graculus's review against another edition
4.0
The basic premise of All the Murmuring Bones is that our protagonist, Miren, is the last of a family who've made long-standing deals with the local merpeople around the safety of their ships in exchange for the life of one child per generation. Miren is an only child, left behind by her parents in the care of a grandmother who's now trying to maintain the last shreds of power and prestige by marrying her off to her cousin (who has money but no class), in the hopes that long-standing deal can be revived for future generations. Miren has A Bad Feeling About This, understandably, and decides to make a run for it and also search for her missing parents, only to walk herself into another set of mysteries at her parents' estate.
There's a lot to like about this book, including a teenage heroine who knows what she wants and a plot that takes things in unexpected directions - for example, when a handsome footman makes an appearance, many authors would have been heavily foreshadowing future romance. Without spoiling things, that's just not what's going on here. If there's one flaw to the book it is that I'd say the people in her new situation take to Miren a little too quickly, considering the problems we discover have caused by her parents, but that's really something minor.
Anyway, I've got the next book by this author on my waitlist from the local library and I hope that's as good as this one!
Moderate: Child death and Violence
story_goblin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Murder, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Alcoholism, and Confinement
bethsiekierawalker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Death, Blood, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, and Pregnancy
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: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, and Death of parent
powellki's review
- 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, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Torture
bookforthought's review against another edition
5.0
I was definitely reminded of Naomi Novik's and Katherine Arden's books, two authors who wrote some of my favourite fantasy novels - and a rare instance of a blurb actually making a connection I agreed with. This book takes its time, so might not appeal to people looking for a fast-paced read, but it just worked for me. I really connected with the author's style and I ended up enjoying even the detours. I loved how the O'Malley's traditional stories were woven in throughout the book: while for the most part they weren't fully adding to the plot, they gave extra depth and insight into the family's history and traditions.
The gothic atmosphere and folkloristic elements (such as mer-folk, selkies, ghosts, and so many more) worked beautifully together to create a dark and intricate world. The world-building does take a bit of a back seat in favour of character development, but I didn't mind too much since I usually prefer the latter anyway. I do love a good family secret, and this book was chock-full of them! I was kept being surprised, and even though I had suspected where a few of the plot lines would end up, the way they were developed was still incredibly satisfying.
Character-wise, the book mostly relies on Miren to carry the whole thing. And she's entirely up to the task! I didn't immediately love Miren and found her too passive and bland for my liking, but her top-notch development quickly made her one of my new favourites. By the end, I fully admired Miren's strength of character and spirit, unbroken despite all the pain she suffered in life, and her quick wit. She was constantly undermined and underestimated by all those around her, and yet despite that she persevered in forging her own path.
Overall, this was an extremely pleasant surprise, completely exceeding my expectations, and a book I can see myself gushing about for a long time yet! Might be particularly appreciated by lovers of dark folklore and fairy tales, strong character development and just enough magic.
CW: this book contains mentions of abuse, violence (including against children), murder and incest.
I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Incest