I thought this story was very unique and there were a lot of layers involved. I feel like I will need to check back and look at more in-depth reviews to make sure I fully understood what was happening. I wouldn't say that I was scared while reading this but there was definitely an aspect of it that did freak me out as I was listening, so I guess it did its job.

Highly recommend if you like true crime, main characters are teens into adults, element of time travel & magic.

Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this book! A highly enjoyable read that is nice started I couldn’t put down.

The first segment of Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward reads like a coming-of-age thriller. The narrator is an author, Wilder, who, shortly after the events portrayed, writes an account of summer/s spent with his family in a cottage inherited from an eccentric uncle at Whistler Bay, in Maine. Despite being a shy 16-year old, he befriends Nat and Harper, and the three spend glorious days exploring the beaches and coastal caves of the area. Their youthful escapades are clouded by concerns about the enigmatic “Dagger Man”, a shadowy figure who breaks into houses and takes photos of sleeping children. A gruesome discovery confirms that this story is more than an urban legend, and that the “Dagger Man” may also be linked to mysterious disappearances of young women over the years.

This first part of the book is gripping enough and could almost work as a standalone novella: a darker, adult, contemporary – and unexpectedly poetic – version of an Enid Blyton adventure. Besides its thriller/horror vibes, it also features typical elements of the coming-of-age novel including the exploration of budding sexual tensions between the three friends. (Wilder and Nat compete for Harper’s attention, but Wilder also feels physically drawn to Nat).

But this is just the beginning of a mind-bending work. What follows in the subsequent parts of the novel is that a different character lays claim to the facts recounted by Wilder, and asserts their right as “author” to recount the story from their own perspective. As readers, we therefore get to see the same events retold from different angles, as presented in unreliable narrations. Unreliable not only because personal perceptions differ, but also because some of the accounts are deliberately “fictionalised”. If this were not complicated enough, Ward adds a supernatural subtext, implying that magic has been used to trap characters within the pages (!)

Looking Glass Sound is a novel which, within the context of a psychological horror story, explores themes of nostalgia, memory and perspective, as well as the links between authorship, truth and fiction. In doing so, it takes “meta-fiction” to confusing extremes. In fact, my reservation about this novel is that the complexity ultimately feels rather contrived (especially the magical/supernatural element in what is otherwise a “realistic” novel) and one can easily get lost unless one is reading attentively and taking notes.

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2024/07/looking-glass-sound-by-catriona-ward.html

"Looking Glass" by Catriona Ward is a psychological thriller that blends elements of horror and mystery. The novel tells the story of two characters, Lewis and Eliza, who are drawn together under mysterious circumstances involving a haunted house. As they delve deeper into the secrets of the house, they uncover dark and unsettling truths about themselves and their families.
The book has received mixed reviews. Some readers appreciate its eerie atmosphere, complex characters, and unpredictable plot twists, while others have found certain aspects of the story confusing or unsettling. Ward's writing style is often praised for its atmospheric tension and psychological depth, making it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers and horror fiction.
I've read all of Ward's work and often find myself in a love hate relationship. Sadly, this one is not one of my favorites.

This was a very slow read for me. I started and stopped a few times as it felt very much like a YA novel at the start. However I persisted and ended up enjoying it. I loved Sundial so I stuck with it because of that.

Catriona Ward has recently become one of my favourite authors, and although this wasn’t my favourite book they’ve written, it’s still didn’t disappoint. The author has such a gift with crafting dark and disturbing stories. The atmosphere was eerie and kept me in the edge of my seat the entire time. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

Another cracking read from Cat Ward who is one of the best Horror writers there is, this is a beguiling psychological thriller that is simultaneously atmospheric, heart breaking and frightening, I can't wait to see what Cat does next.

As with every Catriona Ward book i have read i loved this book. I dont know what it is about the authors writing but i just feel compelled to read and read and not put it down. The book so creepy and complex, the characters strange and intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Oh Catriona, why have you done me dirty like this? I've come to rely on you as my go to author for all things twisted and mind bending, but this new release was so damn dull. I actually feel offended by how much of a hot mess this was. It just didn't reach the heady heights of her other work and no one is more disappointed than me.

the character's were two dimensional, I cared for none of them. In fact I wishing them ill will just to liven the whole thing up. the plot was boring, nothing happened. And the constant addition of name changes for the same characters was so annoying.

The structure and the premise could have made for an explosive novel, but it just didn't go to the extremes hat it could have gone.

A fantastically atmospheric read that left me with goosebumps whilst I was reading. A brilliant read

Looking Glass Sound - Catriona Ward

Having previously read The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial by this author (and rating them 5 and 4 stars) I was so excited to read this new addition to this authors collection. I found that the atmospheric, dark and disturbing writing was there as with previous books but something was just missing from this one for me, and I can't quite put my finger on what it was. I really enjoyed the setting and story line, but I personally found that I struggled to connect with the characters and found the pace a little slow. Having said this I will 100% be reading more from this author in the future as this one was obviously just not for me.

Thanks so much Netgalley, Serpent's Tail, Viper and Profile Books for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward is a mind-bending and cleverly crafted tale that follows Wilder Harlow, who begins writing his final book in a lonely cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast. The story revolves around his childhood summer companions and the killer that haunted their small New England town. Wilder’s memoir is later stolen by his onetime best friend, Sky, who turns it into a sensational bestselling novel called Looking Glass Sound.

Wilder’s memories and fiction begin to blend together, causing his grip on reality to waver. This uncertainty intensifies when he stumbles upon hidden notes in the cottage, written in Sky’s distinct green ink. Catriona Ward adeptly delves into the protagonist’s battle to confront the haunting memories of his past before it becomes too late.

I gotta say, Catriona Ward’s writing is on another level. The pace is just right, and the entire atmosphere she creates is just so nostalgic and atmospheric. The plot is jam-packed with secrets, twists, and mysteries that’ll keep you hooked. And let’s not forget about the characters - they’re as captivating as they come.

But let me be honest with you, book lovers. This book had me scratching my head for most of the time. It’s like a book within a book within another book… or something like that. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved every single minute of it, but I still have no clue what the heck actually happened. It’s a real head-scratcher, you know? 🤷🏻‍♀️

And that ending? Oh boy, brace yourself. It’s like a fever dream that’ll leave you thinking for days. Trust me, it’s gonna take a hot minute to fully process it all.

All in all, Looking Glass Sound is an absolutely fantastic read that I can’t recommend enough. Seriously, do yourself a favor and give it a shot. You won’t regret it!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

So incredibly real dark, deep and disturbing. By the end I felt I knew the characters in-depth. Not my usual genre but I did enjoy this book. It grabs hold of you tight and at times you feel like you can't breathe. A atmospheric story.

A book within a book. I found this book at first to be addicting and interesting, but unfortunately for me, I feel I lost what was happening throughout the book. I love TLHONS and Sundial was a little more odd for me to get my head around. I think the author is brilliant at writing, but I like something I can grab on to when reading, and feel I was kept in the dark a little too long for me.

I did enjoy The Last House on Needles Street so I was hoping to feel the same about this new novel. I didn't quite feel the same about this one it wasn't for me unfortunately.

I think it is time for me to admit that The Last House on Needless Street was probably a one-off for me, and, outside of that one book, I do not gel with Ward's style. I have tried Little Eve, Sundial, and now this book, and I have found them near impossible to become absorbed into. I've been reading just to finish so I don't feel bad about reviewing a DNF.

The problem, I feel, is that Ward keeps us in the dark and unsure what we're reading for the vast majority of her books. While no book should offer up all its secrets immediately, I do need something I can grab onto-- a question, a conflict, that drives the narrative --or I will simply be uninterested in where it is going. That's what happened here.

I felt pulled all over by this story and, in the end, I never really felt immersed in it; I never came to suspend disbelief and feel the characters were real and worthy of being invested in. The Last House on Needless Street was weird and interesting. This one was just weird.

A novel within a novel, murder mystery, twists and turns and the agony of adolescence. I love Cat Ward’s writing; it’s visceral, weird and challenging. Whilst I really enjoy the feeling of being wrong footed and surprised in a novel, this one had me more lost than previous books so go in expecting to be confused and enjoy the ride!

This is Catriona Ward at her best.

A beautiful but harrowing story within a story.

Thank you for letting me review!

I started this one on the plane to Ibiza and read a good chunk in one go, then another 40% on the flight back meaning I started and finished it in three sittings. It was one of those kind of books that when you start, you are better dedicating time to rather than dipping in and out in order to minimise confusion.

The first half was much more gripping than the second half as it got a little repetitive from 50-90%. I even said during that main chunk that it wasn’t as confusing and wild as Sundial. Then the last 10% just flipped it on its head and I was baffled. I THINK it was a book, within a book, within a book, with some meta fiction elements. Confusing, just when I thought I knew what was going on. Undeniably clever though and she is undoubtedly a very intelligent author indeed.

If there's one thing I can trust Catriona Ward with, it's her ability to write a book that keeps me guessing until literally the last page.

Looking Glass Sound is split timeline and a lot of it is written via journal entries, letters or book passages. It's a book within a book within a book.
It's a book about writing and summers spent on the coast that end up shaping the rest of your life, for better or worse. It's a book about trauma and how knowing you'll never be a kid ever again will equal parts, motivate, and haunt you. But mostly its a book about stories and who gets to tell them.

"Anyway that’s often what writing is, isn’t it? What you leave out."

The Last House On Needless Street is one of my all time favourite books, so I had high hopes for this one. And even though it ended up more of a 4/4.5 star, I still really really enjoyed my time with it.
Like TLHONS, it's best gone into knowing little to nothing about it. The less the better imo

Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with me knows I adore any book set around the sea. Especially when it's personified enough that it almost becomes a character in its own right like it does in this.

The plot itself is like a roiling ocean, deceptively calm one minute only for a sudden twist to drag you under the current. Once you surface, good luck getting your bearings again before another wave hits. You won't know left from right, or whose narration of the events is the true one.

I couldn't put it down. The only real gripe I have is that I wish the chapters were shorter. I think it really would've benefitted the pacing.