[Review] Wintersong – S. Jae-Jones

Wintersong
S. Jae-Jones

Rating: 4/5


The last night of the year. Now the days of winter begin and the Goblin King rides abroad, searching for his bride…

All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.

But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds—and the mysterious man who rules it—she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.

Rich with music and magic, S. Jae-Jones’s Wintersong will sweep you away into a world you won’t soon forget.


The first thing I heard about Wintersong was that it was a Labyrinth retelling. Now, when I was a teenager I was OBSESSED with David Bowie and watched Labyrinth an embarrassing number of times (those tights omg). My Grade 12 art final was a massive pencil drawing collage of David Bowie throughout the years. So to say I was looking forward to this book is a massive understatement.

Even if the Labyrinth connection were not there, Wintersong would still have been high up on my to-read list. Music, magic, romance all in 18th century Austria. It sounded masterful. And it was. Music played a huge part and you could feel it seeping through the pages. The ups and downs, the highs and lows, it was almost like a symphony itself.

Liesl was instantly likeable as the main character. She was smart and brave, foolish and stubborn, and fiercely loyal. I took a bit to warm up to the Goblin King but once I did, I wanted to protect both him and Liesl at all costs.

Wintersong is all around gorgeous. The cover is gorgeous. The story is gorgeous. The writing is gorgeous.

At just over 500 pages, it’s not the shortest of books, but you can read through it quickly without realising. But be warned, the ending will take your feels and shake them to the core.

A masterpiece that will stay with you. Go read it! (Amazon US / Amazon Canada / Amazon UK)

Thanks so much Titan Books for sending over a gorgeous copy!

6 thoughts on “[Review] Wintersong – S. Jae-Jones”

  1. I’ve only watched Labyrinth one time, but I do love re-tellings. I’ve seen this book reviewed a lot but never read one until now. I really want to read it! 🙂

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