Maggie Stiefvater's adult debut is a hypnotic blend of historical fiction and magical realism. Set in a luxurious Appalachian hotel during WWII, it follows June Hudson, the enigmatic manager who must host detained Nazi diplomats while navigating the hotel's eerie, sentient sweetwater.

The prose is lush and immersive, though the pace drags at times. What shines are the atmospheric setting and complex characters—especially June and FBI agent Tucker Minnick, whose slow-burn dynamic crackles with tension. The magical elements are subtle but haunting, lingering long after the final page.

A slow burn that rewards patience, *The Listeners* is perfect for anyone who loves historical fiction with a mystical twist. Just be warned: you'll never look at mineral water the same way again.

First of all I would like to say thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been reading Maggie Stiefvater books since I was a teen so was so happy to see that she has released an adult novel. This is very different to anything she has written before but still keeps the same atmosphere just with more adult relationships and character dynamics. The romance is a slow burn so don’t be expecting anything to happen too quickly. As it is an adult novel it lacks some of the lightheartedness in some areas however I understand the reasons why as it is not a YA novel like we are so used to.

I would recommend this to everyone who enjoys a mystical story and who grew up on YA fantasy and are now trying to move on to adult fantasy.

4.5 stars rounded down.

The Listeners is different from what I normally read, and from what I was expecting from Maggie Stiefvater. I really enjoyed it.

The story is gripping and the characters are wonderful, especially June. The writing is very good, as expected from this author, but you do have to pay attention. Lots of things are implied or only referred to obliquely, and there was quite a bit of slang that I wasn't familiar with and had to look up. The book is rewarding for those who pay attention though (those who listen?), and I imagine it will be great for rereads as well.

I have read other reviews that say the story is slow, but I disagree. There may be a lack of action, but every scene has purpose and feels very deliberate. The book doesn't waste your time.

I don't know much about this time period, so I can't say anything about the historical accuracy, but I can say that the setting felt vivid and well realised, and different enough from current times to be very interesting.

My only small criticism is that the romance started a little abuptly. I could have used a few more scenes to establish the character's feelings. It doesn't detract much from the story though, as the romance storyline is ultimately a fairly small part of the book.

Please give this a try! I know the premise sounds kind of weird, and it's pretty different from The Raven Cycle, but it's well worth your time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I enjoyed this book. It is set in a luxury hotel in the USA during the second world war. It is a fantasy story but that is almost in the background. The hotel has sweetwater running underneath that threatens its success. I have never read any other books by this author but I was aware of some excitement about this book. The protagonist is June Hudson, a local girl and she has been elevated to the position of hotel manager.
After Pearl Harbour the hotel is made to take diplomats and their their families awaiting repatriation to countries including Germany ,Japan and Hungary. Looking after them is a challenge, especially trying to keep up the high standards the hotel has. The sweetwater becomes unsettled.
The plot is slow but the attention to detail and the richness of the narrative makes this a pleasant read. Good escapism.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Headline for providing me with an ARC of this incredible book (in exchange for an honest review) - I had already enjoyed Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle series, so I had high expectations for this novel, and it still exceeded them!

Set against a backdrop of 1940s West Virginia, we are transported into the world of unfathomable luxury & tranquility in the Avallon Hotel, a striking contrast with the rest of the country (and the hotel’s staff) struggling through rationing, conscription, bereavement and fear. Our protagonist June is the hotel’s beloved general manager - a woman so insightful & formidable, so dedicated to shielding everyone else from hardship or hurt even at the expense of her own wellbeing, that the reader cannot help but feel the same intense loyalty & love for her as her staff do! It falls to her to keep life in her hotel running smoothly, even while hosting hundreds of Axis diplomats who are being detained in the US, not to mention tending to the taxing demands of the very living & feeling (perhaps even magical) spiritual waters that run throughout the hotel.

This is such a powerful story of identity & reinvention, found family, self-sacrifice, conflict, and strength in the face of extreme adversity. Stiefvater is an evocative writer who paints such a vivid picture in every chapter; some of her turns of phrase (particularly those commenting on the nature of relationships or of war) are extremely moving, which juxtaposes nicely with her delightful & funny descriptions of life among the staff of the hotel. I also appreciated how compassionately she handled the portrayal of some of the worst-treated identity groups during that time period - more specifically, her portrayals of neurodivergence, disability and (to a much lesser extent) homosexuality.

Despite aspects of the story touching on extremely dark subjects, I found this story to be more heartwarming, inspiring and thought-provoking than dark or despairing. That being said, there are understandably a lot of potentially sensitive topics woven through this story, so I will list Content Warnings below for those who find them helpful - fair warning for MINOR SPOILERS IN THE CW LIST BELOW!

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Content Warnings:
- alcohol use
- bereavement, including loss of a partner & parent/mentor
- bigotry - racism & xenophobia (including racial slurs), ethnic cleansing, Nazism, ableism & eugenics (particularly relating to autism & schizophrenia)
- child abandonment & homelessness
- drowning
- mental health - PTSD/shellshock involving catatonia (depicted in detail), schizophrenia (briefly mentioned, not depicted)
- suicide (multiple - only one attempt depicted in detail)
- war, injuries caused by explosives, rationing, conscription (some described in detail), concentration camps & genocide (mentioned, not depicted), violence

I was confused for most of this, but I still enjoyed it.

If you've ever read anything by Maggie Steifvater you'll know it's really a lot of vibes. This has the classic ones, atmospheric and spooky. It has this undercurrent of sinister vibes which serves the story well. However it meant I felt like i was always missing some context? Some backstory (Like what was the deal with 411, seriously?) and so I felt a little at arms length from the characters.

However I think a different look at the second world war was interesting, learning about what happened to the ambassadors left in america and the growing tensions between the factions and countries. This is a slow moving novel with little plot, but if you like Maggie Steifvater's writing, you'll like it anyway.

‘The Listeners’ is set during the Second World War after the bombing of Pearl Harbour. The U.S.A. has just joined the allies and is in the process of negotiating a safe swap of diplomats and other nationals. While these negotiations and arrangements are being sorted out, the foreign nationals on U.S. soil are gathered together and housed in requisitioned hotels across the country. The Avalon Hotel owned by the Gilfoyle family and run by June Hudson, a local mountain girl turned General Manager is a luxurious spa hotel in the Appalachian Mountains and is where the story begins.
There are a host of well rounded characters with themes interwoven between the hotel staff, the detainees, the owners, the management and the FBI agents, but it doesn’t become overwhelming and I found it easy to follow. Of course all these themes make it very difficult to put down!
All in all a very enjoyable read.

Whilst I was left wanting more of Stiefvater's trademark characters, I did enjoy the historical aspects of this story. I'm hesitant to say that this is a fantasy as it is lacking in some of the fantastical elements.

This does fade into the background compared to the authors hit YA series, but I did enjoy being back with her writing.

I do feel that this could be great for a certain type of reader - unfortunately, that reader isn't me.

I loved this novel - it was/is waaaay more than I thought it would be. It almost feels as though it’s crosses many genres, it’s historical/romantic/magical, and the writing is beautiful

Im not a fan of historical fiction but i thought Maggie Stiefvater could make me one with her adult debut. Alas, this was not the case.

This had the Stiefvaters usual touch of magical realism but i felt myself quite uninspired by the concept in the end. It seems like the author was almost scared to fully lean into her usual weirdness. The latter half and conclusion of the book was quite unfulfilling, not to mention that the pacing dragged. I'm just not sure that I really got it.

I appreciated that this was a WW2 novel without being in the thick of the fighting. Overall, an interesting step into the adult age range but ultimately fell flat. 2.75 stars.

Thank you so much to Headline and netgalley for this e-arc.

Thank you Headline and NetGalley for granting my wish and allowing me to read the ARC of my most anticipated book of the year in exchange of an honest review.

I've been a loyal reader of Maggie Stiefvater for 15 years now and I cannot express how excited I was (am) for this novel.
They synopsis of her adult debut surprised me, as I surely did not expect a story that takes place in a hotel hosting nazi diplomats during Second World War, a story about something so specific and yet so interesting.

But this is not just the story of a hotel – it's the one of Jude Hudson and Tucker Minnick and all the people that inhabit this world.
Stiefvater made us accustomed to character driven books, and The Listeners meets expectations. The characters are flashed out: everyone has a story behind them and we get to know them all, even if it is just through a few words; everyone serves their purpose and add up to the emotional baggage of the book.

This is the story of June Hudson, general manager, a woman that grew into a position position of power and is respected by everyone in the hotel.
I love how everything about her and her relationship with the Avallon and the staff is crafted to perfection. Every single word in this book is accurately chosen and compelling – the author's years of research shine through every detail, from the historical world building to the hotel itself. All is elevated by her signature wondrous prose and the touch of magic that always infuse her stories.

The Listeners was a profound pleasure to read and it absolutely met my expectations.
When you approach this book don't expect a plot driven and fast one (if you know Stiefvater just a little, I'm sure you wouldn't), this is a slow burn read for those who like to get lost in a lovely prose and a story about people and about relationships and love of different kinds.

I can see how it may not resonate with those who like plot driven books and were expecting something on the lines of Maggie's previous works, but I personally believe this is a fantastic first step into adult literature and I cannot wait to see what Maggie's mind will give birth to next.

Definitely a different vibe from her usual books, I liked this for the most part, it was intriguing and atmospheric but it felt very slow and not much happened? A little disappointed as I love this author, I think fans of historical fiction might enjoy

This is an alternative look at World War II the story is set in a five star rural hotel in America that it’s taken over to house Japanese German and Italian ambassadors and their families
There’s the ever brooding presence of the water in the spa hotel itself, which seems to have some kind of magical property never clearly stated but always brooding under the story personally, I didn’t think it added very much to the story itself apart from this brooding quality
I particularly enjoyed the character of the young girl Hannelore an elective mute to had autistic behaviour so perfectly described in this part of a paragraph “food tasted loud clothing sang at her skin perfume screamed in living colour” because we are now all aware of the atrocities of the Nazi World War II we know as soon as we meet this young girl that she would potentially be euthanised if she returns to Germany
This is one of those books that has a slow burn, but it gradually started to dawn on me that this is rather than remarkable novel
The author describes her characters well and although character development is not extensive we nevertheless believe that these are real people
The setting within an isolated historical spa hotel gives the book a feeling of menace and claustrophobia that permeates the novel
I have not read any of the authors previous works. I read an early copy of the novel in return for an unbiased review on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 3rd of June 2025 by headline.

This review will appear on NetGalley UK, StoryGraph, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon UK

After enjoying some of Maggie Stiefvater young adult books I was excited to read an adult book by her.
But this was not what I was expecting. Sadly it didn't work for it.
This was slow paced but in a way I lost interest pretty quickly. There wasn't anything to really grip me.

How very different from Maggie's other works! I have to say I was skeptical, as her YA series is one of my faves so I went in this one with very high expectations. Which is why I think it didn't quite hit the mark. It lacked the witty dialogue the I got used to from her and it moved too slowly. However I will still recommend it to customers; just a different demographic from her previous one.

Thank you to headlinepg and NetGalley for arc I enjoyed reading it, it was very paced which i like liked the magical elements in it and really like characters in it some bits was a bit confusing and the love bit between characters I don’t see it coming it was at the end bit but overall it was good 3.75 stars

What a treat it is to be back with Stiefvater’s writing… After adoring The Raven Cycle I was excited to read again from Stiefvater, who is always able to weave in magical elements that uplift the story to greater heights. In The Listeners the magical component in question is the sweetwater, and the ‘real’ part is the glorious hotel setting during early WW2.

Being in June’s shoes as the hotel’s manager was a treat; with the vivid descriptions of the Avallon’s design and quirks all at the forefront. The entire setting felt so lifelike, which is one of Stiefvater’s strong suits that has carried over from her TRC series. Her writing style will always be one of my favourites as it uses beautiful descriptions and repeated phrases to emphasise the characters (and hotel's) feelings.

Unfortunately I found the weakest part of the story to be the magical element. It felt as though the main structure of the book would not have been affected if the sweetwater was simply taken out! Whilst it didn’t drastically hinder my enjoyment of the story, I earned for more fantastical antics! As well as this, I did not find the cast of characters particularly memorable, but I was certainly rooting for them by the end of the book.

I think having a map of the hotel and its surrounding landscape would also be a nice addition to the reading experience.

Looking forward to another Stiefvater adult title for sure!

3.5 stars

I don't quite know what I was expecting with this book, and I still haven't quite formulated my thoughts around it, but I do know I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it!

I'm so conflicted about this novel! I loved her YA series and the strange eerily poetic writing. While I loved June and the concept of the sweetwater, the writing felt stilted and I found myself not really rooting for any of the other characters.

DNF at 15%

I just couldn't get myself to keep reading. I unfortunately can't stand the author's writing, so even getting 15% through the book was a lot.
It seens interesting so I feel like people who are able to enjoy her writing will really like this book.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange of an honest review!

I don't usually rate my DNF's but I will have to in order to submit the review.