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    Wintersong
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    Wintersong
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    Wintersong
    Ebook443 pages6 hours

    Wintersong

    By S. Jae-Jones

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen, Liesl feels that her childhood dreams are slipping away. And when her sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. But with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTitan Books
    Release dateFeb 7, 2017
    ISBN9781785655456
    Author

    S. Jae-Jones

    S. Jae-Jones (called JJ) is an artist, an adrenaline junkie, and the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong and Shadowsong. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she now lives on the wrong coast, where she can’t believe she has to deal with winter every year. When not writing, JJ can be found working toward her next black belt degree, building her BTS shrine, or indulging her in her favorite hobby—collecting more hobbies.

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    Reviews for Wintersong

    3.5/5

    192 ratings24 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I noticed it had mixed reviews comparing it to Labyrinth so I was a little apprehensive going in, since that's probably a top 5 movie for me. And the first half of the book a lot of details felt similar but not enough to annoy me, and they were minor - mostly goblins that might have been influenced by those in the movie.

      I feel like we could've gotten to know the Goblin King a little better than we did, and there were a few loose ends that I hope are cleared up in the sequel.

      A favorite quote:

      'hope was stubborn. Like a weed it returned, even after I had plucked it away again and again'

      I really enjoyed this, so much so that I bought the hardcover copy for my collection. And I tried requesting the ARC for the sequel on netgalley but unfortunately, I wasn't approved so I just have to wait a couple weeks until it releases :/



      *I received a free copy from netgalley.
    • 3/5
      I was conflicted on how to rate this to be honest because there's so much here I love and at the same time, there were some very really issues with the plot/pacing that stopped me from loving it more. So let me state outright I recommend this book! It's beautifully written with an immense amount of passion and care, you can feel the author's heart in every word and it truly is a gorgeous book.

      But.

      I feel like certain narrative decisions impacted the beauty especially in terms of establishing relationships. I felt that more attention should have been paid to Liesl's relationship with the Goblin King BEFORE she goes into the Underground. Liesl's childhood is incredibly important to so many characters' motivations but I feel like it wasn't explored fully enough in the text to lend those motivations weight. There's not enough of Liesl and her brother despite the fact that this relationship is one of the most important in the book.

      Regardless of this narrative issue, the book is more than worth your time. It's beautiful and I love more than anything how Liesl doesn't "become" beautiful...it is a story about a "queer unlovely child" and it remains so...she finds her own definition of beauty within herself and I adore that so much.

    • 4/5
      a beautifully written Adult Dark Fairytale wherein topics such as Love (of family as well as the romantic sort), Sacrifice, Devotion, Faith and true Happiness are explored This is a love story, first and foremost, of varying types with a dark atmosphere and a very non PG vein. It is not one of those prenatural boy meets lonely outcast of a woman who proceed to fall in love against all odds and live happily ever after. What it IS is a beautifully written Adult Dark Fairytale wherein topics such as Love (of family as well as the romantic sort), Sacrifice, Devotion, Faith and true Happiness are explored. There are definite uncomfortable moments like when Elisabeth is constantly described as being homely, only possessing beauty through her tenacity and musical prowess. I thought it was nice though..to have Beauty defined as something more than the Adonis-like allure. I think it's a depiction too often lacking in most literature nowadays. Anyhow, back to the glowing review, Wintersong is a seriously character driven fantasy where the world building and character development are supurb. There are times of sluggish pacing... Especially where feelings and enviroments are likened to musical attributes (such as tempo and key). These were confusing to me BUT it works overall and it is SOOO worth it. I cried...yes I'll admit it, I might have even wept like an orphan on mother's day... ALRIGHT?!? I felt wrung out and anxious like exposed nerves being tap danced on. No... Everything was most desidedly NOT alright. My heartstrings were being played like the virtuoso sonatas eluded to in the book. If you feel like you are slogging through the plot I highly recommend sticking with it if for nothing else than for the ending!
    • 3/5
      I mostly liked this book, I mean, how could I not? It's practically Labyrinth fanfiction! Hello Goblin King, long time no see. This young adult novel takes the classic eighties movie, Labyrinth, and sets it in old time Bavaria where legends of goblins, the underground, and the goblin king run rampant. The heroine is the eldest child in a family where she is the most overlooked. Her younger sister has all the beauty and curves and her younger brother is a violinist virtuoso. Liesl puts no stock in her own hopes and dreams and focuses solely on her family. Her deepest secret is her desire to be a composer. Music is in her very soul, but no one sees that. No one that is, except for the Goblin King. He covets Liesl and to get her attention he kidnaps her younger sister and Liesl must go into the underground to get her back. Suddenly, all the fairy tales and old wives tales turn out to be true, It's romantic, dark, and beautiful. Liesl can't help falling for the goblin king, it's like she's known him all her life...
    • 4/5
      I loved and hated this book. It is dark and mysterious story with a fairytale-like quality that is irresistible. Who is Goblin King and what is his history?Liesl's love for her sister and her own music pulled me into the book. Then as her relationship with the Goblin King developed, I found myself becoming more and more invested in Liesl's (and the Goblin King's) fate.I finished this book with more questions than answers and with a feeling of deep sadness. The fact that Shadowsong has just been released, makes me curious to see where Jae-Jones goes with the conclusion of this duology.
    • 4/5
      I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I enjoyed it. It does pay homage to Jim Henson's Labyrinth and, more specifically, David Bowie's portrayal of the Goblin King. While I can actually quote Labyrinth word for word, the referencing of Jim Henson's Labyrinth was fan girl cool but in some aspects a tad distracting from the actual tale being told (I think maybe because I went fan girl a lot in this book). With that said, I really did enjoy this book. The tale was full of passion, music, relationships and more. I am really looking forward to reading book two as I loved this ending and am hoping for a positive conclusion to their love story in book two. Highly recommend if you are a Labyrinth and/or David Bowie fan. If you love fairy tales I think you will love this book too.
    • 4/5
      This engaging fantasy about a goblin king and his mortal bride left me ready to dig into the next book so I can find out what happens to the characters (but it looks like I'm going to have a little bit of a wait for that). I was impressed that the author chose to tackle a fairy tale less well know to today's readers, and the world building was superb. I did feel a few points in the story could have used more development and emphasis, but overall I certainly enjoyed this book!
    • 4/5
      Elizabeth grew up playing with a mysterious youth in a place called the Goblin Grove near her house. Now an adult, she has put away childish things, and works in her parents' inn. Her brother is a talented musician, and she composes unique works. But when her sister is kidnapped by the goblins, she knows she must go to the rescue, even if it costs her own freedom.
    • 3/5
      Liesl, a musician and composer, is willing to live in her talented brother's shadow, composing the music that he plays for the world. When a chance meeting in the market leads to the Goblin King kidnapping her sister, to what lengths will Liesl go to get her back. Is she willing to sacrifice her life? Her heart? Her music?This book had intriguingly mixed reviews from the professional journals, and the story sounded like something I might enjoy (music! goblins!), so I had to give it a try. Unfortunately, there were several elements that just did not work for me. The first thing that I noticed was that these characters have no subtlety in their emotions. All of them live life at level ten. They are never mildly annoyed, they are furious! When they fall in love, there are no tentative kisses, just ripping off clothes and "take me now!" Within the first few pages of the book, the main character gets annoyed with her grandmother for delivering cryptic warnings, and she literally pushes her aside. Since I can't imagine a situation in which I would shove my grandmother (or any elderly person), I found it hard to find this main character sympathetic. I also had a hard time pinning down the character of the goblin king, and hence, a hard time understanding the romantic story line of the book. I felt like there was a lot of description of swirling music and overblown emotions, but not a lot of work building the characters and their relationships. And, to top it off, the ending was unsatisfying. I think the author was leaving room for a sequel, but I just can't see myself reading it. If you're looking for a good book about a goblin bride, I'd recommend The Hollow Kingdom by Clare Dunkle instead.
    • 3/5
      Lots of potential...I wanted to like the Goblin King, but constantly toying with the heroine's sister took it too far for me. I don't have much patience for people who spend great amounts of energy being jealous of others.

      Disappointed, but will try another book by the author in the future.
    • 4/5
      Very interesting tale that combines the mystical underworld of the goblin king with the difficult life of a repressed innkeeper's daughter. Even though the main character, Liesl, is a very talented musician, she is overlooked because of her gender and lack of conventional beauty. However, she met and played with the goblin king as a young girl and this impacts the rest of her life. This could be a coming of age tale and a love story of sorts. It definitely has an old-world feel, almost like the original Fairy tales. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book.
    • 4/5
      After I finished Wintersong I realised that there’s a prologue, an overture, that I (somehow) hadn’t read! The overture is short but it sets the stage for what follows, containing possibly all of the foreshadowing that I'd felt the novel needed. If only I’d read this first, I’d have had different expectations - of Elisabeth, of the Goblin King and of the direction their story was heading in.Wintersong is a fairytale retelling about music, memory, magic, siblings and sacrifices. Elisabeth - Liesl - tries to rescue her younger sister from the Goblin King, a figure from her childhood she has forgotten. The story involves some of my favourite fairytale themes and motifs, and the writing is rich and evocative. Even if I’d read the book properly, I probably wouldn’t have loved it wholeheartedly, but I’d have liked it more wholeheartedly - and found some of the characters’ choices less confusing.I’m really glad there’s a sequel now. Maybe I’ll be able to appreciate that properly…(I’m sorry, Wintersong! I didn’t mean to misread you!)Once there was a little girl who played her music for a little boy in the wood. She was small and dark, he was tall and fair, and the two of them made a fancy pair as they danced together, dancing to the music the little girl heard in her head.Her grandmother had told her to beware the wolves that prowled in the wood, but the little girl knew the little boy was not dangerous, even if he was the king of the goblins.
    • 5/5
      As a huge fan of The Labyrinth, this was amazing!! It's definitely inspired by the movie but has a whole different story line! It was written in depth and I felt as if I was really with all the goblins underground. Amazing writing and a very capturing read!
    • 4/5
      An enchanting fairytale romance - of the dark, unsettling Germanic variety. If love keeps the world turning, is any sacrifice is too great to save your loved ones?I have a soft spot for books that take well-established sources and weave old tropes into something magical and new. S Jae-Jones takes an inch of Labyrinth, a pinch of Rossetti’s Goblin Market, and a hint of the Rape of Persephone to create a Germanic fairytale romance: dark, Gothic, and sultry.The result is intoxicating, enchanting and delightful. If some of the grace notes are echoes of previous works, it uses them to great effect. Full reviewI received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      A tale which composes a different symphony from Labyrinth, Goblin Market, every Mary Sue fantasy ever, with a touch of Rumpelstiltskin and other tales we've known in many re-workings. Music is the challenge and desire and form of expression employed to name the desires. As to pacing, it doesn't flow smoothly because each section uses the short form of the fairy tale, so as one section ends we are dropped into the next. It's better than I've described it, but not as good as it aims to be.
    • 4/5
      Wintersong leaves you feeling open. Your base emotions felt. You have a bewitching enchantment. S. Jae-Jones wrote some really cool scenes that feel spooky but completely captivating. This is for a person who appreciates someone having an actual style to their writing.This haunting romantic tale reminds me of older horror novels. The ones that lead you on a trail into their enigmatic world. I guess it starts with the world building right. There are key scenes in the book like when Liesl can't find her sister in the market, or when she finds her sister eating a forbidden fruit in the goblin grove that were written so stellar that I won't forget. You could almost feel the juices from the fruit yourself just reading about it. There is so many little pieces that make it the story such a good read. The confusion Liesl feels, and the reader's anxiety knowing what she has forgotten. Their grandmother's constant reminder of the tales of the Goblin King.The characters are set in a different time than us. It is distant but not so distant that it isn't relatable in Germany. Which that caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting that, but I found it appealing. They have a drunk for a father, and a nagging mother. There are three siblings in total. The older daughter is the prized beauty to be sold off into an arranged marriage. The younger, Liesl, is to watch after her old sister and sort of end up the old maid. There is a brother who relies heavily on Liesl's support to maintain his confidence.Overall I couldn't be happier with reading this novel. It was thrilling to read. I always love a bit of romance to my stories. I really liked that this wasn't as cookie cutter as I was expecting when I initially read the blurb. I am very thankful to have received an ARC copy to read.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      "Wintersong" is a fairytale come to life, featuring Elisabeth (Liesl), the innkeeper's daughter, and the fabled Goblin King, Der Erlkonig. The Goblin King must steal a bride from the world above to maintain both the world above and the world below (of goblins and changelings and other magical creatures). The bride must die to fuel the spring and summer and take away the winter. This is the way it has always been. Liesl is a young composer at a time when it is impossible she should be anything other than a wife. She has been stifled and boxed, herself mostly hidden- as well as her memories of playing with the Goblin King as a child. Liesl adores her brother, Josef, with whom she shares her music. She is jealous of her sister, Kathe, who is beautiful. Liesl is not blessed in terms of her appearance, and she is well aware of the fact. The Goblin King comes to choose a bride and takes Liesl's sister, Kathe. Everyone else seems to have forgotten Kathe ever existed, and the Goblin King challenges Liesl to a game for her sister's life. Will she choose the pretty lie or the ugly truth?The story peels itself away in layers of lies and truths- what the bride means, what the king is, what Liesl and the King mean to each other. It evolves poetically and beautifully as does Liesl's music (oft a focus of the book). The prose is itself lyrical, and really elegantly written. The book is touching and harsh- it's a very emotional ride and impossible to put down or forget. Just like music, this story speaks to the soul.I am surprised this is a YA book- it has some very adult content (in terms of consummating the marriage) and is much deeper than most YA books will go. This is also not a book which could or does finish with everything wrapped up with a pretty bow. I don't want to give spoilers, so I won't say much, but this is not a story which ends with an across-the-board happily ever after. I see the comparisons to "Labyrinth" but I think this is something else entirely, and it reminds me more of the older fairytales which contained ugliness amongst the beauty.Overall, this was a beautiful and fantastic read- I am very curious to read more from this talented author. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      German folklore and Greek mythology combine in this darkly intoxicating mix of love, loss, and music in an Old World setting rich with forested groves, vibrant music and powerful emotions. Readers will be as captivated by the Goblin King as Liesl, drawn into an underworld of dangerous magic, mortal longings, and heartbreaking choices. Wintersong delivers a mesmerizing melody.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I love that this plays with the myth of The Erlking, with Rosetti's Goblin Market, and with Germans and their connection to music. I love that it's more about Liesl learning to love herself than anything else. It bogged down pretty hard about halfway through, and there was an awful lot of sturm und drang, but it's got good bones, unusual bones, and it was worth the read.
    • 4/5
      This book has an interesting premise and a beautiful cover and I was eager to read it. This ended up being a unique and sweet fairy tale of sorts. It's a retelling of the Goblin King myth; so if you are a huge fan of the Labyrinth movie you should check this out.The story involves a lot of music terminology, while also tying into how the seasons progress. I enjoyed it but thought the second half of the book was a bit slow. I also was a bit disappointed that things weren't wrapped up a bit better.The story is beautifully written and has some interesting characters in it. I felt like the world-building was okay but could have been more cohesive.There is a follow-up to this book called Shadowsong. I probably won't be reading it mainly because I found Jae-Jones writing style to be a bit too rambling and wandering for my liking. I am just not all that curious about these characters anymore and am ready to move on.Overall this was a well done book that is a re-telling of the Goblin King myth. It was beautifully written but a bit rambling at times. I didn’t really like how things were tied up but did enjoy some of the aspects to the story about how the Goblins tied to the seasons. I would recommend to fans of the Labyrinth movie; there are definitely a lot of similarities between the movie and this book.
    • 4/5
      Growing up, Elizabeth, (Liesl) was always warned of the Goblin King. Brought up on stories of the beautiful man luring unsuspecting maidens into the Underground, never to be heard from again, she doesn't pay much mind when her superstitious grandmother warns her and her sister before heading into town one day. Liesl is no stranger to the Goblin Grove and the woods surrounding her parents inn. As a child would frolic between the trees playing with her tall beautiful friend. Making music, playing games, he is a distant memory now that Liesl is grown with increasing responsibilities. When her vibrant, beautiful sister is taken, Liesl must brave the Underground and go up against the enigmatic Goblin King to win her back, before she wastes away to nothing in the land of goblins. This book was really not what I had expected, it an insanely good way. It was like some weird (and I use that adjective in the positive) mashup of Labyrinth, Beauty and the Beast, and 50 Shades of Grey. I'm not sure that I would really say that this book is YA appropriate due to some... *ahem*....adult situations which bordered on slightly S & M territory (hence the 50 Shades comparison) but damn if they weren't hot and thoroughly enjoyable to this (mostly) adult reader. The Goblin King was a remarkably layered character, cold and cruel but also deep and thoughtful. The developing relationship between him and Elizabeth was maddening. The constant push and pull was enough to drive any reader crazy (in all the best ways) which only made that ending even more heartbreaking. Thank god there is a followup book on the horizon, to be released in February because  I NEED MORE GOBLIN KING IN MY LIFE. Elizabeth, or Leisel, was a dynamic character in her own right. She was incredibly talented and passionate if guarded. The way they both connected to each other through music was an interesting dynamic and provided this whole ethereal soundtrack to their relationship. It was honestly really beautiful. Now I sit back and wait (impatiently) for the followup, Shadowsong! 
    • 3/5
      Anyone else keep seeing David Bowie as the Goblin King? Yes? I'm in, thank you very much.
    • 3/5
      This book was okay. It was very intriguing in the beginning and the prospect of having it be a Labyrinth retelling really got me excited. But towards the end of the book it ended up being a chore to read as things slowed down exponentially. It's sad because I really wanted to like this one all the way through.
    • 5/5
      A slice of perfection. Wintersong exceeded my lofty expectations for it and then went an extra mile. I'm sure there will be even more nuance here for true "music people" but this is a truly steamy, haunting, and magical debut with a fresh take on the Erlking legend.

      Bonus: Jae-Jones did all the hand-lettering AND the title page illustration. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

      Thanks to St. Martin's/Thomas Dunne for the review copy!