“There is music in your soul. A wild and untamed sort of music that speaks to me. It defies all the rules and laws you humans set upon it. It grows from inside you, and I have a wish to set that music free.”
Happy Thursday!
This week I read a beautiful story, Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones. It tells the story of Liesl, a young woman living with her family in approximately 18th century Bavaria. There is a Liesl, a closeted musical prodigy who keeps her talents in the dark, Kathe, the beautiful, carefree sister with no worries, Josef, the star of the family for his musical talents, and their Grandmother, who tells them stories of the old world and the Goblins who live underground. The parents are also in the book, but I did not view them as a big part of the plot.
Every since Liesl was little, she has had music in her soul, she composed songs and played instruments, but since she was a girl, there weren’t many opportunities open to her. Her younger brother is also a gifted musician and is given all the attention because he is a boy.
One day, before a trip to the market, Liesl and Kathe’s grandmother warns them: “Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.” Getting caught up in the chaos of the market, Liesl loses her sister for a few moments, and when she finds Kathe again, something is different.
It turns out, all the stories that Grandmother has told are true, and the Goblin King has taken Kathe.
We soon learn, the Goblin King doesn’t want Kathe, that she is but a means to an end. No, we learn that when she was a child, Liesl and the Goblin King were playmates and now he wants her to be his queen.
Review
Jae-Jones does a beautiful job of combining fantasy, romance, mythology, and music together into a lyrical and compelling tale. What was very helpful was the translation of certain Bavarian words and Musical terms that were on the back of the book. I did not know that was there until after I finished though so it might have been more helpful if it was placed at the beginning.
There were points where I felt the book to be moving too slowly, and I found myself skimming pages. Overall I thought Jae-Jones did a beautiful job on her debut novel.
I would give this book
I hope you all enjoyed this review! Let me know your thoughts on the book!
XOX Shelby Grace
