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adam613's review against another edition
2.0
Claire Devon begins to hear a low hum that she can't make go away. No one else around her is able to hear the hum that she is speaking about. And so it begins to disturb her sleep, her job and her relations. After finding a few others in her community, including one of her students, who are also hearing the same resonance and Claire begins to put the group ahead of her already strained relationships with her husband and daughter.
In the first part of the book, I was hooked by the ideas and prose of Jordan Tannahill's style of writing. Exploring all sides of belief, connection and dependence, we see the effects of what happens when we believe so firmly that we put all other things like family and reason to the side. With a cast of characters from a number of backgrounds, we can see that believing in theories have nothing to do with education and more to do with our need as humans to make sense of our workld to feel safe and in control. The themes in this book don't seem so far off from the tribalism and partisan politics and conspiracy theories ever-present in today's media.
In theory, I loved the idea and intent of this book and was entertained while reading it. Jordan Tannahill presents a knack for witty and sharp composition. However, upon finishing The Listeners, I felt a bit let down and that something was missing. I am not sure if that was sympathy or connection to the characters or if it was a lack of something in the plot. An ambitious idea with some very valid points of view yet lacking slightly on execution, The Listeners by Jordan Tannahill piqued my interest and wrote a fitting novel relating to the present state.
In the first part of the book, I was hooked by the ideas and prose of Jordan Tannahill's style of writing. Exploring all sides of belief, connection and dependence, we see the effects of what happens when we believe so firmly that we put all other things like family and reason to the side. With a cast of characters from a number of backgrounds, we can see that believing in theories have nothing to do with education and more to do with our need as humans to make sense of our workld to feel safe and in control. The themes in this book don't seem so far off from the tribalism and partisan politics and conspiracy theories ever-present in today's media.
In theory, I loved the idea and intent of this book and was entertained while reading it. Jordan Tannahill presents a knack for witty and sharp composition. However, upon finishing The Listeners, I felt a bit let down and that something was missing. I am not sure if that was sympathy or connection to the characters or if it was a lack of something in the plot. An ambitious idea with some very valid points of view yet lacking slightly on execution, The Listeners by Jordan Tannahill piqued my interest and wrote a fitting novel relating to the present state.
landenemily's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
horriblestgremlin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Quite frankly, I'm upset even suggested this book for my book club. This whole story is poorly constructed and there's are many plot holes and unanswered questions. I still might be able to get over that if the main character wasnt such a moron and those around her actually stuck to their word. I personally can't recommend this to anyone in good faith. Unless you want to be upset by a book, maybe skip this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Homophobia
megan_kiwi's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
bobthebookerer's review against another edition
5.0
I was not sure what to expect before I started reading this novel- on the surface, a novel about characters who can hear a constant, low humming noise feels like it could potentially feel like a tense and taut horror film, or could be something mundane.
For me, the book definitely felt like the former, but done so well that I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and read it in just over a day.
Claire Devon, the narrator of the book and one of its main characters, starts with almost an apology, recognising that what she is about to say will sound bizarre or may not paint her in the best light, and there is something so immediately charming and unnerving about this confession- we start feeling from the beginning that she is simultaneously the best person to tell this story (as she was there and it all happened to her), but that she may be unreliable, having a reason behind wanting to clear her name and tell her story.
Throughout the book, we watch as Claire, along with a growing number of others, are driven to despair by the sound, in a way that felt very Kafka-esque in its suffocating tightness. She loses sleep, damages relationships, and makes a series of poor decisions that drive her further into the arms of a support group- the titular 'Listeners'.
But this is where the book strikes gold for me. Tannahill could have very easily stopped the story here, or rounded the tale off with a nice happy ending where she no longer hears the sound, or where she learns to live with it. Instead, we get a tense tale of conspiracy theorists, troubled relationships, and a real breakdown in both Claire's sanity, but also her relationships with others and the world around her.
Some of the group feel steadfastly that they want to find an explanation for the sound, others are convinced they have all the answers, and another set of people want to channel this sound as a 'power.' We then get very interesting commentaries on the real world- on conspiracies in the US such as QAnon or anti-vaxxer movements. Tannahill balances this very delicately so it never feels like she is endorsing these viewpoints, but also makes it categorically clear that these are not the same thing as Claire hearing the sound.
As a result, the book deftly sidesteps what could have felt preachy or moralising, and instead feels like a very raw and entertaining examination of a woman who is increasingly isolated from her community, and the new communities she clings to like life-rafts as a result. The book also pulls a clever trick here where we start to distrust Claire as a narrator, but also know that we have no other window into her life- she might feel at one moment as if she is being gaslit, which makes us as readers wonder if we are guilty of doing that to her.
This novel as a result feels very current and of-the-moment, but also is heartwarming and heart-breaking in equal measure, as we watch Claire and her family, try, and fail, to contend with something we can never fully do- know what is going on inside someone else's head.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For me, the book definitely felt like the former, but done so well that I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and read it in just over a day.
Claire Devon, the narrator of the book and one of its main characters, starts with almost an apology, recognising that what she is about to say will sound bizarre or may not paint her in the best light, and there is something so immediately charming and unnerving about this confession- we start feeling from the beginning that she is simultaneously the best person to tell this story (as she was there and it all happened to her), but that she may be unreliable, having a reason behind wanting to clear her name and tell her story.
Throughout the book, we watch as Claire, along with a growing number of others, are driven to despair by the sound, in a way that felt very Kafka-esque in its suffocating tightness. She loses sleep, damages relationships, and makes a series of poor decisions that drive her further into the arms of a support group- the titular 'Listeners'.
But this is where the book strikes gold for me. Tannahill could have very easily stopped the story here, or rounded the tale off with a nice happy ending where she no longer hears the sound, or where she learns to live with it. Instead, we get a tense tale of conspiracy theorists, troubled relationships, and a real breakdown in both Claire's sanity, but also her relationships with others and the world around her.
Some of the group feel steadfastly that they want to find an explanation for the sound, others are convinced they have all the answers, and another set of people want to channel this sound as a 'power.' We then get very interesting commentaries on the real world- on conspiracies in the US such as QAnon or anti-vaxxer movements. Tannahill balances this very delicately so it never feels like she is endorsing these viewpoints, but also makes it categorically clear that these are not the same thing as Claire hearing the sound.
As a result, the book deftly sidesteps what could have felt preachy or moralising, and instead feels like a very raw and entertaining examination of a woman who is increasingly isolated from her community, and the new communities she clings to like life-rafts as a result. The book also pulls a clever trick here where we start to distrust Claire as a narrator, but also know that we have no other window into her life- she might feel at one moment as if she is being gaslit, which makes us as readers wonder if we are guilty of doing that to her.
This novel as a result feels very current and of-the-moment, but also is heartwarming and heart-breaking in equal measure, as we watch Claire and her family, try, and fail, to contend with something we can never fully do- know what is going on inside someone else's head.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
blreads's review against another edition
3.0
Thriller-Lite. 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book, easy and quick read. I was invested in the characters, especially the main character and her family that quickly falls apart. It was not scary or super thrilling, but it was an enjoyable page-turner. I am the type of reader who went to the first page of the Last chapter and then HAD to put the pieces together. It definitely didn’t happen how I thought!
sienahart's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
On the surface, it was just a heavyish story about some people who believe they’re experiencing a phenomenon and how their lives unravel because of it. I actually loved this book so much. Super emotionally engaging/immersive. Good commentary on “othering” and social exile + what it means to believe (or not believe) in something. It felt like it was super close to trying to be a mock autobiography which was really interesting too.
samsaindon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75