Am I glad I read this book? Yes!
Do I think there were too many characters and plot lines being explored? Perhaps.

I really enjoyed getting to learn about another piece of World War II history, but I did find it hard to stay engaged at times.

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Listeners blends WWII history with magical realism in a slow story set in a luxurious mountain hotel!
June, the manager, is tasked with hosting Axis diplomats.. yes, actual Nazis.. with grace, all while keeping the peace and the hotel’s strange sweetwater under control.

The setting is gorgeous, the writing brings you into the hotel and there’s tension brewing.. But the pacing drags in places, and a few emotional threads don’t hit as hard as they could..
Still, it’s thought provoking, eerie, and unlike anything I’ve read lately. 👀✨

So I picked this up because so many of my friends have read and loved her YA series -- this was very much not young adult fantasy, but I could still tell why so many people love her! The writing is superb, which is helpful because the pace is pretty slow. But her descriptions of the hotel and the explorations of the consequences of our actions shone. Would have preferred a little more insight into the characters, but it's a pretty minor flaw.

Thank you! This was atmospheric and mysterious as Maggie Stifvater has been known for. A small West Virginia hotel becomes the setting for Axis diplomats during WW2. It does a good job of showing the divide in Appalachia and the clientele. I liked the tidbits of the story but often found it slow and hard to connect with the amount of characters/POVs

A relatively minor (though not to those affected) consideration when two nations go to war is what there is to be done with the diplomats. You have hundreds of enemy nationals on your hands, whom you have promised safe passage to, but how to make that happen when you are at war? And what about your own diplomats now in enemy hands?

The answer, when the United States joined World War II, was to stick the Axis diplomats in hotels under guard until arrangements could be made via the Swiss to swap them for the American diplomats in Germany, Japan, and Italy. This was not a quick or simple process, and so these diplomats (and their families, and support staff and *their* families) were left in these hotels for months. Maggie Stiefvater has taken these historical events (and many genuine anecdotes) and crafted a narrative of the fictional Avallon Hotel.

The Avallon is a luxury hotel on a West Virginia mountaintop, clearly inspired by the famous Greenbrier. The chief protagonist is June Hudson, a local who rose to become the hotel’s general manager. The hotel is an outpost of a glitzy, glamorous world far removed from the coal country surrounding it, and though June has thrived as almost an adopted daughter of the rich New York family that owns the Avallon, she is still West Virginian. Her world is turned upside down when, in December 1941, the FBI (led by the co-protagonist, Agent Tucker Minnick) shows up to inform her that hundreds of Axis diplomats are about to be housed in her luxury hotel for an indeterminate length of time. June isn’t happy about this, but she and her staff are very proud of the luxury offered by the Avallon and are determined that will continue whoever her guests are.

And though everyone is being very polite and, well, *diplomatic*, there are tensions. Not all of the Axis nations get along, despite their military alliance. The staff are professionals, and proud to be so, but there are sons and brothers being drafted, and one staff member lost a son already at Pearl Harbor. There are family members of diplomatic staff who have never lived anywhere but America and not happy about being shipped off to Nazi Germany. And even one of the highest ranking German diplomats has a problem: his daughter is nonverbal - I am assuming autistic - and people with mental differences weren’t exactly treated with compassion by the Nazis. He seems convinced his status will protect her, but his wife is far more doubtful.

While all this is playing out, June is dealing with her own status straddling two very different worlds. Agent Minnick, himself of West Virginia coal miner stock, is a complication she doesn’t need. And what is right and wrong, to say nothing of what is treasonous, isn’t so very clear.

So why is this being reviewed as a fantasy book? It’s solidly magical realism. The water in the hotel is known as “sweetwater” - mineral water, supposedly healing, not necessarily sweet at all. The sweetwater is sensitive to the moods of the Avallon, and affects those moods in turn. June has to keep a close eye on the water if she is to keep the Avallon the luxurious place it is meant to be.

My big complaint with this book turned out not to be. For most of the book, it seemed like the author had lost sight of the fact that these are *Nazis* we’re talking about. It’s an easy trap to fall in to - assuming you were someone they were willing to view as fully human, the Nazis could be quite polite and civilized. Most of the staff of the Avallon, and June herself, fit into the Nazi worldview as either Aryan or not far off from it, and therefore getting along is entirely possible. Credit to the author though: she didn’t lose sight of what these people are. Things were just papered over, until they weren’t.

A good read, and a challenging one. Strong recommendation.

This was a tremendous read, and I love the mix of supernatural elements in a historical novel. Bravo, and im happy to spread the word about the best novel I’ve read this year.

Did Not Finish @20%

I have come to realize that The Raven Cycle was a ginormous fluke/on-off for me and will probably be the only books by this author that I really love/enjoy [I have tried so many and none grab me like TRC does], and to be honest, I am really rather sad about that. I truly want to love everything that this author writes.

This was one book I was VERY much looking forward to [because hope springs eternal with authors one WANTS to love], and when I realized, at 20%, that I was bored out of my mind, hadn't engaged at ALL with any of the characters *OR* the story [which typically would be 100% in my wheelhouse], and couldn't wait for today's reading to finally be finished, I knew that this book, unfortunately, is just not for me, and this realization has come with some real disappointment. I wanted to love this so much, but alas, it is not to be.

I was invited to read/review this by the publisher [PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin/Viking] and I thank them, the author, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

June’s top pick for LibraryReads. This follows Joan, the manager of a resort hotel in West Virginia. Life is good until the U.S. is pulled into WWII and the hotel's only guests are detained Axis diplomats. While Joan is very good at keeping secrets, this adds strain on the staff and the hotel’s tenuous balance with the local waters. Spooky, thoughtful, and a wonderful audiobook too.

Maggie Stiefvater is one of my favorite authors. The Raven Cycle and The Scorpio Races were so formative for me, I will basically follow her anywhere. When I first saw the description for her adult debut, The Listeners, I was a little surprised by the direction. I shouldn’t have been though because Maggie puts her magic into everything she writes and this is no exception.

Maggie has such a way with characters and this is where The Listeners shines. June Hudson is the general manager and caretaker of The Avallon Hotel & Spa and it is up to her to help guide the hotel through its most difficult stage yet when war comes to the Avallon. When the aristocratic family that owns the hotel makes a secret deal with the state department to house Axis diplomats, June must treat the enemy like they are wealthy guests at the hotel. June attempts to handle this newest challenge as capably as ever but the magical Sweetwater that flows through the Appalachian mountains and through the hotel may have other ideas.

The book also follows FBI agent Tucker Minnick and others as they navigate this difficult time of secrets and sacrifice and the cost of luxury and listening.

This is a book of people and survival and restraint and while it might not be for everyone, if you love Maggie’s atmospheric writing and soft characters doing their best then I definitely recommend you take this journey to the Avallon.

Set just after Pearl Harbor, at a West Virginia luxury resort which has been taken over by the government to serve as a internment camp for foreign enemy diplomats, VIPs, and their families.

June Porter, trusted general manager of the Avallon luxury hotel, is used to giving guests what they want, even before they know they want it. Her guests have included powerful businessmen, presidents, and other members of the rich and famous. She runs a tight ship, and her entire staff, from maintenance to chef, know how to provide the best service in the country.

In January after Pearl Harbor, America is at war and Washington must round up hundreds of VIP prisoners of war and their families to await deportation. Where better to maintain a semblance of respect than to house these people in style at resorts like the Avallon. The hope is that Americans trapped behind enemy lines will receive the same good treatment.

June has hired a diverse staff and many are uncomfortable with their new "guests," especially the Nazi sympathizers. Yet, the staff remains professional, trying to put personal issues aside to keep the hotel running smoothly. At the same time, FBI and other government agents are also at the Avallon, keeping an eye on the prisoners and doing some espionage work.

So that's the gist of the novel. But within the walls of the Avallon, many people are listening: guests, staff, owners, and law enforcement alike. The story relies heavily on the setting and is primarily a character-driven novel that reveals a piece of American history that many of us are unaware of.

I liked the diversity of characters, their motivations, and their conflicts. I love Stiefvater's writing style, and I took note of several passages to include in my reading journal. I learned a lot about the running of a luxury hotel, the contrast between back and front of house, and the push and pull between various government organizations.

The ending was a little too neat, but I was okay with that. Note: There is a magical realism theme running throughout the novel.

The author's note at the end provides the historical context for this story, noting that, although the Avallon isn't real, the government did indeed take over resorts for military purposes.

The audiobook was performed by one of my go-to narrators. Erin Bennett is terrific with keeping the story moving, respecting the author's writing style, and capturing the characters' personalities. I always love her work.

Thanks to PRH Audio for the review copy.

Set in West Virginia, in the heart of coal country, The Avallon is a hotel of the highest luxury. The Avallon is lovingly maintained by General Manager June Hudson, an orphan who was informally adopted by the owners and staff of the library due to her innate skill with the special water that runs through the hotel and grounds. June believes in creating luxury at The Avallon and has fostered an environment where the outside world does not affect the standards of The Avallon.

The sweetwater of West Virginia is what makes The Avallon, and the book itself, a unique experience and has propelled June to the heights of hotel aristocracy, though not without significant personal costs. The water cannot go bad; its semi-sentience must be kept happy, and devastation is an ever present possibility. Whenever the water begins to seep into the hotel, June must submerge herself in the waters and give up all of her positive emotions for the wellbeing and happiness of the hotel guests. This speculative element really helps the book to shine beyond a traditional historical fiction novel.

It is into this delicate ecosystem for the wealthy that the war effort invades. An influx of FBI men and foreign diplomats are brought to The Avallon to await their return to their countries of origin. The workers of The Avallon are not too pleased to be waiting on those whose countries are killing their sons. While before the occupations or political proclivities of the guests did not matter to the staff, the boundaries of The Avallon are beginning to crumble under the realities of war.

The arrival of the diplomats also brings a young German girl named Hannelore to The Avallon. This young girl has never spoken and her mother is worried that her being nonverbal will make her the target of the Nazi euthanasia program if she returns with them to Germany. Can June, the woman who can foresee every desire and create luxury even during rationing, find a way for Hannelore to be spared? Is June willing to acknowledge that who people are outside of the hotel matters? Or that she too could leave the hotel if she wished?

Ultimately, this brilliant book asks us to think about all of the things we sacrifice to create community and what luxuries might we give up for the sake of doing what is good.

Maggie Stiefvater you are a genius. I had the pleasure of meeting Maggie at an event in 2017, for which my mother checked me out of school. She allowed us to spray paint her car and I felt like the coolest kid on Earth. Since then, I have read every book that Maggie has written, and my mother bought me Maggie's tarot cards. I say all of this to say that I was ecstatic to receive an advanced copy of her first Adult book.

As always, she has an insane grasp on both the English language and the vibe of Appalachia. From the start, I loved the reverence with which the Sweetwater was treated by June. I think my favorite magical realism stems from a reverence for nature and the traditions and superstitions of those who came before you. I was engaged through the entire book, whether in June's day to day tasks around the hotel or the slow burn romance in the background. I loved the setting, the auxiliary cast, the slow ramp up to the main plot.

I don't know exactly who to recommend this book for other than for readers who love language. I think you would be doing yourself a disservice to miss this book.

***Thank you to Viking for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

The writing in The Listeners felt very reminiscent of The Raven Cycle. So, obviously, I was completely enamored with it from the very start. Stiefvater just has the ability to make a setting come to life in such a unique way. She managed to make the Avallon feel like a character all its own that I was invested in getting to know. My only qualm with the world-building was the sweetwater. It was an interesting concept, but I never got a good sense of how it worked, its origin, or really any of the particulars behind its use. It’s also important to note that readers shouldn’t go into this story expecting a ton of magic. The sweetwater is the only magic it’s got.

I found the time period of The Listeners to be so fascinating. I never knew that foreign diplomats during World War 2 were detained at luxury hotels until they were repatriated to their home countries. The story did a really good job of showing how difficult it would be to serve people on the other side of the war who were likely complicit in killing your own drafted loved ones. It was also interesting how the characters utilized luxury to keep tensions from boiling over while also making it a mask for subterfuge.

The story in The Listeners also focused heavily on class struggle. The staff of the hotel, as well as main characters June and Tucker, all come from humble backgrounds. Imagery weaved through the story really highlighted how the lie of luxury survives based entirely on the backs of the lower classes. Without the tireless work and sacrifices of those that lack wealth, the fun, beauty, and extravagance of the upper class would cease to exist. The story also illustrated that June could never really be one of them, no matter how hard she worked to preserve the facade in which the rich lived day to day.

The plot of The Listeners did take quite a while to take off because of the heavy focus on establishing the characters and setting. I enjoyed it because of my interest in the historical events taking place and the beauty of the writing. However, the slow pace likely won’t appeal to everyone. I did struggle a bit with connecting to the characters at first, as well, but they each came into their own by the end. So, if you’re not in the mood for a slow story with characters who gradually gain depth, maybe put this one off for another time.

All in all, The Listeners was a great adult debut for Stiefvater. The writing was beautiful and brought the historical setting to life brilliantly. I never knew I needed a story about a hotel during World War 2, but apparently, I did. lol. The pace was probably a bit too languid at times, and I’d have loved to get more history and info on the magical element. However, the plot, characters, and themes really did end up working well by the end. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Mggie Stiefvater’s The Listeners exceeded my expectations! I’ve read all of her titles, and fall into her well crafted worlds each time. The atmosphere can actually be felt as if you are there. The individual characters are so well constructed that I’m totally immersed in them. What a rich tapestry she built! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me permission to thoroughly indulge myself with this book. I especially enjoyed the sweetwater as a character. The authors writing brought it to life for me! The surprise twists and turns were so much fun!
I’ve been sharing this title and author by word of mouth. Mostly by text and email as I’ve recently broken my left ankle and toe on my right foot! Blessed to have friends with book clubs who use social media. I get the word spread!

Set in 1942 in the luxury hotel The Avalon in West Virginia, the general manager June is faced with a challenge. The State Department has filled the hotel with foreign guests, people they do not know what to do with and who don’t want to be there. She has to deal with staff who are not thrilled and federal agents, in addition to the somewhat magical and temperamental waters flowing around the hotel. Filled with a weird history, some quirky characters and many secrets!

This book was interesting and inventive. It took too long to get to the resolution, esp when we knew which man she would end up with. The waters were vague in the beginning and piqued my interest, but then we never really got to know what their deal was.

The Avallon is a luxury hotel in the wilds of West Virginia. Under the care of general manager June Hudson, the hotel has thrived through the depression. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the Avallon is to house diplomats from Axis countries. Neither June nor her staff are happy about the change, but they make the best of it, giving the "guests" an unforgettable experience. Behind the scenes is FBI agent Tucker Minnick, who has secrets of his own.

I'm a fan of Maggie Stiefvater from her Young Adult novels. This is her first adult book. The slightly magical world of the Avallon is wonderful and captivating. While the book is fiction, hotel's hosting enemy diplomats is a forgotten piece of history and very interesting. Avallon reveals itself throughout the book. While on the surface everything is perfect, still waters run deep.

I love Stiefvater's writing style and this was definitely an interesting topic that I enjoyed learning about. The plot was a little all over the place, but the atmosphere was on point and lush and engaging.

June works hard as she always has at a hotel in West Virginia. In 1942, the hotel owners make a deal with the state department to house Nazis in the hotel. There is also an FBI agent listening to everything going on in the hotel. Can they keep everything from crashing down around them? You'll have to read to find out. What a ride!

June, a local turned manager, has done everything to turn the Avalion in to a premier spot to be. But when the family make a deal with the government she is at their mercy no matter how she feels about it. The deal, that foreign diplomats and such that they be sent to Avalion to wait out the war. June’s toughest job now is getting staff to treat these people like others that visit the hotel, even though many have loved ones overseas fighting this war against them.
This was a very interesting book a side I had not heard of as of yet. I found it very interesting to see that others finally found out that not everybody from a country or what ever agree with the choices that are made in their behalf being a person of a country. This book has a great story line and wonderful characters. It has some suspense and even so action for being out in the middle of nowhere. This is a great book I hope the author continues writing for all ages.