A review by jesforeverlostinbooks
All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

This isn’t my normal genre but I really enjoyed this dark fantasy. This book takes it easy… building slowly… a strange old house, an old family with a decaying lineage & dark secrets. I listened to the audio & I loved the Irish accent that brought Miren to life. Very gothic, & later, quite mythical. Full of merfolk, mystery, kelpies, magic, curses, & blood. The language is evocative & powerful. The folkloric tales that are sprinkled throughout the book give the story & characters added depth.

When Miren's grandfather dies, her grandmother Aoife, the last true O'Malley, decides to marry her to her distant cousin to help refill the family coffers. Knowing that her reservations against the match will go unhindered, Miren plots her own way out of the union and goes in search of family elsewhere. This book is full of morally gray characters… some are just plain evil & others have reasons for their questionable behaviors. I like Miren... she is a hard one to gauge... We see the world through her eyes. As the story progresses, we see she's capable of great kindness & cares for others. But at the same time, she's capable of quick, ruthless action when threatened. She's smart, though distrustful; quick to suss out lies, & willing to dish out her own justice when she feels it necessary.