Set over the first few months of 1942 in a remote West Virginian hotel, Maggie Stiefvater's adult debut is as atmospheric and mystical as you'd expect from her. I've read and loved Stiefvater's books in the past, especially her teen series The Raven Cycle, so I was excited to get an early copy from the publisher to read & review.

And for the most part I did enjoy this book and what it set out to do, I only wish it had done things with a bit more intentionality and urgency because this book is honestly quite slow. Not slow in a way that felt like it was purposefully taking its time to develop the characters and set up an intricate plot, but slow in that it languished over setting and description. The historical references and details, while they definitely set the scene, felt like they detracted from more important elements in a historical semi-fantasy: plot and characters.

Our main character is June Hudson, a woman in her mid-30s managing the luxe Avalon Hotel and its assortment of crew members keeping the place running. She's met with a challenge when she's informed the hotel will soon become a holding cell for allies of the Axis Powers in the early days of the US's involvement in WWII while trade negotiations for American hostages abroad are being conducted. FBI Agent Tucker Minnick and State Department member Agent Pennybacker round out the main POVs, along with a silent German girl named Hannelore. While they all get their own narrative threads, we mainly follow June as she navigates these treacherous, unstable waters and tries to make everyone happy.

There's a lot of good examination in this book around complicity, of how willing you are to speak up or not in the face of wrongdoing. How determining what even IS right and wrong in the times of chaos and confusion is difficult, but that the heart knows what to do and whether it inconveniences us, we should listen to it. LISTEN. It's a major theme, the title, and a special skill only some of these characters truly master.

But at the end of the day, I found the pacing of this story and the way information was rolled out, especially to explain character motivations, incredibly slow. By the 50% mark of this novel, I realized this isn't a book of WHAT but of WHY. The plot is 'a bunch of unsavory people are forced into a hotel and the staff contends with serving the enemy and making sure things remain smooth.' But the internal struggles they face feel underexplored. We are told they don't want to serve the German ally whose army killed their son or separated them from their husband due to the draft, but we don't really feel it.

Then the plot picks up in the last 20% or so and I really enjoyed it, but it came and went too quickly. The stakes never felt super high despite it literally taking place during a war! I wanted more tension, more something to shoot off from everything Stiefvater did to build this world and introduce these characters.

It's not a bad book by any means. I don't regret reading it, especially for the few shining moments that reminded me why I love Stiefvater's work: her attention to detail, her way to invoke the magical in the every day, her creativity and candor. But it lacked a bit of oomph I was expecting from the set-up and sadly fizzled out by the end.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater centers around June Hudson, the manager of the luxury hotel, the Avallon. It's 1941 in West Virginia and June learns, rather suddenly, that her hotel is to play home to government diplomats. Not any diplomats, though, representatives from enemy countries during World War 2. Mysterious things and unexplained occurrences begin to happen shortly after their arrival and it seems the people of the hotel are not happy with their new occupants and ideals and beliefs collide.

This book was underwhelming for me. I love Stiefvater's other works, The Scorpio Races and the Raven cycle, but I didn't find any of the charm or beautiful characterizations of those books in this one. It was slow and a little confusing at the beginning with all the different characters and it felt like Stiefvater was trying too hard to make her main characters special and unique. I know she can do it well but this book fell flat to me. I'm not a huge historical fiction reader but the premise sounded much more interesting to me than this ended up being.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In this satisfying historical fantasy, June Hudson is the General Manager of the Avallon: a luxury spa and hotel nestled in the gorgeous Appalachian coal country of West Virginia. The hotel has been the charmed playground of America’s rich and powerful for decades, owing partly to the magic of the Sweetwater, an uncanny, powerful underground mountain spring. June has grown up at the Avallon, and like its original owner, Francis Gilfoyle, she can “listen” to the Sweetwater, calming and coaxing it to continue imbuing the Avallon with the joyful magic that makes it the perfect hotel. She guides and nurtures the Avallon like a living thing, earning the respect of the wealthy guests as well as her staff. She is not motivated by money or fame, however, but by her affection for her mentor’s large family, none of whom inherited their father’s ability to hear the Sweetwater.

The happy symbiosis of hotel, staff, guests, and Sweetwater is threatened when, in the spring of 1942, the Avallon is pressed into service to shelter German, Italian, and Japanese diplomats who will soon be exchanged for American prisoners of war. June and her kind, principled, loyal staff must extend the Avallon’s legendary pampering to their enemies, and do so with a smile, for the sake of their country’s diplomatic goals.

There are two other Listeners in the story: Tucker Minnick, a taciturn but sexy G-man assigned to guard the unwilling guests, and Hannelore Wolfe, the autistic daughter of a high-level Nazi. The plot that intertwines these three characters is suspenseful, dense and fascinating, written with Stiefvater’s characteristic witty dialog and lush description. She makes sure the reader loves the Avallon as much as June does, and fills the hotel with appealing characters, many of whom are based on her extensive historical research.

I struggled with the first chapter of this book and found it a bit hard to read. It worried me that I would not enjoy this book. However, after the second chapter or so, things clicked and I fell in love with the characters and the writing and loved this book so much!

Almost five stars, but the slight magical realism storyline that ran throughout the novel never quite fit for me. Overall, a wonderful WWII novel about a lesser known piece of American history, set at a Greenbriar-like hotel in West Virginia. Fascinating characters and a beautiful setting. I loved the ending; it wrapped up so many storylines in a very satisfying way. Recommended!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and the characters, but I feel like the ethical dilemmas involved with hosting enemies of the state could’ve been explored further. That being said, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the magic system and the snails!

I’m not always a fan of historical fiction and this choice was unfulfilling. Not as engaging as I would have hoped.

Definitely not what I expected -- this is more historical fiction with a light sprinkling of magical realism than the other way around. The description of the Avallon (and yes, that name is deliberate) is incredible. Does any hotel ever match it? And June's relationship with the owners, staff and even the hotel itself is intriguing at first and then, as the story progresses, something a little frightening.

I enjoyed the changes brought on by the new "guests" and the ways in which they are (or are not) accommodated by the staff and the hotel (seriously! the hotel is it's own character at times). I wanted more of Room 411! My biggest problem was that at times the scenes dragged on a little too long, as if the author just so loved writing about it that editing anything out was a problem. The ending is also a little abrupt, with the last few pages seemingly coming from nowhere.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

Maggi Stiefvater is the author of one of my favorite books, The Scorpio Games. This book combines some of the characteristic aspects of her writing: a setting that emphasizes people's relationship with nature, and characters with a surface affect that conflicts with their natural temperament

The Listeners transports you to a tense moment in history as American enters World War II. It's a time filled with uncertainty and fear, but at the Avallon Hotel, June Hudson and her staff are trying to keep the hotel's legacy of luxury and good feelings alive for their guests, even when the government saddles them with detainees from Axis countries. June's balancing act of putting aside her personal feelings about guests is put to the ultimate test, and she struggles with the principles she's been trained to uphold, ones that place guest satisfaction above all. She's also tasked with maintaining the mysterious power of the springs that feed the hotel, a feat that becomes more difficult as tensions rise.

While the time period may seem bleak, the reading experience is not! The Avallon is mysterious and beautiful, an enchanting escape for both the characters and the reader. From the fountains of sweetwater to the glass snails, the follies and ballrooms and hidden nooks, it's a place saturated in magic and wonder. It's also peopled by a diverse staff, mostly from the surrounding rural area. June shines as the peerless general manager, affectionately nicked named "Hoss." She carries out her duties with grace and good humor, charming those around her, even strict, by the book, Agent Tucker Minnick. The main characters and supporting characters are a delight, and I loved all the interactions, conversations, and back stories. From start to finish, I was absolutely riveted and invested in the characters and the story. There are surprise twists, heart wrenching moments, delightful encounters, and devastating revelations. I'll definitely be thinking about these characters and the hotel for a long time.

I want to first say I have never read Maggie Stiefvater's YA books. I always meant to but never got around to picking one up. The cover and then the description grabbed my attention, and I was excited to finally read one of her books. I know this book is a departure for her in several senses, but I didn't have any expectations about what a book by her should be like. I also love books that take place in luxury hotels and books that include just a whisper of magic realism. So, I was a huge fan of this book right from the start.

This story is very character driven. The plot moves along rather slowly as does the romance element. I really enjoyed how well thought out each character seemed to be. They very much felt like real people to me as I read. The pictures I had in my mind for each of them were so clear.

I lived in Virginia, not far from the hot spring resorts in West Virginia or old hotels like the Omni or Greenbrier. It was so easy to picture the hotel the author was creating that was similar to these actual places, right down to the mythical water.

The premise of the story, that June is trying to create a luxury hotel experience for high ranking detained prisoners during WWII was really interesting.

Overall, I really loved this book. I'm interested in going back to read her YA books now!

Maggie always brings it! Long time fan, she can do no wrong. This newest book is yet another direction.

I have been a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater since day one. Her books are ones I find myself returning to again and again, simply because I miss the characters and world she creates so much. Every time I finish one, I want nothing more than to be taken back to the beginning and experience it all over again.
Maggie’s writing is truly unique. As both an artist and musician, her creativity bleeds onto the page. She paints vivid, poetic pictures of her characters and the mystical, emotionally rich worlds they inhabit. The Listeners is no exception.
Although this story isn’t in a genre I topically read and is quite different then what we usually see from Maggie, it still carries the same magical, haunting feel that makes her work so unforgettable. It’s atmospheric, lyrical and deeply evocative.
Maggie Stiefvater continues to be one of the few authors whose work I don’t just read, I live in it, breathe it and long for it when it’s gone.
If you’re already a fan, you’ll recognize the signature beauty in her voice. And if you’re new to her work, this might just be the strange little story that draws you in.

The Listeners completely swept me away. From the first page, Maggie Stiefvater crafts a world that feels so textured and real you can almost smell the rain and hear the creak of the Avallon Hotel floorboards. Her prose is stunning, lyrical without being overwrought, and it makes every moment feel charged with atmosphere.

June Hudson, the general manager of the Avallon, is one of the most layered characters I’ve read in a long time. She’s tough, loyal, and heartbreakingly human. The way Stiefvater weaves Appalachian folklore into the story feels effortless, creating a sense of eerie magic that lingers long after you finish the book.

Yes, the pacing is deliberate, but in the best way possible, it gives you time to sink into the setting, to feel the quiet danger and beauty threaded through every scene. The Listeners isn’t just a book you read; it’s one you live inside.

If you love historical fiction with a brush of the uncanny, rich character work, and writing that sings, you cannot miss this novel. It’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

Set in a fictional grand hotel during World War II, this intriguing story is based on the true story of Axis diplomats and their families held in detention in various grand hotels in the country--like the Greenbrier or Hotel Hershey--as bargaining chips for the American diplomats held abroad by the Axis powers.
June Hudson is the general manager of the Avallon Hotel when she is informed that the hotel will be taken over by the State Department to house Axis diplomats and persons of interest. The families involved, and their interactions with the staff, the FBI, Border Patrol, and State Department personnel makes for a truly fascinating look at this little-known face of the war and how it affected those on the home front who had to deal with it. The listeners involved have learned--in various ways--how close attentions to what is said--and not said--makes all the difference in the outcome of a situation. The believable characters and their conflicts and interactions keep the pages turning in a very enjoyable way. I highly recommend the book.

As always, Maggie Stiefvater delivers a story that could only come from her unique and wonderful brain. It's atmospheric, engaging, and a little weird in the best possible ways.

That said: it's unlike her YA novels and that seems to be upsetting to some people. If you like her writing, I think you'll enjoy "The Listeners."

Steifvater's adult debut is a departure from her typical brand of fantastical eloquence, grounding both story and prose in the context of a unique historical phenomenon. Steifvater examines the brief, fraught period following the U.S.'s entry into WWII in which Axis diplomats were confined to luxury hotels in the DC area to await repatriation as federal officials negotiated high profile hostage deals. While the Avalon hotel is fictional, it draws inspiration from a series of real-life institutions that played host to dignitaries both caught up and complicit in atrocities.

As I've come to expect from Steifvater, the built & natural environments are evoked in sharp, shining detail. The architectural idiosyncrasies of the hotel and the dense, woodsy shadow of the Blue Ridge mountains are a vivid background that occasionally overshadow a comparatively bland cast. This was a disappointment, as Steifvater's ability to breathe life into her characters is usually a major strength: June and Agent Tucker, however, were intangible and immemorable protagonists.

However, while I found the story an interesting case study of a historical phenomenon, Steifvater's cultural criticism lacked teeth. The story doesn't so much wrestle with the complex ethical issues of being asked to provide a luxury experience to the Nazi sympathizers as it does broadly gesture towards it, acknowledging uncomfortable questions without ever fully reckoning with them. While I don't take issues with a commentary on wealth and class, it says something to me that this is the primary political point, and that the voices we hear from are almost all able-bodied, heterosexual, non-Jewish, and White. Hannelore's story is the closest the novel comes to reckoning with the chilling implications of ongoing events and even this leaves something to be desired.

While I can see where Steifvater was going by largely obscuring the guests' actions and allegiance, coyly hinting at birthday parties thrown for war criminals and favorable articles written about a certain German chancellor, the central message was weakened by lack of a third-act punch back to reality. If the idea is that June loses her rose-tinted perspective on the value of preserving image, of preserving "luxury", at the cost of the truth, so to should the novel. I felt like I was waiting for a penny drop that never came, the final nail in a more meaningful message about the dangers of failing to hold people accountable for terrible things just because they are kind to you specifically.

The Listeners mixes historical fiction with low fantasy and is set in West Virginia from January through April 1942 when the U.S. government takes over several luxury hotels for "the war effort." The Avallon is different from other hotels though as its healing "sweetwater", the mineral water found in the bathing pools, flowing throughout the pipes and filling the fountains, is the fantastical element that enters this world. There is a strong sense of place with a descriptive writing style that made me feel that I was at the Avallon and slowly getting to know General Manager June Hudson, FBI agent Tucker Rye Minnick, the Gilfoyle family, other staff and the "guests" who arrive. Stiefvater writes both lush descriptions and well-crafted dialogue. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy an atmospheric setting, appreciate a slow beginning with a gradually intensifying plot, and prefer reflective characters.
Maggie Stiefvater spent four years doing research for this book, and it felt so authentic. I loved this story and have never read anything quite like it. When I was about 90 percent finished, I didn’t want to put it down but also didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend for book discussion groups!

Hosting diplomatic enemies of The United States in a luxury hotel right after the attacks on Pearl Harbor is a choice certain to raise eyebrows. That it is based on historical accounts makes it even more wild.

The premise of this book was so “out there” that it drew me in immediately. I thought it was speculative fiction until I used my friend Google.

The hotel Avallon was definitely a central character and my favorite part of the story. The descriptions were detailed and I could easily imagine what it would be like to stay there.

The main character, June, capably managed the Avallon through all this craziness. I wish I got to know more of her story.

My one criticism of this story is it didn’t go far enough. Like dipping my toe in the Sweet Water when I wanted to dive in. There seemed to be a distanced between the reader and the action in the story. The writing was interesting, the characters had potential to be interesting and I’m left wanting more but not in a good way. Meh.

Maggie has written a masterful novel that keeps pulling you into the world. This is one of those novels that will read different every single time you read it, providing you with more insights, questions, and perspectives. Maggie is also a master at making the setting of her stories into their own characters. The looming presence of the Avallon and the mercurial spirit of the sweetwater add a magical and ethereal quality to this story that take it to the next level. And the ending provides just enough to be satisfying but little enough that I am begging for more.

June is the GM of the Avallon Hotel, the foremost hotel in luxury stays. After Pearl Harbor, the owner makes the decision to allow the State Department to hold foreign diplomats in the hotel in order to enter negotiations to have Americans returned from countries we are at war with. This throws the hotel into disarray, and June must keep order while also dealing with growing staff deficiencies from the draft. Her people love her, they rely on her, and she has to be strong and gracefully carry them and the hotel through every obstacle.

This is definitely one of the must-reads of the summer. And with quotes such as the one below, how can you resist?
"Everything," he replied. "I want to be what makes you smile when we come home to each other and I want to be what makes you settle under a full moon and I want to be what makes you wild when I'm gone and I want to be what makes you weep when I die and I want to be everything else in between and I want to take you into the world and see it with you, but if it has to be here, then here is where I land."
(this quote is from an advanced copy and may appear differently in the finished copy)

Review goes live May 19