I was a fan of Stiefvater's YA books when I was a teenager, so I was intrigued by her first venture into adult fantasy. I would recommend this for people who enjoyed ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS rather than fans of Shiver.

I preface the next bit of complaining with the fact that I enjoyed this book. I had a few days off and sped through it in that time, not inclined to put it down. That said, there were moments it was insufferable. Stiefvater's tendency towards atmosphere over substance was at its most intense in THE LISTENERS. It is a story about two - maybe three - people that nonetheless played at having an ensemble cast, which meant that the asides for exposition were never ending. It's something Stiefvater does well, the delivery of context and flashbacks as a story within a story, a few paragraphs explaining a character's past as a way to illustrate their feelings in the present, or to introduce a would-be ensemble member. A valuable tool, used in moderation. There was no moderation here. It made this a book that prioritised a sense of time and place over plot, that wallowed in character moments for the sake of character moments, rather than treating characters as vehicles for the narrative (I can't believe I'm complaining that a book is TOO character-focused for my taste. I didn't know that was possible). Also, it just got repetitive. We get it, June is a wild mountain woman with a barely controlled mountain accent, yadda yadda.

There are things I always enjoy about Stiefvater's writing, her prose the chief among them, but after a while this wallowing soured me on the pretty turns of phrase, because it felt like language for the sake of language - candy and dessert, a treat in moderation, but lacking the satisfaction of a filling meal. So why have I still rated it four stars? Like I said, I enjoyed it. Though it's distracting at times, the prose really is gorgeous. It had a gothic vibe that's up my street. I loved the romantic tensions, and how that plot line got tied up. The climax in general was nailbiting. I look forward to seeing what the author writes in the adult space in the future.

I rated this 4.75 stars but rounded up to 5.

This was a historical fiction/romance with a magical element. It was a bit out of my usual genre but a fantastic read. The book follows a woman who is the GM for a luxury hotel in West Virginia in the late 1930s and early 1940s. As WWII begins the US and other countries are faced with the question of what to do with the diplomats. Based on real historical events, the story follows an FBI agent who is sent to bring a group of diplomats to take over hotel which is known for luxury and its healing sweet water.

The characters are quirky, interesting and filled with contradictions. The emotions are poignant and real without being overwrought. And just when I think I’ve read everything there is to know about WWII I discover some new challenging aspect.

The book is so well researched and beautifully written that it’s a real pleasure to read it. You feel easily invested in many of the characters and really care what will happen to them. You feel mixed feelings and moral dilemmas as well as the pain of loss. And the air of mystery about the hotel and “what’s in the water” lingers in the most delicious way.

This is a fantastic read especially for those who enjoy historical fiction if any kind. Thank you to Net Galley for giving me an ARC of this book to read in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This was a great magical read. Loved the writing style.

I was pretty excited to dive into this. I've heard only the most amazing things about Stiefvater (and I'm probably the only person on this planet left that hasn't red her ya series) and the premise of "The Listeners" was intriguing. Historical fiction mixed with some magical realism written by an author famous for her gorgeous writing style? Count me in!

And there really is nothing to complain about when it comes to the writing style. It's probably the one thing I really enjoyed about this novel, because sadly, on the whole it didn't give me what I was looking for. The descriptions are sumptious, the details are stunning, Stiefvater definitely knows how to make a setting come to life. I could truly see the Avallon in my mind.
Unfortunately, I wasn't drawn in by the characters nor the plot, which only happens rare and in between truly. There is just not much going on, the stakes felt incredibly low for a story about WW2, and the intriguing premise that focused on an aspect of WW2 history I never really thought about couldn't hold up my interest on its own. While June is, conceptually, a great protagonist I simply never warmed up to her. The writing felt detached, the emotions didn't manage to leave the page. None of the other characters were in any way more interesting than the role they were playing in the story, I couldn't grasp most of their personalities. The romance (which I honestly didn't expect at all nor did I need it) felt completely unnecessary and weirdly shoehorned in. In a way it felt almost like a disservice to June as a character. The love interest, who's one of the pov characters (though mostly the book is written from June's perspective) is also just very dull despite his interesting backstory.
Nothing truly happens despite a lot of things being set up in the text. Emotions are written about, yet often not felt nor do they really have any consequence. We learn of people hating to serve the Nazi diplomats because the Nazis are responsible for the death of a loved one, yet it's barely more than one conversation that leads nowhere in the end. I was expecting a lot more emotional turmoil based on the premise.
The most exciting part happened in the last few pages of the novel, and I enjoyed that one. It also involves the only side characters I really did care about. But it was just too little too late for me - I was, most of all, just bored throughout my reading and thought about dnf-ing when I hit the 50% mark- The subject matter is just too interesting to dnf, at least for me.

So yeah, read it if you're interested in the history, don't expect too much magical realism but enjoy the beautifully described setting, and be prepared for a weirdly paced glimpse into American diplomacy during WW2 and the effect it had on the people that were involuntarily pushed to be part of it.

I really enjoy Maggie's writing and unique storytelling! If you like historical fiction, magical realism, mystery and eerie world building, you will probably enjoy this!

I'm a little torn on this one; while the writing feels accomplished and the storyline is one that appeals to me, there was something I didn't quite connect with. This author is well loved for their teen-fantasy stories, and I believe this is their transition into adult writing, and it kinda feels like it. Not the writing itself, that's beautiful, but the reach of the novel. I FEELS like she's trying to write for adults, and it seems a little forced. Like she was trying to remind herself as she went along... I do think with more adult novels under her belt this could be an author I come back to, so I eagerly wait to see what story she offers us next.

This is set in a West Virginia hotel that's been commandeered to hold Axis diplomats in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. It covers the staff as they try to deal with providing luxurious accommodation to people who are part of the enemy, but in particular the hotel's manager June and FBI agent Tucker. For me this was a case of the blurb being better than the book itself. The pacing of this was too slow for me, and the magical realism elements didn't ever seem to come to fruition the way that I was expecting them too.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Headline for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: war, references to suicide, racism, Nazis, ableism, mental illness

January 1942, West Virginia. A month since the attack on Pearl Harbor. High in the depths of the Appalachian Mountains a hotel named The Avallon sits containing incredible opulence and healing hot springs infused with magic. June Hudson is the General Manager and works hard to make sure that every guest who visits goes away with a sense of unrivalled luxury and extravagance. It all seems a little too perfect, but June knows the price that the magical waters demand for it. Soon enough June’s carefully fabricated life at the Avallon is thrown into uproar- the hotel is commandeered by the government to host 300 people, from Nazi sympathisers to diplomats from other countries and their families, until they can be removed from the USA. June tries to face the challenge head on, but when the FBI descends on the hotel as guards to keep an eye and ear on their prisoners, she is forced into a complicated alliance with Tucker Minnick, one of the FBI agents. He has his own history with the Avallon and returning there is his worst nightmare, especially as the magical water calls endlessly to him. Brought together and fighting a growing attraction, June and Tucker have to decide if the price of luxury- and safety- is even worth it. In the middle of this is Hannelore, the daughter of a German diplomat who loves to sing in numbers but never speaks, seeing everything and hiding a secret of her own.

The first adult novel from the incredible Maggie Stiefvater, who wrote one of my all time favourite series, ‘The Listeners’ is one of the most unique takes on historical fiction I’ve ever read. Set against the backdrop of real events, it immerses you rapidly in the world of the Avallon, their close knit staff (many who, like June, have nowhere else to go) and the lives of the owners, the wealthy Gilfoyle family. When everything is thrown into chaos I loved how June tries to stay cool and collected, even as every system she’s ever built is taken from her. The sense of tension and distrust from this book is palpable, you can feel it even before the diplomats arrive and it grows once the FBI set up shop with their listening devices. The language in this book is really different from ‘The Raven Cycle’- it feels like reading a 1940s novel which is incredible with its detail; this works so well and the lyricism and slight unreality of Maggie Stiefvater’s words are still really prominent. June and Tucker are deeply complicated and similar characters, hiding so many secrets and presenting the world with fake faces. The way that the Avallon affects them, and the connection they share with the magical waters, was one of my favourite parts. I really enjoyed the fact that we never fully know why the Avallon is the way it is and that the entire story is a slow burn. This is one of those books that needs to be appreciated and unwrapped piece by piece, just like the mysteries inside the hotel and the characters (particularly Hannelore and the guest in Room 411). I was also delighted by the inclusion of the dachshunds and I wish we’d seen more of them!

Honestly I loved The Raven Cycle so I was excited to see her publishing an adult novel. The description wasn't what I expected but I decided to go into it with an open mind, even though I don't tend to love this type of plot. Unfortunately I found it agonisingly slow. There's an interesting set of dynamics under the surface, Maggie Stiefvater has always been fantastic at establishing characters. This will work well for some people, it is a really rich set of viewpoints we end up in. I was most interested when we were with June though, I kind of wish we could've lived there. When the focus changed, I found my interest waning a little. The Avallon will make for an interesting place for people who enjoy a wartime story.

Great read and more fantasy than I was expecting as I'm not a huge lover but I still managed to enjoy this one.

I enjoyed this book so much, I flew through it! Maggie Stiefvater's writing is so easy to read, and so well-thought out. Her character building is phenomenal, and that sense of mystery and eeriness that she creates is impeccable. This book, on the surface, isn't something I would normally be drawn to. I tend to avoid WW novels, and this does fall into that category, though sort of tangentially. However, coupled with Stiefvater's writing, I couldn't resist. Teetering on the edge of horror with this one, while making some particularly poignant statements on belonging and immigration and otherness, The Listeners is the book we need right now.

This is Stiefvater’s first adult offering, apparently. I found it a highly atmospheric read, with the magic bubbling underneath the gritty everyday grind of delivering a wholly luxurious environment to pampered, spoilt people. But June Hudon, local girl made good, does more than that. It’s her mission to delight and please the guests at the Avallon – because if she doesn’t, the consequences are dire.

The stresses caused by the influx of guests who are forced to stay somewhere they didn’t choose and don’t want to be are well depicted. But the stakes are even higher. There is also a team of FBI agents whose job it is to listen in on conversations between the diplomats – even though those doing the eavesdropping don’t understand what is being said. This miserable task isn’t handed out to Hoover’s favourite FBI agents. So although Tucker Minnick has faithfully served for ten years – his job is on the line if he doesn’t deliver what the high-ups are looking for.

We see the situation get ever more difficult through the eyes of June and Tucker, as one tries to keep the hotel going against the odds and the other is trying to uncover secrets that will aid the war effort. And another hapless soul, whose story this is, has the job of negotiating for a swap of diplomats – German and Japanese personnel held at the Avallon, for US diplomats held in Europe and Asia. This fascinating read, with large parts based on fact, held me right to the end. Very highly recommended for those who enjoy learning about forgotten corners of history with a light dusting of magic. While I obtained an arc of The Listeners from the author via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

I liked the beginning, the weird protagonist, her strange relation to the hotel and its water... but it grew slower and slower and sloooooweeeeeer... to end in a wtf party. My question would be : why ? What was the point exactely ? I don't know, because the beginning of the book feel like a hundred years ago and now I'm too old to remember.

"It’s simple enough, isn’t it? Wealth is just security. Luxury is living carefree."


A lot of adult debuts from YA authors tend to be, to put it simply, not very good. Usually tacky, corny, immature, etc., elements that are common and even great in YA books, but fall flat in an adult novel because of the stark difference in themes and writing style.

None of what I've just said applies to this book. Maggie's transition to a more mature public is seamless and just feels like that's the natural curse of her career.

The Listeners is a beautiful story from start to finish, the most magical part of it is not the weird sentient water, but the writing style. The Avallon feels real, the luxury feels within reach.

All the characters povs are very distinct from each other, while still sharing some similarities, mainly the distance the characters have with the world the typical guests live in. How wonderful it is, how horrorful too. All the characters have to sacrifice something to maintain the luxury.

This book tackles so many themes, I can't speak for the accuracy of all of them, but I can talk about the one that impacted me the most:

“Once there was a girl named Hannelore,” Sabine said quickly. “Who traveled on a train to a magical land. It was deep in the woods and very beautiful, and she found a friend there no one else could see.”


I love Hannelore and not because I relate to her (that plays a part in it tho lol) but because through her we learn about the story of the characters in this book —the story of a desperate mother, the story of an equally observant orphan, the story of a boy who wanted to impact the world.

Seeing the fate of mentally disabled, more specifically autistic, people in nazi Germany discussed in historical fiction of this era is weird, but Maggie tackled it with so much sensibility and tact. Hannelore's entire character is written phenomenally, her thought process is indicative of an extremely intelligent person, nonetheless also of a child, a balance hard to keep, but which Stiefvater never struggles with, making for an incredible realistic and likable character.

"June, who listened to the sweetwater, who the sweetwater listened to."

After all that glazing it’s probably shocking that I haven't created a 7 stars category just for this book, but there are simply some problems I can't ignore:

1. The pacing I will eat up any book that Maggie writes, however, I know this is not the case for everyone. The Listeners is extremely slow, nothing interesting ever happens really?? There aren't moments of high tension, and the ones that come close get a mundane resolution in the next chapter, making this book painfully boring for anyone who is not interested neither in the era or in the characters (and, tbh, the ending doesn't make it worth putting up with this if you are not liking it).

2. Do you remember when I said this book tackles many themes? Yeah... that doesn't mean every single one of them is well written. Lots of issues common at that time (racism, misogyny, PTSD, etc.) get mentioned once or twice and then never brought up again. The same happens with other plots in this book, like the relationship of the townsfolk and the Avallon, 411, that weird haunted floor, and more importantly: the water.

One would think this is book genre is magical realism, when in reality is just realism. The water doesn't play as an important of a role as one would think, it literally doesn't do anything relevant until the end, and what it is and what it does is explained so vaguely. Therefore, if you're expecting magic... try another book.

3. It doesn't play a pivotal role in the novel so this is just more of a pet peeve of mine but... THE ROMANCE IS SO BORING. At least this book taught me something important: liking two characters individually does not mean you'll like them together.

The whole relationship of the main couple feels built on lust?? Which is ridiculous on account of the fact that they had had honest conversations with one another... that's how lifeless they are.

There's kind of a love triangle in this book, but both option suck. I guess that's good if you hate love triangles because you equally don't gaf about either of them.

Summarizing... This book appeals to a specific type of people, and it is not neccessary Maggie Stiefvater's fans. I'll recommend it to anyone who loves WWII fiction and stories, this novel is incredibly well researched and never disappoints in creating a vivid picture of the era, even if it falls short in other aspects.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher, Viking Press, for this ARC in exchange of an honest review!

I really like the cover depicting the very grand Avallon Hotel with its magical, powerful water running around and through it.

I was attracted to the book as I have read other books by the author and I find the historical era it is set in interesting too.

I’ll be totally honest I am finding this a difficult review to write, to put into words as honestly, factually and succinctly what I felt about the book. I felt like I read this book a lot slower than my normal, and though in the end I found it quite addictive reading and had to finish it to find out what happened to the characters, it was a multi layered, complicated book to read. Theres the historical WW2 era element, the whole “life of its own” Avallon Hotel, the relationships and family feel of the staff, the romance between June, the Gilfoyle’s men and Tucker Minnick, the military man with hidden secrets of his own who also seems to have an affinity with the sweet water. Theres also the individual diplomats, their families and staff and people basically being kept imprisoned at the Avallon and all they get up to, as well as the staff of the Avallon too. There is such a lot of different threads going on.

The book starts with a letter to a Miss Jillian Pennybacker from Eric Parnel from the US State Department's, he is telling her the story of a hotel called The Avallon, its rather unique history of events and her father's role in them.

The Avallon is a glamourous, luxurious Hotel where nothing is too much trouble, extensive notes are kept on each guest so when they return their every whim can be catered to.

During the war foreign diplomats need to be contained so they cannot pass sensitive information back to their countries. A sort of deal is struck and I guess you could say they are kind of being held as hostages to be exchanged for our own diplomats held in the foreign countries. Whilst the deal of the people exchange is done it is agreed the foreign diplomats and their families will be, treat well and at least to the equivalent of our own people are being in the foreign countries that need to be exchanged. Although at times it becomes plainly obvious that the foreign diplomats and their families at the Avallon are having a much easier existence and better lodgings, food and treatment than our own people held in their countries. It’s a difficult balance that the Avallon manageress June aka “Hoss” finds herself trying to achieve. Her beautiful rather unique hotel that seems to be a living being itself is suddenly invaded by the presence of unwanted military men, foreign diplomats and their families. The Hotel staff have to rise above their own feelings about the fact they literally have to cater to the guests every whim despite their country being at war with them.
Waiting hand and foot on people from countries that are responsible for the death of their loved ones. There is also the internal bickering and animosity between the different foreign diplomat countries themselves.

Theres some great characters, June, her staff members Toad, and Griff immediately spring to mind. Then Tucker Minnick in charge of keeping an eye on the diplomats etc making sure they are not smuggling out information to their countries. Tucker has a mysterious past himself with the heavy burden of secret he eventually shares with June. Mr Pennybacker is the man who liaises between the diplomats, the government, the military present and June/Avallon Hotel. I could go on and on about different characters but do not wish to reveal too much and spoil the gradual unveiling of them and their quirks within the plot.

June didn’t have a great start in life but has worked her way up through the different areas of the Hotel and the owner Mr Francis Gilfoyle took her under his wing. He recognised that she could help tame the sweet water springs that have been credited with healing properties. The person that “tames/controls” the water has to immerse themselves in it in a kind of mystical ritual and give it good memories and feelings so that the water will in turn give good feelings to those who are staying at the hotel. When Mr Francis Gilfoyle dies there is only June left to tame the sweet water. June has been sleeping with the eldest Gilfoyle son and new owner of the Avallon, Edgar Gilfoyle, who visits her when he wishes but also has a lifestyle where he has relationship with other high-profile women. June seems as if she is happy with her situation until the military take over the Avallon and she meets the mysterious Tucker Minnick.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were, “Hmm, that was a bit weird”, though I did still kind of enjoy it.

Summing up, I don’t want to put anyone off reading the book but I did find it “odd” and “different” to other books I have read. It felt a little mixed up and confused, it dealt with a lot of different things going on but nothing ever felt fully dealt with if that makes sense. As I said don’t let me saying this put you off giving the book a go, just be prepared that this isn’t an easy, light read. It is complicated, mystical, at times quite dark, yet it has a little romance, and it is the characters that make it interesting even though the book itself is strange!

I had to DNF this book.

It wasn’t quite what I was expecting. However, I have not put this book down forever. I feel like this is a book I would definitely give a second chance because mood reading is a real problem sometimes!

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

I’m not a big historical fiction reader but for Maggie Stiefvater we’ll give it a go! I really liked the concept and June as a character. Determined and headstrong and very matter of fact.

The magical realism aspect I also really enjoyed, maybe not enough explored but on the other hand it might be too much that way.

It sort of reminded me a little of Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro but for the most part because I’ve read that recently and the setting is similar.

I think I kind of missed a sense of urgency though? I liked it, but I wasn’t…very interested if I’m going to be honest. Like I was very neutral about the whole thing. The romance wasn’t doing anything for me although I did like the partnership, it was again very neutral. The war didn’t really set off a sense of impending doom, the setting or the magic were also very neutral.

Overal enjoyable but not a huge fan.

“War doesn’t knock. It uses the front door and brings paperwork.”

Think The Secret History wandered into The Grand Budapest Hotel, then got haunted by memory, loyalty, and a whole lot of velvet. The plot’s a slow simmer, but the found family is the real magic✨

This book doesn’t shout, it hums softly in your bones like a song you forgot you knew.

“You can’t say no Miss Hudson, because no one asked you.”

Set inside the crumbling glamour of the Avallon Hotel, The Listeners follows June Hudson, a general manager holding everything together with sharp precision and silent grief, while history knocks at the door. There’s something in the water, something in the walls, and something unspoken between her and the coal-dusted FBI agent who watches more than he speaks. It’s a story stitched together with political tension, whispered revolutions, ghosts (literal and not), and the quiet, defiant power of paying attention.

✨ Tropes & Themes You’ll Sink Into
💧Found family -the kind you’d trust to bury a body or hide a revolution
💧Grumpy x stoic -silent glances that scream louder than words
💧Haunted setting -the hotel remembers everything, and so does the water
💧Slow-burn romance -blink and you’ll miss it, but it hurts anyway
💧Powerful woman in a man’s world -and she doesn’t flinch
💧Listening as resistance -a whole theme that echoes quietly but deeply

Some of my favorites:
✨411
✨The Dachshunds
✨The general beauty of this book? I think you have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it, but I just thought the themes were gorgeous.
⤵️
Quietly devastating, this leaves you satisfied and aching. Its not loud and bold heroics, its about quiet resistance. Less about who’s watching and more about who’s REALLY listening- to the water, to each other, and to the past.

It’s not fast, it’s not loud but it’s beautiful. Lyrical and layered, like sipping melancholy from a teacup in a storm. I rounded up to 3.5 stars for the writing alone, and honestly? I’m still thinking about the way this book felt. I wish I was more in the MOOD for this type of read, but I went in blind and I’ll absolutely reread.

“If she looked at him again, she would never stop. If he touched her again, it would not be professional- it would be a vow”

“Wealth doesn’t care who you are deep down, at night, when you can’t sleep. Luxury doesn’t care about anything else; that’s how we can guess what you jaspers need before you even realize you need it.”

This was my first Maggie Stiefvater novel and as her adult debut it was a great book to start with. The Listeners is set in The Avallon, a luxury hotel in West Virginia where the water, known as sweetwater, has magical properties. The hotel gets commandeered by the government to house captured Axis diplomats whilst a prisoner swap is being arranged. The main character is June Hudson, the general manager of the Avallon who has to deal with the conflicting wishes of the staff, the diplomats and the feds who are there to watch over them all.

“The Avallon simply couldn’t run without this division between identity and soul. The world cared about the guests’ identities. The Avallon could only care about everything else. The hotel wasn’t for those who deserved it. It was for those who came. The moment that illusion was broken, so, too, was the staff.”

The prose was absolutely divine, sweeping me up and depositing me directly in the Avallon. You could feel all of the emotions and tensions pulling at the characters. The air of mystery around sweetwater is compelling. The romance subplot was well executed and believable. There were multiple plot threads all weaving in amongst each other and perfectly tying up at the end. I thought this was a very good historical novel with an air of wonder and mysticism. Whilst it wasn’t quite a 5 star read for me, it’s an easy 4 star and a book that I know I’ll think about again frequently.

“June had long ago discovered that most people were bad listeners; they thought listening was synonymous with hearing. But the spoken was only half a conversation. True needs, wants, fears, and hopes hid not in the words that were said, but in the ones that weren’t, and all these formed the core of luxury.”

Unfortunately for me the writing style was just too dry, I couldn't find one character I liked or cared about and the MC just felt pretentious in a way I don't enjoy (but others might). The story of the hotel being used for POWs seemed interesting but unfortunately for me drew short of my expectations.