All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.- Goodreads

I almost didn't finish this book. I was a chapter away from putting the book down. But I didn't and surprisingly I enjoyed this read. But there were things that needed to be in this book that weren't there.

Firstly, Liesl is desperate and doesn't have life to her as an adult. Yes, she goes through some changes which causes her inner child to disappear but once given the opportunity to be free in a sense, her freedom is just anger and it is like that for most of the chapters. Even then her anger seemed forced, her music seemed forced. Liesl is not necessarily the strong independent character you would think she would be become or be. Yes, she pushes through things but the lazy way to explain why is because she had the power of love help her -_-

Lisel relationship with the Goblin King is forced. There is no way around that. Did he love her? Yes, I think and felt that he did. But Lisel. . . I don't think she truly loved him. Maybe as a child but not as an adult. He was a means to an end and as opposed to trying to figure things out and fight to be with the one she loves, she accepted things for what they were and went about her business. 

Granted these are strong points to not like this book and Liesl and her crap personality and romance was the reason I was going to put the book down. But I didn't because I liked the Goblin King and the author was able to keep me wanting the truth about the King's origins and ultimately the curse. 

There wasn't enough focus to try to find that information, which made me even more disappointed in Lisel. For the most part, she didn't care and when there was a glimpse that she would, it disappeared. I wished the author incorporated more mythology into the story. It would have gave the book much more cushion to sit on. 

However, surprisingly enough the plot moved at a really good pace. There wasn't a whole lot going on in the second half of the book, which sucks but as a reader, I was I was pulled into the promise of Lisel saving the day and mythology. 

I can see why some people didn't enjoy this book. I can also see why people did not finish this book but I enjoyed it despite wanting more. I'm curious about the second book and that is more because of the Goblin King and less of Lisel.

Overall,

2.5 Pickles

Wintersong, by S. Jae Jones, is a beautiful, haunting young adult fantasy that will sweep readers away from start to finish. Inspired by Christina Rosetti's Goblin Market & Labyrinth, it is set in 19th century Europe, a time & place in history that was rife with both fairy tales and classical music.

Jones' prose describes both her setting & story in rich detail, and teenage protagonist Liesl sparks to life within it. She is a young woman searching for, ultimately, who she is and will become - but first we go on a dangerous journey with her into the Underground, the dark and sinister world of the Goblin King. In search of his eternal bride, he has taken Liesl's young sister there, and in order to save her sister - will Liesl sacrifice herself?

Within this story I envisioned, through both description and music, one of my favorite classical musicals that features a historical setting and a dark underground where a "beast" hides and creates beautiful music: The Phantom of the Opera. That story also features a young, beautiful girl taken away - though the plot similarities may end there, the enigmatic romance, gothic mood and dark tone of the stories and their characters feel the same. To say that this was a guilty pleasure for me is an understatement; I was hard-pressed to put this book down just as I would be reluctant to turn off the magnificent 25th anniversary concert version of Phantom before its end.

Wintersong is an immersive, romantic fantasy that will hold readers in its thrall to the last page, and likely have them searching for the sequel soon after. Beautifully written in haunting, poetic prose and language rich with description, it will delight lovers of dark fairy tale retellings and classical music. Fans of historical, 19th century literature, including gothic classics like Wuthering Heights or Rebecca will also find it intriguing.

Admittedly, this was the perfect read for me from the moment I read the book's description; I'm a fairy tale and fantasy fan with a background in both literature and classical music performance. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from the publisher & NetGalley for review, and highly anticipate reading its sequel, Shadowsong, which publishes in February 2018.

3 stars because my god the writing!

“You are the one who wanted a happy ending, my dear. So you tell me, how does the story end?"
Tears slipped from my face, and he wiped them away with his thumbs.
"The foolish young man lets the beautiful maiden go."
"Yes." His voice was clotted thick with unshed emotion. "He lets her go.”

This book is not for everyone. First of all it is slow as fuck, 30% in and nothing had happened, I had to push myself most of the time to actually finish it and that's never a good sign. But I did, once I pushed myself past the 30-35% mark, it picked up pace and it got to the plot, which lasted about another 30-40% before it dropped again. So really, you can reduce this into a novella and not miss a moment. It. Is.THAT. SLOW. And it has a lyrical writing that combined with the pace, it makes for a very slow reading experience. But you know what? I liked it.

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

This is a retelling of Labyrinth. Which I'm not familiar with, but I saw it on NetGalley and I loved the cover, the blurb sounded awesome and I went for it. Liesl, a young girl who loves music and her sister Kathe are the two protagonists that get trapped in the Underground by the Goblin King. This is my first book about goblins and I kind of find them fascinating in a disturbing way? The power they had, the underground and all of the creatures, I've never read anything like it before. Once the story gets to that part, it all becomes so rich. In dialogue, in characters and the potential this plot has.

“This was the immortality humans were meant to have: to be remembered by those who loved us long after our bodies have crumbled into dust.”

Lyrical writing is something that if done right can make a book so damn good and this one was good. Liesl and the Gobling King form a romantic relationship - which happened sort of out of the blue for me so I didn't get it at first and I wanted more time to get there but with Kathe to the mix and how he affect the world above as well as the little tales we were told during this about the history of these people, it was so damn good. Although the sisters are not my kind of people, sometimes I just wanted to reach in the book and yell at Liesl because FOR REAL GIRL WTF ARE YOU DOING WAKE THE FUCK UP, but you know what not all fictional characters have to be perfect and I'll leave it at that.

“Does the crown serve the king or the king serve the crown?”

There's a hint of politics among worlds, a ton of music that might annoy a lot of readers, some creepy stuff and slow, so damn slow progression with anything that will make you go mad but 80% in I had already paused my reading and went to request the next one. Hopefully it will be a bit faster because there's so much to read about this world and I know the pacing will make a lot of readers DNF this. But if you're in the mood for something slow, this is most definitely it.

Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel for an honest review.
"“A candle unused is nothing but wax and wick,” I said. “I would rather light the flame, knowing it will go out, rather than live in darkness”.
Oh this novel...it’s enchanting, full of music, dark, engrossing and just so well written.
Liesl or Elizabeth was wonderful. She started out as a young and scared little girl, wise yet not educated. She ends with such an excellent source of character development. It was exciting to see her grow. The quotes about herself were so pleasant and encouraging. She really is a heroine in my book.
I am definitely going to pick up the next book in this duology. I feel like I need both on my shelf. It will be a reread in the future.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing such an enthralling read S. Jae-Jones.

It took me longer than I would have liked to get into this book. The first third felt somewhat disconnected from the rest. By the halfway point is when I started to enjoy the story. I love how there is so much dynamic to the plot and unanswered questions that lead into the second book. It felt like it was written from real old world lore!

I have mixed feelings towards this book. I was first drawn to it because it was advertised as being inspired by Labyrinth. I have such love for that movie that I was already sold on Wintersong before I had even touched the book. Now I feel like I should have known it would explode in my face.

The story revolves around Elisabeth. She loves music more than anything but has learned to hide her compositions out of fear of rejection. Her entire life she has been told her music would never amount to anything because she is a woman and not talented enough. The only one she has shared her music with is The Goblin King, who met her in the forest outside her house when she was little. But now Elisabeth is grown and when he kidnaps her sister she must follow them Underground to rescue her.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Well, the sister is rescued before the first half of the book, from there the focus is her relationship with The Goblin King. It’s not that I didn’t like them together, I did in fact, but there were little things about them that I wasn't a fan of.

Elisabeth on one side came off as the exact sort of heroine I dislike. She has been denied her music for too long, making her a it resentful towards her successful brother. She is so insecure of her looks, so convinced that she is ugly that she resents her beautiful sister. And refers to herself as the untalented, unlovely sibling. She whines and complains way too much for my taste.

The Goblin King is David Bowie. He is described almost exactly like Jareth from Labyrinth, and even quotes him from time to time:

“I’ve given you everything you’ve ever wanted. I’m tired of living up to your expectations.”

As someone who loves David Bowie deeply, I must admit it was kind of charming at times. Minus the quoting part, that seemed a bit lazy to me. But it made it very difficult for me not to compare Wintersong and Labyrinth during the entire time.

My biggest issue was the writing style. While it’s lyrical and it works perfectly for the music descriptions, I don’t think it does when applied to people. Especially on the sex scenes. I kid you not, the first time they slept together I had no idea what was happening, the writing was too abstract for me.

I don’t think Wintersong is a bad book by any means. There were things I definitely enjoyed, most of all the romance (at least when they had their clothes on). But there were also many things I did not. I will probably pick up the second book anyway, I'm still curious about what will happen next.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I've seen it here and there in the almost year since its release and it always made me curious but never made the top of my list. I'm bummed I didn't discover this story sooner.

I wasn't sold at first. The beginning was plodding and the Christina Rossetti poems kept causing flashbacks to this terrible class I took in college to fulfill a requirement (Pre-Raphaelite Literature). As much as I shudder to remember that class, it did give me a foothold into the mythology of this story.

This isn't a new tale. If you've studied any amount of mythology, there's a solid chance you know how the story ends. But the blend of ordinary and extraordinary, mythical and mundane, kept me from being confident in my assumptions and I loved it. Instead, I sunk into the story like a beloved and often played piece of music; I knew where the story was going but I was content to be in the moment with the characters and enjoy the ride.

I recommend this book to anyone:
- who likes mythology and fantasy
- who is craving a story just outside the mainstream
- who wants to curl up with a good book during the winter months, soaking in the story like a warm bath

This was truly a pleasure to read. I would happily read the sequel!

I fully own up to my own failure and idiocy regarding this one. Back when I first got the ARC, my excitement was high. The cover! The Labyrinth-inspired tale! I couldn’t wait to indulge. But, for whatever reason, when I stepped into the tale, I felt nothing. I was bored. I felt cheated. I DNFed.

You’re probably wondering why, then, nearly a year later I decided to give it another shot. I get that, because I have no idea myself. But, I saw a sequel in order and figured maybe, just maybe, I’d missed something that first time around.

Clearly, I had. It’s still the same tale. Nothing was changed. This time, though, I was thoroughly engrossed. Elisabeth, the Goblin King…being unwanted, plain. It all just struck me. I’m not a musician but I found the musical background enriching. And beyond all this—love. Of all kinds. Not just romantic (although, swoon!) but familial. And that was essentially the gist.

This was a tale of love, sacrifice, selflessness. The learning of lessons and of oneself. Is it perfect? No. Nothing is or can be. But it was perfect for me in this moment. It was just the story I needed at the right time.

Wintersong has inspired me to not give up so easily on a story. It could just be the wrong time to read it. Perhaps, had I waited a bit longer, I could’ve raved about it all year. Now, it’s sequel, Shadowsong awaits me on my Kindle. And I can’t wait to see the next portion of Elisabeth’s story.

4 out of 5 stars

This was such a fun, entertaining read. I love the world that Rachel Hartman has created! Tess is such a fiesty, stubborn and fun character. I loved watching her grow! She started as a sullen teen, who lashed out at everyone and grew until she became a strong, capable woman. It was an absolute delight to journey with her!


ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

P. S. It took me awhile to read this simply because I started it, then had to backtrack. I highly recommend reading Seraphina and Shadow Scale before reading this. Just to get an idea of the world and some of the characters a little more clearly.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2162609367

This wasn't a bad book, but it didn't feel like one for teens either. The prose is dense and heavy and the story is slow moving. It isn't that long but it took me a long, long time to get through for all that the premise and the fantasy elements of the book are engaging. A lot of the technical explanations and exploration of the music was also lost on me. I am not that interested in music, so it didn't pull me further into the story. I wished for a bit of a quicker pace. The beginning has a nice sense of mystery with regard to how the goblin world connects or doesn't connect to the outside, real world and the lore surrounding that. The world building is strong. The book definitely gets more interesting as we descend in to the goblin court. It isn't until over half the book that the Goblin King takes Leisl as his bride and the real conflict begins, by that time I was tired and not sure I cared anymore. Leisl is a good, strong character and I liked that she wasn't some beautiful, princess, but was valued for a her skill at playing music and her intelligence, unfortunately even that didn't make me like the book much.

This book blew me away. The cover is beautiful. After beginning to read it, it reminds me of the Labyrinth. We meet Elisabeth, a young girl, who thinks she is a plain girl. She has a beautiful sister and a brother who is very talented in music. She lives in their shadows. As a young girl, her grandmother would share stories about the Goblin King and the "underground". Elisabeth played with the goblin king as a child in the Goblin grove but he appeared to her as a young boy. They would play music together and other games. Many times he would ask her if she would be his bride. Playfully, she would say yes. As time passes, she grows up and the playtimes come to an end. But the Goblin King did not forget her.

This story is beautiful. It's very poetic. The author is so descriptive that I could perfectly see what Elisabeth sees, smells and tastes. It's so great!

I have seen other reviews that criticize the sexual undertones and the age of the Goblin King. The Goblin King is immortal. This is a young adult. In the book, she turns 20. Having sexual fantasies is normal. If you are familiar with folklore then you know that there is plenty of sex in folklore. The book doesn't get too graphic as I've seen in some other books. Some might find it disturbing. I would say, are you an adult? Do you have sex? As a young adult did you fantasize about what your first time would be like? If you answered yes to those questions then the book should be fine. As far as the ages go, do you support vampires having sex with a teenager in high school (twilight)? Vampires are immortal, there is no difference here.

I enjoyed this book. The storyline was beautiful and engaging. I am so happy there is another book coming out.

I feel like this book is very music oriented to the point that the target audience are the music lovers. While listening to music with vocals might make you appreciate this, I mean that this is more targeted to those who have played instruments and love to listen and compose.

Personally I have played the viola, cello, clarinet, piano, and some guitar so the lingo used is very familiar to me and I can appreciate it. However if you're not the kind of person who knows what a crescendo, decrescendo, clef, vibrato or just a note is then I think this might have a hard time pulling you in. I could totally be wrong, maybe the story will get you. I have never read anything this music oriented and while the synopsis mentions it I didn't realize 95% percent of this is solely about music composed and played.

I thought that this would have a little romance but I feel like the romance is between the reader and the music written about.

Liesl and the Goblin King only have music in common so when the "romance" comes into play I feel like it is completely fake. Liesl is a plain ordinary girl bordering on "ugly". She knows that she isn't worth much because she is always told this. The Goblin King sees the music in her soul and loves that part of her thus making him "fall in love with her". Yet he always tries to stay away from her and won't give her the affection she so desperately seeks from him.

I expected a little paranormal or supernatural happenings but everything seemed all humane. This is a story about a Goblin King and while there are scenes where the "monster" comes out, nothing really happens that would make you see the world for what it is.

The writing itself in this book is excellent though. It is so descriptive that there are maybe 2 parts you might be left questioning but everything else is very vivid. So while I liked the writing I didn't really like the story. The synopsis was misleading for me.

“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.”

I wanted so desperately to love this. I absolutely LOVE the movie Labyrinth and once I heard that this was a retelling…I just had to have it. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it. I can’t even say that I “LIKED“ it. I’m actually surprised I finished it because I was just so bored, but I suffered through.

The story is about 19 year old Liesl who’s sister is abducted by the Goblin King. This King was her childhood friend and now he is the monster that abducted her sister. She must go to the Goblin Underground to play the King’s games and hopefully save her sister. Sounds like the set up for a really fantastical story with goblins, magic, action, cleverness, and of course a little romance. *Cough* Not so much.

I found Liesl to be so annoying that I just couldn’t connect with her. Maybe I just have an affinity for strong female characters so I immediately felt dislike for Liesl. The constant whining and low self-esteem mixed in with randomly added German phrases and weird dialogue had me ready to pull my hair out.

Now I have to comment on the romance. Yikes. It felt so fake. I didn’t feel this overwhelming attachment to their “relationship.” They were so formal with each other at all times that it created such a cold environment that the “love” felt forced. The love scenes made me cringe. Literally, I cringed. Just thinking about them now makes me frown.

I will say this about the beginning of the novel – the writing is beautiful. Ridiculously slow but beautiful. Like a sloth, but I like sloths so maybe not.

Ebook Only (I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review)

From reading the synopsis, I wasn't sure it was something I'd be into - goblins? - but I got an e-mail invitation from Netgalley and decided to take it as a sign. After reading the first chapter, I got sucked into the novel's dark magical world, and would recommend it - with some reservations.

Wintersong's main character, Liesl, lives in Bulgaria with her family. There's her alcoholic father, who was a famous violinist in Salzburg. Her hardworking mother, who runs the family's inn while Liesl looks after her siblings. In fact, she's so selfless that she is happy when her beautiful sister Käthe becomes engaged to the boy she liked, and when her musically gifted brother gets an opportunity that may take him far from home. Liesl shares the family gift for music, her talent lying in composing rather than performance, but will never be able to achieve fame for it because she is a girl. There's also her superstitious grandmother, who warns the children about the Goblin King, Der Erlkönig, and though Liesl is too old for such nonsense she has fond, vague memories of a childhood spent playing with a strange little boy in the wooded area she and her siblings called the "Goblin Grove."

Though Wintersong is a fantasy, references to real musicians like Mozart place the storyline in the 1790s or early 1800s. With this setting, it was easy to forget that Jae-Jones based the novel on the 1980's Jim Henson movie Labyrinth, but both stories share a common initiating event: a sibling stolen by the Goblin King. When Käthe goes mising, Liesl must travel into the underworld to free her from the beautiful, frightening ruler - and in doing so, finds her own power. Jae-Jones is a self-professed English literature nerd, and there are shades of Jane Eyre in Wintersong - along with moments that reminded me of Beauty and the Beast and the story of Hades and Persephone. Her prose style perfectly suits the dark fairytale flavor of the novel, though she does have a few overused words and phrases - I got tired of the King being called "austere," Liesl's "décolletage," and the underworld's many "objets d'art."

School Library Journal recommends Wintersong for grades 9 and up, and it's marketed as YA, but I would not feel comfortable putting it in a ninth grade classroom library due to several romance scenes that, while not as graphic as an adult romance novel, leave little to the imagination. I also feel that narratives about relationships like Liesl's with the Goblin King - in which the lonely girl "fixes" a cruel, controlling man with her love - can be downright dangerous to some young women readers. For me, this book belongs in the New Adult section, and maybe that makes me an old prude. That said, this old prude will be seeking out the sequel, Shadowsong, to find out what happens next for Liesl and Der Erlkönig.

I'm having a hard time putting my feelings on this one into words. I liked some parts and disliked others. Overall, I would say I enjoyed that the writing was atmospheric and lyrical, but it was a bit slow-moving for my taste. Story was intriguing, though.

Surprisingly fresh and engaging for this sub-genre of fairytale-like Young Adult Fantasy, Wintersong felt like a stew of other books and other stories while still, somehow, maintaining its individuality.

Throughout the book, Wintersong reminded me of others I had read before this. With hints of everything from to Hades and Persephone, Beauty and the Beast, alongside Cruel Beauty, The Star-Touched Queen, Wicked Lovely, Uprooted, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and with even a dash of elements of Rumpelstiltskin, somehow Wintersong remained interesting and separate. But, I suppose it's like saying all fairytales are alike. Of course, they are; just as all mysteries are alike. Like comparing one sunset to another, the similarities are most certainly there, but each can be unique and all its own without sacrificing any enjoyment.

That's what I found here. A good, well-written fairytale. Nothing extraordinary—Jae-Jones didn't recreate the wheel, but what she did tell was a decently constructed story that makes me want to read its sequel, Shadowsong.

I came across this book on NetGalley and had vague memories of favorable reviews from book friends. (Ironically, I was wrong; most are on the fence or didn't care for it). Since I can never refuse a gorgeous cover and intriguing plot, I decided to give it a try. I was completely mesmerized by the storyline; it's somewhat dark, intense, and heart wrenching. The book has historical vibes, set in two realms, and features music and goblins. There is a lot going on, but it all works beautifully.

Liesl is the narrator and at times, is unreliable. It was the thing that both frustrated and fascinated me the most. I experienced her truths and feelings but not always the "realness" of events. It could be confusing, but when the book was over, I was left feeling compassion for her plight. Like Liesl, I often had conflicting emotions over the Goblin King. Their relationship is heartbreaking but intense. The author does an amazing job creating their connection. I only wish there had been more on his character.

For a debut work, I was impressed. The book is on the longer side, and at times, the pacing is slow. Despite that, I enjoyed it and was heartbroken where things ended. Thankfully, there is no long wait for the second installment. If you appreciate unusual reads, I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Dunne Books for my review copy.

UGH, YOU GUYS! This novel broke me. I swear it was one of the most beautiful and heart breaking fairytales I have ever read.

I am quite literally dying to read the next one. I need to know what happens. Beyond all hope my heart is invested in this book and these characters.

The Goblin King needs a wife.

But truly, as they say in the book, do you want to pretty lie or the ugly truth?

Leisl and the Goblin KIng's relationship is both beautiful and heart breaking. It both confines them and sets them free. The path they have chosen both saves one world and dooms another. But would you do it? Could you make the sacrifice?

GAH I JUST CAN'T EVEN. I CAN'T. I know that I sound like a whiney teenager, bu really, if you love a good fairytale that borders on the Grimm side, than you are going to love this.

What would you do for those you love?

Gorgeous prose, amazing detail of German life and folklore, and incredibly true to the music elements it entails. The story was pretty much ACOTAR with music instead of painting, but without the grand finale ending. Will check out book 2 to find out what happens to the MC's brother though! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read and review this book.

This story was everything I thought it would have, but in so many layers. It was perfect at sucking me in and making me not want to put it down.

It is amazing to me how some people don't realize how twisted love can be and these characters are trapped in a whole world of darkness and pain with the hope of light and love just on the other side.

Liesl's world is her family and this young girl ends up doing everything in her power to protect them from the Goblin King that is playing one of his games with them. A magical journey for any lover of fantasy.