All the Murmuring Bones

By: A.G. Slatter

Narrated by: Aoife McMahon

Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

For fans of Naomi Novik and Katharine Arden, a dark gothic fairy tale from award-winning author Angela Slatter.

Orphaned as a young child, Mirin O'Malley has been 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, the terrifying creatures who live in the depths of the sea: 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. When Mirin's grandfather dies, her grandmother puts in train a plan to restore their glory - but at the price of Mirin's freedom. Finding amongst her grandfather's papers evidence that her parents may still be alive, Mirin is determined to escape and discover the truth about her origins. This takes her on a treacherous journey to Blackwater, the estate her parents built when they fled Hob's Hallow, but on arrival Mirin finds the estate in decline and her 'Uncle Edward' in charge: where are her parents, and who is this Edward Elliott really?

A story of mystery and magic and the strange creatures that lurk beneath the waves.

©2021 A.G. Slatter (P)2021 W F Howes

Critic reviews

"Like the sea at its heart, Slatter s haunting story is treacherous and lovely in all its dark depths." (Heather Kassner, author of The Bone Garden)

"Slatter's dark fantasies have a bright, burning core of understanding and insight." (M.R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts and The Boy on the Bridge)

Irish tales within a mystery

While some not like the tales thrown into the story to disturb the progession, I felt like it unlocked a deepness to the telling. I love Aoife McMahon's narration and I so glad she brought me to this wonderful tale.

i love a.g. slatter

one of the best authors of our generation! man she can write. the narrator also makes this a very enjoyable read, she really has a knack for this stuff

Great novel, loved this dark and twisty adventure

Absolutely loved the female heroine in this novel. She was intelligent, strong, and perceptive. The author did such a beautiful job weaving old lore into an original story. The stories within stories theme was beautifully done. Excellent narration as well, I loved the cadence.

Delightful

This novel is a fantastic fantasy story. Loved it and loved the beautiful narration. Would be a great gift for a teen , also.

very very good

Mirin was a great MC, she was smart. quick-witted, brave, got shit done even when she was terrified.

I really loved the strange and creepy world this is set in and would love to read more.

this is the first book I've read of this author, Ill be looking through more of her work

narrator was fantastic

excellent read

this book grabs from the start and you dive in to the last splash bravo

Enchanting and lovely

The story was captivating, with its lovely descriptions and a very compelling storyline. The main character was endearing without being too overpowered overall. There are stories within the story that add an extra layer of intrigue, and help to build the setting.
The narration was also lovely, and the narrator did a very nice job of distinguishing voices without sounding silly.
My only complaint would be that some of the creatures are named without a great explanation of what they are (outside of general relations) and it’s hard to look up something based on the sound of its name.
Overall, I’m beyond satisfied with this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in myth-based fantasy and strong female leads.

slow burn

Took me a while to get into it but once i did i really enjoyed it!

the murmuring is miren's monologue

I'm going to preface this with I liked it well enough. is it the best fairytale style book I've read? no. it wasnt super groundbreaking in terms of plot or twists or anything. I liked the narrator and could definitely tell the differences between the voices.

my biggest gripe with this book is our main character has mental monologues that take far too much time and it takes out some of the scenes veracity. like, literal real life minutes pass where she is silent while she's contemplating but the other party is waiting for a response.

anyway-give it a read if you want some nice imagery and mini fairytales!

Spooky magical quest

Love the fairy tale feel and that this story gets into. It feels familiar and yet new. A smart heroine and magical elements with a dark twist made for a very fun read.