This book felt like it was trying to be a lot of things: a dark fairytale, a gothic horror, a feminist crusade; but didn't really quite succeed at being any of them. It won the most points for me with regards to the fairy tale aspects: A.G. Slatter is certainly a stunning prose writer, and a lot of the language here was lovely. My favorite parts were the ones that leaned the heaviest into the folkloric themes, such as the short interludes of stories from Miren's book and her encounters with various creatures.

However, it was less successful with its gothic energy and even less so with its feminist message. The first half of the novel and the second half of the novel felt essentially like repeats of each other: exploring one dark, mysterious house is fun enough but it gets a little repetitive when the protagonist rolls up to the second one. I also took a lot of issue with the feminist messages going on here: there is no doubt that Miren is complex, but EVERY single other woman in this novel was villanized, demonized, or set against Miren in some way. Furthermore, my BIGGEST pet peeve in novels is when fatness is used as a way to degrade female characters in comparison to the protagonist. Both Nelly and Brigid are described as larger than Miren (who we are reminded frequently is beautiful, tall, and slender) and are implied to be at various times villanous, cowardly, shallow, and overall lesser people than our protagonist, even if Brigid gets a rapid and somewhat confusing redemption. It really rubs me the wrong way when a novel claiming to be feminist not only lacks ANY (obvious) women of color but also puts down every other woman in the vicinity in order to put the protagonist on a pedestal.

Generally this book had a lot of really interesting ideas, but the world-building beyond immediate locations felt frustratingly vague and the characters and themes left something to be desired.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.

A rambling old house that’s falling apart, mermaids and long made bargains with the sea, a headstrong young woman determined to live her own life rather than the one family obligations insist upon, and an evil man (or two or three) hellbent on breaking the will of that young woman. And don’t forget the stories told from one generation to the other that are old enough to be unsure of if they’re truth or tale.

This book holds all my favorite aspects of a true gothic novel. It’s not a fast read, but it is an engrossing one. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had such high hopes for this story as I loved the sound of a gothic mermaid fairy tale, but I personally feel that this is mostly false advertisement if I'm honest. As a result, I ended up feeing extremely disappointed by All The Murmuring Bones; this story is mainly a really slow paced and character driven historical read where the fairy tale part only pops up sporadically until well into the story. Not what I had signed up for at all, and the story I did find sadly didn't work for me either. I'll try to further explain my feelings briefly below.

I already mentioned the lack of gothic fairy tale vibe and other 'magical' elements in general, but this was one of the things that I was really disappointed by if I'm honest. I expected to be mesmerized by mermaids and Irish folklore being woven into a magical story, but instead it's mostly a slow historical read where the main character keeps moaning about how bad her family treated her. Most of the fairy tale elements are simply stories that have been in the O'Malley family for a long time, and the 'real' fairy tale elements don't start to pop up until well into the story... And if I'm honest it's a miracle that I even made it that far.

Oh yes, sadly I've been debating whether to just DNF instead for a long time, and in a way I still wish I did... Because while the second half of the story was slightly better and felt at least a bit more like the gothic mermaid fairy tale that I was promised, I don't think it actually made up for the initial disappointments. I think I kept reading to learn more about the Irish folklore stories more than anything, but as a whole All The Murmuring Bones wasn't what I expected, and not in a good way.

I wasn't really a fan of the writing or characters either. Miren is such an annoying main character that I simply couldn't connect to despite her supposedly being strong and resourceful. Her constant complaining and interactions with others just really got on my nerves... Which didn't really help making me feel better about the story itself either of course. The rest of the cast was a bit of a mixed bag, but as a whole for a mostly character driven story I don't think they were developed enough or at least sufficiently realistic.

As a whole, sadly I didn't exactly have a positive experience with All The Murmuring Bones despite having such high expectations for it. I still like the premise, but the actual story didn't deliver what promised and I came close to DNFing more than once. It was definitely a miss for me, but a lot of people do seem to react to it more positively so don't give up on my account if you think it sounds like your cup of tea.

All the Murmuring Bones is a darkly atmospheric tale full of folklore and a captivating story about one woman as she charts her own new path from a rather grim life. This wasn't quite what I expected it to be, and if you're looking for a story with a lot of Mer presence, then this probably isn't what you're expecting either, but I still really loved this story for what it was and the inclusion of folklore and (supernatural) elements that made it deliciously dark and unpredictable and full of danger at every corner.

This is a tricky review to write because there's so much that I want to say, but for so many reasons I'm not sure how to say it, nor do I want to give anything away. It's not that this ia story full of twists and turns, but it is very much one meant to be experienced personally rather than told about. This story follows Miren O'Malley as she decides to take her life's path into her own path after some unexpected tragedies and the rather arduous, foreboding journey she takes to find answers about her past.

Miren is a woman that I grew to love and admire for a variety of reasons. She's a bit prickly, one might say, and is not exactly the most endearing person, but her self-imposed distancing of herself from others is a result of her upbringing where she needed to be strong and aware of those who may try to take advantage of her or her remaining family. I found her caution and determination to be some of the most compelling points about her--she is rightfully fearful of many things she encounters and other various threats that pop up, but she doesn't necessarily let this fear rule her in any overwhelming manner. Miren knows what she wants, she knows what she has to do attain, and she does not stop for anyone or anything. Her growth is subtle, but present, and I am grateful to have been able to accompany her on her journey that was beautiful and difficult and went to some exceptionally dark places at times.

The story is told entirely through Miren's POV, but interspersed throughout are small folklore stories that are essentially about the O'Malley family's history, especially in regards to their ties to the Mer. I loved how these stories were included and how much depth and layering they added to the world and story in general. Sometimes they were framed as stories being read by Miren's grandma, at times they were stories told by Miren to herself as a comfort, at times she told them to others, and in others she read them herself. If you like folklore stories and fairy tales, then I promise you will love this aspect!

This is one of those subtly creepy books where everything just feels... off. There's something abnormal about the setting and the people and you can't always put your finger on what it is, but you know that presence of unnaturalness is present and is as much a character in this book as the people are characters. If I were to compare it to anything, I would say that some of the feelings/vibes I got from this book reminded me of ones I got from Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (though don't take the comparison too seriously, as they are fairly different stories) and I think if you liked one, you will like the other.

All the Murmuring Books has a slow, careful narrative that isn't one you'll rush through because of the intense action scenes, but rather one you'll rush through because you just can't help but feel a desire to know what unpredictable and likely slightly disturbing thing is going to happen next. I will say that this book had a slower start that took me a little while to get into, but once I got a couple chapters in, I was hooked and wouldn't have stopped reading this book for anything.

Lastly, I wanted to leave quick note that I learned after reading All the Murmuring Bones. This story is apparently set in the same world that Slater has written other short stories in and some of the folklore stories we get in this book are drawn from her other stories. I hadn't read any of Slater's works prior to this and I don't think I had any issues diving into this one, so I wouldn't hesitate to read this book at all in case you have heard something similar. (The benefit is that it means I need to read more of Slater's work now!)

Overall, It's five stars from me! If you need a dark folklore-esque tale to round off the winter season (or any season works, really), then you should be sure to check out All the Murmuring Bones.

2 stars.

I have to be honestly this book set itself up WAY too high for me. The beginning chapters were like reading straight out of the history book. There's establishing a family tree and background and then there's a 6 hour presentation on ancestory.com. This leaned more towards the second. But besides just that, there were so much HYPE and build up but the story just crumbled. Perhaps this would have been better off as a series. I was getting lost over and over again. Too many side plots, too many magically but not quite magically things happening in a book that just made everything feel so mundane and boring.

“They cannot burn every single woman, tempting though it might be.”

This was such an interesting read!

All the Murmuring Bones is about a girl named Miren, who belongs to a family that once prospered because of a deal struck with the Mer. Over the years, however, the family has become unable to keep up their end of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren’s grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of her granddaughter’s freedom but Miren is determined to choose her own path in life.

I loved the plot of this book. It genuinely read like a fairytale and I highly enjoyed the way the story was told. I really liked the little secrets about Miren’s family and their history that were uncovered throughout the story as well, as it added another level of intrigue to the novel.

While we meet many characters in this book, its main focus is on our protagonist, Miren. We follow her journey throughout the novel, watching as she deals with whatever obstacle is thrown her way. I really enjoyed reading about Miren. She’s clever, determined and constantly underestimated by those around her. I love the way she takes control of her life and does whatever is necessary in order to be free. I also liked that, despite growing up starved for love and affection, she still ensures to be kind to everyone around her.

I liked the writing. One thing I especially loved was the creatures that are scattered throughout this book. We meet Mer, Kelpies and ghosts and witches and spell craft are also constantly mentioned. This created such a magical setting and I wish we had seen more of this element. The world building fell short to me, especially as I could never even pinpoint what exact time period we were in so certain things kept pulling me out of the story. It just felt extremely surface level. The writing on a whole, in fact, fell a bit flat. As much as I loved Mirren, I still felt unable to truly connect with her and there were times in the book where I had to really push through.

Overall though, I really liked the vibes of this one and I’d certainly recommend it to fans of fairytales.

I have had a streak of amazing reads so far in 2021. So when I say that All the Murmuring Bones is absolutely, without a doubt, my favourite read of the year so far, know that this means this is truly a special read.

All the Murmuring Bones follows Miren, last of the true O’Malleys. The O’Malleys are an old, mysterious family, unafraid of making dark deals to ensure their line’s prosperity. When one of these dealings sees Miren’s freedom at stake, she takes her future into her own hands, even if it means leaving all that she knows behind.

This is exactly the kind of fantasy novel I love best. Dark and rich, the writing here is the literary equivalent of velvet. The worldbuilding is also absolutely beautiful and so well-balanced; the author never resorts to info-dumps in order to immerse the reader in her world. Instead, the novel’s universe unfurls piece by piece as Miren’s journey unfolds. At first, in fact, there’s very little to suggest this novel isn’t set within our own world at some unspecified point in the past, but as the story wears on, it becomes clear that we are very much in a fantasy world, filled with witches, assassins, mermaids, and every manner of creature in between.

While I adored the atmosphere of this novel, the heart of All the Murmuring Bones is Miren. While not without her flaws, Miren is a strong young woman, not afraid to fight for what she wants and her values. Her journey made for extremely compelling reading for me, and I loved watching her grapple with her identity outside of just being an O’Malley.

Another really interesting element to both the plot and the worldbuilding here in this novel were the short stories interspersed throughout the main plot. Part folktale, part O’Malley family history, these stories made for fascinating building blocks to explain Miren’s family’s past, as well as the universe she exists in. The author mentions in her author’s note that these stories are versions of some of her own earlier short stories, which just further compounded that I definitely need to get my hands on more of her works!

I have nothing but glowing words for this wonderful modern gothic tale. Anyone who enjoys dark fantasy with hints of horror and plenty of folkloric elements would be doing themselves a disservice by not picking up All the Murmuring Bones.

(7.8/10) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was provided with an advanced reader copy by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I want to start by saying that All the Murmuring bones is not ‘just’ a dark mermaid story. More than anything, it’s a story about what a family is willing to do to their own in order to keep a grasp on their slipping power. Our protagonist, Miren, is the ultimate pawn in this.

Miren as a character was an absolute force – she is smart, steady, and ruthless when she needs to be. She’s very much a product of her environment, and you can clearly see how her interactions with the people around her have shaped her as a person, both for better and for worse. Miren is a character that is very easy to understand, and I found her fully believable within the boundaries this world set for its characters.

And yet that world itself was a lot harder to immediately grasp. I found I had to put in quite a bit of effort to make sense of Miren’s physical surroundings and the dynamics of its society, and I was never sure what was considered normal and what was considered an anomaly. There’s a plethora of mythical creatures introduced in this that don’t get much explanation beyond them simply appearing, and because of this I wasn’t always sure what the significance of the interaction between them and Miren was. While the world does slowly fold open as you go along, I still feel like I could’ve done with a clearer picture of the what, why and how of it all.

This also had an effect of my understanding of the plot. There is a travel sequence in the middle where I thought we were losing the plot entirely, only to come to realize by the end of it that it was always there. While I do feel like this book dragged through the middle, I think this would’ve been less of a problem for me had the foundation of the world Slatter built been more solid in my mind. As it was, it was a sequence of interactions with no apparent common thread, and for a while I found myself annoyed with the abruptness of it.

Yet, both of these issues were more than compensated for by the fantastic atmosphere and character work. Miren’s environment is an oppressive one, and stays that way from beginning to end. There are some ugly topics discussed in here, but they all serve the story and the understanding of the motives its characters are ruled by. In some ways its vibe reminded me of movies like The Village and Red Riding Hood, so if these are your thing I can see you getting along with this book quite well.

All in all, an intriguing read that, while it could’ve done with a bit more clarity here and there, fully captured my attention through its characters and atmosphere.

Described as a “dark gothic fairy tale,” this book will definitely appeal to those looking for a unique approach to fantasy and fairy tales.

Thank you @netgalley and @titanbooks for the eARC. I just hope I can capture my feelings as clearly as the tone, syntax, and aura of this book captured the imagery of the tale.

I typically start with my thoughts on the author’s approach to characterization; however, in this case, I must start with the language. When I first started reading, I felt, literally felt, the tones of regal, classic novels. There was a sophistication in the presentation of the history of the O’Malley family and their Seafaring empire that just made me think 1800s self-made royalty. I pictured big ball gowns and candlelit castles.

This language continued throughout the book, but it became a little more modern as the plot line was rolled out and developed. But in no way is this a bright and colorful book; it’s dark and brooding. As I played the action in my head, it always appeared like there was a creepy haze. But, oh, the gothic, eerie atmosphere is intricately woven into the story as well that you can’t help but enjoy it.

The first few chapters were a little slow moving, and there were points where the book almost felt like a different novellas. I wasn’t sure where the author was going with it all with the slight feeling of disconnection I was experiencing between the events in the three different settings. But, these pieces did all come together in a page-turning climax. I felt fulfilled and satisfied with the conclusion, which isn’t always how I feel.

I had a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Miren, the protagonist, though. I was intrigued by the legacies that bind to the mistakes made from long ago generations as she is the last “pure” O’Malley. I appreciate her wisdom, quick thinking, and intuition. She’s pretty good at playing “the game,” too, and she has many opportunities to showcase this talent. However, there were major moments and events that should change a person’s life which are just presented in a very nonchalant fashion. A few scenes ended, and I was just like, “That’s it? Really?” I wondered if Miren had any emotion.

There are mer-people and zombie-esque beings and subtle, hidden magic. There is lore and family legends that even members of the family try to cover up. It has a myriad of characters with secrets and motivations. It has hidden identities and agendas. Don’t forget it has really mean, revengeful mer-people. What's not to love with all this?

All The Murmuring Bones will be released on March 9, 2021, and it is totally worth adding to your 2021 TBR list. It’s different and unique, and that made it refreshing, in a dark sort of way. I may look twice before I jump into a lake from now on.

It’s an easy 4 out of 5 stars for me.

As a frequent reader of dark short stories, prolific author Angela Slatter has popped up on my radar a couple of times, and I’m always impressed by her ease in weaving the magical with the horrifying. I have a huge soft spot for anything involving the sea, and the mysteries therein, so All the Murmuring Bones was a must-read.

The O’Malleys have had a strangle-hold on their community for as long as anyone can remember. The family’s riches and success, seemingly without logical explanation, have ensured they have established the reputation of fear and respect. However, the O’Malley’s fortunes are failing, and there are only a few remaining “true” O’Malleys remaining.

One of the last O’Malleys is Miren, an unfortunate young girl, abandoned by her parents, and left to live with her strict grandparents. Eager to continue the family line, Miren’s grandmother tries to force Miren into a marriage with her violent cousin. Understandably, Miren is having none of it, and having found some hidden letters from her mother to her grandfather, heads off to discover the truth about her parents.

Miren sets off on a quest where she encounters murderous merfolk, disgruntled ghosts, young werewolves, all while constantly trying to evade her cousin’s relentless pursuit. And that’s just a quick summary! This epic adventure unfolds in such an exciting way. Every chapter contains at least “OMG!” moment.

Slatter creates such a vivid world, I was instantly engrossed, and could visualize every step of Miren’s journey. The interwoven folk tales, taken from Slatter’s Sourdough world, are disturbing enough to be completely believable. No spoilers, but a story about three children going to a sea cave, convinced me that this was absolutely my kind of book.

Miren is a complete badass. What a memorable character. Her tenacity and heart make her utterly believable and relatable. I really hope Slatter’s upcoming 2022 novel, Morwood, is a continuation of her journey. The Slatter shared universe? Yes please!

I think fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s amazing Mexican Gothic will love this book. It’s a great mix of fantasy, horror, and drama, with an incredibly strong central female character.

I am so grateful to Titan for allowing me to read an ARC. I cannot wait to force this book into the hands of everyone I speak to.

3.5/5 stars

Thanks for NetGalley and Titan Books for letting me read this book early. All opinions are my own.

All the Murmuring Bones is a creepy book in the best way. It is unsettling in the way you might expect from a book about sea creatures and family debts.

A.G. Slatter manages to create a low-fantasy world full of ghosts, witches, and sea-creatures that still feels like the world we know. The book is slow at first as you are introduced to the complex world but it picks up about a third of the way in and from there you won't want to put it down.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to friends who like fantasy and myth (and quite possibly to friends who don't). Although, I'm not sure if I would recommend it to people who live alone (it was scary sometimes!).

The writing style of this author feels similar to that of Alexandra Bracken. I love the story idea and it was very well executed! The dialogue is real and would definitely encourage me to read more by this author.

The fact that I read my way through this one in less than 48 hours says a lot—this is a fascinating, detailed, and just plain good book.
It was full of the aforementioned details, which I loved; the world-building drew me in and left me wanting even more. Additionally, the main character was very likable and relatable, and I found myself almost as eager and frustrated as she was in her effort to escape her circumstances. Mired was a very likable lead, and I can’t wait to re-visit Hob’s Hollow! 4/5 ⭐️!

"There's the sea, which will have her due, come hell or high water; and there are secrets and lies which never stay buried forever."

All The Murmuring Bones is a dark gothic fairytale.

The beginning was challenging for me to get into. It opens with a prologue that somewhat explains the history of a well known family - the O'Malleys - with strong ties to the sea. However, it truly delivers on the gothic atmosphere. There's some beautiful imagery around decaying grandeur and fairytale creatures a la Brothers Grimm, not Disney.

"I remember her carrying me to the cliffs and showing me the sea, telling me to listen to its song, that we belong to it, and it to us."

The book is written in first person present tense. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the narrator, Miren. I don't tend to love first person narrative or present tense, so these choices really kept me from being fully engaged. This isn't to say the writing isn't beautiful, it is quite lovely! This book is extremely quotable.

"They keep telling us, that magic great and small has gone, yet that's just wishful thinking on their part. They cannot burn every single woman, tempting though it might be."

The best thing about this book is the setting, the atmosphere is beautifully done. I loved that short fairytales/fables were sprinkled in. I enjoyed living in the pages! But ultimately, the plot and main character fell a little short for me, so I am giving this book 3 stars for 'I liked it!'

Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say I was a little bit disappointed with this book. After seeing the cover and reading the synopsis, I was so excited when I got accepted to read this as I thought the storyline would go in a different direction than it did.

The very first chapter felt like a bit of a backstory to the O’Malley’s and I almost feel like it would’ve been labelled better as a prologue. The overall start of All the Murmuring Bones was slow, and I wanted a bit more action to begin with to get me hooked into the story. The story picked up for me in the second half and I enjoyed that a lot more than the first. As I said earlier, it was not at all where I thought the story was going to go. Whilst the mer were weaved into the story, they did not have as much involvement as I thought they would, which was one of the things I was looking forward to. This book involved more running away from the mer than actually dealing with them. If you are reading this for mermaids, then in my opinion it is not worth it, as that is not what this book is about.

‘There was something not quite right with the O’Malleys: they didn’t fear like others of their ilk.’

Despite this, the story was interesting and unique. I liked the folkloric elements and the involvement of the kelpie, and also witchcraft. However, these felt more like additions to the story than major players. I enjoyed the world building aspect and created images in my mind of the beautiful but dark mansion, compared to a better lit mansion in the second half. The writing of this was beautiful but not necessarily something I’m used to, as I found the pacing to be quite slow, which made me lose interest at different parts of the story.

‘They cannot burn every single woman, tempting though it might be.’

After Miren’s grandfather dies, her grandmother, Aoife, plans for her to marry a distant cousin, Aiden, in order to keep the O’Malley bloodline strong. Aiden is very handsy and controlling and Miren is completely against this marriage. I liked the storyline of Miren escaping wicked men and becoming her own strong independent woman, which continued through to the end of the book. I felt like there was a sudden change in Miren’s character from the first few chapters where she appears in a way submissive. After the announcement of this marriage, she begins to take on aspects that are normally seen in morally grey characters, (which I love). This book felt like a journey of finding yourself, independent to your family, and creating a story for you.

‘It makes me wonder how can anyone escape such creatures when all waters in the world are joined?’

There were some twists that I was not expecting that helped maintain my interest. However, I found this hard to follow at times and it did not grip me as much as I wanted it to. I think my expectations for this book were too high as I was left feeling disappointed when it did not deliver the amazing book I wished to read. This book had so much potential, and I did enjoy it but I didn’t love it. For people who like slow paced, beautifully and intricately written books, this is for you!

Thank you to Net Galley and Titan Books for giving me a free ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book started off slowly with a lot of lore and stories about the powerful and well feared O'Malley family. In order for the family to continue to prosper they needed to feed at least one child to the mer. Miren's grandmother was hoping to finally have a child produced to give to the mer by tricking Miren into marriage.

The description and storytelling in this book is very well thought out and described. The background detail is very thorough and gives you a good idea of how Miren became the women she is. I felt the story was a little slow at times and would build up to moments that did leave me underwhelmed. Such as Miren finding out what happened to her parents. For me there was just too many unanswered questions at times. However this book did a very good job a telling stories and keeping me interested by doing that.

This is a book packed with so much story. At first I wasn't sure what to expect and it took a second to get immersed in the story, but as I kept reading, the story and the lore grew slowly and steadily. When you think you've found the climax, you're surprised by a new one a few chapters later. "All the Murmuring Bones" gives you all your dark fairytale desires-just like the fairytales used to-from ghosts, wights, merpeople, and even more. I loved how so many classic and creepy creatures were woven into the story, making it seem like an old tale, but new.

It all begins with Miren, the loss of her grandfather, and a deal their ancestors made with merfolk. When Miren is to be married to a cousin to keep the family lineage intact, she is forced to make choices about who she is and where she is meant to be. She proves to be a very strong and interesting protagonist, as we learn new things about her life and see her change and twist as she has to reckon with these challenges. The creatures and people she meets along the way keep the story involving and mesmerizing.

If you grew up on tales of unicorns and mermaids, and enjoy the long-ago fairytales with dark sides, like Grimms', then you might want to give this book a go!

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Long ago, the O'Malleys made a deal with the sea.

The firstborn was to always be protected, wearing a silver bell around their neck and a brand on their hip to mark them.

The secondborn was to be given to the church, so that the people of their community wouldn't fear them.

The third, the spare, was to be given to the sea in exchange for wealth and prosperity.

Miren is the last true O'Malley remaining. After generations of inbreeding to keep the family blood pure, the once great O'Malleys have been whittled down to just a single heir. The tithe is overdue and the family fortune has been lost.

Her grandmother Aoife keeps her in near-seclusion at the family home of Hob's Hallow. Aoife plans to restore the O'Malley name by marrying Miren off to a rich man who will give her lots of children so that the ritual may continue as before.

Miren is resistant to being pawned off like this, and she certainly does not want the old sacrificial ways to continue. All she wants is some semblance of control over her fate and a place she truly feels at home.

Escaping the weight of her family name is more difficult than she could imagine, however, and she must face the fact that the sea will eventually have its due.

-----

I had very little idea of what to expect of All the Murmuring Bones. The cover and the promise of mermaids certainly drew me in. Eventually I came to realize this was quite the gothic historical fantasy. One part The Bear and the Nightingale and another part Alias Grace, perhaps? I'm still trying to sort out my exact thoughts on this.

On one hand I loved the atmosphere. The merpeople as well were delightfully creepy. The stakes that Miren faces feel truly high, and I was rooting for her throughout the whole story.

On the other hand, I had a hard time grasping what this novel really wanted to be. The start is a bit slow - we open at a funeral and Miren spends a lot of time in her near-empty family estate. I knew there were merpeople going into this, but that's about as far as I expected the fantasy element to go. As the story progresses, however, Miren very casually faces many other mythical creatures and uses spells (despite stating many times that she's not a true witch). I'm not necessarily against that, but for the first third of the book I was under the impression that we were in a much more realistic world than that. There was also an automaton that, while interesting, left me scratching my head at what the point of it was. It felt like the author had a lot of interesting ideas but not all of them meshed well.

I will say, however, that I really enjoyed the last half of this story. The mystery was really intriguing and it was interesting to watch Miren finally get the chance to come into her own. I can't say much else without spoiling it, but while I struggled to get through the first half I found I couldn't put it down in the second half.


Thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The cover caught my attention with this one. I am a huge fan of literary genre writing and the gothic genre really showcases some of the greatest examples of psychological writing with layered characters.

What is extra special with this is the mix of folklore into the gothic setting – it feels natural and not forced.

I loved the imagery that Slatter creates. The language really sings and flows but I felt the internal dialogue in places was laboured and overly long. I did find myself skimming across some sections. The pacing felt a bit odd in places and so I found myself re-reading and wondering if I was missing a beat – was this intentional? A story-telling mechanism? I couldn’t tell.

A solid 3/5.

Sometimes, all you need to break with tradition is a lot of will. In Miren O’Malley’s case, it takes a lot of will and for a lot of people to shuffle off their mortal coils. In A.G. Slatter’s wonderfully untraditional fantasy novel, All the Murmuring Bones, we get the story of the very last of the O’Malley clan. The family was once powerful, ruling over land and sea from their great house. I’m not sure if it would make the people of Breakwater feel any better if they knew that all that power came from a diabolical bargain with magical creatures, but I know there would’ve been a lot more pitchforks. Miren, however, is not particularly interested in rebuilding the family fortunes. She’d be just as happy if the great house fell into the raging sea.

All the Murmuring Bones begins at a funeral. Miren’s grandfather has just died, one of the last of the true O’Malleys. Miren expected that the death would be just another nail in the family coffin, so to speak. Her grandmother and icky cousin, however, have different ideas—ideas that Miren is very much opposed to. As the plot starts to ramp up, we get snatches of stories that slowly explain where the O’Malleys got their power from and fill in some of the details of Miren’s magical world. I loved every bit of it. Slatter’s imagination is brilliantly original, borrowing from a bunch of European folk tales to create something refreshingly new.

The first third or so throws so many obstacles in Miren’s path that all she can think to do is run away. Before her grandfather dies, Miren quietly works around her grandmother’s dictates. Without her grandfather around, Miren’s grandmother gets bolder and a lot harder to ignore. Miren is forced to find the courage to strike out into a world she has largely been sheltered from. Not only does Miren have hidden depths, she also has all the knowledge that she’s collected from years of reading stories that help her when she encounters a kelpie, a trio of ghosts, and a village tucked away behind a hedge.

Like so many books that I fall in love with, I wanted All the Murmuring Bones to be longer. I wanted more of the magical world Slatter created. And I absolutely wanted more of Miren’s adventures. She is a fantastic character who, in spite of all the incredible things around her, is quietly competent in the face of a whole lot of scheming. This book is amazing!