A genre bending tale with a chilling wrap up!

Catriona Ward has created an atmospheric thriller that does not disappoint. I was so engrossed in this story that I could barely put it down. I'm still not one-hundred percent sure what exactly happened, and I love it. This unreliable narrator(s) have me in knots. I'm still reeling over the final page. It's the perfect beach read for lovers of dark and speculative fiction.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward is a haunting and atmospheric novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. The story follows Wilder Harlow, a writer who returns to his childhood home in Whistler Bay, Maine, to write a book about the summer he spent there as a teenager. That summer, Wilder and his two friends, Nat and Harper, made a terrible discovery that has haunted them ever since. Now, as Wilder tries to piece together the events of that summer, he begins to question his own memories and sanity.

Ward's writing is exquisite, and she creates a truly immersive and unsettling atmosphere in Looking Glass Sound. The setting of Whistler Bay is perfectly described, and the reader can almost feel the cold, salty air and hear the waves crashing against the shore. The characters are also well-developed and believable, and the reader will find themselves rooting for Wilder as he tries to unravel the mystery of his past.

4 stars - loved it

This is a bit of a slow burn, important details are periodically revealed leaving you unsettled and trying to figure out whats going on. The story is layered with so many elements that unravel over time. Catriona Ward is one of my favourite authors, her ability to confuse you and have you puzzled and then have the twists served to you is always outstanding.
The formatting was a little off, my digital copy wasn't the final draft and was a bit difficult to read at times because the grammar and sentences were a bit all over the place. Im going to get the paperback once it releases and have a reread.

Thanks to netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire for sharing a digital copy for me to read and review. As always, opinions are my own 🤘🏻💀🤘🏻

Looking Glass Sound is a chameleon of a book. It begins as a coming-of-age tale set in a creepy, almost gothic setting. There is, of course, a serial killer and a child peeper loose that may or may not be the same person. It also has a literary fiction style and is filled to the brim with metaphors for its eerie island location. Ultimately, it is a book about writers and ownership of plots.

After spending quite a while reading it, because it demands a reader’s full attention, I enjoyed it. It is unique in the burgeoning sub-genre of horror thrillers. However, its style requires a thoughtful read, and perhaps a rereading or two. It reminded me of books I read in high school English class by long dead authors. If you are looking for a light beach read, Looking Glass Sound is not it. For those readers looking for a book that will offer them a thoughtful read, this book is highly recommended. I’ll average my rating for both types of readers with 4 stars!

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

The whole book within a book within a book
1, made me nauseous
2. wasn't that great a ~twist
Not a fan of this one, although the cover is (deceivingly) good.

This book was a mind-bending plot mixed with overall unease, with secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end. This is the story of an author, working on his last novel. Strange occurences and hallucinations haunt him until he begins to suspect that writing this novel will be the last thing he ever does.
A study in madness where there's more going on than meets the eye. Catriona Ward is a true genius when it comes to suspense and thrillers.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this e-arc.*

When I say this book was a wild ride…

Cat Ward has done it again, you truly never know where her stories are going to go. This is truly a nesting doll story where we have stories inside of stories inside of books inside of diaries. It’s twisty-turny and absolutely bingeworthy.

Wilder has come to Whistler Bay with his parents to get his deceased uncle’s house on the market. While there, he meets Nat and Harper who tell him about the Dagger Man of Whistler Bay and set his life on an entirely different course.

Looking Glass Sound is a coming of age story combined with murder, magic and a heaping amount of trauma. The characters are so well done that I immediately found myself drawn to them and Whistler Bay. I was so immersed that it felt like I had been summering in Whistler Bay my whole life.

This is a book that keeps you up at night because you simply can’t put it down! One of my best reads this year!

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward had me practically gnawing on my tongue with chilly anticipation. The staccato writing crackles like aluminum foil on teeth. The stories are told in punctuated chunks from multiple perspectives which magically meld together and make absurd sense.

Main characters Wilder, Nat and Harper strike an odd friendship and find themselves in the thick of swirling mystery and death. Wilder writes stories which take him deeper and deeper into fascinating realms which messed with my mind. I really liked the various points of view and snappy pace.

Catriona Ward's writing makes me feel as though I've struck gold in a tight underwater cave without air supply. It reminds me of an discomfiting combination of Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier in the best way possible.

My sincere thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this deliciously disturbing book which to me should be classified as a psychological suspense.

4 stars for the first half of the book. 1 star for that shitty second part.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

Loved this thriller! I don’t think I have read anything else by this author before so this was a great introduction. I will recommend this to all thriller lovers.

Catriona Ward is an expert at intricate and difficult-to-guess plots. Looking Glass Sound is no exception. In fact, this may be Ward's most layered and mysterious novel yet. Looking Glass Sound features several distinct and immersive perspectives. Ultimately, though, Wilder's youthful point of view is the one that readers spend the most time with. And his characterization is unparalleled. Wilder's outsider status is painfully palpable; I often felt as though I could have been reading one of my own teenage diaries.

For a significant portion of Looking Glass Sound, I was wary about the length (352 pages). I found myself getting so invested in one narrative that I couldn't imagine what Ward would do next. Luckily, I decided to trust the process and eventually, it was all tied together in a surprising way - just like I'd hoped. This is the fourth book of Ward's that I have read and I have come to expect character-driven unsettling tales that burn slowly and conclude in an explosive way. Looking Glass Sound definitely met those expectations! I can't wait to see what Ward publishes next.

This novel contains books within books about a serial killer and someone taking polaroids of sleeping children, teenage love, and the life of authors. Confusing and creepy, atmospheric and witchy, I wondered what on earth had happened once I finished, yet did not want to stop. If ambiguity is not a deal-breaker, this makes a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for my review copy.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Format: ARC courtesy of Tor Nightfire and NetGalley
Pub Date: August 8

Last year, I read The Last House of Needless Street by this Ward and absolutely loved it- I even read it three times and chose it for my local book club to read! I was SO excited when this book was announced, and ecstatic when my request for an ARC was approved!

Like Needless Street, Looking Glass Sound is a reality and perspective bending novel, the kind where it is hard to fully comprehend what is happening within until after it is over, like trying to assemble a puzzle without knowing what the final image will resemble.. Sections of this book are written as if they are the “real story”, then later are revealed to be works of fiction (within the fictional book, lol). Grab your highlighters and sticky notes for this one, because you will want to take notes!

I read another review of this, in which the reviewer wrote “I am not smart enough for this author”, and I laughed because it’s true. Reading this may possibly hurt your brain. I would not recommend the audiobook for this, though I have heard that the performances are good, because I know that I have a hard time retaining all the detailed information if I am listening over reading. You will also want to take your time reading this one- it is not a book that you can skim through, and you may find yourself rereading some sections for extra clarity. The end result was unsettling and I loved it.

You may be wondering why bother reading a book that is more difficult than average to comprehend, and I hear you, this book may not be for everyone. But if you like a puzzle, especially of the dark and twisted variety, this book will not disappoint. It is more than worth the effort, and in my opinion creating the twisted, complex story and writing it in such an artistic style speaks to Ward’s talent as a horror writer.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Looking Glass Sound publishes this Tuesday, August 8th.

It's been a while since I finished a book in less than three days (I'm a quick reader but my free time is not fruitful) but Looking Glass Sound was a quick read because the pace was great.

It's very the type of book you think you know what's going on and then you're absolutely wrong, which is a DELIGHT. Oh, 15% to go? No, there are at least three more twists coming actually.

Looking Glass Sound is a sort of (fictional) half memoir, half fictionalized true crime about a boy who meets the first friends of his life in a small Maine coastal town in that way that summer friendships burn so hot and bright and short as autumn and school and home roll around again. (Honestly I think my only 'gripe' was that I was very sure these kids were like 8 in the early chapters so finding out they were around 16 was a wild sort of revelation, but, as it's set in 1990, things were VERY different for kids back then than they are today... speaking as someone who was 8 in 1990.) But more than strange friendships, it seems an urban legend may actually be true... and much worse than any of them could imagine, both now and for the rest of their lives.

I feel like saying too much will give away some of the truly interesting and surprising things here so I don't want to, but it was good, it kept me thinking, and I'm very appreciative to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group/Tor Nightlife for the borrow in exchange or my free and honest review.

Another DNF for Catriona Ward (at 50%). Doubt I will read any more books by her. The scene in the hotel ended it for me.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. My brain hurts…in a good way. Looking Glass Sound is incredibly hard to review because I don’t want to accidentally spoil anything. I’ll do my best.

Catriona Ward is easily one of my favorite horror writers. The way she builds her worlds and makes you constantly second guess where the story is going is unmatched. I finished this book and stared into space for a solid 10 minutes, trying to grasp everything that just happened. Just thinking about this story again is giving me chills.

A story about identity, friendship, writing, love, grief, and so much more, Looking Glass Sound is one of my favorite horror books I’ve read so far this year. I don’t re-read books often but I can definitely see myself picking this up again because I am sure I missed things. Add it to your TBR!

Looking Glass Sound:⁣
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Thank you Tor and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies.⁣
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Sighs deeply. I love Catriona Ward. She’s one of my favorite authors, of all time. Looking Glass Sound was just not for me.⁣
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I will say, the lore of the Dagger Man had me gripped y’all. I was so into it. This Stand By Me x Candyman vibe was it. Once Wilder went off to school, I lost interest. I kept with it until 75% and by then I was just not there. I really wasn’t a fan of the characters, so it made it harder for me to keep my interest. ⁣
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The audio was decent. Christopher Ragland and Katherine Fenton give it justice. I think it’s a great audiobook if you’re looking for a new one. ⁣
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There are some books that I feel like maybe I’m just not smart enough to get, and that’s ok. This was one of them. I will always wait in anticipation for what Catriona Ward writes next, but for now, this one wasn’t for me. (Hopefully it is for you!)

This book was not for me. It was not what I expected, I just couldn't get into the story and I did not care for the characters either.. DNF

I went into this book blind, and I’d suggest you do the same. The plot is intriguing and when you think you know where the story is going, Catriona Ward throws a curveball at you that keeps you guessing and wanting more. I couldn’t put this book down. Thank you netgalley and Tor for the e-arc.

This book should be divided into two halves, the first being the better book. This novels opening hooked me with its mystery of the Dagger Man, and the friendship between Wilder, Nate and Harper. Then we jumped the shark...What?!?!?!?

I literally have no idea what happened. Skye is a women, well I thought she was a guy. Who's Pearl? There's magic, spells??? Then there's books about books about books. This stories layers blurred too much resulting into massive confusion.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group for the complimentary copy.