Now getting into the plot and conflict within the story - I simply didn't feel that there was enough of it. Again, this was a personal issue that could be completely different for someone who resonates with and knows the ins and outs of classical music. As someone who is not classically trained in music, much of the musical description and metaphors went right over my head and left me feeling like I was missing out on huge parts of the book that just weren't for me. Had I been rating this book as an adult book, it most likely would have bumped up a star, but as a YA novel it was a miss.įurther, a lot of the story was focused around music and musical composition (the main character is an aspiring composer and communicated often through her music) which was challenging for me as a reader. While the age of the main character was appropriate for YA, the language choices and writing style of the author read much more adult. While there were some redeeming qualities within the story, overall it was a flop for me - especially when reviewing it as a YA novel.įirst and foremost, this book did not read YA to me at all. I gave this book 2.5 stars and honestly, I struggled quite a bit with how to rate it. Published February 2017 by Thomas Dunne Books REVIEW: As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. He accepts.ĭown in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her-musically, physically, emotionally. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws.

The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go-for a price. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.īut when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.Īll her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King.

Wintersong book