The Warm Hands of Ghosts

A Novel

By: Katherine Arden

Narrated by: Michael Crouch, January LaVoy, Katherine Arden

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist, from the author of The Bear and the Nightingale.

“A wonderful clash of fire and ice—a book you won’t want to let go of.”—Diana Gabaldon, author of Outlander

“Spectacular—a tour de force, wonderful and deep and haunting.”—Naomi Novik, author of A Deadly Education

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.

©2024 Katherine Arden (P)2024 Random House Audio

Loved the characters

Arden spent a great deal of time on several memorable characters that really made the novel enjoyable to listen to. I empathized with them all. Thanks for bringing this to life!

Dark and Creepy and Fabulous

A dark and creepy tale from a master storyteller. Like others, I’d read Ms Arden’s to do list and be thoroughly enthralled. This story was heartbreaking. The two perspectives were intertwined and I knew (knew!) when they merged I would have to brace. How funny (or is it iconic?) is it that a devil (not the devil), Faland, was a fiddle player?! Well done, Ms Arden.

Disturbing but worthwhile.

I loved the characters and wanted them to succeed. There were twists on right and wrong that make you think.

Journey through time..

An amazing story of one of the horrific of mankind history. Today, some try to erase it. But our author tenderly yanks us back to face the mirror of the past. Wonderfully written. Bravo and Brava to the narrators. They breathed the characters to life for me. Thank you.

Wonderful book

This book was so good. I am so glad that I used a credit for this listen.

Creeps into your bones

It’s impossible for a story about WWI not to linger a bit. As Arden says, it’s not something that gets nearly enough attention (particularly in the US) for how much it shaped the trajectory of the modern world. Arden really took the time to show how people are wounded by war and how not all suffering is surface level.

The pacing is somewhat slow but it doesn’t drag. The story builds over time, and as the pieces come together, it’s easier and easier to see exactly what the author is hoping to accomplish. The end in particular it subtle but powerful.

I love January LaVoy as a narrator but for the purpose of this particular book, Michael Crouch was just okay. It was well told though and I was never taken out of it.

Good story but the switching of narrators was off putting.

I enjoyed the story but not as much as Katherine’s other books. The ending was somewhat anticlimactic. The narration would have been better if the female reader performed the entire book.

January LaVoy does it again!

LaVoy's performance is nothing but absolutely stunning in this. Truly one of the best narrators out there. And paired with Katherine Arden it just makes pure magic!

Harrowingly mystical

Experiences in WW 1 told from the perspective of a brother and sister that breaks your heart, scares you to death and brings the horrors of war alive. The narrations are brilliant. Highly recommend!!

Katherine Arden simply doesn't miss

I bought this book without knowing anything simply because of the blind faith I have in the author. I couldn't have been more pleased. Katherine Arden weaves tales in a way that I haven't read before. I don't read war novels, but this was haunting and important and so so good. The narrators gave a stunning performance. A bad narrator ruins the audiobook experience, but these two enhanced it to the point where I'm just gonna buy some books they've read, cause I know they'll sound lovely even if the story isn't great.