All the Murmuring Bones

'All the Murmuring Bones’ is a beautifully atmospheric tale, winding folklore and fantasy together to create something dark and gothic. There are family secrets, lapsed bargains, a crumbling fortune – and at the heart of it all, a young woman who just wants to be free. The tale winds slowly, filled with lingering descriptions, painting a vivid picture tinged with the salt of the sea.

Miren’s grandmother, Aoife, is the last of the O’Malley’s – a family who prospered due to a bargain struck with the mer. All their ships would have safe passage across the sea in return for one child sacrificed per generation. However, pride in the bloodline has become their downfall – generations of intermarriage have left producing enough healthy children impossible, with Aoife only able to bare one child. With the bargain broken, the legacy is collapsing: the O’Malley fortune has dwindled to nothing. Miren is left to bare the burden of the family misfortune. Trapped by her grandmother’s scheming, Miren desperately seeks a way out – but in a family full of secrets, there’s only so far she can go.

Miren makes an excellent protagonist. Shrewd and determined, she fights for what she wants the quiet way – biding her time, outwardly appearing to acquiesce whilst secretly gathering information and plotting her next move. She’s spent her entire life under her grandmother’s thumb, experiencing cool disinterest rather than warm affection – but she loves her family, and wars with contrasting desires to protect the family legacy and tear down every root of it. She has her weaknesses – but she knows them, every last flaw, and she turns them into weapons. Miren might not outwardly seem like the most special or talented woman, but if there’s someone you don’t want as your enemy then it’s her.

The writing takes a little time to adjust to, but once it draws you in it’s exquisite. The first chapters are packed with dense descriptions, and the plot ambles around them like a man picking his way through the fog – but eventually, the book ensnares you and leaves you enraptured. This is very much a novel about atmosphere rather than plot. The story is solid – an arranged marriage in exchange for a fortune, a secret kept for decades, a journey full of magical creatures and ethereal encounters – but not what lingers. Instead, it’s the eerie images of mer watching on from the sea, witches hiding behind herbs and smiles, ghosts of abandoned cottages preying on weary travellers, that make this book what it is.

There’s also an element of story within a story. The O’Malleys have a book of stories, passed down through generations. There are tales of dealing with the mer, of selkies giving up their pelts, of witchcraft and herblore and – above all – the importance of family. It’s never clear how much is fact and how much fiction, but Miren grew up with these stories and remembers them in times of hardship. They’re a source of comfort – the O’Malleys are children of the sea, and the sea protects its own. Each story is as beautiful as the tale which contains them, and they add a wonderful extra element.

The main weakness ‘All the Murmuring Bones’ has is the same thing which creates its lingering atmosphere, and that’s the descriptions. It takes a long time to get past the pages and pages of description and settle into the story, and even once there, it can detract from key moments of the plot. Personally, I found this a very minor thing – the writing is beautiful, and I adore books which create an atmosphere – but I suspect some readers will find it too slow going and tedious. If you’re the sort of reader who wants action to create tension, this isn’t the book for you.

Overall, ‘All the Murmuring Bones’ is a delightfully gothic tale that would feel right at home in a book of fairytales from several centuries ago. Recommended for fans of eerie stories and classical folklore: especially those which focus on the quiet power of women who have been wronged.

I'm glad I stuck with this, because I was not feeling it in the beginning. It came off as dry, boring even, and left me wondering if it would ever get interesting. I would recommend some editing to make the beginning more enjoyable and to make the reader want to continue and be invested in the story.

When the journey finally begins and pieces start clicking into place with those aha moments, you realize what a darkly beautiful story this is. I love when a book surprises me, and there were some things that happened that I didn't predict or expect, which makes the shocking reveal even more exciting.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Miren O’Malley was orphaned as a young child and brought up by her grandparents on their isolated, rambling estate, Hob’s Hallow. Long ago her family prospered due to a deal struck with the mer: safety for their merchant ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and their fortunes have suffered as a result.

This book is very dark, twisty, and full of supernatural mystery! This book is a book within a book with all the stories shared from Miren's family book. It has a lovely home/comfort feel to it. If you like anything with witches, mermaids, or supernatural, then this is a good start!

The beginning was a struggle - possibly needs editing/tweaking as the flow does not seem right and may put others off or stop reading. I would not say there was a real structure either and often flows all over. Despite all of this, it is still worth sticking with and reading.

All the Murmuring Bones is considered to be a dark gothic fairytale following the O'Malleys, the once-powerful family.

The O'Malleys' prosperity is the fruition of the bargain with the Merfolk: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation.

However, the O'Malleys' bloodline faltered and their power and wealth started to decline as they ceased to do their part of the bargain. Every new generation of the family stopped offering a child of theirs and in turn their own bloodline is on the verge of extinction

It wasn't until Aoife O'Malley made up her mind about restoring the O'Malley's glory through her granddaughter, Miren.

18-year-old Miren O'Malley is the last O'Malley daughter and her grandmother has kept her in isolation to keep her pure for the marriage mart. Abandoned by her parents when she was little, Miren cares little about restoring her family's glory and detests the matrimonial project her grandmother is forcing her into. Especially if she is engaged to an ambitious and greedy man like <b>Aidan Fitzpatrick</b> who wants nothing but to assert his dominance and take the reins of Miren's life.

Miren begins to suspect the mystery surrounding her parents' deaths, if they are actually dead, and it set in motion Miren's journey towards uncovering the dark truths and mysteries tied to her family.

Whatever soul I might have, O'Malley though I might be, it is mine and I'll not sell it at any price.

I think the premise of this book set my expectations way too high that I found myself sorely disappointed with how the story turned out.

It wasn't that the story was not good or did not have great potential... but it's just that the story lost me many times.

It was a struggle to get through some chapters and when I am getting less invested in the story and more focused on getting through some pages to see what happens later, that shows that there wasn't much that I enjoyed.

There were some gripping moments but they did not make up for the overall boring experience that I had with this book.

It had an amazing potential if it were not for how heavy and erratic the flow of the story was. There were some really heavy chapters to get through especially the earlier ones. I was expecting more fantastical elements within the story, it felt disjointed with the story.

It felt to me that the author neglected creating a connection between the heroine and the reader and thus I was not really into the heroine's journey.

But I have to praise the eerie and dark atmosphere the author creates because I liked that.

I think it's fair to give it a 3-star rating.

When I read the premise for this book it had me excited but unfortunately It didn’t live up to what I expected from it. The concept is good but in the end it just didn’t connect with me.

The storey is about a girl called Miren O’Malley who is the last first born daughter of the family and who’s grandmother hopes to use her to re-instate a bargain that was struck with the sea many generations ago and restore the family’s wealth and fortune.

The writing although clear to read and understand felt disjointed and slow paced in places. And some events that take place feel like they have no impact on the plot of the book, for example there is a night where Miren stays the night in a cabin and has an encounter with 3 men. There was no connection between them and the main plot, it felt like it was filler with no purpose.

What I did like was the ‘fairy tale’ story’s spliced throughout the book. It made the ‘deal’ seem more real and old and gave the story a dark fairytale feel.

People who like dark fairy tales, mermaids and lost family would like this book but I just didn’t connect with it and felt there could have been more too it, it could have been darker and the ‘bargain’ harder to break or be more intricate.

The disc riot ion of this book called it a fairytale and gothic, I don’t think I’d describe this as gothic

Review will be posted to good reads in March

A haunting, dark, gothic fairy-tale journey. Angela Slatter weaves a tale of the sea, mythic creatures, magic, silver, loss, abandonment, and family secrets into a story that keeps you turning the pages. It is also the story of one woman's fight to live her life on her terms and not that of others. You are pulled into Miren's life and that of the O'Malley's, a once proud and wealthy family who have fallen on hard times. Then you begin to find out that the O'Malley's aren't quite like any other families having made a bargain with the sea that has brought them riches and in equal measure, sacrifices. Miren is the last female O'Malley and her grandmother will do anything to bring fortune back to the family including marrying Miren to her devious cousin Aidan. Miren will do anything to get away from Aidan and a marriage she doesn't want and a family tragedy gives her the impetuous to run away. The journey Miren embarks on reveals long kept family secrets and forces Miren to face the truth of her own past and what lengths she will go to to escape that past.

This story is a wonderful blend of fairy tale stories and magic, and I really loved the O'Malley stories that Miren tells from the family book. You will recognize familiar themes from tales like Grimm's fairy tales and others and it makes for such a spooky, stark and at times creepy soundtrack to this inventive story. Through these tales the story explores so many themes of loss, strength, abandonment, and the willingness to let things go. Miren is a strong woman who decides she will not let her families past determine all that she will be. The characters are captivating, fully realized and the world that has been created here is marvelous. Some of my favorite parts were the automaton Delphine and the kelpie horse. Magic always has a price and the price that the O'Malley"s have paid over time is devastating. Such a gripping, yet at times sad story that will surely stay with you long after the last page. Recommended for readers who enjoy gothic, dark, stories involving magic, mythical creatures and journeys of self discovery. A wonderful tale.

Rating: 3.5

I was really keen on reading this one because in the blurb they compared it to the writing of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden. I would say that the styling was more on par with Naomi Novik’s but can definitely see Arden’s work in the myths that were told throughout the book.

This is a dark gothic fairytale about mer and the secrets one family has kept over the years. Miren has spent her life being raised by her grandparents. It hasn’t always been easy and it becomes even harder when her grandmother wants her to marry her cousin so they can try to restore the name of O’Malley. This brings on a lot of drama and the unraveling of secrets kept quiet for so long.

Miren is definitely a young woman who knows what she wants. She wants to create her own life and will do anything to keep it that way. I admired her spirit and drive.

I wouldn’t say that there is much character development and the minor characters are just that, minor. The story is more driven by the plot with the telling of the myths and the drama of the family.

At times the pacing can be slow and there isn’t much excitement to be found. The thrilling, dark moments were mostly in the last half of the book, which was my favorite section of the book. The first half has a lot of information and although it is necessary sometimes it just felt like a lot.

Overall, this was a good book even though I had a few issues with it. If you like the work of Novik or Arden, I would recommend checking this one out. Sorry the review is shorter. I think it’s better for this one to go in knowing as little like I did!

cw: This book deals with sexual assault, rape, parental neglect, murder (of both children and adults), and general violence.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the mixture of mystery and adventure, magic and realism, darkness and light. When this book hooked me, I read through until the end and was so pleased with the entire arc of the story. I thought the characters were full and the plot exciting and unpredictable.

This book follows Miren, an 18-year-old young woman who has been living in her families old estate on the shores of the ocean with her aging grandparents and servants. Her family is deeply in debt due to the fact that their luck suddenly stopped some years ago. This world we enter is one of magic, but Slatter doesn't spend much time at the start explaining this to us. Instead we become aware of the ways in which this world is different than ours slowly, by seeing magic through Miren's eyes. (Side note: Any book with a mermaid tale on the front is one I will read and I was NOT DISAPPOINTED WITH THE MERMAIDS in this book which is RARE.)

I like Gothic Lit books, so while some said the beginning was slow, I found it to be predictable in that style and I really enjoyed it. The blurb compares this book to Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik which is why I originally picked it up. I would say that it is darker and more twisty than both of these authors, even Novik at her darkest. It also does not have a traditional love story in it which I found very refreshing ("We do not need our female led fantasy to have a love interest to be invested in her story" is a strong slogan for 2021. I also loved that Miren has sex in this book and it has nothing to do with her need for protection. In fact Miren is never "rescued" in this book which I love).

I love how this book read like a dark fairytale, with brief vignettes shared throughout the tale. I didn't start loving this book and being unable to put it down until Miren starts on her journey (about 40% of the way in). Even Miren's journey reads like that of a hero embarking on a quest, meeting foes and trials along her way. About 20% of the novel is Miren on this quest, and then the final 40% of the book she is at her destination.

Miren as a character flummoxed me for the first section of this book. I couldn't get a handle on who she was or what motivated her, but I think this is partially because she doesn't come into herself until she is traveling on her own. By the end of the book I was ready to follow her into countless additional books if this author would write them for me. All in all, I highly recommend this one and am so excited to talk to others who have read it when it comes out.

I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Other families might have stories of curses, cold lads and white ladies, but we have old gods, merfolk, and monsters” (p. 29)

“He says he loves me. But I am wary of love. He says he needs me. And I am weary of need. He is hurt when I don’t reply in kind; I’ve been finding he’s easily hurt. But he is gentle so I say something I hope he will one day understand. ‘I don’t need you,’ I saw, ‘I want you. That should be enough. That should be better because it means I’ve made a choice.’ Perhaps one day he will understand” (p. 289)

A family crumbling, a debt that is owed, and the last blood heir struggling to not only survive her family’s dark traditions but to gain her own freedom and unearth the secrets of her family. The story follows the O’Malley family, once filled with riches, but the secret to their wealth was sacrificing a child from each generation to the merfolk in exchange. The family is growing smaller and smaller, with each generation slowly dwindling and not paying the merfolk they have become poor and in debt. Miren is the last O’Malley child, though barely with enough blood. Her grandmother hopes to sell her into an arranged marriage, with or without her consent, in order to rebuild the riches of the O’Malley family and force her to have children to pay back the merfolk and restore their family glory, Miren has other plans. Throw in family secrets, the pains of tradition, murder, and a girl who will stop at nothing to gain her freedom. This is a beautiful grim and gothic fairy tale filled with magical creatures, strong women, and dark family secrets. I loved Miren as a protagonist. She was strong and silent, her rage simmering, her will power and her strength to do whatever it took to just be left alone and at peace. She clawed her way to her freedom and she would not let anyone control her. This was a magical story and one that blew my expectations.

(Quotes taken from a advanced reader copy)

*Thanks Netgalley and Titan Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

All the Murmuring Bones was a true gothic fairy tale. It's a bit slow and meandering, which will make it hard for some people to stick with the story, but I felt like it is worth persevering to uncover the full tale. It reminded me of classic Robin McKinley and Naomi Novik with minimal romance.

Content warning: murder, abuse, incest (O'Malley tradition to keep the bloodlines pure), child sacrifice

Miren O'Malley's family was incredibly prosperous due to a pact made with the mer which guaranteed good fortune as long as the family sacrified one of their children in each generation, but their luck has dwindled as the limited number of children in recent years has kept them from upholding their end of the bargain. Miren's grandmother is determined to bring the family back to what it was even if it means sacrificing Miren to a loveless marriage, so Miren must find a way to change her fate and find a better future for herself. Along the way, she uncovers family secrets, encounters numerous creatures from folklore, and learns what being an O'Malley truly means.

This story has such a great sense of Ireland and its folklore which was honestly my favorite part. Women using small magics based on hearth and home abounded, and there were numerous creatures from Irish mythology including kelpies, selkies, and of course, the mer. A.G. Slatter did a fantastic job developing the sense of place so I could easily picture the O'Malley home and all of the places Merin visits over the course of the story.

The biggest weakness to the story is honestly its length. It's a decently long book, but it felt VERY long when I was reading. Although I enjoyed the time spent getting to know characters and building the setting, it does make the plot progress slowly. The plot picks up about a 1/4-1/3 of the way in, but the slow start may be off-putting to some readers.

As another reviewer noted, the ending wraps up nicely if a little too neatly. I really liked how Miren developed over the course of the book and thought her ending was very solid, but having everything get taken care of so quickly at the end felt rushed especially after the pace of the rest of the book.

Overall, this is a solid gothic fairy tale with a very interesting plot, a wonderous setting, and complex characters. The story's pacing may keep casual readers from fully enjoying it, but I think it will be a good option for people wanting a fantasy story similar to classic Robin McKinley with all of its grim and dark parts.

Once upon a time, there was a girl in an old house, surrounded by old legends, and songs, and promises. Her name was Miren O’Malley, the last of them all. The O’Malleys had been a prosperous family. Too prosperous, if one believes what was told about them. But time had not been kind, and the last of the O’Malleys could be the one to pay the price.
Once upon a time, there was a girl in an old house, surrounded by blood, death and whispers. And all she wanted was her freedom…

I can’t really say what made me choose ‘All the Murmuring Bones’ among all the readings I had in mind for this year. One could say there really was a mermaid song singing specifically to me. And even if the singing kind of faded towards the ending, I am really happy I made this choice.

I can say without any doubt that the first chapter, the story of the O’Malley family, was one of the best beginnings I read in a while. It set the tone to perfection, made me as a reader become involved with the fate of some people that were suddenly (in just a couple of pages!) very interesting to me. I loved to learn about their prosperous days, but also about the beginning of the end.

And then, Miren was presented to me, and I was very intrigued, because I wasn’t sure whether she would be able to fulfil all that I wanted in a protagonist after such a presentation, but she was, and she also surprised me more than once. And I believe she surprised herself as well, a trait that made her more real than any other character in the novel. Some of them kind of felt like drawings left unfinished, which is curious if we bear in mind the length of the story.
The pace changed a lot as well. The beginning was amazing, left me as a reader unable to put the book down. I just wanted to know more, wanted to see more. I was discovering a world that seemed quite similar to ours, but had some characteristics that made it irresistible. The mythology was rich and presented in little drops. Just in the perfect moment.

However, it reached a moment when the story began to drag, to feel too slow. Sadly, I must admit it took a toll in my reading and in my involvement with the story and when it got interesting again it felt kind of rushed, and left me with a bittersweet savour when the end arrived.

Nevertheless, I think I’d love to come back to this world, to find out more about its creatures and its people. And I would not mind if Miren was there to show me first-hand.

A very entertaining read and a good example of original gothic folklore and fantasy!

A prosperous, influential, and highly-respected family of sea-traders and merchant kings has fallen into destitution, now reduced to a single household holding sway over nothing in a crumbling pile maintained only by a skeleton staff. When Miren, the youngest of the main branch of the family, finds herself embroiled in a plot to renew the family's glory in ways she does not agree with whatsoever, she discovers information that leads her on a journey putting her in contact with all sorts of interesting characters and perilous situations.

One minor issue I had with this story was that it felt like sometimes it lingered overlong on certain segments, which may be more of a personal taste issue than something the book itself is at fault for. The narrative also really does take place over a decent amount of geography, and sometimes I felt like the focus wandered from time to time, though the character interactions remain strong throughout.

Overall, a great read.

All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter is a gem! A mesmerising fairy-tale like fantasy novel, peppered with uncanny watery faibles. It is the best book I have read in a very long time, I savoured it and I am still completely under the spell. I cannot recommend it enough!

We follow Miren, brought up in a decrepit mansion by the iron fist of her grandmother. She is the unique heir of a cursed family who owns their fortune to their bloody worship of the sea, and who might have sprang from the ghoulish mermaids themselves. The threats to Miren are multiple and dire. But she is a very strong 16 year old. Yes, this might be a YA novel but its depth, writing style, complexe storyline has nothing to envy from its breatherens in adult fiction. In fact, I think it goes beyond age jugement - it is a fantastic book, and despite her young age, Miren has the strong personality, reflections and the maturity of a grown woman. I really loved reading her story, thought process, and see her extricate herself from the most impossible situations.

The fairy tale elements are very much linked to the water world, from the sea to the fresh water encounters during her journey. Water almost becomes a character and we feel its dark crushing mysterious presence throughout. It is so very well weaved into the story, and manages to create so much tension. In fact after the first chapter the tension never leaves. You are caught in a grip, trapped like Miren and you feel like you are trying to kick your way out of it yourself.

This was such a great read I just let myself be carried by the prose. For once I didn’t want to pry at the seams to understand how the whole plot fitted together. I loved getting carried by the ups and downs and the adventures in the novel. The twists and turns and roller coasters are numerous and you cannot escape the suffocating tension. This is not a fairy tale for those who enjoy bright romances basked in magic. There is a lot of magic here, but it is the kind that keeps you keeps you awake and scared.

If you love mermaids, the type that eat people and turn to foam, fairy tale warnings with hungry monsters, bad deals and children abandoned in the dark, if you love historical fantasy and witchcraft then this is a book for you. I know I couldn't put it down and will be thinking about it for a long time.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book. Miren is such a strong character. It’s easy to root for her when so much has gone wrong with her family. My favorite part is all the tales being told. I would love to have an additional book that just went through all the O’Malley stories.

“There’s an old woman, though, with plans and plots of long gestation; and there’s the sea, which will have her due, come hell or high water; and there are secrets and lies which never stay buried forever.”

For generation upon generation, the O’Malley family has prospered in their sprawling mansion on the granite cliffs of Hob’s Head. Their dynasty was borne of the sea: their history is murky (not by the whim of chance), and their fortune came at a price: an agreement with the Mer that, in return for the family’s prosperity and safety on the water, an O’Malley child of every generation would be sacrificed to the sea.

Time moves on, and promises are neglected. When Miren is born, she is the last of her line. Abandoned by her parents, and raised by her grandparents in the decaying mansion, she plans to leave Hob’s Hallow and let the O’Malley name die with her. Her grandmother, Aoife, has other ideas, however: she plans to marry Miren off, and use her children to reinstate the compact with the Mer. The O’Malleys will regain what is rightfully theirs, whether Miren agrees or not.

All the Murmuring Bones is a gothic fairy tale of dark covenants and magic, secrets, and betrayal. Miren’s attempt to escape the life planned for her reveals creatures from a rich tapestry of folklores, unlikely allies, and undeserved enemies.

The story gets off to quite an atmospheric but slow start, but does improve slightly once we get into the meat of the story. I found it to be over-long: the combination of the pace and the sheer level of detail just made the plot drag, and there are whole stretches of narrative where nothing happens, all described in painstaking detail. I found the depth of characterisation to be off, too. Some relatively minor characters are given great detail, but some main characters are left as two-dimensional ciphers.

With more finesse and heavier editing, I think this could have been a great story. Sadly, as it is, it just didn’t hit the spot for me.

I received an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Solid, gothic-ish story about the last scion born to a decaying house, the parents she never knew, and her escape from a marriage she doesn’t want. She’s surrounded by death and varying takes on mermaid and Gaelic mythos. There’s a fair few tropes this plays into, and while there’s only so deep the characterization goes, it’s a solid read and manages to wrap up fairly well. Definitely worth a look when it comes out.

A gothic fairy tale.

All the murmuring bones was a really refreshing take on fairy tales. I loved the world it was set in - an almost Victorian era world full of magic and fantastical creatures. I would have loved the book to explore more of these other creatures as they sounded so interesting.

"There’s an old woman, though, with plans and plots of long gestation; and there’s the sea, which will have her due, come hell or high water; and there are secrets and lies which never stay buried forever."

This book really touches on how women were just there to be married off, unite families and produce children 'back in the day'. Our protagonist does not want this life for herself and shuns the society norms early on in the book. I liked the fact that she was a girly character, who did enjoy dresses and typically female hobbies, as often books with female characters who push against the norm are usually tom boy characters.

"Love is a barbed hook and family the line to which it is tied. It digs deep and sometimes trying to remove it entirely does more damage than simply leaving the obstruction beneath the skin for a scar to grow over."

The story was interesting and I could certainly picture this as a movie with all of the fascinating characters and places. I felt I wanted to spend a little longer in some of these areas. Some of the twists I could see coming but there was a few surprise ones too. The style of writing was also very palatable and it was easy to read big chunks of the book in one sitting.

All in all I did really enjoy this book and if you're a lover of fairy tales then I think you will too. I would have liked to know more about the other creatures, perhaps with the main character having to battle them/overcome them as obstacles etc.

A haunting and beautiful tale about families, ghosts and grief. We follow Aoife and Miren O’Malley, and their family full of secrets. They face destitution after a mysterious ruinous past. After Aoife’s passing, Miren embarks on a magical adventure that takes the reader on such a journey! I loved every page. I loved Miren’s desire for answers, family and to be away from those who sought to chain her.

I loved that the entire story is peppered with other tales. We see mermaids, trolls, sea kelpies, and the like, and they rear their heads to remind us of the sheer brilliance of the fantastical landscape that Slatter has created. This book truly took me to another place. Simply stunning.

A house sit's perched on the granite cliffs of Hob's Head home to the O'Malley's a once prosperous family. It is said that long ago the family struck a bargain with the Mer; prosperity and the safety of their ships in exchange for child from each generation given to the sea. Over the years the family was unable to keep their end of the bargain leaving the family near destitute. Miren O'Malley, the closest to pure blood, is seen as her grandmother Aoife's last chance to restore their family’s former glory. With a plan to use Miren's freedom as payment she makes a plan but Eighteen-year-old Miren decides to control her own destiny. Miren sets out on a journey to find something she though lost but danger lurks around every corner and her families past debts still need to be paid.

All the Murmuring Bones is a beautifully written and enchanting dark fairy tale full of magic and myth. As a child, Miren was captivated with the tales of mer-creatures, witches, and ghosts read to her from an old family book. She soon discovers the stories held truth as well as an unusual family history. She encounters several magical creatures along her journey to discover the truth about her origins. A strong feminist tale in which a young woman fights to control her own destiny by escaping her family and those who wish to control her. I love fantasy creatures, especially dark gothic tales so this novel was pure pleasure filled with mermaids, selkies, kelpies, ghosts, witches, and more. This dark fantasy does include sensitive topics including the murder of children and adults, physical abuse, marriage between close relations/incest, and sex. Although these topics may be sensitive, I felt that they were relevant to the plot. This novel has been one of my favorite reads of 2021 and I can’t wait to add it to my personal library once released. I look forward to reading more novels by this author in the future.

Book Review for All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

I started to read this on a cold, snowy, Colorado day. It was perfect.
I’ve said this probably a million times lately, but books that take place on ships are really giving me life lately. Add in mermaids, and you have me set.
Problem was, there really wasn’t a lot of ships on the high seas or mermaids.
The premise for this sounded so intriguing and I went in thinking I would love this.
I did like the story, but I think I was expecting something a little different.
It starts off kind of lackluster, so I couldn’t get into it for awhile.
Then the pacing felt a little off. Some chapters were quick and fascinating, and then the next would be dense.
I definitely thought there would be more fantastical elements throughout this.
It’s certainly written beautifully, but I do kind of wish we focused more on the fairy tale aspects.

Because English isn't my mothertongue it was hard to really get into the story. It is written in an older version of the English language and thus a little bit harder to read. But that use of the english language kinda set the mood for the book wich I really liked. I liked the combination of history and fantasy elements. I really loved Miren as a character and her development. Suprising and fun book.

All the Murmuring Bones
Author: A. G. Slatter
Publisher: Titan Books
Page count: 368pp
Release date: 8th April

For those new to Slatter, she writes horror, fantasy and urban fantasy - I particularly recommend Vigil - under her full name, Angela Slatter. She is not new to this writing business. And the thing that I’ve noticed throughout her work, is her inventive use of mythology and fairy tale to create something new and exciting.
In All the Murmuring Bones, she tackles the mer-folk, selkies and well-known fairy tales surrounding those myths.
In this novel, The O’Malley’s are a family who have dealt with the sea including associated industries for centuries. They are intimidating and powerful and always get their way.
At the start, they took ownership of the land by Hob’s Head, near Breakwater, built a tower which soon became a large estate and called it Hob’s Hallow. They were making lots of money, ‘grew rich from the seas’ but never drowned and ‘swam like seals’. Until their fortunes changed and their family stopped growing.
Aoife is the remaining “omega” and matriarch of the family; Miren her granddaughter.
And Miren is trapped. She is expected to marry well within the extended family and bear three children. She has no choice in their future, but Miren wants more.
This is predominantly Miren’s story, about her desire to escape destiny and it rattles along, aside beside the fairy tales in the family history volumes where secrets are revealed.
We never quite know when this is set, but clues such as whalebone corsets and meerschaum pipes plus a travelling acting troupe suggests an early Regency period but certainly darker than you would find in any Austen novel. It also feels distinctly Irish given the character names. And more importantly, it’s incredibly authentic, lending more strength to the theme of feminine power, fighting expected roles and craving independence. Certainly Aidan Fitzpatrick, a character we meet partway through, fits the stereotype of the early Nineteenth century villainous fop. Also, the character of Delphine who is an automaton in an acting troupe can be seen as a metaphor for the lack of ‘autonomy’ – pun intended - of Miren and the other women in the narrative.
The prose is wonderful, and it almost feels like you are floating languorously amidst a sea of watery imagery and metaphor, enjoying the poetry of the language until you are sucked under, into the depths with a jolt.
This is a truly magical and beautiful book that tells a meaningful tale whilst still being thoroughly entertaining.
In her reimagined fairy tales, Slatter is becoming adept at weaving new stories within this mythology, and her name will inevitably become synonymous with fairy tales in the way that Angela Carter has become known.

Interesting fact:

A meerschaum pipe is made from the mineral sepiolite, also known as meerschaum. Meerschaum ... German for "sea foam") is sometimes found floating on the Black Sea and is rather suggestive of sea foam.[1]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meerschaum_pipe

Firstly, a huge thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

All the Murmuring Bones focuses on Miren, the last in the O’Malley bloodline. A bloodline who has sacrificed one of their own to the Mer each generation to ensure safe passage for their ships. For decades the O’Malley’s have been struggling to keep to their deal as the line slowly dies out. In one last ditch attempt to reclaim the family honour, Miren’s grandmother is determined to marry off Miren to continue the legacy whether Miren wants to or not.

The entire novel is from Miren’s perspective, which did a great job of concealing certain things about the world at first, through withholding explanations. Whilst I wasn’t sure about Miren as a protagonist in the beginning the more I spent time with her the more I really came to like and appreciate her. Although Miren regularly reminded the reader that she is an O’Malley, it isn’t until a little later on that you realise the weight that the name carries. She was such a strong character and I loved how independent she was. Additionally, I loved how Miren wasn’t naive and didn’t fall for the same clichéd traps that so many other protagonists do. She’s a wonderfully headstrong character, who has a healthy dose of suspicion of everyone she meets.

Miren meets a whole host of interesting characters throughout the novel. All of which have a Gothic fairytale feel about them (from the singing automon to the three ghosts eager to tell their tales). Without giving away any spoilers; I also enjoyed how so many characters have two sides and their own ulterior motives. Slatter clearly defines which characters are important and recurring, and which ones whose brief appearance adds a little something extra and are there to develop Miren and the world around her rather than advance the plot.

Speaking of the world and plot, although the pacing was a little slow to start with, the more we began to learn about the history of the O’Malley’s the more the pace began to pick up and I was struggling to put the book down. I really enjoyed the way Slatter gradually built the word around Mirren. Whilst we were made aware that the world that Miren is in isn’t quite the same as our own, you don’t know the extent of the Gothic and the supernatural straight away, it is slowly revealed to the reader as Miren makes her way through the world. We also learn about the lore of the world through small interludes of fairy tales that Miren is recounting to the reader, however, some of them seem like they’re more than just stories. I thought these tales and myths were well written and even familiar which shows the amount of careful thought and craft Slatter has put into these scenes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the dark Gothic feel of this bone with the brief moments of humour as well as mine at the protagonist. Although the pacing was slightly off at first, the novel more than makes up for this and is a great read!

"Other families might have stories of curses, cold lads and white ladies, but we have old gods, merfolk and monsters"

All The Murmuring Bones is a Gothic folk-tale, that pays a tithe to the dark atmospheric lore of the sea. An all-consuming tale of a young woman, Miren, who must pave her way beyond the tradition of old, and make for her own freedom from the men who wish to control her and the desperation to restore the power that once gave the O'Malley's their power over the town of Breakwater.

"There's an old woman, though, with plans and plots of long gestation; and there's the sea, which will have her due, come hell or high water; and there are secrets and lies which never stay buried forever."

Breakwater, as well as the other towns we encounter in All The Murmuring Bones, is very much a Fantasy 19th Century Irish backdrop where magic, while still thriving, is something old and forgotten with the remnants of Kelpies, Mer, and Ghosts still wander as a remaining reminder of the land's history. Serving as the perfect setting for a story of a family that once owed their power to the child sacrifices that they made as payment to the Mer.

"One for the house, one for the Church and one for the Sea."

Throughout, I came to deeply adore the characters, in particular the female characters, who all seemingly fit around each other like some form of knot that comes from complex and matriarchal family dynamics. They were all fierce, a force and all have a found strength that I deeply admired, despite the obstacles that they posed to Miren.

All The Murmuring Bones is not one I would recommend if you don't like lyrical, ornate prose. As well as overall this felt a lot more literary and character-driven, which slowed the pacing; this is something I really love, but I know that this isn't going to appeal to everyone.

As a child, I had a fascination with mermaids, and have been searching for years for a book that as an adult reader, could connect with and fall in love with. All The Murmuring Bones achieved that for me, encapsulating the Gothic genre and utilizing it to heighten the fantastical elements and enamor me with rich, inviting prose. Despite this being labeled as a Mer book, they were more an omniscient threat to the protagonist, in addition to the fantastical elements of Slatter's worldbuilding and I really vibed with that.

This is definitely for fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden; for fans of alluring prose, fierce women, and dark folklore. A.G. Slatter is an author to watch, and I cannot wait to see what she will bring with her next release, Morwood, which is set for release sometime in 2022.

All the Murmuring Bones is a modern gothic-style fairytale with a dark and sinister atmosphere. There is a marvellous blend of fairytale, folklore and magic and you get the sense you are reading an old fairytale, immediately drawn into the wonderful atmosphere created by the author. The whimsical short stories sprinkled at various intervals throughout the story are genius and added to the folkloric feel. The author’s writing style is detailed and evocative, the world is beautifully described and I conjured up some lovely vivid images of the setting and dark ocean underworld. It’s a winding, twisty tale which is engaging and compelling. The plot is intricate and there is a wonderful mystery to solve.

Set in a 19th Century Irish setting the first few chapters establishes the family dynamics and we learn about the history of the O’Malleys. The O’Malley’s are a family who were once influential and powerful, a family who were not afraid to make dark deals to ensure their family’s prosperity and the continuance of their family’s bloodline. These initial chapters explaining the family’s history are interesting and set the tone for the rest of the novel.

I enjoy reading a book where the lead protagonist goes on a journey and this didn’t disappoint. We follow Miren, the last true O’Malley, on her quest to find her long lost parents and escape the clutches of Aidan Fitzpatrick and her imminent forced marriage to him. Under cover of darkness, she leaves Hob’s Hallow on her journey to find Blackwater, a mysterious place ‘somewhere in the north’ that no one seems to have heard of and where she believes her parents now live. We come across some fearsome creatures and bone-chilling encounters along the way.

Although slow paced the story is beautifully constructed and the author takes the time to explore the world and unfurl the story piecemeal and it isn’t until the remaining few chapters that the real mystery is uncovered. There was enough going on to hold my interest and it didn’t feel drawn out. I loved the dark, brooding and unpredictable atmosphere which was not ‘too dark’ to be dispiriting.

The world building is wonderful and I enjoyed reading about all the sea and land dwelling creatures and spirits. The Kelpie in particular stole my heart and I loved that he became a part of the story joining forces with Miren at the end of her journey. There is an automaton called Delphine, who is unbelievably creepy and who in all likelihood has a trapped soul within her. Delphine plays a very minor part in the story and I was slightly disappointed as I was expecting her to play a more pivotal role.

There is a nice mix of characters both good and evil. In particular I enjoyed Miren’s character development she started off as an amiable almost submissive character, but as the story progresses there is a shift in her persona and we see a more ruthless and headstrong, bordering on violent side to her, and she becomes a strong young woman with purpose.

The ending is gratifying, all the pieces fitted together perfectly. A really enjoyable read and one I would recommend if you enjoy stories with a journey of self discovery and dark, twisty tales of witchcraft, mythological creatures and magic.

Thank you to the publisher for an early review copy via Netgalley and for inviting me on the blog tour.

All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter is a darkly gripping tale with magic, mystery and murder. If you like your fairy tales on the darker side this is definitely the book for you.
Miren O'Malley is the last of her family line, abandoned by her parents she grew up with her austere grandmother, Aoife. Once a proud and wealthy family, the O'Malleys have fallen on hard times, and it seems like marrying Miren off to a cousin from another wealthier branch of the family is the only way to restore their fortunes and the bloodline. However Miren is not so keen on this plan and when she learns that the parents she believed to be dead are still alive she is determined to find them, even if it means fleeing her prospective husband under the cover of darkness. It seems that this is not the only secret her family has been keeping, the source of their former glory and prosperity was a bargain struck with the Mer Queen, the price of her guarantee that their ships would have safe passage across the seas being a child sacrifice from each generation. As the family stopped believing the family folklore and stopped paying the price, their fortunes faded, bringing Miren to the desperate situation she now faces.
I loved the writing in this book, dense and atmospheric, it really transported me to another world , one of mermaids and magic, ghosts and monsters, where anything could happen. The author sets the scene perfectly , describing smells and sounds so well that they cannot help but spark the readers imagination. Miren is a great character, smart and determined , ruthless when she needs to be but compassionate when the situation warrants it, and following her on her adventures was a real pleasure. While I enjoyed the slow worldbuilding and scene setting of the early part of the book, those who like a faster paced read or prefer more action may find it too slow of a burn for their tastes, that being said the plot soon picks up and then moves along at a more engaging pace, with several surprises and tense moments along the way.
This was my first experience with this author, but I am certain it will not be the last, I enjoyed this book so much that I am keen to seek out some of her other work, especially the short story collection she mentions in the afterword as containing stories which were reworked, expanded upon or otherwise repurposed and included in this book.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.