Catriona Ward is an auto buy for me. I’ve loved all her books so far. I really enjoyed Looking Glass Sound and Ward’s way of writing the unreliable narrator.

Told from multiple POV’s and multiple timelines. We mainly follow Wilder as he navigates being an awkward teen, Wilder finds friendship, attraction and love over summer vacation. He meets Nat and Harper and the three are inseparable that first summer. Harper is a fun character, a wealthy teen witch who can identify hemlock. Nat and Wilder both fall for her but make a pact to not date her.

There’s lots of horror here: a serial killer, creepy local urban legend of a guy who takes pictures of sleeping kids, bodies found in barrels at the bottom of a sea cave; but it’s also very character driven.

My only struggle was a bit at the end. We switched up POV’s and timelines so much that I got a bit disoriented.

Great for fans of Last House on Needless Street (no animals though) and those that like thrillers/horror.

I just couldn’t get into this one. I was so excited to read it after “The Last House on needless street” but from the very first chapter it didn’t get my attention and it was very confusing. I decided to DNF it sadly. I hate writing bad reviews because I know how hard a author works to write books but this one just wasn’t for me.

This story was so freakin good! But I've enjoyed everything I've read by Ward. The creepy, mystery style of writing is always done to absolute perfection.

Is this a love letter to an author, possibly.... But with very good reason, and you should honestly check this book and her others out if you haven't already!

I loved the atmosphere of the Maine coast (that's where I'm from). But it's the characters, the blurred lines between past and present, and the magic of being a child mixed with the horror of what happened that made for a great story. All the elements worked so well together.

With this story, Ward weaves this web so intricately, giving just the right amount throughout to keep you on your toes. Waiting for the final piece to pop into place. It's one of those books where if you don't pay attention to every detail, you won't see anything coming. But to he honest, you probably won't anyway. And this is the way of Ward!

Would I have it any other way? Of course not. Because I love a good dark, twisty, mystery, and Ward is one of the very best at doing that.

*Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for my gifted copies of this book.

Looking Glass Sound is a hard book to summarize. I went in totally blind and had a great experience with that! There are a couple of books being written in this book with a mix of a serial killer, a bit of witch craft, a bit of paranormal, and a whole lot of “WTF” moments. I loved it!

Just like Ward’s other books, a lot of the book you’re confused about what’s going on. Are we in another book or is it real life? However, that really works for this book and the confusion just adds to the reading experience. All of the characters were really well-written and strange. The setting was so vivid and I really loved the descriptions of water and the beach. I love books about books and authors and this one was great as well.

Catriona Ward delivers again with a strange twisty book that leaves you thinking WTF. I really loved it and I highly recommend! It was a definite 5 star for me!

Thanks so much to tor and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I can't decide if I loved this or was unbelievably confused. I think the premise was really cool and the writing was exceptional, and I think I would have been less confused if I was reading a physical book with chapter breaks and formatting.

The twists were great and I highly recommend reading this when alert enough to follow. The book within a book within a book concept can be a bit tricky but meta in the best way. I loved the spooky coastal setting and how quickly things went from quiet to horrifying in the first 30%.

I would recommend this for anyone looking for a "Scary thriller" even if they don't normally read the horror genre,.

Thank you to @tor for letting me read this one. LOOKING GLASS SOUND publishes on August 8

The first 60% was amazing and I gobbled it right up but the last 40% hurt my brain in a way that made me mad, haha. I’ve really loved or really hated Catriona Ward’s previous books but this one belongs in a different column entitled, this hurt my brain. I think this will be a big hit and I can’t wait to talk about it with someone!

Looking Glass Sound is a hard book to talk about because it feels a bit like reviewing several books at once. It is a book about a book, but also that book is about a book. As a result, there are a lot of twisty layers at work, and honestly by the end so much of what we know or think we know has been called into question that it’s hard to say for sure which bits did happen in the story. Of course, part of the point seems to be asking us what makes up a story and how it is made up, so what did happen isn’t really the focus. The narrative begins with Wilder, Nat, and Harper and their youthful friendship in Whistler Bay, Maine. The characters are compellingly drawn throughout.
It took a while for Looking Glass Sound to take off, especially if you came to it for the spooky factor. It feels like it might be a coming-of-age novel for a pretty large first portion of the book. As the young people start telling ghost stories about a woman lost at sea named Rebecca (strong gothic throwback vibes here), it becomes clear that the novel will take a more sinister tone as it continues as we learn more about the Dagger Man of Whistler Bay. And then it gets even creepier from there…

I loved the depth of this psychological suspense drama/horror book as much as I hated it. Every time I thought I knew the who and what of it all, names changed that sent me reeling. Part coming of age, mixed in with some serious serial killer vibes, mental illness, lgbtq characters, and TOTALLY UNRELIABLE NARRATION.
I'm talking such unreliable narration to the point I had no clue who was who more often than not. So, I will chalk that up to trying to trade-off between listening and reading the book. Also, as a healthy does of the paranormal is included, I was questioning who the ghosts were too. Or were they ghosts? Or is that an hallucination? You get my point.
All in all, 3.5 stars. I just don't think it should be this difficult to follow along. If other readers had less difficulty, my hats off to you.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire for access to an early e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The gothic, eerie, seaside Maine scenario did not hold much appeal to this reader.  There were many times that confusion reigned while I tried to understand the characters from their teen years into adulthood and their relationship with each other throughout. This spooky and complex tale required total concentration to keep the real and mystical apart.
   Loved by many, just not me.

"Looking Glass Sound," authored by Catriona Ward, is a captivating literary work that encompasses a multifaceted narrative. Initially, the book presents a coming-of-age atmosphere reminiscent of early Stephen King novels, such as "Stand by Me." However, the storyline swiftly undergoes a significant shift, incorporating a nested narrative structure with multiple perspectives and timelines. The novel intriguingly delves into themes related to mental health, small-town dynamics, and other intricacies, deviating from conventional horror elements.

While "Looking Glass Sound" proves to be an engaging read, it does not rank as my personal favorite among Catriona Ward's literary contributions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy.

I have heard great things about this author’s other works, so I was excited to give it a try. I really enjoy spooky, atmospheric coastal stories. However, I was very disappointed by this book.

To start, I really did not connect with the writing style. It felt very choppy at times, and there was no flow to the sentences. It also just felt really lackluster and almost emotionless. I felt distanced from the characters and everything that was happening, which made it really hard to connect to anything or anyone. I especially felt removed from the characters. They didn’t feel like real people. I felt like I knew nothing about them beyond the basic archetypes they represented, like Wilder being the awkward lonely kid and Harper being one of those disturbed quirky girls that every boy is obsessed with. I also felt like they came across a lot younger than the 16/17 years old they were supposed to be.

Additionally, I just felt very little interest in the story. The summary sounded really interesting, but as I kept reading, I was just bored. I felt no suspense or intrigue. There are a few major reveals sprinkled throughout the story, but I felt no shock or relief or any emotion when they happened because I just didn’t care about anything that was happening. Then the last half of the story just got so convoluted with all of the multiple points of view and stories.

I personally did not like anything about this book. It seems like many really enjoyed it, but this was not for me.

Thank you to Tor for the arc!

This is my favorite book of the year. there's no denying it. This story is horror mixed with a thriller/ dark academia and i loved every bit of it. Looking Glass Sound starts off as an innocent summer coming of age story than turns into something much darker and I couldn't get enough.

Catriona Ward has quickly become one of my favorite living writers. She has mastered such a specific atmosphere throughout her books (at least the two that I have read) that hangs over you like a haze, even after you’ve finished. When I read Sundial earlier this summer, I had a hard time forgetting the way that it made me feel. Even now that dread sits in my chest, and Looking Glass Sound has made me feel no differently.

This was comped, at least to me, as Stand by Me meets Shirley Jackson, and I’d be remiss not to confirm this comparison is correct. Wilder is sixteen when his parents first bring him to Whistler Bay, to the cottage that his uncle lived in up until he died, and he’s determined that that summer, he’ll get a girlfriend, and he’ll write every day. Then he meets Nat and Harper, a local fisherman’s son and a rich British girl who summers in Maine, and his plans fall askew – in more ways than you can possibly imagine. Women are disappearing, and have for as long as everyone can remember, and there’s someone slipping into children’s rooms in the night to do nothing more than photograph them with a knife against their sleeping necks, but nonetheless, and rightfully so, people are frightened. It all comes to a head the summer before Wilder is meant to head off to college, and what happens will linger in his life until the end of it.

I love how many different narratives Ward is always able to weave together. You think you know exactly what’s going on, but she’s always one step ahead, and when she finally reveals to you how all of these stories align, it’s like you never actually understood what was happening at all. This could get confusing at times, but I was never lost for too long, and I came to understand that when I was lost, it was because Ward wanted me to be. And that ending! This is my favorite Catriona Ward novel so far, and I can’t wait to delve further into her backlog.

Maybe I'm just not a horror lover? The thrillers/mysteries that err more on the horror side are not my cup of tea, and this is how Looking Glass Sound leaned.

I can see how people would enjoy it, even with a slow start and it being kind of confusing. However, I don't love reading books that *consistently* give me the heebie jeebies.

What in the world did I just read? Catriona Ward is an intriguing author. This book is creepy, and it’s weird, and it’s a masterclass in unreliable narrators.
While the narrative requires patience, it was also very hard for me to put down. Even when I was confused, I was completely immersed. This book won’t be for everyone, so if strange, convoluted horror does not sound appealing to you, you might wanna skip this one.
If it intrigues you, then consider picking this one up and letting it take hold of you, leaving you unsettled and in awe.
Thank you to Tor publishing for the advance ebook, and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook (which I did not end up listening to).

This story centers around three teens that form a bond during a summer in a small , coastal New England town. The trio are from very different worlds but are all struggling as they approach adulthood. This summer finds them facing danger and tragedy that will leave a mark on them forever. Years later Wilder, one of the trio finds himself back in Maine to write the story of that summer and the killer of Looking Glass Sound. He finds himself questioning everything and everyone including himself as he faces the demons from the past.

Catriona Ward knows how to weave an intricate tale that keeps you guessing and questioning everything until the last page. This one was the most detailed of her books so far. It definitely messes with your head!! I enjoyed it a lot but take your time reading it. There is a lot to unpack!! That being said as with all of her books it is best to go in without knowing too much and let the mind bending commence!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 🌟

#NetGalley #LookingGlassSound #CatrionaWard

I devoured this book over the weekend. Maybe it was Oceanside vibes. The murder. The mystery. The young summer. I’m not sure but it drew me in and kept me there. When the twists started unfolding I literally felt the leap of thrill in my chest. Loved it.

Catriona Ward has a special kind of magic: she can pull out a twist ending like no other, and she can shatter your heart while doing it. LOOKING GLASS SOUND is no different, and just might be Ward's biggest tidal wave yet.

Did not finish. So boring and just hard to connect with any of the characters. Nice, spooky setting but unfortunately I just couldn’t continue reading because I was so bored.

This book was a wonderfully twisty story that you feel you know the ending to, and then you get shocked and awed at the ending. Catriona Ward has a way with psychological thriller/horror that never fails to impress.


Thanks to Catriona Ward and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.