Listening Still is about Jeanie, whose family runs an undertaker business until one day, she finds out that her father is retiring. After that initial incident, the narrator takes us through the many memories and instances in her life, from her childhood and further along, that contribute to her personality and who she is today.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and was drawn into the idea of a woman who can hear the dead and help them along in their journeys. I was also really intrigued by the relationships in the book, and the examination of family, community, and what we do or do not owe to each other.

Even though the audiobook is narrated beautifully, I was really thrown off by the pace of this book. It started out really strong with the revelation of Jeanie's parents retiring, but after that the pacing was really slow and drawn out, and the story ultimately felt very passive and a little imbalanced to me. I think that this book is probably great for folks who prefer more introspective, slow-paced novels, but it wasn't for me!

I felt quite melancholy listening to the audiobook of Listening Still. The narrator, Nicola Coughlan, really presents this tone throughout the book. Jeanie, our main character, can hear the last words of those who have passed on. What seems like a gift has become a weight around her neck. It seems that she is stuck in a life she isn’t happy with but unwilling to make any changes partly because she doesn’t know what she wants. This story is about communication. I noticed how much everyone in the book talked but with out ever really communicating with each other. Even at the end, everything felt only half resolved. I like the premise of the book, but I didn't enjoy Jeanie. She is presented as self centered and it was hard to find much to like about her. I also struggled to understand the motivations of some of the other characters.

The story is well written with detailed characters and settings. I particularly enjoyed the narrators Irish accent.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the Arc. This is my honest review

Listening Still is a touching work of fiction. Please note that this book, due out in the new year, features death and dying individuals.

The lives of the Living Still characters revolve around the dead. An otherworldly gift proves to be both a blessing and a curse. True love and relationships of all kinds are tested.

This book is thoughtful and interesting. The characters are compelling, and the audiobook was beautifully executed.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, the narrator, and publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

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Listening Still by Anne Griffin (Author) Nicola Coughlan (Narrator)

Jeanie Masterson can hear the last words of the dead and they can hear her. It's a gift and a curse because she feels this obligation to listen to the dead, to pass on their messages to the living. The only other person who can do this is her father and he doesn't always pass on what the dead want to pass on. He'll sugar coat the message or change it entirely because he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Jeanie feels conflicted about what her father does but then she feels conflicted about everything.

Coming from a family where it always feels like everyone is holding back from saying what they really think and feel, Jeanie has adapted to this way of not communicating. She is such a frustrating person to me. She spends years not answering the questions of people who love her, leaving herself and them hanging, with no end in sight. It's as if she craves this hanging on of her never to be reached hopes and wishes and of men whose lives are put on hold waiting for her to give answers to questions. What is most frustrating is when she knows the answer but still won't say it out loud, It's a cruel way of living and a cruel way to treat the people in her life.

But family is where she learned a lot of what she does. Not that it's spoken about or addressed. This family doesn't address anything important and seems to revolve around not dealing with the most important issues of their lives. So I felt sad while reading this story, for this woman who is so removed from life that she is really only living it in her head. She communicates better with the dead than she does with the living. I will say though, that I still enjoyed the book and the narration of the story. I could tell, early on, not to get invested in Jeanie's actions or inactions because nothing much was going to happen if she had her way.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC

This was an interesting listen. Jeannie hears and speaks to the dead. It’s a “gift” she inherited from her dad. The story took us on a compelling journey of the road not taken and living in perpetual fear and egomania. The issue I had is that I did not find anything likable about the Jeanie, the main female character. She was a heinously selfish person who thought only about herself. A truly awful human being who never once thought beyond her own wants, needs and desires. The way she treated her husband was deplorable. The concept was good and the narration fabulous. I just wanted more for everyone else in the story except for her. The writing is fabulous or else there is no way I could have finished. I look forward to more from her, but this one missed the mark for me.

Just when you think all of the twists are done, another one comes along. Great book, has you rooting for different characters at different times. Shows lifelong friendships and their impact on your life m.

I adored everything about this novel. First, the narrator was amazing. The story takes place in Ireland and I loved listening to an authentic Iriish voice. Second, the storyline was so original al. A young girl hears from the dead when they transition from ice to death. An utterly poignant look at life, love, community and death. Well worth the read or ljsten!

2.5 stars rounding up. I absolutely loved When All Is Said and could not wait to read this one but I'm just really underwhelmed.

Jeanie Masterson can talk to dead people . . . for a little while, at least . . . soon after they die but usually not until they are embalmed for some odd but unexplained reason. Some people in her small town in Ireland seek out her family's undertaker firm for this reason, while others shun her and do not believe in her gift. Meanwhile, she is torn between two loves - the one she married and the one she pines for.

The premise sounds somewhat interesting and it could be developed into a really interesting story, but it just wasn't. It has one molehill of a story arc. Not much happens. Jeanie seeks personal and professional growth but never shows she finds it. She's a pretty despicable heroine from the beginning and that does not change. I could never connect with or sympathize with her.

I still look forward to reading the next book from the author because I know she is capable of so much more than this.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so intrigued by the unique premise of this book and the insight it gave to the life of funeral directors.
At first I wasn’t sure this book was for me but it was so Well-written I quickly found myself wrapped up in the relatable characters. I loved the realistic look our antagonist takes at her life and the decisions she has made in the first 32 years. Is this really where she had hoped to be? Is this the path she should continue down? Or is there more……

This story brought to life with fantastic narration and highlights the importance of family and friendships, love, relationships, and the importance of honestly especially with yourself.

A wonderful late coming of age story that reminds readers to stop and take stock in their own lives.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars for this unique novel in a beautiful Irish setting.

I listened to the audio book and truly loved the narrator’s voice . The story is sad on many levels. The sadness of being funeral directors, the sadness of not following your dreams , lost loves , and secrets. The dead in this book are much more interesting than the living.

Jeanne Masterson lives with her parents and has grown up around her parent's undertaker business in a small town in Ireland. At an early age, she found that she had a special gift that certain members of her family have. She was able to talk to the dead. There was a certain time after death that the dead could talk to Jeanne and give her messages to tell their family members. Sometimes the deceased gave her information that they wanted her to reveal to their loved ones. Other times someone wanted her to tell someone horrible news. The townspeople had found out about her gift and wanted to know what their family members said. She would usually tell them what their loved ones said but occasionally she would lie to keep from hurting their feelings. This gift was a burden on her as she felt so responsible for making the right decision about how mush information she should share. Jeanne enjoyed working at the business with her parents and eventually she got married to someone that worked at the business. Her world was shattered when her parents announced that they were going to retire and move out of town. She was devastated and did not want to work at the business without her parents. This news made her examine what she wanted in her life. This was a very good book that I enjoyed.

You had me at Anne Griffin when I saw this was a book from the author of When All is Said. Written in Griffin's signature Irish style we are introduced to Jeanie Masterson, young wife, daughter, sister and niece in a family who runs a funeral home in the small town of Kilcross in southeastern Ireland. The family's funeral business is a successful one in no small part due to the unique gift bestowed upon both Jeanie and her Dad that allows them to talk to the dead in the final moments of transitioning from this world to the next. This gift is both a blessing and a curse, allowing Jeanie to carry out final wishes of the dead or to impart last words to loved ones. She is mostly happy in her chosen career working alongside her father until he unexpectedly announces his decision to retire and Jeanie then calls into question everything about her life, including roads not taken, the responsibilities of her gift and whether she can handle taking on the business without him.

I loved the unique premise of this story and how it easily gave way to a host of characters who had stories of their own that were captivating, sometimes sad but always human. I had many favorite characters and storylines, including Aunt Harry, Arthur and Jeanie's best friend Peanut. It was refreshing to explore them and their struggles and I perhaps wanted to stay with those struggles a little longer. I had a bit of a hard time with Jeanie's congruous French pal and frankly wanted to spend a lot less time with her. Overall though, these characters brought out the complexity of Jeanie herself and how relatable it is to question our decisions thus far at 32 years old. Well-written and very well-narrated in the audio version, this story brought to life the importance of family and friendships, the expectations of love and the need to be honest and true to oneself.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for granting me an advance copy of this book.

This audiobook is excellently narrated and an excellent listen. The book itself is equal parts engaging and entertaining as well as frustrating and annoying. The author does an outstanding such realistic characters that you find you quite like them while at times being annoyed by their behaviors much like you do the people in your life. You have a daughter who does the expected all while wondering "what if" much of her life until she is finally forced to face her options and be truthful. Excellent plotting, great characters and fantastic twists to carry you on an emotional journey as you enjoy both the wit of the characters and the sorrow that they at times feel. Overall, I would definitely recommend that you put it on your to be listened to list! I am intrigued to read other books by this author as I find her writing to be excellently crafted and easy to connect to!

I usually listen to audiobooks on 1.5 or even 1.75 as it is the speed I am most used to listening at, but the narrator of this audiobook makes it very challenging to listen to any faster than 1.0x speed. That being said, I loved this book, very unexpected plot of a dad and daughter duo who can speak to the dead at their family funeral home business. I have truly never read a single book like it (or listened to in this case). Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This story is not what you think it to be. A family owned funeral home in Ireland where the father and daughter can talk to the dead. Only for a few minutes though. This story is so much more. Parents and children, expectations, is there only one true love, what if you don't love them back, what happens in death, decision to start a family and most of all .. who am I and what do I really want?

These characters are not all lovable. Yet we laugh with the, cry with them and suffer through their decisions. The setting in Ireland with travel to London, Oslo and France make for an expanse of culture and languages. We are not just who others see from the outside. We are the voice in our heart cheering us to find our passion, beating to keep us learning and growing long enough to be at ease with who we are and what we stand for.

This one is a treasure.

This is a very unique story. Our main character, Jeanie, is able to communicate with the dead.
First of all, the narrator was amazing. I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book.
This story emphasized family, love, and finding your calling.
I do feel like it was difficult to relate to the characters. Jeanie was just somone that I did not feel myself liking very much.
Overall, a good debut novel. Thank you, to Netgalley and to Sceptre for allowing me to review this story!

I started listening to this two days ago, and as much as I would have loved to have a kindle copy to highlight sections while reading it, this lovely story is so beautifully narrated by Nicola Coughlan that I consider it an unexpected blessing to receive a copy of the audiobook, instead.

If I’d remembered what the topic of this story was, I likely would have postponed listening to it. As it was, it turned out to be the perfect book for me to immerse myself in.

Jeanie has the ability to hear, and speak to the dead in their last moments, an ability that her father David also has. In a gentle gesture of love, they pass along any messages left with them from those who have shared various thoughts upon their passing. Some messages offers comfort, or instructions on where they may find some important item or information. Others, in their final moments, share regrets, trying to unburden their soul of some deed their guilt insists they share.

And then Jeanie is told that her father wants to retire, and wants her, expects her, to take over the family business. While she loves what she does, the responsibility of it weighs on her, and the idea of being in charge of the family business feels overwhelming, her reaction feels claustrophobic in nature. Trapped by something she isn’t sure she wants, she never asked for, while at the same time recognizing that she will never be able to escape this gift.

This story shares her early years, as well, the teasing she is forced to endure from schoolmates, calling her Morticia, knowing that she is surrounded by the dead. This intensifies once her schoolmates learn that she talks to the dead, and that they talk to her. She is taunted, mocked and teased. Over time, it takes a toll on her, and she longs to leave this gift behind.

’I wanted to run… run to the edges of this world, to teeter on its sheer cliff tops, to lift my head skyward, to breathe in the air that demanded nothing of me.’

There is much introspection as she examines her relationship with Niall, a man she was friends with from childhood, until their relationship turned to love. She finds herself debating if it is a relationship she wants to hold onto, or one to let go of in order to open herself to new possibilities. She struggles to accept that what she wants is also important, and tries to leave behind her need to please others.

‘Everything inside of me was falling, splitting, rivers of cracks making their way to every corner of me.’

I loved every minute, every second of listening to this story and the lovely, tender moments and the tangled, disheveled truth of living day to day. Life is never perfect, but the imperfections of life in this story are what make it relatable.

A story of family, of love, and finding a life that speaks to our heart, one that fulfills our hopes and dreams for the future.


Pub Date: 01 Mar 2022

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Macmillan Audio / St. Martin’s Press

First- I highly recommend this book. It is melancholy, beautifully maddening, and the characters seemingly come to life off the page. The first 75% of the book has its ups and downs, forward-moving parts, slower parts. The last 25% of the book feels like the meat and bones of the story and I truly wish it had been fleshed out a bit more. Without any spoilers, there is a major turnaround that acts as a gut punch. I really wish this part would have been more elaborate and in the same poetic pose as the front half of the book. The ending felt rushed when there was so much story to dig into. Perhaps I just became so invested in these characters that I wanted it to continue and wanted to hear more from them. Either way, it's one I'd recommend and a biting tribute to the conflict between family loyalty and independence.

The Masterton family have enjoyed great success in their profession as undertakers in their little Irish village. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they can communicate with the recently departed. The last wishes of the dearly departed are always granted and their families take great comfort in that. Jeanie inherited her family “gift” but fled to London to get away from the often unsettling thoughts and wishes she hears. There she settled into a new life and a sometimes happy marriage, but news of her parents imminent retirement leaves Jeanie in a quandary . Does she stay in a marriage that sometimes stifles her, or return to the life she ran away from? Griffin’s novel is so beautifully written, so lovely. I have recommended this book to everyone I know, there is simply nothing else like it

I loved and adored Anne Griffin's previous novel: When All Is Said. It was absolutely magnificent. So I couldn't wait to read this one. This is the story of Jeanie Masterson who, with her family, runs an undertaking business. But they are no ordinary undertakers. Jeanie and her dad can hear the dead. They can speak to the dead briefly after they pass. And they've been doing so forever.

Jeanie's life looks lovely on the surface: she is married to a kind man and they both work for the family business and live with her parents and brother. But as the story unravels, the reader gets to see the choices she made along the way and the ways in which everyone in the story feels trapped in their own life in small and big ways.

This is a story about how we give up pieces of our lives and dreams when we feel like we have obligations to the world or to our family. Or when we're too scared to take big, bold steps in our lives. And how living with regret can be so much harder, so much more damaging and harmful.

It's about owning up to the choices we made and taking ownership of the life we choose to design for ourselves. It's a quiet story that can feel whiny or slow at parts but I think that's also reflective of how hard and arduous the path back to oneself can be at times.

with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.