The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a novel by bestselling author Katherine Arden. The story is a blend of historical fiction and subtle fantasy.
It follows Laura, a former field nurse determined to uncover the truth about her brother Freddie’s death during World War 1 and Freddie himself, whose story intertwines with that of a German soldier.
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January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense.
Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?
November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.
As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts Book Review
I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. I’m not usually a big fan of the supernatural but I love war fiction, so the premise really intrigued me.
I can honestly say The Warm Hands of Ghosts is unlike anything I’ve read before. Katherine Arden manages to combine the horrors of war with elements of fantasy in a way that really works.
As expected, I really enjoyed the historical aspect of the book. The depictions of the front lines of WWI were so vivid. The cold, the mud, the fear, and the unimaginable trauma soldiers endured are brought to life with such incredible detail. Arden captures the bleakness and desolation of the trenches so powerfully that it feels like you are right there with the soldiers.
What surprised me is how much I also enjoyed the more fantastical elements. At first, I wasn’t sure how well the two genres of historical fiction and fantasy would mesh, but the author made it work brilliantly. The mysterious hotelier and the concept of oblivion brought a new layer to the horrors of war, making it even more haunting.
I enjoyed reading from both Freddie and Laura’s perspective but I was particularly interested in Freddie’s. His alliance and connection with Hans was heart-wrenching at times. Their bond is a reminder of the humanity that still exists in the most inhumane of circumstances.
The pacing was slow at the beginning, but I didn’t mind that. The build-up really allowed me to connect and care about the characters so by the time things picked up, I was completely hooked.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and I’ll definitely be reading more books by Katherine Arden.
