The Summer War

By: Naomi Novik

Narrated by: Ella Lynch

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this poignant, heartfelt novella from the New York Times bestselling author of Spinning Silver and the Scholomance trilogy, a young witch who has inadvertently cursed her brother to live a life without love must find a way to undo her spell.

A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Celia discovered her talent for magic on the day her beloved oldest brother, Argent, left home. Furious at him for abandoning her in a war-torn land, she lashed out, not realizing her childish, angry words would become imbued with the power of prophecy, dooming him to a life without love.

While Argent wanders the world, forced to seek only fame and glory instead of the love and belonging he truly desires, Celia attempts to undo the curse she placed on him. Yet even as she grows from a girl to a woman, she cannot find the solution—until she learns the truth about the centuries-old war between her own people and the summerlings, immortal beings who hold a relentless grudge against their mortal neighbors.

Now, with the aid of her unwanted middle brother, Celia may be able to both undo her eldest brother’s curse and heal the lands so long torn apart by the Summer War.

Not my favorite Naomi Novik. But, it’s Naomi Novik…

This is her third book with a similar theme, I loved the first two more. I’d rate the earlier stories with 6 stars if I could.
This one still earns high marks. I’ll be reading it again someday.

Delightful! Thank you, Ms. Novik

I’m always surprised and happy to read Ms. Novik’s work. And I’m never disappointed. She is such a good writer and tells such original stories.

If you enjoyed Spinning Silver…

…then you’ll love this glimpse into yet another mystical realm that exists with the turn of the seasons, and provides a light-hearted but heartfelt story of family, love, and the magic of words.

A Wonderful Fairy Tale with a Heroine Worth Rooting For

I listened to this on an overcast fall day bundled up in sweaters with my mug of tea. It was perfect! Like comfort food in an audiobook. Naomi Novik never fails to deliver with this deeply resonant story about sibling love and how we can accidentally wound the ones who mean the most to us.

The narrator was just perfect for the role. I felt every emotional high and low and wanted to burst out clapping at the end.

Is there a sixth star I can give it?!

Science fiction with a fairy tale twist

I’m not a fan of science fiction and this book had those elements but also was a fairytale. This novella which I listen to on audible at a sweetness as well as a heavy sense of remorse by Princess Celia. When she was a young girl about 12 years old, her older brother left the kingdom. She missed him immensely and set a curse on him. Years later, when she is set to become the bride of a rival kingdom Celia must find a way to remove the curse which was placed in her innocence.

I must say, I didn’t enjoy the storyline in the ending, which was a very happy ending.