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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
LOOKING GLASS SOUND by Catriona Ward
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: LITTLE EVE, THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS ST
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/9781250860026
Release Date: August 8th, 2023 ( The same day as my book! )
General Genre: Horror, Thriller, Psychological, Suspense
Sub-Genre/Themes: Coming-of-age, friendships, coastal small towns, serial killers, college life, witchcraft, reads like a thriller, human monsters, mind-bender
Writing Style: intricately plotted, character-driven, skilled command of language, mood, setting
What You Need to Know: I think it’s best not to know too much going into this book. You can read my review. I always keep it very light on specific plot details and preserve reading discoveries at all costs, but be very, very careful reading other responses/reviews on Goodreads or other reviewing platforms. Holy hell, people give so much away. The review in GRIMDARK MAGAZINE is extremely revealing. The review at MEDIUM is even worse. The less you know, the better this book will be for you. I don’t even remember reading the synopsis to be honest. I read it just now, to be mindful of what details are freely given.
“Friendship and betrayal. Dark obsessions. Terrible secrets.”
That’s all you need to know. Oh, and also this: Don’t give up. Things will start to unravel and your brain will resist, you’ll be like, “Wait, what the fuck? I thought it was this way or that way, or whatever.” Just keep going. You will be rewarded. Trust me.
My Reading Experience: This book is like an A24 movie in the best possible way. A quiet, puzzle-like horror-thriller that creeps into your bones and unsettles you to the core.
My experience was extremely cinematic. As I type this, I can see images floating around in my mind of various scenes. I feel the mood that surrounded me and the overall tone of the work as a whole. Much like Little Eve, Ward expertly employs a distinct storytelling voice that wraps the readers up in a strong, character-driven narrative in order to painstakingly craft a path through a winding, twisting storyline EXACTLY how it is intended to be experienced.
I hope I explained that accurately. In other words, this story is very clever and Ward is able to manipulate her audience emotionally, almost scientifically (mindful of how our brain chemistry works) and works those things against the reader in order to reveal things precisely–landing every single punch.
I had actors picked out for the three main characters and even a few for some of the supporting roles. They just appeared in my mind based on their personality traits and physical features as they developed.
This is for sure a coming-of-age novel, the characters start as young adults and by the end, are much older. The story really unfolds in distinct acts: Childhood/Adolescence, College life, and Adulthood. The three main characters are bound together by an evolving mystery. And that’s all I will say about that.
Final Recommendation: I’m recommending this for readers that enjoy going on a journey. A multi-layered storytelling experience with characters you can invest in. Original, unexpected, and reads like a dark thriller but leans into some horror vibes too. This isn’t a thriller with thin, easy-to-digest plotting. It’s complicated. It has probably ruined me for all thrillers to come because I dove into a popular new thriller right after finishing LOOKING GLASS SOUND and was immediately put off. So that’s my big blurb/takeaway: Catriona Ward has just leveled-up to Gillian Flynn status for me. There, I said it.
Comps: Gillian Flynn Thrillers. Which is the gold standard, so.
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: LITTLE EVE, THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS ST
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/9781250860026
Release Date: August 8th, 2023 ( The same day as my book! )
General Genre: Horror, Thriller, Psychological, Suspense
Sub-Genre/Themes: Coming-of-age, friendships, coastal small towns, serial killers, college life, witchcraft, reads like a thriller, human monsters, mind-bender
Writing Style: intricately plotted, character-driven, skilled command of language, mood, setting
What You Need to Know: I think it’s best not to know too much going into this book. You can read my review. I always keep it very light on specific plot details and preserve reading discoveries at all costs, but be very, very careful reading other responses/reviews on Goodreads or other reviewing platforms. Holy hell, people give so much away. The review in GRIMDARK MAGAZINE is extremely revealing. The review at MEDIUM is even worse. The less you know, the better this book will be for you. I don’t even remember reading the synopsis to be honest. I read it just now, to be mindful of what details are freely given.
“Friendship and betrayal. Dark obsessions. Terrible secrets.”
That’s all you need to know. Oh, and also this: Don’t give up. Things will start to unravel and your brain will resist, you’ll be like, “Wait, what the fuck? I thought it was this way or that way, or whatever.” Just keep going. You will be rewarded. Trust me.
My Reading Experience: This book is like an A24 movie in the best possible way. A quiet, puzzle-like horror-thriller that creeps into your bones and unsettles you to the core.
My experience was extremely cinematic. As I type this, I can see images floating around in my mind of various scenes. I feel the mood that surrounded me and the overall tone of the work as a whole. Much like Little Eve, Ward expertly employs a distinct storytelling voice that wraps the readers up in a strong, character-driven narrative in order to painstakingly craft a path through a winding, twisting storyline EXACTLY how it is intended to be experienced.
I hope I explained that accurately. In other words, this story is very clever and Ward is able to manipulate her audience emotionally, almost scientifically (mindful of how our brain chemistry works) and works those things against the reader in order to reveal things precisely–landing every single punch.
I had actors picked out for the three main characters and even a few for some of the supporting roles. They just appeared in my mind based on their personality traits and physical features as they developed.
This is for sure a coming-of-age novel, the characters start as young adults and by the end, are much older. The story really unfolds in distinct acts: Childhood/Adolescence, College life, and Adulthood. The three main characters are bound together by an evolving mystery. And that’s all I will say about that.
Final Recommendation: I’m recommending this for readers that enjoy going on a journey. A multi-layered storytelling experience with characters you can invest in. Original, unexpected, and reads like a dark thriller but leans into some horror vibes too. This isn’t a thriller with thin, easy-to-digest plotting. It’s complicated. It has probably ruined me for all thrillers to come because I dove into a popular new thriller right after finishing LOOKING GLASS SOUND and was immediately put off. So that’s my big blurb/takeaway: Catriona Ward has just leveled-up to Gillian Flynn status for me. There, I said it.
Comps: Gillian Flynn Thrillers. Which is the gold standard, so.
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
If you are a fan of Ward's you will enjoy this book!
Read if you like story in story, mysteries
I just reviewed Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward. #NetGalley
Read if you like story in story, mysteries
I just reviewed Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward. #NetGalley
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was fully invested in this story for the first part and still mostly invested when he went to college. But after that, it’s a bit fuzzy. Things got a little weird and confusing. Overall it was unique but it really went off the rails in the last half of the book.
I want to give this book 3.5 ⭐️ but I’ll round up. This was given to me blind so I had no idea about the plot going in. The beginning had me gripped and the whole plot I thought reached its conclusion fairly quickly so I was confused when I still had 80% more to finish. From there is kept flipping, perspectives, time and reality which is very interesting but I hard a hard time keeping up with. The ending as in the last final chapters also had me gripped and was the only time I felt that this was truly a horror book. Overall, there are a few plot points I’m still a lil confused about but I’m sure if I combed through more carefully they’d become clearer or maybe not, it was written in a way to bend perspective. Overall very interesting read would definitely recommend for someone wanting to experience horror and a strange mind game at the same time. Calling it a story with “twists” would be inaccurate it’s like putting your brain and all the plot in a box and just kicking it around.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Do not take this book lightly. Pay attention, process, absorb Catriona’s words. Every single one has purpose.
The heart of this novel involves the summer friendship of Wilder, an awkward bullied outsider, Harper, a wounded lost girl who self-medicates and dabbles in witchcraft and Nathaniel, a loner, cautious and independent.
This book is a murder mystery, within a teenage love triangle, within a ghost story, wrapped in a high school witchcraft gothic tale. It is The Craft and Stephen King’s Darker Half and House of Leaves.
Beautifully written and complex. Secrets, heartbreak, betrayal, hope and desperation. Looking Glass Sound lingers on the mind and in the heart.
This is my first @catrionaward novel, although I own The Last House on Needless Street, which is a must read now.
Thank you @NetGalley and @tornightfire for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The heart of this novel involves the summer friendship of Wilder, an awkward bullied outsider, Harper, a wounded lost girl who self-medicates and dabbles in witchcraft and Nathaniel, a loner, cautious and independent.
This book is a murder mystery, within a teenage love triangle, within a ghost story, wrapped in a high school witchcraft gothic tale. It is The Craft and Stephen King’s Darker Half and House of Leaves.
Beautifully written and complex. Secrets, heartbreak, betrayal, hope and desperation. Looking Glass Sound lingers on the mind and in the heart.
This is my first @catrionaward novel, although I own The Last House on Needless Street, which is a must read now.
Thank you @NetGalley and @tornightfire for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this idea of this, but the execution became a bit jumbled for me. There were a few separate plot lines in the book that tried to come together but I felt nothing meshed very well, which is why I can't give it a high rating. I had a good time with this as a fast, casual listen, but writing the review a few weeks later there is nothing that really stands out to me or with stick with me over time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Copy of the audiobook. 3/5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Copy of the audiobook. 3/5 stars.