Author: S. Jae-Jones
Title: Wintersong
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: Legends/Myths/Fairy Tales
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Number of Pages: 436 pages of story text; 3 pages of acknowledgements (at the beginning of the book).
Geographical Setting: Rural forest town in Bavaria
Time Period: Theoretically the old Germany of fairy tales, 17th or 18th century but historical references in the story are inconsistent. Amazon claims it is set at the turn of the 19th century and Novelist claims it's fully in the 19th century.
Series (if applicable): Wintersong duology
Plot Summary: This adaptation of the film Labyrinth follows Liesl on an adventure to save her family, and maybe the world, in the old forests of Bavaria known for their magic and the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. Liesl loves composing music but her little brother is the musical prodigy in the family. Her sister Käthe has all the beauty and personality. And so Liesl helps her mother take care of the inn, follows all the rules, and tries to forget the nonsenical stories her grandmother raised her on about the Goblin King and his underground kingdom. After a chance encounter at the Goblin Market where Liesl receives a magical gift and a strange warning, her life will soon be changed forever. One night while Liesl waits in the wings during her brother's performance Käthe is stolen away to the underground realm of the goblins. Liesl must now try to win rescue her sister by defeating the trickster Goblin King at his own games. The old laws also require a human queen to reign over the goblin realm and keep the seasons in balance, and there might be more happening between Liesl and the Goblin King than a quest to save a stolen sister.
Content warnings: Light racism and sexism indicative of the time period; sex on the page. The author consistently uses the term "queer" to describe a cis, heterosexual female who does not fit all the stereotypes of her gender which some in the LGBTQIA community may find upsetting.
Subject Headings: Fairy Tales & Folklore - General, Fantasy - Dark Fantasy, Romance - Historical
BISAC categories listed on Bookshop.org
Appeal/Characteristics of Fantasy and the Legends/Myths/Fairy Tales subgenre present in this book (SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING IN SECOND BULLET POINT):
Detailed settings depict another world, often located on Earth, but almost always set out-of-time, in past times, or invisible to most people. Magic frames the story- This story is set in the past, in a Bavarian forest where the magic of goblins and the Goblin King influences the seasons and harvests. While all the humans are impacted by the action of the goblins, only those who still believe in the King, are able to see and notice the key players. A large portion of the book is also set underground in the goblin realm.
Story lines feature good versus evil, as protagonists battle and ultimately conquer malevolent forces-- although victory does not come easily or cheaply. Story lines also explore ways to discover one's own potential, magical or otherwise. Titles are frequently part of a series with a continuing story told over multiple books- While the characters in this story are morally grey at best, there is definitely the set up that the underground world ruled by the Goblin King and tricksters is bad while the aboveground world of humans is good. Liesl and the Goblin King must both sacrifice things they care deeply about to win their respective battles.
Liesl also realizes her potential as a music composer as the story progresses.
The story continues with a second book, Shadowsong.Despite the genre's ultimately optimistic outlook, a note of melancholy pervades even when a victory is achieved- a running theme throughout this book is that nothing will be easily won when up against the Goblin King/Der Erlkönig.
Characters, clearly defined as good or bad, often attain specially magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures-- dragons, unicorns, elves, wizards-- as well as the more mundane human ones- Overall the characters in this story are morally grey but it is made clear that humans are good and goblins and their king are bad. Liesl, a representation of a good, rule following human, is challenged often by the Goblin King and even tricked into not caring about what she must save. Liesl receives a magical gift from the Goblin King at the beginning of the tale that sets the story's events on their way. Magical creatures include goblins, the Goblin King, enchanted spaces and food, lorelei, and changelings.
A great deal of the Fantasygenre concerns itself with retelling old stories- Though Labyrinth is not an old fairytale but rather one invented by Jim Henson on screen in the 1980s, it is still a retelling of a popular, fantastical tale that fits many fairy tale tropes with a greedy young adult needing to come to terms with her life and her choices and use cunning to outwit a trickster god. Jae-Jones also does her best to mold this story into a fairy tale with its setting and making the Goblin King not only king of the underworld but also a representation of Der Erlkönig a trickster god of sorts from a poem by Goethe.
3 terms that best describe this book:
Moody
Lyrical
Romantic
Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors
Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane- in this book Macfarlane visits several underground places around the globe exploring what life and humanity mean beneath the earth. He weaves together myth, legend, and history in each travel story. Macfarlane not only tackles some myths and legends in this volume but readers of Wintersong will also likely enjoy his beautifully crafted prose that often borders on poetic.
Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet by Will Hunt- The author, an urban explorer, adventures to subterranean human landscapes to explore their architecture and the tales they hold. The goblin underground in Jae-Jones's tale is an earthy mimicry of the world above and readers may find similar parallels between the two stories.
3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors
Note: Novelist suggested read-a-likes that were Young Adult although Wintersong is Adult fantasy. The books below were chosen based on Goodreads suggestions and personal knowledge of similar fantasy books.
A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic book 1) by Else Kova- Wild magic used to rule the earth until a treaty was made with humans. Now the Elf King needs a human bride who might be able to save both worlds. This story has many parallels that readers of Wintersong will key into, especially the need for a human bride who can save both magical and mundane realms.
The Bear and the Nightingale (first book in the Winternight Trilogy) by Katherine Arden- Vasya has had a necklace, a mysterious gift, all her life though she doesn't know much about it. She can also see kobolds and other magical creatures and talk to horses. She also doesn't want to be married off, she wants to be free to live her own life. When she runs off after a stranger comes to town she meets Morozko, the frost demon, and is thrust into a battle between myths and religion as she attempts to discover who she really is. For those that love a non-conforming feminine lead discovering their power, a devious yet somehow lovable demon, and magical romance and battles, this story is a perfect fit.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik- Agnieszka has always been a little different but otherwise nothing special in her small rural town protected by an immortal wizard in a nearby tower. Then she unexpectedly becomes the girl he chooses as the once-a-decade payment he requires from the village. Both the grouchy wizard and confused Agnieszka are surprised to discover there might be more to her than anyone ever thought. This story is another celebration of feminine and earthy power as well as a moody magical love story. Wintersong fans will find a lot to enjoy in this new fairy tale.
Reading the Whole Collection
Goblin Market (poem) by Christina Rosetti- Although written in the Victorian Era, after Wintersong takes place, S. Jae-Jones includes elements from the poem and snippets of Rosetti's writing throughout Wintersong. Readers who have not yet read the poem may wish to familiarize themselves with it.
Der Erlkönig by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe- This is another poem whose elements Jae-Jones borrowed for Wintersong. In the poem the king of the fairies steals a young boy and hides him away as his father tries to find him. Those familiar with both Wintersong and Labyrinth will find familiar pieces in this poem. Der Erlkönig has also been making an appearance as a trickster, child-stealing old god in some recent fairy tale retellings.
The Waltz of the Monsters (Accordion or Toy Piano) by Yann Tiersen- this strange and chaotic piece of music is likely to harken scenes of the Goblin Market or the goblin ball in readers' minds.
*For my personal thoughts on Wintersong, check out my review of the book.
Citations
Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. G. (2019). The readers’ advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.