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imds's review
- 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: Blood, Child death, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Body horror, Murder, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Sexual violence, Self harm, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny
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, 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
montereads's review
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: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Miscarriage and Sexual content
Minor: Incest and Sexual assault