J.A. Ironside's Reviews > Wintersong

ARC copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review



I can't remember the last time I felt so intensely conflicted about a book. Set in 19th C Bavaria, Wintersong tells the story of the Vogel siblings from Liesl's POV. Girls are warned by their provincial elders not to want too much, to be modest and hard working, to be chase or else Der Erlkonig will fetch them away. But to Liesl, who is genuinely plain (not plain in a 'I don't realise how gorgeous I am' kinda way) as well as strange, intense and musically gifted, the story is seductive. She does not remember the strange companion of her childhood, anymore than she lets herself think about the music she composes or the future she wishes she had - usurped by her adored younger brother - but Liesl has met the Goblin King; once upon a time they were friends...



This is a folktale, a historical fantast and a lush, tempestuous romance all rolled into one. And as unbiased as I try to be in my reviews, I am very conscious of the fact that this was exactly the story I wanted to read at exactly the time I wanted it, told in pretty much exactly the way I wanted. So this is not an unemotional appraisal. Not that I can't see the flaws in the book. The structure does have a few wobbly moments and the narrative is occasionally over-written. It feels as if it could have done with another pass but the author ran out of time. That said the prose is gorgeous, the characters are complicated and engaging, and the plot is twisting and slyly gets under your skin. There were times when Liesl was actually thoroughly unlikeable but I couldn't help rooting for her and wanting to know what happened all the same. If you know anything at all about musical theory, that's how this book reads - like a sonata scored in musical notation. I would go a step further and say that the push and pull of the MC interactions, the dark undertone and the bittersweet nature of the story actually mirror a number of pieces of classical music or even opera. (Think Shubert's Death and the Maiden or Der Erlkonig, or Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake) And opera never has an entirely happy ending... I would be surprised if other influences didn't include the Persephone/ Hades myth, Beauty and the Beast, East of the Sun West of the Moon and the 80s classic film - Labyrinth.



****SPOILER ALERT BELOW****



But where I really came unstuck was the ending, which is the sole reason this didn't get 5 stars. I had not realised quite how hard I shipped the MCs and I didn't like the way it resolved. In fact I actually felt punched - which is no mean feat because not much catches me by surprise in books anymore. And obviously this is where I am being emotional rather than reasonable because I was so upset and angry with the ending, I've knocked off a star. As I said, it's been a long time since a book has affected me so badly.



**** SPOILER END****



All in all this was utterly fabulous. I do appreciate a good standalone (even though I wish this one wasn't). This is mature fairy tale fantasy for those who like their YA fiction with a bit more complexity and strength. Highly recommend for fans of Claire B Dunckle's Hollow Kingdom series or anyone who loves Labyrinth. Will definitely read the author's next book.