was lacking detail. My only complaint is that, to the best of my knowledge, I don't have a full-length Novik book to look forward to for awhile.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for an advanced copy of this novella.

I absolutely LOVED this!! It felt like the classic fairytales of my childhood, with a resourceful and tenacious heroine and an underdog making it all work. I read this novella so quickly. I couldn’t put it down!

I am not seeing any reviews talk about this, but this one is queer! Please let this be the beginning of the gay-knights-in-fantasy trend.

So I find this actually quite difficult to review - on one hand, I absolutely loved the characters and was incredibly drawn into their interactions. On the other hand., I really do not think this story works as a novella. I think we needed more: more build up, more characterisation, more time spent in this world. Because when the exposition stopped (and there was a lot of exposition), I was so invested. And for such a short story (144 pages), I'm surprised that I even cried during one scene. So when the story would then gloss over scenes that I was pretty desperate for, to get that emotional payoff, I felt quite frustrated.

And similarly, I adored the world we were in, but I just didn't feel like we got enough of it. So much was told of The Summer War's history, that it dragged the pacing down. But the world was so rich and I love the sort of old school, evil fae (closer to Holly Black, the Emily Wilde books, or Enchantment of Ravens than the sexy fae books).

All in all, I recommend this. I love the plot, I love the found family vibe to this actual family, I love the relationships, I love the fairytale narration, I love the world. This story will stay with me for a while, but I just didn't care for the execution. I cannot tell you what I would give for this to be a full scale novel, I think all of my issues with the pacing would be solved and the emotional elements of the story would be utter perfection.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Del Rey for the ARC!

I love a good novella and Naomi Novik. So, I was extremely excited for this. I did find the beginning a bit slow, which isn’t ideal for a novella. However, things eventually picked up and I was so into the story. The last 1/4 was an absolute banger, with clever characters and world building that managed to feel deep despite the shortness of the text. If you want to challenge your brain or just read something fun, this is a great pick.

I loved this short story. It felt like reading a real folk tale and even though it is short, I got pretty attached to the characters and their story.

This is a fairytale. It is such a perfect fairytale that it feels ancient, like it has been told for so many years that there should be multiple retellings and adaptations permeating pop culture. It feels familiar and new at the same time. It was so engrossing and perfectly paced that I read it in one sitting.

We follow a young sorcerer desperately trying to undo a curse. She is young and naive in some ways, but also cunning and fiercely protective of those she loves. This story is full of whimsical magic, fae tricks (and the wit and wordplay that accompanies them), oaths, curses, and a through line of sibling love that shines from every page. An easy five stars!

Lyrical and sweet, this novella packs a punch with its' themes on love and family. Fairy-tale tropes are upended and given a delightfully queer cast, with the entire story leaving one delighted and satisfied with how it all plays out.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Naomi Novik is a goddess. This short little novella read very much like a fairytale someone dug up from the depths of some long-lost library. It was beautifully written. It made me cry at one point. And it worked perfectly for the length of the story (75 pages). I won't add any more of what it's about, the blurb is enough, anything else would spoil the story.
If you liked 'Uprooted' or 'Spinning Silver' by Novik, then definitely pick this one up!

I’m not always a fan of fairytales, whether it’s retellings or a new spin, but I am a fan of Naomi Novik. I was delighted to receive this arc from NetGalley and was surprised at how quickly I read it. Yes, this is a novella, but I started at the airport and finished before my 90 mins flight landed. A combination of it being very readable and also really engaging. I loved the tale of Celia and her father and siblings, there are definite dark undertones but the story is uplifting and builds to a satisfying conclusion. Loved it!

I love the way that Naomi Novik writes fairy tales, and that they never go the way that I expect. This novella examined love and family and the effort we put into both to make them work, as well as what it looks like to choose to care about the people around you, and it did it beautifully.

This was cute! I’m a big fan of Naomi Novik’s, though novellas are always hit or miss for me. I did enjoy this, especially Celia and the sibling relationships (Celia and Roric were soooo stinking adorable) but wasn’t blown away by it. The ending was satisfying and yep, made me cry.

this is such a small but mighty book. I love Naomi Novik's writing, and this is no exception. The story starts out as a fantasy medieval-ish tale of a sister's love for her brother., but morphs into so much more. It's a coming of age, family dynamics, lgbtq issues, all with the backdrop of a years-old war with the land of fairy, The Summer Lands. Celia has plenty of growth throughout the story, and we also get to see a few twists and turns before the satisfactory ending. I would read Rorick and Argent's stories in a heartbeat. !

If you love books about the fae where the fae are not nice, as I know many people do, this is another fantastic book in that category.
Told with the tone of fairy tale and folklore, this is the story of 3 siblings who are at the age of making their own way in the world, from the perspective of the daughter Celia. An unwilling bargaining chip in the hands of her powerful father, Celia is gifted with the powers of a sorceress, something that increases her value even more.
This book is short with complex world building and the plot twists are unexpected. I couldn’t figure out how a solution to the problem Celia faces was going to present itself. A really satisfying read. Naomi Novik is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc, I loved this book!

Naomi Novik swiftly and thoroughly charms the reader with a fairy tale about an accidental curse and a family that realizes it must pull itself together to break the spell. With strong worldbuilding, fun characters, and a classic fairy tale feel to it, this novella is a winner.

This short novella packs so much into it that it could easily be expanded into a full book! The war dynamics, particularly the politics, were incredibly intriguing. This novella is such a little tease! More please!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this title.

First i would like to Thank NetGalley, the Author and the publisher for this ARC.

My friend recommended it to me and this was, I think, my first Naomi Novik book and I really enjoyed her writing style.

This is a brief yet whimsical and enchanting read with clever riddles and quirky characters.
It is a book that can be read by all ages and has princess and princesses, elves and magic, war and love although it mostly focuses on the love one can have for their family and friends and the dynamics between the three siblings.
It is an adventure and a mystery all told in to one small fairy tale.
It is enjoyable, funny, lighthearted and very very detailed.