Full review: https://wanderinglectiophile.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/review-wintersong-by-s-jae...

The first third of the book seemed shaky and unsure, but once things ventured into the “Underground” you could tell this was what Jae-Jones had really wanted to write about. The plot of the story was good and reasonably well structured. I LOVED that there was such a heavy influence of music and music composition worked into this story. I have only studied music leisurely in my life so while I understood some of the references and terminology, some of it was a little over my head. I could see someone with a heavy background in music really enjoying this though. I wouldn’t be surprised to find the Jae-Jones has some education in music. I also enjoyed the underlying current of foreboding and darkness surrounding the plot, it made it very intriguing.

The two main characters – The Goblin King and Elisabeth – were well developed and enjoyable. (Yes, even the perceived “bad guy” was an enjoyable part of the story.) The remainder of the characters were sadly less developed. I think her sister Kathe and the two goblin girls that attend to Elisabeth were okay, but they could have used more depth. But the one character I had a hard time connecting to was the one character that Elisabeth seemed most connected to – her brother, Joseph. Elisabeth laments a lot about her siblings in this story, but I had a hard time feeling that connection and connecting with her feelings about them. I often forgot about their impact on the story because of this.

The writing was only okay in the beginning, and got better towards the end. Not the best, but definitely not the worst I’ve read. In the beginning there were a few too many cliche descriptions for my taste. (For example, “I could say the stranger was beautiful, but to describe him thus was to call Mozart ‘just a musician’. His beauty was that of an ice storm, lovely and deadly” *gagging noises*) As if she wasn’t sure what she was doing in the beginning….it got better towards the end, which helped improve my opinion quite a bit. What started as cliches turned into something more closely related to beautiful prose. So basically, you wont want to pull you hair out once you get past the first third of the book.

All in all, I really did enjoy this book and I’m definitely looking forward to the next one. If you’re looking for a fantasy based change of pace, this may be a good one to pick up if you like music, fairy tales, and foreboding. ( )

4.5 stars
I loved the likeness to the Labyrinth. All of the characters were so deep and wonderful.
This book surprised me in so many ways, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next installment! ( )

First impressions of this book when I read the blurb was fan fiction... likely to be tacky, unimaginative and to make me pull my hair out in annoyance at my childhood favourite movie the Labyrinth being tarnished.

So I was surprised when it arrived as a 500 page book with not only a beautiful cover but an enchanting opening to what raised my belief in this books potential. So whilst everyone else was out watching the remake of Beauty and the Beast (I'm pretty sure 'Beastly' was probably a better version, but whatever.) I decided to visit the Goblin King. *cue swooning sigh and hand fanning.*

Inspired by Jim Henson's Labyrinth movie and poetry from Christina Rossetti, S. Jae Jones weaves together a devilishly sweet take of David Bowie as a Goblin King with the Goblin Market poem morals.

What I loved most about this doting story was not only the take of the Underground where the Goblin King ruled, but the language and emotion that is so easily conveyed through the characters. A roller coaster of passion, desire, hate, regret and loneliness. Jones makes her protagonist Elisabeth a strong minded and spirited woman who lacked outer beauty but not a compassionate soul. The world around her is unkind, and with the people closest to her squashing her dreams of being a composer Elisabeth only truly finds herself in the realm of the goblins, where the Goblin King boosts not only her self confidence but her self worth as well. Not entirely a romance, this novel focuses much of the story on Elisabeth's love of music and her lack of confidence to publish it to the world above, choosing instead to let her brother reap the rewards of her success.


I was surprised that I was actually ready to accept the ending at part three of this fantastic story, mostly because this is the ending I wanted for the movie Labyrinth. And I was reluctant to keep reading as I thought that the author would twist the desperately wanted ending into something that would destroy the Goblin King and have Elisabeth escape back to her family relived to be out of his grasp leaving the ruler of Mischief dead and forgotten... Luckily this is not the case, Jones pulls you into the Underground further and really indulges in the world she creates, using snippets of quotes and settings from the movie, and poetry that inspires her. she weaves a magical tale of the Goblin King that will leave any fan of the Jim Henson classic proud to read.

The ending to this story is bitter sweet and devastating, but in its entirety Wintersong is a wonderfully written work of art that is a steady paced page turner that I really enjoyed immersing myself in.

( )

First impressions of this book when I read the blurb was fan fiction... likely to be tacky, unimaginative and to make me pull my hair out in annoyance at my childhood favourite movie the Labyrinth being tarnished.

So I was surprised when it arrived as a 500+ page book with not only a beautiful cover but an enchanting opening to what raised my belief in this books potential. So whilst everyone else was out watching the remake of Beauty and the Beast (I'm pretty sure 'Beastly' was probably a better version, but whatever.) I decided to visit the Goblin King. *cue swooning sigh and hand fanning.*

Inspired by Jim Henson's Labyrinth movie and poetry from Christina Rossetti, S. Jae Jones weaves together a devilishly sweet take of David Bowie as a Goblin King with the Goblin Market poem morals.

What I loved most about this doting story was not only the take of the Underground where the Goblin King ruled, but the language and emotion that is so easily conveyed through the characters. A roller coaster of passion, desire, hate, regret and loneliness. Jones makes her protagonist Elisabeth a strong minded and spirited woman who lacked outer beauty but not a compassionate soul. The world around her is unkind, and with the people closest to her squashing her dreams of being a composer Elisabeth only truly finds herself in the realm of the goblins, where the Goblin King boosts not only her self confidence but her self worth as well. Not entirely a romance, this novel focuses much of the story on Elisabeth's love of music and her lack of confidence to publish it to the world above, choosing instead to let her brother reap the rewards of her success.

I was surprised that I was actually ready to accept the ending at part three of this fantastic story, mostly because this is the ending I wanted for the movie Labyrinth. And I was reluctant to keep reading as I thought that the author would twist the desperately wanted ending into something that would destroy the Goblin King and have Elisabeth escape back to her family relived to be out of his grasp leaving the ruler of Mischief dead and forgotten... Luckily this is not the case, Jones pulls you into the Underground further and really indulges in the world she creates, using snippets of quotes and settings from the movie, and poetry that inspires her. she weaves a magical tale of the Goblin King that will leave any fan of the Jim Henson classic proud to read.

The ending to this story is bitter sweet and devastating, but in its entirety Wintersong is a wonderfully written work of art that is a steady paced page turner that I really enjoyed immersing myself in. ( )

I don't even know where to start. I'm just conflicted. I'm just going to split this into likes and dislikes and make it dot point.

Likes
- I liked the whole dark fairytale mood
- I liked the music - the composing and the playing and the focus.

Dislikes
- I didn't really like Liesl. She's really a very nothing kind of character, just molding herself to whatever everyone wishes of her. She has no self-confidence. Yes she develops it to a certain degree but 400 pages of how plain and boring and ugly does not make me sympathise it just annoys the crap out of me. She was also so easily seduced by her perfect world that she just gives up on her sister - and yes I know that was the point but it just irritates me - she comes across so high and mighty for sacrificing but she doesn't actually sacrifice it right - she actually just considers forgetting about her sister and enjoying it. I have a younger sister. I would never do this. Furthermore this ties in with the whole relationship with the Goblin King. She's either scared of him or not - friends or not, hates him or not - pick one freaking option and stick with it. They spent so much time together and then she just writes him off - not because she forgets him (although I guess to some degree she does) but because she has other things to do - which, timeline kind of screws up here - because she's apparently childhood friends with Hans - did she ditch the Goblin King for her crush or what? Either way I was getting increasingly annoyed by their relationship because she just dithers. She's a ditherer.

- I actually started out liking the Goblin King but by the end of it I was ready to write him off as well. He's not much better than Liesl running hot and freaking cold.

- It was just so dense. And long. I struggled with the last half.

And worst of all - all that for THAT FREAKING ENDING! Are you freaking kidding me right now?!

I have heard there will be a sequel. But I think I might be better just cutting my losses. ( )