Not interested in watching my video review of The Warm Hands of Ghosts? Then look below for the major bullet points. 

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Rating: 3 out of 5

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Hello friends!

In this blog, I’m reviewing The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden. As usual, the first half of the review will be spoiler-free, and more about my overall thoughts. The second half will contain spoilers, so look away if you haven’t read the book yet. 

• The Warm Hands of Ghosts wasn’t the book for me. I should have trusted my gut when I first saw it, but this is the author of The Bear and the Nightingale, a series that I adore. 

• I appreciate the fantastical twist. It harkens back to Arden’s previous work. However, I didn’t see enough originality. There wasn’t enough backstory to explain the magic either. 

• The writing would fit on a literary fiction shelf. Word choice overshadowed the emotions. It came across as trying too hard. I also struggled with The Bear and the Nightingale and had to read it twice to enjoy Arden’s writing. The Warm Hands of Ghosts won’t be getting a second read through. 

• Arden said this was a hard book to write. I can see that. From an emotional sense and a plotting sense. 

• I don’t see how this book is any different from the other WW1 books. 

• I started to skim the book at the end. I could skip chunks and still follow what was happening. There was too much pomp and circumstance. 

• Arden provided concise descriptions. She was able to cover a wide setting.

Now look away if you don’t want spoilers. 

• Back to the fantastical twist… Faldan turns memories into heart breaking music, the act of most tortured artists. It’s not a new idea. 

• I want to understand Faldan better. Is he the devil? Is he a tortured musician that was granted this power? Is he a random demon? In The Bear and the Nightingale Arden relied on folklore for her creature. Here she doesn’t. 

• Where do the ghosts fit in? They were so fleeting, I began to question the title. What made Laura special? Why did she see the ghosts? Is this a common accuracy in the world? Again, a convenient plot point that didn’t lend to the story. From the title alone, I thought I was reading a different book. 

• Is this book a bad judge of the industry or poorly timed? 

• I hate convenient endings. All three women happened to die at the same time? 

• The Warm Hands of Ghosts kept me wanting a lot more. I didn’t have a book hangover. 

Happy Reading!

Love,

Kait