A review by fiizso
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I usually consciously avoid books related to World War, perhaps because the very idea is chilling, as these books are somewhat based on reality, not just ink on paper. So, I wasn't initially enthusiastic about reading it, but I trusted Arden and hoped that the fantasy elements in it would help me get through.

Well, Arden didn't shy away from the horrors of World War I; she actually exposed the raw pain and trauma it caused. She didn't romanticize the wartime period, as is common in other romantic novels, but described it with brutal honesty, highlighting how inhumane and unjust it was for the soldiers and everyone involved.

The author skillfully transports the reader to the darkest corners of the battlefield. We find ourselves alongside trapped soldiers waiting for death, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of their comrades.
In such circumstances, how does one find love?
You won't truly understand until you read it.

I think this was the most tender romantic story I've ever read. It was so hopeless, yet so real and complete.