Although loaded with imagery that evokes the sorrow of the Great War, the story feels slow and only some of the characters really shine.
3.75/5
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is a fantasy historical fiction that dusts the story with paranormal elements set in midst of World War 1. Arden does her signature work of weaving the grounded history into the fantastical with this story. You follow the paths of a sister and brother, one who was sent home from nursing on the front due to injury straight into a new tragedy at home and the other who is presumed KIA on the front in another meaningless grab for ground and waste of soldiers’ lives that was so common in WWI.
This is not a happy story. There are moments of great compassion and true human connection, however there is a great deal more sorrow, listlessness, and general despair with the lack of control that the 2 main characters have over their lives during this story. There is also the evil of apathy that the officers embody paired with the literal Devil that lurks in fog of war on the front. However, the interesting parts – the parts on the front with the brother and his German companion with the fiend who plays the violin – take forever to get going and when they do, they are chopped up by the sister’s story which isn’t nearly as interesting and full of lots of coincidences to get her plot where it needs to be.
I was a little disappointed by the fantastical elements in this story since Arden’s Winternight Trilogy is so good at inserting myth into history. It felt like there wasn’t a commitment to one type of myth or theology – there were some Christian elements and references to “the end of days” and Revelations, but sometimes it felt like there was supposed to be some European folklore? And while The Warm Hands of Ghosts makes for a gripping title, it was kind of a let down. The past was what was doing most of the haunting here.
I don’t feel like I wasted my time with this story though. Arden uses a brutal, unforgiving style of writing in this story. However, the intimate moments are given that much more care because they are taking place outside of the war. I do wish the scenes in Faland’s hotel were more otherworldly. Again, I don’t think the fantastical elements were taken far enough. But the scenes between Freddie and Winter were excellent – I kept craving more of those and blowing through the parts with Laura and her companions.
Recommendation
This would be a hard book for me to recommend. I think it is going to be for historical fiction fans more than anyone else. I think if you’re going into this story thinking it is going to be like the Winternight Trilogy, you will be disappointed. For me, I wanted more focus on the fable and fantastic, the deals with the devil and how much humans are willing to sacrifice to save those they love, and what they lose when they survive.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Del Rey for providing a digital review copy of The Warm Hands of Ghosts in exchange for my honest review.
This is an affiliate link where I may receive a commission for purchases made through link.
