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Review: The Summer War

The Summer War The Summer War by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🌅Naomi Novik’s <i>The Summer War</i> reads like stepping into a dream spun of mist, fire, and fragile promises—a novella that carries the weight of an epic while still feeling intimate and personal. At its heart is Celia, the daughter of a war hero, whose childish outburst sets off a chain of events that tie her family’s fate to the immortal Summerlings. What begins as the story of a sheltered young girl grows into a tale of sibling loyalty, betrayal, and the terrible costs of pride, played out against a backdrop where songs can kill, oaths have teeth, and war lingers like a curse.

I am a HUGE fan of Novik. What I loved most is how she puts family at the center of her fairy-tale tapestry. While other fantasies lean on star-crossed romance, this story shines in its messy, tender sibling bonds—Celia’s devotion to her brothers feels more moving than any hurried romance the novella attempts. Novik’s world is lush and strange: the Summer Lands shimmer with beauty and menace, their inhabitants equal parts haunting and absurd, like living fragments of myth who’ve taken their code of honor too literally. Her prose, lyrical yet sharp, often catches you off guard with a line that lingers long after you’ve closed the book: <b>“She had promised to care, and she would keep her promise.”</b>

That said, the book isn’t flawless. Celia’s perspective doesn’t always ring true to her age—she sees and understands too much for a girl on the edge of adolescence, which sometimes makes her feel less like a twelve-year-old and more like a fully formed heroine trapped in a child’s body. Similarly, a rushed romantic subplot pulls focus from the stronger sibling storyline, and the Fae, while wonderfully alien, occasionally slip into caricature. As a novella, it also skims across wars and centuries with the brevity of a ballad; part of me longed for a full-length novel to let the story breathe and the characters deepen.

Still, I was completely immersed. The compact form works, giving the tale the cadence of an oral legend—fleeting, tragic, and haunting. I polished it off in one sitting, but it continues to linger in my mind 24 hours later.

<i>The Summer War</i> is a jewel of a story—flawed, yes, but faceted with enough brilliance to catch the light. Readers who love the eerie beauty of fairy tales, the familial complexity of <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i>, or the sharp edge of Novik’s own <i>Spinning Silver</i> will find much to savor here. I’d happily read another 500 pages in this world, but as it stands, the novella still feels like a complete and satisfying tale. A great big thank you to <b>Del Rey</b> and <b>NetGalley</b> for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased, honest review. I truly appreciate this opportunity!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

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