Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is a profoundly moving story of love and loss.

I have read most of Katherine Arden's other works, and I loved this one just as much. It felt dark and gritty, which felt so authentic to experience of the characters going through WWI. I loved the supernatural elements, as well, which also felt so appropriate...I could imagine ghosts floating above decimated battlefields.

Laura Iven, a nurse injured during the course of the war, goes on the search of her brother--an assumed dead soldier. Laura knows Freddie is still alive, and both siblings embark on the journey of a lifetime.

Arden does such a beautiful job with the writing of this novel. The atmosphere was immaculate. I will remember the first scene where we meet Freddie for a long time. It was a gorgeous and gritty depiction of war, and will stay with readers long after they have finished it.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is a moving work of historical fiction set during the horrors of World War 1. It revolves around the siblings Laura and Freddie Iven, who grapple with the war. Laura, a former member of the Canadian Nursing Force, was forced to retire after sustaining a severe injury in Belgium. Freddie, a private in the Canadian army, embarks on a dangerous mission in The Forbidden Zone to capture Passchendaele Ridge. When Laura receives a box with Freddie's personal effects one day, she can scarcely believe it—his tags and jacket with a German postcard concealed in the lining. So begins the journey of both siblings! Enjoy the speculative and touching elements of this story.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC!

No longer interested, I don't even know why I'm requesting books with heterosexual couples with a romance subplot - if I have a romance subplot I rarely enjoy straight pairings, I love my queer girlies.

Arden did a hell of a job bringing World War I to life here. It's gruesome and dark and filled with compelling characters. I loved Laura basically from the jump, and pretty much everyone her storyline acquired was amazing (Jones, in particular, was great as the no-nonsense bringer of hope. Like I got so ridiculously excited when his blood transfusion worked.). Faland's whole bit was also really interesting, although I was less drawn in by Freddie. The early sections of his story (particularly the way they were framed against Laura's) were really great. But the bits where he starts to linger with Faland, and is basically doing nothing, was too Hamlet for me. A lot of hand-wringing, and too little action. Beautifully written, like the rest of the book, but eh. They slowed down what was otherwise a really nicely paced story, and Laura's more action-y sections made them even duller by comparison.

Past that I also could've done without the bombastic chapter titles. From roughly chapter one we already know the characters are seeing this war as a kind of End Times, and the writing of the story itself does enough to convey the attendant bleakness and desperation of that. Adding in the chapter titles felt like gilding the lily.

Other than that though, this is a really engaging read, and I would definitely recommend it.

Katherine Arden had such a talent for writing descriptive and beautiful stories. The Warm Hands Of Ghosts is no exception!

I was so intrigued by the synopsis and it did not take long for me to get swept away into the story. Her writing is warm and inviting, even when it deals with such heavy topics as war and the devil.

I can’t recommend this enough. My only wish was that we got more in depth with the villain Faland.

Katherine Arden has once again proven why she is one of my favorite authors (if not my favorite author). This felt like listening to a ghost story around a fire. If one slight sound or crackle of leaves interrupted the tale, it would leave my heart racing and my eyes darting through the darkness. The characters were so compelling, and the relationships that Laura and Freddie build wrenched at my heart. While gruesome and depressing at times, this was so comforting to read. I could imagine myself in every scenario, whether I wanted to or not. No one can write magic like this, and this book has gotten me out of my slump of 3 star reviews.

As an avid admirer of the Winternight trilogy, with its enchanting ambiance and richly drawn characters, I eagerly awaited Katherine Arden's latest adult novel ever since its announcement. However, upon delving into the initial chapters, I realized the necessity of adjusting my expectations to fully appreciate this new work. While The Warm Hands of Ghosts does contain elements of speculation, it primarily unfolds as a historical narrative set against the backdrop of World War I. It's essential, in my view, not to approach this book anticipating a narrative akin to Vasya's tale. Such parallels are absent. Arden's prose here is characterized by a rawness and directness that, while perfectly suited to the story, is undeniably distinct from her previous style.

Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly recommend delving into this novel.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts possesses a haunting beauty, blending eerie atmospherics with a stark realism that immerses the reader completely. It confronts the horrors of war unflinchingly, at times with graphic detail, yet the infusion of magical elements serves not to diminish the bleakness but to amplify it, rendering the surreal nature of warfare all the more palpable. I found myself deeply invested in the characters, drawn into their plight with a profound sense of empathy. Though the pacing may be leisurely, it never veers into tedium, maintaining a firm grip on my attention throughout.

If I have any critique, it lies in the somewhat tidy resolution at the story's conclusion. Yet, how can I fault an ending that left me feeling so immensely satisfied? Indeed, in the spirit of avoiding hypocrisy, I must acknowledge that any reservations are ultimately overshadowed by my overwhelming contentment. While the romantic subplots may have warranted further development, I found myself rooting for them wholeheartedly—they simply... worked.

This narrative is one that will linger in my thoughts for the foreseeable future. I wholeheartedly recommend it to aficionados of historical fiction.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is a historical novel with a touch of the supernatural, set against the backdrop of the horrors of World War I. The story follows Laura, a combat nurse who returns home to Halifax, Canada, after being injured. Haunted by the thought of her brother Freddie, who is presumed dead in the trenches, Laura clings to strange messages that seem to suggest he is still alive.

Praise

Vivid Portrayal of War: Arden's writing masterfully captures the devastation and desperation of the war. The novel doesn't shy away from the physical and emotional trauma experienced by soldiers and nurses alike.
Unique Blend of Genres: The combination of historical fiction with a touch of the supernatural creates a captivating and suspenseful atmosphere.
Compelling Characters: Laura is a strong and determined protagonist, and the supporting characters are well-developed and memorable.
Criticisms

Pacing: Some readers may find the pacing to be slow at times, especially in the beginning of the novel.
Bleak Setting: The relentless bleakness of the war can be emotionally draining for some readers.
Overall

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a haunting and beautifully written novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. It is a powerful testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship.

Recommendation

This novel is perfect for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of the supernatural, or for fans of Katherine Arden's previous work, such as The Bear and the Nightingale trilogy. If you are looking for a light and uplifting read, this may not be the book for you. However, if you are looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant story, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is definitely worth checking out.

“We were born together, we died together. I cannot live without you.”

I read a lot of historical fiction that circles one of the two world wars. This was such a refreshing story that talks on such heavy topics.
This is Historical Fiction with a gothetic twist.'

This needs to be read by everyone

Unfortunately the momentum of this story fell short for me. I thought this was an incredibly slow read and I was not interested in Laura’s storyline at all. I felt as if Freddie should’ve been given more focus and I wish the novel had gotten into the more mystical fantasy aspect and characters quicker. This book was a struggle for me to finish and felt like a chore. I had high hopes based on the summary but unfortunately I didn’t feel like the novel lived up to my expectations, despite liking the writing and descriptive parts.

I requested this ARC on the strength of the author's name as I had really liked her Winternight trilogy. I'll go ahead and say that I would definitely not recommend picking this up just because you liked Arden's previous work as they are very different reads and I don't necessarily think just because you are a fan of one that you would also be a fan of the other. Which unfortunately is about where I fall.

This ending up being a mixed bag for me. I enjoy historical fiction so I enjoyed the WWI setting (well as much as you can say you enjoy a book set in the midst of war). I liked Freddie and Winter's chapters together and found those to be the most compelling of the first half or so of the book as I did not particularly find Laura's character or chapters to be interesting which ended up making this kind of a slog to get through. The ending did pick up for me however and I don't regret sticking with it through the end.

I think this book would work better for readers who are more into themes than I am as this was definitely a theme heavy book and that's just not really my thing. I also think people who like magical realism would like this better than I did.

I loved Katherine Arden's winter night series, and perhaps the disappointment I feel about this title was that it was nothing at all like her previous works.

The book felt neither quite like adventure, mystery or Gothic enough to be really intriguing. Just grim and slow.

It's very hard to rate The Warm Hands of Ghosts. How do you give a book about loss, grief and fighting against all odds for your family and it possibly not even being enough a review? This book was not what I was expecting. Like many of us, my exposure to Katherine Arden was through The Winternight Trilogy, and TWHOG could not be more difficult. Where Winternight is fantastical, TWHOG is steeped in realism and grief with some unexpected supernatural elements. You won't be disappointed by picking this up, but you will definitely be sad.

After reading and loving the Winternight Trilogy, I jumped at the chance to read another book by Katherine Arden. But this book failed to grip me like Winternight did.

This book is very character driven, but the characters felt 2D to me. Laura should have been a great character, she had all the ingredients that Vasilisa did in the Winternight trilogy, by I did not feel like she was a compelling or engaging character; I thought she was a bit bland. I was more interested in Freddie as a character and would have preferred if the focus was on his character instead of Laura. And I didn't really care about the other characters.

Because of that and the fact that the pacing was slow I found it a struggle to get through at times. I love paranormal and supernatural elements in a story, but in this case I didn't care for the execution and thought it should have been explored more.

I did enjoy it to some degree, I thought it was interesting and haunting, but not enough to grip me.

Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts is probably one of the most unique books I’ve read this year.

After Winternight Trilogy, I’m not sure how I’ll like this standalone, but was pleasantly surprised how much I love it.

Without revealing too much, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a historical fiction with supernatural elements that mimics the horror and trauma of war. Arden uses an entity that embodies the inner demon that harms one’s mental health and soul.

This is more of a slow burn, but I love how the Laura and her brother Freddie’s storyline weaves together. There’s little romance but I love how it was portrayed as well.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a great book to read and savor. I love Arden’s writing and cannot wait to see what she’ll write next!

The Warm Hand of Ghosts is easily my most anticipated release of 2024 ever since I first heard Katherine Arden talk about the premise during her Instagram lives in 2020. Taking place during the Great War with nods to Dante's Inferno and Milton's Paradise Lost, this novel was heartbreaking and hopeful and absolutely worth the wait. The story opens up by introducing us to a pair of siblings in two different timelines of the Great War - Laura is a former nurse who was sent home after an accident and her brother Freddie is a soldier on the frontlines.

The story starts off very slow as Freddie and Laura set the stage for their individual acts. Laura is recovering from an injury while Freddie is on the run after nearly being killed. When Laura receives a package with Freddie's belongings, he's assumed to be dead, but she notices some items missing which prompts her to return to the frontlines to find answers. The best way I can describe the prose is quietly heartbreaking as the novel tackles difficult topics about war and the trauma that it inflicts on the soldiers and medical staff. Each character deals with their own trauma in different ways and we get to see how their experiences haunt them throughout their journey as they struggle to find a reason to continue holding onto hope for a better future.

My personal favorite aspect however, has to be the exploration of death and memories. I could read a whole novel just following Faland and exploring his backstory and motives. There are hints of a possible angelic background and I was absolutely fascinated by the connection of music and memories and how Faland used his violin as an anchor to humanity. The Warm Hand of Ghosts feels vastly different from Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy which I absolutely adore but this novel stands strong as a new addition to her bibliography. The questions surrounding one's loss of humanity during war haunts both the characters and the readers long after the story itself concludes.

Gorgeous and sad and well developed. You can tell how much research was put into this. Arden is an instant buy for me.

I absolutely loved this book because it mixes history, magic, realism, and resilience well. Katherine Arden brought together historical events and fantasy in a captivating narrative that impressed me. Having enjoyed her Bear and the Nightingale trilogy, I had high hopes for this one, and it didn't disappoint. Arden crafted a compelling story about family, love, friendship, and loss, highlighting the power of courage and hope. Plus, it really showcased her versatile writing style.

Katherine Arden is such a wonderful writer, the setting and characters of her books just jump right off the page.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts takes us back to WW1, Laura was a combat nurse during the war and her brother hasn't come back from the front. She receives word that he's died but she also hears whispers that there might be more to the story than she's being told.

In flashbacks to Freddie's perspective, months before Laura's chapters, we learn of his miraculous survival alongside a German soldier.

There's a lot of supernatural working in this one, a hallmark of Arden's writing.

Ultimately, this is a story of familial love and the refusal to let chance stop you from outwitting fate.

I read this novel back in December and I had forgotten to update my review on this.

Katherine Arden has done it again! Her writing has continues to blow me away since I read her first novel, The Bear and the Nightingale on NetGalley years ago.
Her writing has taken me back to WWI. The characters were so well written including the backgrounds. It felt like I was in the story which I love!

Some readers may not resonate with this novel because it is totally out of the field from her The Bear and the Nightingale series. They may struggle to understand the story because it is very unique.

I would recommend this novel to anyone I know would understand the depth of this darkness and story.

Thank you Del Ray and NetGalley for this wonderful ! All my opinions are my own.