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reclusivebookslug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The convention of foreshadowing/explaining things through in-fixtion stories was really cool.
I didn't understand the thing with the automaton at all. Either I'm missing something or that whole thing felt really out of place.
I hear there are more books set in this universe, and I plan to give those a go as well.
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
flyingwuzzle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
imds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
purplesapphire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I also have to say I appreciated this version of a strong female MC and women in general. They were strong, vindictive, greedy, sly, soft, smart, kind, and feminine all in one without it being forced or badly written. They were just written as real people. Then you add the witch parts, and the ghouls parts and it makes for a great tale.
Graphic: Child death, Incest, and Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual assault and Toxic relationship
skrulls's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism, Stalking, and Alcohol
lilbury's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
powellki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
ballgownsandbooks's review against another edition
3.0
The premise was interesting and Slatter's writing is certainly beautiful - and McMahon's narration is absolutely gorgeous too! But the story didn't really hook me: I didn't particularly care for Mirren or really get a feel for her wants and motivations beyond not wanting to get married, but she's definitely capable and stubborn, so I could see fans of the stereotypically 'strong', morally grey heroines enjoying her!
The story was also kind of... rambly? It didn't feel like there was really a driving arc (there's a reason why the synopsis is so vague, I guess) so it just sort of meandered along from one plot point to another. The jumps between chapters were also weird, with a lot of the action happening off-page and us just getting the aftermath, which threw me off a few times. Again, things that definitely won't bother everyone, but since I wasn't interested in Mirren, I needed to be able to be compelled by the plot!
The folklore elements were definitely intriguing and my favourite parts were the story-within-a-story fairytales from Mirren's childhood; also the writing style, as I've mentioned, really added to that Gothic fairytale vibe. I did feel like there were a few too many types of magic at times (witches, merpeople, kelpies, and this random magic automaton who shows up twice and doesn't really add anything to the plot?).
All in all, I think a good one for people who like atmospheric dark fantasy with mystery elements, morally grey main characters, and narration in a lovely Irish accent!
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
montereads's review against another edition
3.5
All the Murmuring Bones is a story of resilience and reclamation swathed in an eerie, gothic shroud. The novel draws up the weight of history, of story, of other people’s wants and follies and decisions, and Miren’s tale is about fighting for one’s freedom against these forces.
It has a slow start. Miren is a ghost of a character at first, but a quarter of the way through the book she shakes off the dust of a generations-long slumber and the plot picks up. I followed the story with interest, but I can’t say that it ever gripped me. The structure wasn’t particularly satisfying and the ending didn’t elicit much excitement from me because of this. Unfortunately, there were also subtle moments of fatphobia throughout that made me uncomfortable, and I’m not sure the novel succeeded in undermining the classism of the O’Malley’s, though it seemed to be trying.
With a lukewarm plot and a one-dimensional vision of freedom, what held my attention? Well, the atmosphere. While reading this, I pictured many of the places I visited in Scotland. In addition to the strong folktale elements, the feel of the landscape was grey, green, and damp, full of streams and cliffs and salt water and crumbling stone. I loved the haphazard inclusion of many different mythical creatures, the folk magic, the strange Victorian and sometimes almost steampunk glimpses we were given into the wider world. And it was satisfying to see, over and over again, how Miren could defy the expectations of the men around her.
I enjoyed and appreciated this book, though I had some criticisms. And it certainly wet my appetite for more mermaid books!
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage and Sexual content
Minor: Incest and Sexual assault
aliyyah's review against another edition
4.0
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.
The writing, unfortunately, fell a little flat to me. One thing that I loved, however 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. In addition, 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.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Titan Books, for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent