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.

The Listeners takes place in a fictional hotel in 1942 in South Carolina and we follow its general manager June Hudson as she navigates the sudden arrival of Axis diplomats and American agents that are tasked to find a solution as to what to do with them.

Not only is it a difficult path for all to walk to meet Nazis with civillity but the hotel is also run with magical Sweetwater that can either heal as well as threaten.

Together with FBI agent Tucker Minnick, June tries to navigate this chapter of her hotel's illustrious history.

I really enjoyed the merging of historical fiction with magical realism in this novel. Stiefvater knows how to do this very well and she also knows how to create an atmosphere that makes even the most mundane feel slightly magical.

I didn't know about this part of history and even though the setting is fictional there were Axis diplomats that had to be handled after the US joined the war. The book does a good job of showing the difficulties June faces when it comes to making the stay cofortable for people that are fundamentally against her own morals and that are mebers of countries that force her staff and their family members to join a war that has nothing to do with them.

My only gripe was with the characters. I liked them but I felt that all of them were a bit shallow and flat and I also wish that the ending was a bit more fleshed out. It all felt rather anticlimactic and could have used a bit more drama.

As a long time reader of Stiefvater's YA books I was really looking forward to The Listeners, and it didn't disappoint. It definitely has that undefinable something that all of her books possess, yet it's also definitely an adult novel. It's slower than the YA books, but not in a bad way. The story builds in a way that seeps into your pores and draws you in. The historical element shows acres of research, and the characters feel real enough to touch. I'm interested to see where Stiefvater goes next with her writing.

I found the unique world fascinating. this is the first book i’ve read by this author, and it has intrigued me enough to want to pick up some of her other books (which i’ve heard a lot of good things about). maggie stiefvater has a way with words and knows how to write a captivating and different world.

I also like how the characters are fresh and aren’t comparable to many others. everything felt new and exciting to discover and learn about. despite all this, I did find a slight disconnect between myself and the characters (but that’s a me problem 😂)

i struggled a lot with the writing style and getting fully immersed with the book, to the point where it felt like a chore to pick up. there was a lot of potential, and i was definitely interested in the world but felt a lack of connection to the story and characters that really hindered my reading experience.

the listeners is a perfect weaving of historical and magical realism to get lost in a fantastical world.

I'm afraid that I have been unable to finish this book for now. I liked the blurb and expected to enjoy the story, however I have been confused by so many characters with more than one name and I'm not sure whether I am reading as something happens or a past event. The story moves very slowly and I find myself feeling bored. I sorry to write a disappointing review and maybe I will come back to it another time.

This was a very interesting read, it was different to other I have read by the author and not what I expected. I don't overly enjoy books about the war so this was not the book for me.

Having previously read several Maggie Stiefvater's YA books I was eager to try this book, but I'll stick to her YA books.
The book felt like it started in the middle of the story and I never felt like it got answers or explanations for the happenings. I spent most of the book confused and that meant I dragged my feet reading it.
The setting was beautiful and beautifully written. Great imagery that I really enjoyed.
The characters were ok.
And overall the book was ok, just confusing.
Grab this book to read on the commute maybe to some beautiful destination.

I liked the premise of this novel. However, the slow pace, multiple characters and crossing of genres made it difficult to concentrate on the story. I ended up not finishing.

Unfortunately I just found this book too slow, I understand there's a build up of foreboding and imminent dangers, but I just couldn't get to grips with what was happening and felt confused more than enthralled.
There are some interesting characters and the gothic horror of the hotel and the Sweetwater was such a strong lead, I just felt lost amongst the other plotlines and in my opinion convoluted storytelling.
I'm afraid it just wasn't the right book for me

Honest review, I cannot give this an accurate rating because I had to DNF it 50% through. I truly truly wanted to give this one a shot because I LOVE Maggie Steifvater and many of her books are my childhood. While I was surprised in the direction of her adult debut I still had high hopes. However, I truly realize that historical fiction isn’t for me. Fantasy if it can be called that did not feel like it was present and I could not get into this book reading it. I tried again via audiobook once I released and again the pacing was too slow and it was too much character and no plot for me that I had to give up.

I will keep a look out for future books of her, and while the writing was still great I do hope to pick up more fantasy books from her in the future instead.

Thank you so much for the ARC regardless, I will not be posting to review sites however since I DNF.

“The Listeners” by Maggie Stiefvater it’s a beautifully written, atmospheric story that combines magic, history, and a touch of romance in a way that feels both haunting and deeply personal. The setting—a grand hotel high in the Appalachian Mountains—felt almost like a character itself, with its old-world charm and the secrets it seemed to hold within its walls. The hotel’s healing waters, which are piped into every room and supposedly have restorative powers, added that eerie, mystical layer that kept me intrigued.
The story centres around June 'Hoss' Hudson, a fierce and charismatic hotel manager who’s known the hotel’s power since she was a girl. She’s a complex character—plain-spoken, hardworking, and charming—and I found myself wishing I could meet someone like her. Her connection to the hotel and its history was compelling, especially as she navigates the strange, supernatural forces at play and the tense wartime atmosphere of 1942.
The novel isn’t just about June, though. It’s woven with perspectives from various characters, like Tucker Minnick, an FBI agent tasked with overseeing the German guests, who are staying at the hotel under suspicious circumstances. His guarded, stark personality slowly softens as he falls for June, and their relationship adds a lovely, if understated, romantic touch.
What I appreciated most was how Stiefvater’s poetic prose created a sense of otherworldly grandeur. The story’s themes of belonging, obsession, and truly listening—both to oneself and others—resonated deeply. The supernatural elements felt natural within this world, and I loved how the hotel’s history and the characters’ secrets intertwined in a web of mystery and magic.
That said, I did find the pacing a bit slow at times, especially with some of the detailed backstories and the focus on the hotel’s location and its waters. It occasionally felt a little drawn out, but I think that’s part of the charm—allowing the story to breathe and build that atmospheric tension.
Overall, I really enjoyed “The Listeners”. It’s a story that stays with you, with lyrical writing and a richly crafted setting. I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets adapted into a film someday; it has that cinematic quality, and I kept imagining who would play June—she’s such a strong, charismatic presence. If you love stories that blend magic realism with historical depth and a hint of romance, I think you’ll find this a mesmerising read.

A gripping, drama set in a famous and exclusive hotel in which wealthy customers pay for luxury in a place where their every need is anticipated. Behind the scenes everything is ordered and organised by Hoss, a young woman who came to the hotel as an impoverished maid and worked her way up not only through her close relationship with the owner but her uncanny relationship with the eerie and powerful sweetwater springs that run through the hotel and grounds. The waters must be appeased but when WWII breaks out and diplomatic enemies become the guests, things start to go awry. A captivating and strange book bordering at times on folk horror.

This is Maggie Stiefvater's first foray into adult fiction and according to some other reviews I've read it is quite different to her usual style and some of her YA fans struggled with the change. Fortunately I hadn't read anything else by her so went into it with no preconceptions.

The writing style is very prosaic, almost dry, and it took me at least a chapter to get used to but it was also lovely and very perceptive, like this oblique reference to PTSD:

'This world forged them with their armour on the inside, and if trauma tugged that skeleton free from their skin, they no longer had the structural integrity to stand. Now war would flay tens of thousands of men at a time, returning them to peace broken.'

It is a very paced novel. It moves at a snail's pace in places, but the story kept intrigued throughout. It's an interesting setting: an isolated luxury hotel run by grass-roots Americans (many of who have sons fighting in the war, and some who have lost sons) which is being used as a detention centre for Axis power diplomats and their families as they await an exchange deal to be negotiated between their respective governments. An afterword said that several of the events either in the story or referenced were based on true events, and that always adds an element of interest for me.

The author wrote “I wanted to write controlled, intense, strange, sensual, truthful novel set firmly in a genre I'm increasingly thinking of as Wonder”, and I think Wonder is a good word to describe the very light touch of magical mysticism that runs through the book, only becoming more overt later on.