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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Will try this at a later time. The start is slow and I don't care enough about the characters to ant to pick this up.
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great for WWII historical fiction with a hint of magic.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
In this book, the Avallon, a Virginian hotel, is transformed from a luxury resort into a internment center for diplomats and other important enemy Nationals during world war II. There is an old magic at play beneath the hotel, the story is told primarily from the perspective of the general manager, June Hudson, but the other viewpoints are also Hannelore Wolfe, this girl who doesn't talk and reminds June of herself, and the lead FBI agent, Tucker. I can't remember his last name. The water is practically a character itself.
I loved how mysterious and creepy this book was. I felt like the author really did an amazing job delving into the history and the time period and using her history and German knowledge to its fullest extent.
I thought this book was fabulous and I would love to own it myself. I borrowed it from the library.
I loved how mysterious and creepy this book was. I felt like the author really did an amazing job delving into the history and the time period and using her history and German knowledge to its fullest extent.
I thought this book was fabulous and I would love to own it myself. I borrowed it from the library.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt
There is much talk of how disabled people would be/are treated in contemporary Nazi Germany. Specifically, Hannelore is spoken of and told that sterilization is likely.
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
parts of this i loved and parts were too slow. when maggie’s quintessential “wonder” genre bled through, it was perfect; when it attempted to be…….palatable to wider audiences, it was boring. i worry maggie’s move into adult fiction will give her the false idea that she must abandon the tricks and tones that make her writing HER WRITING, which will be a huge loss for us all. i wish this story leaned more into the magical realism. and i also wish it explained more upfront instead of waiting till the very end. BUT!! BUT!! i loved june and i loved tucker and i loved hannelore. worth reading if you love maggie.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Listeners starts strong, with mystery and tension that pull you in. But the further you read, the more it unravels. The middle drags, and character choices (like June’s shifting accent and a proximity romance) feel inconsistent. Hannelore had potential, but her portrayal felt flat and overly neat. A few emotional highlights, like Sandy’s outcome, offer brief relief. But overall the book felt like a missed opportunity packed with untapped potential.