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flyingwuzzle's review
- 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: Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Gore, Death of parent, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Slavery, Alcohol, Sexual content, Incest, Child death, Abandonment, Blood, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
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
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: Death of parent, Child death, and Incest
Moderate: Misogyny, Gaslighting, Murder, Blood, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Sexual assault and Toxic relationship
skrulls's review
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Incest, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol, Stalking, and Alcoholism
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
aliyyah's review
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: Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Misogyny, and Sexual content
bookforthought's review
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