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Based on my previous experience reading a Catriona Ward book, I came into this knowing as little as possible. I was concerned knowing too much would ruin the experience. Unlike her previous books, though, I think knowing something about what it’s about will actually help this book find the right audience. So let me tell you.

This book uses magical realism to explore how writers pull elements of the real world into their “fictional” stories. It explores just how acceptable that is. It also looks at how much a writer ends up living inside their own stories. All of this is wrapped up in a mystery story.

Here’s the thing. A lot of readers might go into this book expecting a mystery about a killer in a New England town with a shocking twist. That is not the trajectory of this book. It’s a very meta book about writing. It’s a book inside another book inside another book. It’s a little difficult to untwist and figure out what’s really going on and what’s fiction in this world.

I really respect the amount of work and plot development that went into this. The author had to write in multiple different styles as convincingly different authors. (Although I preferred The Villa by Rachel Hawkins for how it did a book inside another book – my review.) The meta commentary on writing is a literary exploration in navel-gazing that a lot of readers might enjoy. Except those who wanted the New England beach killer story with a twist. So this book might be struggling a bit to find its audience.

One thing that did bother me that should have been caught in editing is that these New England characters sometimes speak with a British affect. (There is one British character who, of course, should speak like a Brit.) I don’t mean they’re written with an accent but rather they sometimes say words or speak in a certain manner that I’ve only ever heard British people speak. (I was born in New England and have lived here all my life…so I know how we talk.)

The mystery was kind of mysterious but also not really the point of the book. The resolution left me scratching my head a bit, largely because of the magical realism aspects. I also felt like the message was a little garbled and unclear. It was a little bit of a letdown after the time investment, although I did appreciate it for its craft and structure.

Recommended to readers interested in a magical realism commentary on the writing process.

GoodReads:
This is a very meta book that clearly took a lot of effort and thought to write. A big theme is writers with anxiety about writing (like writer's block) and the ethics of writing (how much is too much to take from those around you.)

It was a little slow-paced for me, and I'm not sure how I feel about the overall final story (once you get through all the meta ones.) Also some of the American characters speak like British ones sometimes.

Check out my full review.

*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

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The first book I finished reading in the new apartment was Looking Glass Sound. When I think back on books I’ve read, I get transported to the moment of my life when I was reading that book. So books get inextricably tied to moments in my life. Looking Glass Sound was a meta mystery commentary on writing that would be most enjoyed by other writers I imagine. Thank you to the publisher for the free copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
#bookalicious #rocklights #booksinthewild #avidreader #bookaesthetic #whatimreading

Ever since NEEDLESS STREET, Ward has been an auto-buy author for me. Madison and I pick her books every year for our PM Reads book club! This one was interesting in a way that all Ward’s books are. I enjoyed the storyline here a lot and love the way Ward adds her signature twists. I did find myself hoping for a little more to this one, though. Because of the way the story was written, some parts felt a little repetitive to me. Overall, 3.5-4 stars because it was definitely a unique reading experience. I can’t wait for our discussion about this one! PS - I recommend e-book or physical as I think this would be harder to follow via audiobook.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this title but HOLY SHAMOLY. The words eerie and creepy barely do it justice. Pretty sure this one will stay with me for quite awhile. If you're reading this review, you need to read this book and then get your friends to read it too, because you'll definitely want to talk to them about it.

First off, horror is not my usual genre. I had heard amazing things about Last House on Needless Street, so I eagerly requested Looking Glass Sound.

I'll be really honest, this was not my cup of tea. I felt like I read three different stories, and my brain just couldn't work out how they linked together. I was still (very) confused at the conclusion of the story and was lost ast to how all the pieces came together. I consider myself an adept reader, but this was a struggle.

So while not for me, it was still a solid, interesting novel, but I don't think I'll be continuing on with Ward's books purely due to preference.

After reading this book, unfortunately I don’t think I will be continuing on with reading Catriona’s books. I really enjoyed The Last House on Needless Street but am wondering if maybe that was a one hit wonder for me!

Horror is not the typical genre that I gravitate towards but because this one had such an intriguing synopsis, I couldn’t help but read this one for myself. What I found within the pages was something so much more than an author pursuing his writing career! While I was very intrigued from the beginning, I couldn’t get past the overall reveal and how disconnected it felt from the rest of the story.

Catriona Ward has such a unique voice in each of her novels and this one was no different. This was a compelling, creative, original book.

I had recently finished Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street when I saw this was being published. It's been a few months since I finished the book, but I still think about it. It's definitely something I need to reread so I can pay attention to how the pieces fall. The story within a story within a story was wild - but really effective. I long for the days when I didn't know what degloving meant.

This book demands your attention, if you don’t give it large chunks of time you will miss critical points and feels like it jumps around too much. The wonder of this story are the layers: the book within the book about another book. Mind blown! Loved it.

Looking Glass Sound is a masterclass in narrative fiction. Ward's deft, hand-crafted, detailed, slow-burn narrative leaves you reeling with twists and turns.

One thing I have come to learn with Catriona Ward novels is to go in blind. I sometimes even do not want to read the synopsis for fear of ruining any thing no matter how small. She always manages to shock and awe me with her words. So I went into this novel knowing as little as possible. The story is in a way like other novels she has written where you're never really sure where they are going to end up or how they are going to get there. This one seemed especially twisty as Wilder goes back and forth on being so sure he knew what had happened in the past. The more you think you know, the less you come to find out that you do. I thought the writing was spectacularly woven to help deliver on those twists. There were some moments I could have lived without but overall it had exactly the kind of feeling I look for in thriller and horror novels. I think of all Catriona Ward's novels that I have read this one will be ranked towards the top, just behind Little Eve.

4 Stars

This complicated puzzle of a book is even better than her much-lauded debut. Thrillers don't usually end in heartbreak for the reader, but this one does.

I love horror with a coming-of-age lean, and this was SO good. Sometimes with books that have back and forth timelines (or stories within a story - two things this one has at once!), it can be easy to get confused or overwhelmed. With this, the author does it perfectly - I wasn't confused, I was always aware of what was happening (unless it was something that wasn't ready to fully be revealed), and I was completely immersed in the atmospheric, Gothic vibes of Ward's tale. Loved this.

This was my first read by Catriona Ward and wow what a ride! I really enjoyed the idea of this book and initially was very impressed and liked the story however it does go bit off the rails with a book within a book within a book. Will definitely leave you guessing and thinking about it long after you’ve finished. It’s clear Ward is very passionate and talented.

I found this book to be semi-hard to understand at times but the payoff at the end was worth it. It just wasn't my favorite.

Darkly twisted, Catriona Ward's skewed writing delivers psychological chills. "Looking Glass Sound" explores trauma, loneliness, friendship and a past that is never far away.

Sooo this sadly just wasn't it for me. The initial story was great, but then the whole rest of the book demolishes that and becomes repetitive with "book-within-a-book-about-a-book-plus-another-book" whiplash. By the end, I just wasn't invested any longer despite the soap opera drama playing out.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
A well crafted book of a childhood terror as a man tries to write a book detailing the summer he. Met his childhood friends and the mythical boogeyman who stalked them.
A lot of twists and unreliable narratives will leave you scratching your head and re-reading the ending. I think it’s fair to say the reader may never have a clear grasp on what happened in the end, but therein lies the intrigue. All in all I enjoyed this mind bending work.

Wilder is an author and decides to write a story about past events. A killer is on the loose in his town. Wilder and his friends discover something disturbing and the decide to keep that something a secret. He begins to write and he is trying to remember every detail of that summer. The more he searches deep in his memories, he begins to hallucinate and can’t comprehend what is going on. What is real or is it all in his mind? The author takes you on creepy ride and throws in some twists and turns. The characters are well written and plot is amazingly written. A well written horror story.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For me this book fell right in the middle. I didn’t dislike it or like it just left indifferent. I think if I had read it at a different time I would’ve liked it more. I can’t quite pinpoint what didn’t work. I did feel quite confused at times but I liked the overall concept. It just did not click for me.

“Friends can break your heart, it seems, just like love.”

Well, well, well, WTF did I just read? That was bonkersville! In classic Ward fashion, this story serves up a delightful cocktail of confusion and plot twists that'll have you scratching your head. I read somewhere that reading Looking Glass Sound is like getting lost in a metaphysical maze of existential dread, and that's hitting the nail on the head with a sledgehammer!

I won't spill all the beans on the plot because, trust me, you want to go in blind. But imagine a bunch of unreliable narrators who couldn't find their way out of a paper bag, even with GPS. Looking Glass Sound takes you on a wild journey through the maze of coming-of-age madness, powerlessness, friendship fiascos, betrayal, and enough small-town secrets to fill a gossip column for a century.

There are lots of triggers, so check them out if this one interests you. Also, make note that this reads more like a thriller than horror.