This book wasn't quite what I was expecting but I enjoyed it all the same.
It was slow paced and character driven which I think worked well for a gothic fairytale.

Miren was clever and could be classified as morally gray, which I loved. She tried to do what was right but she was willing to do whatever was necessary to survive.

The fantasy elements do take more of a secondary role in the story which may bother some readers.

Overall, I thought this was a very dark, atmospheric and smart read.

If this sounds like something you would like, definitely pick this one up.

I don't generally read a lot of Gothic Fairytales but I enjoyed this one. Strong female, well fleshed out characters who really don't need the assistance of or to be rescued by a man are an absolute treasure to read about and pretty rare. Mirin stayed with me for weeks after reading her story.

I haven't read a lot of books surrounding Irish mythology but I hope that changes in the future.

Beautifully written, full of gothic vibes, All the Murmuring Bones is a dark twist on a fairy tale.
I loved the eerie atmosphere and the magical realism creeping into the story, as we follow Miren, our main character. She is definitely a morally grey protagonist, not always likeable but compelling and interesting. The story flows slowly, sometimes it almost feels like it comes to a halt but ultimately it works very well with the atmosphere which is verging on horror at times. This reads more like a character study than anything else but a fascinating one nonetheless!

I'm unable to listen to the audiobook anymore, and was hoping I could find this in my local library, but so far no luck. I enjoyed the beginning of this tale, but think it would be better read as a book, as it was confusing to follow the audiobook. I'm excited to finish this story when I can find it in my library!

This book starts of slow but builds and builds, twisting and turning into something that keeps you gripped.

All the Murmering Bones borrows a lot from folktales and mythology, particularly those surrounding the sea, with appearances and mentions of selkies, mermaids and kelpies to name a few. While these creatures and some of the other magical elements in the book feel very familiar, Slatter weaves them into a story that feels quite unique.

The story is told from the point of view of Miren, the last member of the dynastic but wavering O’Malley family. To preserve the bloodline a marriage has been arranged for her, but when Miren uncovers a family secret she decides to take things into her own hands and escapes. From this point on the book takes an exciting turn of direction, something which happens again when Miren arrived at her destination - it’s very much a book of three acts. With each change in direction Miren develops as a character, she’s complex and the story is very driven by her choices. This book gets very dark at times and keeps you on your toes, the only part that felt a bit too predictable was the very ending. I was hoping for one last twist but as it approached the conclusion become clear, it isn’t a bad ending but I’d come to expect a lot!

I listened to this book as an audiobook and really enjoyed it, the narrator was very good and easy to listen to. It really helped bring Merin to life along with the world Slatter’s created which is familiar and yet so very different to our own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, I did not enjoy this storyline as much as I thought I would. It sounded very interesting the premise, however I did not like the direction in which in went and the writing was just not working for me sadly. Not a bad book, but not for me as I wanted more from it.
The pace was realllllly slow, dragging on so much especially at the start. There's no much of a plot, so there wasn't anything much to keep me going. Sadly too, I did not gel with any of the characters, quite unlikeable.

This is an extraordinary story ,the writing is beautiful and the world building is rich in detail, family expectations and secrets combined with folklore had me hooked from the beginning the narrator for this book was exceptional.

Dont hesitate, download and listen to the audible version you wont be disappointed.

‘All the Murmuring Bones’ is a dark gothic tale, with undertones of twisted fairy tales. While A. G. Slatter’s book wasn’t exactly what I expected, I have enjoyed it a lot. I listened to ‘All the Murmuring Bones’ in the audiobook format, and Aoife MacMahon does a splendid job as a reader of this book, narrating the story from Miren O’Malley’s perspective.

‘All the Murmuring Bones’ follows Miren, a young woman, whose family has struck a deal with the mer people a long time ago. Thanks to this their prospered, and done well for themselves for generations. But this is just a story now, not more than a fairy tale, for that O’Malleys are nearly gone and they haven’t kept their part of the bargain in a while.

Full of vivid descriptions, ‘All the Murmuring Bones’ works great in the audio format, drawing you deep into the story. It’s darker and at moments, slower, than I expected, but I found it interesting to witness Miren’s journey. She’s not necessarily the easiest character or the most likeable one, but definitely an interesting one, with her family’s history being definitely fascinating.
What I enjoyed the most about ‘All the Murmuring Bones’ was the mystical and a little magical realism-like atmosphere of the book.

A sinister and intimate fantasy that boils down to a discovery of family history and sins. Set in a Irish like country in a vague 18-19th century period with mermaids, kelpies and witches, All the Murmuring Bones tells you the twisted story of the O’Malley family. Mirum is the last heir to a once powerful family whose crumbling wealth has placed the weight of rebuilding their name firmly on her shoulder. I loved Mirum, she was a wonderfully stubborn character with a spark of O’Malley viciousness that’s tempered enough to break the chains of family greed. Seeing this strange yet familiar world through her eyes while she bargains with kelpies and ghosts was a delight.

I got a very Witcher vibe from this world but without the big battles and world ending plots, which I enjoyed greatly. It’s narrow in its focus, going from a runaway bride to a murder mystery as we learn the dark history of the O’Malley’s through the tales they carry from each generation. It’s a wonderfully gothic fantasy that would be perfect for fans of Naomi Novik.

I listened to the audiobook and loved Aoife McMahon performance. To be fair it’s hard to not love an audiobook narrated entirely in an Irish accent but Aoife’s narration added to the wonderful folk tale atmosphere, especially when they’re reading out the O’Malley tales.

Thanks to W.F. Howes for giving me an audiobook proof in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story, I thought it was unique and really well narrated. It didn't feel too much like a gothic fairytale about witches and mer, instead I liked the ways that small magics and 'common' mythical creatures were just kind of skimmed over as a part of life, albeit a bit unusual. I liked Miren a lot, she takes everything in her stride and I enjoyed the single POV throughout the storyline. There were a few twists and turns and I really didn't know what to expect of the story when I started, but I enjoyed it overall.

A brilliant fairytale for adults, this audiobook was brilliantly narrated and had me waiting in anticipation for the next installment every time I had to stop listening and do something else..
This story of Miren and her clan is dark and mysterious. Somehow her life is tied into the people of the sea, and bargains which were made many generations before her birth. Each generation, a sacrifice must be made to the sea, and a child must be given up in payment for successful fishing and safety at sea for the O’Malley clan.
How Miren discovers the truth and the dark secrets which have been kept from her, are woven through this beautiful tale. A brilliant read.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

All the Murmuring Bones tells the tale of the mysterious O'Malley family. Once wealthy and powerful, their prestige has dwindled over the years along with the size of their family. Mirin is the last true blood O'Malley, raised by her grandparents after her parents died and soon to be sold into marriage with her cousin. Determined to have her freedom and intrigued by new secrets thrown up by her grandfathers passing, Mirin sets out to find out the truth behind her parents deaths and the secret of O'Malley power.
This book is weaved throughout with Irish folklore and from the beginning has a ghostly fairy-tale tone that lends the book a gothic atmosphere. This is a world where hanged men walk and mer folk appear in the sea, and where stories hold power and secrets. The atmosphere was so well done that I felt cold fingers up my spine and I really enjoyed the interspersing of stories that gave us hints to the mysteries beneath. Some elements I felt could have been more fully explored, and it was almost a book of two halves, with the mysterious gothic novel of the beginning collided with the supernatural thriller of the second half. There were overtones of Bluebeard and other fairytales that I felt were so well integrated.
Unfortunately for me this book felt a little disjointed, where the scenes of action did not feel seamlessly blended into the atmosphere of the book, and so the tone jarred a little. I am not someone who likes a huge amount of plot in books anyway, and this is the main reason why, it is hard to keep up the tone of the book and so there were passages that felt a little out of place and did not have the beauty of the more haunting or descriptive passages. The ending also felt fairly predictable and wrapped up in a way that did not feel earned, and some of the male characters felt underdeveloped.
For fans of Caroline Lea and Stacey Halls

This is a gorgeous dark fairy tale set in a world where kelpies, mermaids and ghosts are common. The story centers around the O’Malley family, and Mirren, the last of the line specifically. Unable to fulfill an old promise made to the Mer years ago, Miren’s grandmother creates an arranged marriage for Miren before she dies. If the O’Malley’s cannot surrender a child from each generation to the sea, the Mer will wreak havoc on the family’s ships. Mirren will have none of it, refusing to be sold off to a man she doesn’t love and sets out to find the parents she has only recently learned may not be dead, as she was always told. Meeting mythical creatures, both dangerous and benign on her journey, Miren learns how to become the master of her own fate. McMahon’s delivery of this story is magical, making Miren and her world come to life

A really pleasant gothic fairy-tale which I thoroughly enjoyed!

I loved Miren O'Malley's character, her strength and determination, decided to not be forced into a life of servitude to a husband she's not chosen. opting for freedom above all else. Driven to find what happened to her parents, she embarks on a journey through which she encounters magical creatures and dark souls, but she never wavers from her goal.

An inspiring and enjoyable tale which was recounted by a talented narrator.

This book started off slow, and it took me a little while to get into the narration, so much so that after getting to about 12% I had to totally start again from scratch. Once I started again and really got into it, however, the slow burn was super intriguing. One minute my match was lit and the next thing I knew everything was on fire.

I ended up absolutely adoring this novel. I have a real soft spot for Irish novels and this mixed with the fantasy, folklore and mythical elements created a really dark and dreamy atmosphere that I just needed to devour and finish it as soon as I could.

Characters are fab, Miren is so strong and independent despite everything that she's been through. One tough cookie and ATMB is totally worth a read just to connect with her.

Thanks to NetGalley, W.F. Howes Ltd and A.G. Slatter for an eAlc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great cover! I love that it is so simple yet it completely drew me in and made me want to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and W.F. Howes for making this audiobook available. The narrator, Aoife McMahon, was spectacular! Her heavy accent (Scottish or Irish? I’m not really good at deciphering) was a pleasure to listen to. I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.75 or even 2.0 speeds, but due to the narrator’s accent, I had to keep this at 1.5 and really pay attention. In this case, it brought me into the story and I enjoyed it so much more because of it.

A family bargain with a Sea Witch to ensure abundant riches in exchange for a child from each generation is the preface of this dark fairy tale. A break in the tradition leaves Miran having to marry her cousin to ensure a pure bloodline with plans to provide an offspring to the Sea in order to gain back their wealth. Only Miran has other ideas and instead, is determined to locate her long-lost mother. A journey is set before her, and it will not be an easy on.

There are so many adventurous challenges that take place in the story that there was never a dull moment. I was often so interested in an event that I was sure the story would branch off in that direction. Several great twists and interesting happenings will keep you guessing at the stories ending.

The dark nature of both Sea Creatures and Humans alike make this world exciting and treacherous. The weaving of this fairytale world is both beautiful and plausible, making me feel like I could travel to this destination.

I highly recommend for those readers who love dark fairy tales.

All the Murmuring Bones is a terrific cross between a coming of age story, an adventure story and a magical fairy tale. It is beautifully dark and gothic; full of magic and witchcraft. Here, Miren O'Malley's world shifts on its axis after the death of her grandfather. To refill the family's long depleted coffers, her grandmother feels it is necessary to marry her off to a rich cousin. Funds would certainly help but Miren takes a different view when she uncovers long buried secrets about her mother and father, who have been out of her life since she was 3 years old.

The story takes Miren on quite an adventure as she encounters a number of mythical creatures and must keep her wits sharp at every turn. The poetic writing made it wholly delightful though the story felt ever so slightly shallow, with not a lot of detail and emotion. Maybe that's just Miren as we do experience the story unfolding from her point of view? She is certainly a no nonsense girl and didn't get fussed over anything - even when she believed death was imminent. She was always in control and unflappable. Didn't bother me much as the writing was exceptional with great turns of phrase peppered throughout sharing a refreshing outlook on things. The folklore stories interspersed throughout provided a glimpse into another realm of creatures – mer people, kelpies, whites and ghosts, etc – I've not encountered often, really made this a story well worth reading.

I listened to the audiobook of All the Murmuring Bones, I feel confident saying this gothic novel, supported strongly by an injection of fairy tale and folklore, was made complete by the narration provided by the gifted Aoife McMahon. Her lyrical Irish voice lifted this story and delivered it to the next level, for me. The story was very good but the narration made it that much better. A real joy to listen to, honestly.

This book was an adventure, a journey through a story rather than a book. A beautiful reading experience, written in stunning lyrical form that was enough to transport a reader far away, and is hard to put into words. Utterly luscious and darkly mythical, this is a book that will stay with me. The narration is a stunning addition, and pays fair complement to the writing.

This... was okay? Though I'm inclined to think the parts that didn't work for me were more of a 'it's me not you' problem.

The premise was interesting and Slatter's writing is certainly beautiful - and McMahon's narration is absolutely gorgeous too! But the story didn't really hook me: I didn't particularly care for Mirren or really get a feel for her wants and motivations beyond not wanting to get married, but she's definitely capable and stubborn, so I could see fans of the stereotypically 'strong', morally grey heroines enjoying her!

The story was also kind of... rambly? It didn't feel like there was really a driving arc (there's a reason why the synopsis is so vague, I guess) so it just sort of meandered along from one plot point to another. The jumps between chapters were also weird, with a lot of the action happening off-page and us just getting the aftermath, which threw me off a few times. Again, things that definitely won't bother everyone, but since I wasn't interested in Mirren, I needed to be able to be compelled by the plot!

The folklore elements were definitely intriguing and my favourite parts were the story-within-a-story fairytales from Mirren's childhood; also the writing style, as I've mentioned, really added to that Gothic fairytale vibe. I did feel like there were a few too many types of magic at times (witches, merpeople, kelpies, and this random magic automaton who shows up twice and doesn't really add anything to the plot?).

All in all, I think a good one for people who like atmospheric dark fantasy with mystery elements, morally grey main characters, and narration in a lovely Irish accent!

Firstly, thank you so much for the opportunity to review this title.

Sadly this book just wasn't for me. The narrator was excellent, I just really struggled to get into the story and didn't feel any connection to the characters at all.

In the end I chose to DNF the book but it wouldn't stop me from trying another book by this author in the future. I will not be leaving a review on Goodreads as I did not finish the book and don't think it would be fair to do so.