All the Murmuring Bones

Sourdough Universe

by A.G. Slatter, Angela Slatter

Long ago Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the Mer: safety for their 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 have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.

A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Fiction, Mermaids, Historical Fiction, Mythology

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2021

About the author

AKA Angela Slatter

Angela Slatter is the author of All The Murmuring Bones (Titan Books, purchase links below). That will be followed by The Path of Thorns in 2022. Both are gothic fantasies set in the world of the Sourdough and Bitterwood collections.

In February 2021, Tartarus Press published The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales, the third mosaic collection in the Sourdough world series. In March 2022, The Bone Lantern (a novella set in the Sourdough world) will be published by Absinthe Press (an imprint of PS Publishing).

Angela is also the author of the supernatural crime novels from Jo Fletcher Books/Hachette International: Vigil (2016), Corpselight (2017) and Restoration (2018), as well as ten other short story collections, including The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales, Sourdough and Other Stories, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, A Feast of Sorrows: Stories, and The Heart is a Mirror for Sinners and Other Stories. Vigil was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award in 2018.

Angela is represented by Meg Davis of the Ki Agency in London: meg@ki-agency.co.uk

She has won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar, two Australian Shadows Awards and seven Aurealis Awards.

Angela’s short stories have appeared in Australian, UK and US Best Of anthologies such The Mammoth Book of New Horror, The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, The Best Horror of the Year, The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror, and The Year’s Best YA Speculative Fiction. Her work has been translated into Bulgarian, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, French and Romanian. Victoria Madden of Sweet Potato Films (The Kettering Incident) has optioned the film rights to one of her short stories (“Finnegan’s Field”).

She has an MA and a PhD in Creative Writing, is a graduate of Clarion South 2009 and the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop 2006, and in 2013 she was awarded one of the inaugural Queensland Writers Fellowships. In 2016 Angela was the Established Writer-in-Residence at the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre in Perth. She has been awarded career development funding by Arts Queensland, the Copyright Agency and, in 2017/18, an Australia Council for the Arts grant. She teaches for the Australian Writers’ Centre.

She is also the author of the novellas, Of Sorrow and Such (Tor.com) and Ripper (in Horrorology: The Lexicon of Fear).

Reviews

[Juliet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written, very dark fantasy (at times verging on horror) by this award-winning writer. The language is evocative and powerful, and the story pulls no punches. The classic elements of gothic fantasy are there - a strange old house, a family with dark secrets, and various eldritch manifestations. But there is nothing cliched about All the Murmuring Bones - it's outstandingly original in both ideas and storytelling. The folkloric tales that are sprinkled through the book give the story and characters added depth.

[Велислав Върбанов · Rating 5 out of 5]

Възхитителна мрачна приказка! „Всички шепнещи кости“ така силно ме заплени, че неусетно я прочетох, а никак не ми се искаше да свършва... Анджела Слейтър се е вдъхновила от ирландските митове, за да напише тази страхотна фентъзи творба, а пък заглавието е препратка към „Врява и безумство“ на Уилям Фокнър. Въпреки че има някои зловещи моменти, като цяло книгата е изключително приятно четиво! Историята на Мирен от рода О'Мали е изпълнена с вълнуващи магически приключения и много любов към приказките...



„Ще запиша всичко, което помня, така че поне някаква версия да остане. Приказките ще бъдат променени, паметта ми ще е изгубила някои неща, но пак ще ги има. А една следа от приказка е достатъчна, за да намериш пътя си по света.“

[Maja - BibliophiliaDK ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DEFINITELY NOT WHAT I EXPECTED

This book suffers from one big flaw - false advertisement. I started this book thinking I was going to be getting a gothic fairy tale. It became clear very early on, that while it was gothic, it was definitely no fairy tale. There were no fairy tale elements, hardly any magic (and the little there was, was inconsequential to the story). So this was really just a big disappointment.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Pace: It took soooo long for this to get started that it actually never really did. The beginning dragged on and on with no direction in sight and I was close to DNFing this numerous times. I felt bored.

Plot: As far as I can see, there's no plot to this book. It's character driven and plotless. That does not appeal to me at all, I need a plot to get me engaged. At least just a shadow of a plot. I couldn't even find that.

Premise: The actual premise of this book was so different from the advertised premise, which made me so annoyed. I found myself skipping pages just to see if the promised premise - of a gothic fairy tale with mer people - would ever materialize. It didn't.

Characters: There were absolutely none of the characters, that I cared by in any way. If you're going to write a character driven novel, at least make the characters somewhat likeable.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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[Overhaul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un inquietante cuento de hadas gótico. Miren O'Malley se quedó huérfana de pequeña y creció con sus abuelos en una finca aislada y decadente, Edén del Trasgo. Hace tiempo, su familia prosperó gracias al pacto que cerró con el seguridad para sus barcos a cambio de un hijo de cada generación. Sin embargo, han pasado muchos años sin que la familia pueda cumplir con su parte del acuerdo y, como consecuencia, su fortuna se ha visto afectada. Cuando el abuelo de Miren fallece, su abuela planea recuperar su antigua gloria, aunque a costa de la libertad de su nieta.

Tras encontrar pruebas de que tal vez sus padres sigan vivos, Miren se embarca en un traicionero viaje hacia Aguasnegras, la finca que sus padres levantaron cuando huyeron de Edén del Trasgo.

Puntuación: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Interesante lectura que terminó siendo un camino sin pena ni gloria.

Bien escrito, ritmo lento adecuado para la historia. Con ligeros tintes de fantasía y algo de folclore.

El rumor de los huesos es una historia de secretos familiares, oscuros misterios, magia, brujas y criaturas salidas de los mitos y de los mares. Una historia sobre mujeres fuertes y hombres que pretenden controlarlas.

Fantasía "oscura", algunos dicen horror, no lo veo así para nada. El lenguaje es evocador y fuerte. La historia no se anda con rodeos es directa aunque es un ritmo lento acorde con el estilo y trama. No es un libro de acción.

Aún así, no me ha chiflado ni cautivado. Se queda en el limbo.

Los elementos de la fantasía gótica están ahí una extraña mansión antigua, una familia con oscuros secretos y diferentes manifestaciones misteriosas. Pero no tiene nada de cliché aún en su uso de los elementos clásicos. Es "original" en ideas como en la narración. Buena prosa.

Los elementos folclóricos que se encuentran a lo largo de sus páginas le dan a la historia y a los personajes cierta profundidad.

Este libro involucra magia, pero no es tan importante como los legados familiares, los mitos y las criaturas que conforman el mundo de Miren. Esperaba más cantidad de fantasía u otros toques. No ha sido exactamente lo que yo me esperaba, supongo que eso me decepcionó. Esperaba eso y menos familia. Añadir que lo leí sin saber casi nada, no es que sea engañoso lo que vende. En este caso, mea culpa.

Su historia de fondo y las relaciones dentro de su familia son el pilar, especialmente dado el folclore que se transmite de generación en generación.

Miren se encuentra con criaturas marinas a lo largo de su viaje que incorporó a la historia de maneras adecuada.

Es una buena lectura, sin duda, bien escrito. Pero ni me ha soprendido ni era exactamente lo que me esperaba, estando bien lo que hay.

Sin pena ni gloria, para mi. Si os llama espero que tengáis un buen viaje..✍️🎩

[Renaissance Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/4/22: Currently only $1.99 on Kindle! Highly recommend picking it up!!

While this book was not what I expected, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. 1st person POV is usually hit or miss for me, and in this case A.G. Slatter nailed it. I absolutely loved Miren’s character and the opportunity to experience the story through her eyes. I would categorize her as a morally gray character, but one whose choices I understood and whom I saw as a kind-hearted young woman striving to do what was right.

I would describe this book as both “dark” and “gothic”, but otherwise its description does not do it justice. The synopsis only describes the first third of the book, perhaps even less. While Miren’s grandmother provides the catalyst for the story, there is so much more beneath the surface of this tale (pun intended) that isn’t mentioned in the description. Because of this, I’d encourage you to pick it up so that you can see just how well the layers are built upon the information provided upfront. AtMB is very much a character-driven story, and each new twist and turn only enhances the story further as Miren’s choices propel the plot forward.

This book involves magic, but it isn’t nearly as important as the family legacies, myths, and creatures that make up Miren’s world. Her backstory and relationships within her family hold an otherworldly essence of their own, especially given the folklore passed down through the generations. In addition, Miren encounters various sea creatures along her journey that Slatter incorporated into the story in unique ways. And yes, this book has its gruesome and unpleasant moments, but I couldn’t help remaining hopeful as Miren sought to unravel mysteries of the past while fighting to create a future of her own.

I would have liked to see some of the side characters fleshed out or incorporated more, from the travelling troupe of performers to Brigid and even to the green-eyed man. I’m also a huge sucker for romance, so I would have liked for Slatter to dive deeper into Miren’s relationship with Jed. Lastly, I wish the climax and the downfall of the villains could have been slightly more drawn out and dramatic. That being said, this book still has a great cast of side characters both good and evil, and each one was woven in well to fit their part in the story.

In the end, I truly enjoyed this book and how I found myself looking forward to reading it before bed. Although it’s a standalone, I will likely pick it up again in the future and will also be on the lookout for A.G. Slatter’s future novels, starting with The Path of Thorns coming in 2022.

TW/CW: parent death, sibling death, child death, infant death, death of a loved one, parental abandonment, abuse, torture, suicide and suicidal thoughts, incest, forced marriage, violence, gore, sacrifice, murder, imprisonment

Thank you to Titan Books via Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Di Maitland · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Mark my words, Miren, the O'Malleys are on the rise.'

I REALLY liked this one. I didn't speed through it like I do some books but I loved the writing, the setting and even Miren.

'One for the house, one for the Church and one for the sea.'

When Miren's grandfather dies, her grandmother Aoife, the last true O'Malley, decides to marry her to her distant cousin to help refill the family coffers. Knowing that her reservations against the match will go unhindered, Miren plots her own way out of the union and goes in search of family elsewhere.

'Hard to know, too, how many burn who are genuinely those who can hex, and how many are merely inconvenient women.'

All the Murmuring Bones is my first Gothic novel - and there's no doubt it falls into that bracket. There are:

- Not one but two delapidated mansions
- Damsels in distress (though they're perfectly capable of getting themselves out of distress)
- Ghosts, walking dead and other monstrous, fantastical creatures
- Some rather iffy male protagonists
- Discussions of both Church and witchcraft
- Death and murder
- Darkness and isolation
- Cold, dreary weather

All that seems to suggest a rather dark tale. And whilst it's certainly not all sunshine and rainbows, it doesn't feel as malevolent as some I've read (Prince of Thorns and The Traitor Baru Cormorant, for example). I had every faith that, whilst Miren was capable of ruthless acts, her heart was good and good would win in the end.

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

The story is set in an Irish-inspired secondary-world where small witchcraft is possible and mermaids, kelpies, ghosts, corpsewights, shapeshifters, vampires and automatons exist, not to mention other creatures I'd not heard of like nuggles and tangies. Their presence is not considered exceptional by the characters but nor is the world particularly changed by their presence, resembling pretty closely what I imagine 18th or 19th century Ireland to have been like. Likewise, the magic we see, by and large, seems to be small trivialities of growth and production, that are little explained and, whilst certainly important, not the be all and end all for society at large. I enjoyed the balance, feeling it added spice to an already interesting world without overwhelming it.

'Why do they all think me harmless? He might be a good judge of men, but he's an appalling one of women.'

I like Miren, a lot. She's a hard one to gauge to start. We see the world through her eyes yet we're given little inkling as to her thoughts or plans which certainly keeps us on our toes. As the story progresses, we see she's capable of great kindness and cares for those she considers within her purview. At the same time, she's capable of quick, ruthless action when threatened - something I admired in her, having spent too long shouting at soft characters who just can't bear to make the killing blow at the eleventh hour. She's smart, though distrustful; quick to suss out lies, and willing to dish out her own when she feels it necessary. There's little 'how on earth did she not see that', and lots of 'huh, now that she mentions it...'.

'Perhaps I'm free and do not know it. How will I ever know?'

Slatter treats her readers like adults. She doesn't pander to false tension or obvious twists but lays out a tale where both good and bad happen (and sometimes both at once) and it's up to you to judge if they balance. I found her writing beautiful and her descriptions evocative. I enjoyed the short tales she includes (some of which, she says in her acknowledgements, are drawn from Sourdough and Other Stories) and the journey she takes us on in the early pages through the history of the O'Malleys and their home, Hob's Hallow. The pace is slow and it takes over half the book for Miren to arrive where she means to go and for the action to pick up; there was never a doubt that I'd finish though. I wasn't sure what the denouement would be but I wanted to join Miren on the journey.

This is not a book to read when you're tired and it's dreary outside - this book would probably depress you further. But it is a book to read and one I throughly enjoyed. It's a little darker than my usual go-to reading (both in terms of light and sentiment), which, along with the pace, is probably why I gave it 4 stars and not 5, but I'm glad I have read it and I'd read more by Slatter (whether writing as A. G. or Angela).

This book was provided free of charge by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ni un solo libro de Angela Slatter que no merezca sus 5 estrellas. Todas para ti, reina.
De 'El rumor de los huesos' he leído reseñas muy variadas pero a mi me ha gustado muchísimo, tanto como todos sus libros y relatos anteriores, que por cierto, comparten universo (aunque no se muestra más que a modo de menciones esporádicas, que no cunda el pánico).
Esta novela es pausada, oscura y muy gótica. Cuenta con una protagonista muy particular, una joven que ha crecido en un caserón junto a sus abuelos a la orilla del mar, siendo la última descendiente de una familia que ha tenido oscuros pactos con las nereidas.
Siendo este el inicio del libro, la verdad es que la historia da muchas vueltas y al final nos encontramos con varios lugares comunes de las historias de Slatter, ¡hay brujas! por supuesto que hay brujas, y también selkies, aparecidos, autómatas y sirenas. Tenemos a mujeres de personalidades grises y que cometen actos cuestionables, pero que son únicas, geniales y auténticas.
Una lectura inquietante a veces, brutal otras, llena de leyendas y con ese tono de cuento tan personal de la autora.
Lo adoré desde la primera hasta la última página.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The folklore of All the Murmuring Bones drives the characters forward, shapes their choices, and ultimately determines their fates. Slatter weaves together a tale of family, power, and the struggle to escape from the chains of the past Miren is a young woman with a strong desire for freedom but suffers under the weight of her family's legacy. Told in three parts, readers are with Miren as she discovers the truth of long-buried family secrets and the plan for her life.
The second part is a quest/journey to find her parents and take control of her own destiny. She meets a variety of colorful characters along the way.
The last act unfolds like a murder mystery.
Miren is unpredictable and capable. I've come to expect this from Slatter's books--this is my third.
If I was forced to rank Slatter's books, it would go like this:
The Path of Thorns (audiobook recommended)
The Brian Book of the Dead (a close second-audiobook recommended)
All the Murmuring Bones (audiobook *not* recommended)

I am a HUGE A. G. Slatter fan.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela Slatter happens to be one of my favorite dark fantasy authors. So careful, so lyrical, and absolutely brutal when the occasion requires it. And it DOES require it here.

I'm used to peculiar girls and peculiar women doing small things to help others, little magics, great injustices performed on them. This is Angela Slatter, after all. A full long life in the Bitterwood series usually means a bitter existence. But there's also the revenge to think of, and I loved the revenge.

This new book of hers takes it easy and slow, building on an old family and a decaying lineage with a dark secret. Very gothic, and later, quite mythical. Merfolk, mystery, kelpies, curses, and blood.

I'll be honest. I loved her short stories and novellas a bit more than this longer tale, but it has all the feel of the other stories with a rather more extended feel. But what it gives up on carefully crafted emotions and situations, it does gain on plot.

This is definitely one of the classier novels of the type.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Определено свежо мрачно фентъзи. Атмосферата и вмъкнатите приказки и кратки истории са увличащи, авторката използва похвата на старите истории като тези на братя Грим, което само допринася за удоволствието от прочита. Героинята не ми стана симпатична, но беше логичен и интересен образ. И да, авторкатa се отнася с читателя с уважение - а не като с усилено инфантилизиран young adult.

П. П. Това всъщност не е никаква готика, анотацията подвежда. Тъкмо затова много приятно ме изненада, предлага доста повече.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each May, I try to read a book or two featuring mermaids and occasionally mermen. It's my version of MerMay. This dark fantasy tale was very entertaining, mimicking both the fairy tale and the gothic romance, switching between them at will. Just when I thought I knew where things were going, hey presto! The author would send me back the other way with a new bit of knowledge to try to fit in the puzzle.

You know the old saying, when something seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true? The good fortune of the O'Malley family is one of those things. Sure, they've been successful, but at what cost? Miren O'Malley has always been told that her parents died when she was a baby, but when her grandfather dies, she searches through his papers and discovers letters from her missing mother. Then her tough-as-nails grandmother makes it clear that Miren will be marrying her cousin, Aidan, a cruel man who has made it clear that he enjoys hurting her.

But grandparents have trained Miren too well and she is not some helpless waif. She is a determined young woman with talents, wits, and her grandfather's ivory handled pen knife. Her parents are out there somewhere and if she's clever, she'll find them and evade Aidan.

Lots of twists and turns, complete with ruthless mer, creepy ghosts, and horrible family members. Since I got only one MerMay book this year, I am glad it was this one!

[willowmoth · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAUNTING 🌫 LYRICAL 📖 SALTED 🌊 This story follows Miren O’Malley, the last daughter of a powerful family with a long, dark history of making dangerous bargains with the sea. When Miren is called back to her ancestral home to fulfill the legacy of her bloodline, she begins to uncover long-buried secrets—and must decide whether to accept the path laid out for her... or to forge her own. A gothic fairy tale rooted in Celtic folklore, filled with mythical creatures and family stories that feel more like warnings than myths.

All the Murmuring Bones is a book that, to me, feels like it was pulled from the sea—damp, dark, and glinting with old magic. It reads like a fairy tale, though in reading reviews (my ritual once I finish a book) I’ve seen some argue otherwise. I’d disagree. It may not follow a neat moral arc or end in anything resembling a tidy resolution that many fairy tales do, but it has many things that make a dark fairy tale: ghosts, witches, selkies, merpeople, family secrets passed down through blood... It's rooted in Celtic lore—lush, eerie, and steeped in moss and salt; like something forgotten in the corner of a forest or buried beneath the tide. (Sign me up for ten more like this, please.)

Miren, our protagonist, is clever, introspective, and not easily shaken. I adored her. She’s morally gray in a way that feels human rather than edgy, and her stubbornness and sharp wit made her feel real to me—sometimes dramatic, yet in a way that made me smile. To me, this story reads almost like her personal diary, one full of quiet reflections and dark observations of a girl who realizes she is alone in the world. I found myself lingering in her thoughts more than the plot itself at times, and I enjoyed it.

The O'Malley family legends woven throughout were some of my favorite parts. They are written as interludes within the story to help build the world, but in addition, they haunt it. Each tale adds texture to Miren’s reality and connects you to how deeply cursed and storied this bloodline is. The result is a world that feels old and alive, like it’s been breathing in the background long before we arrived. I ADORE the level of thought and craft that goes into this, and would have happily read even more O'Malley lore.

There’s a somber elegance to this book—gothic and tragic, with a kind of beauty that doesn’t try to comfort you. It is dark, sharp, brooding and heavy, and I absolutely adored it. I will say that it is a very slow burn plot, but it is beautiful and engaging. My only minor letdown was the conclusion—it felt a bit rushed, with too many convenient coincidences stitching the story together. However, there were things that took place that were unexpected, which left me feeling satisfied with the ending overall. I highly recommend this read to lovers of gothic fiction, dark fantasy, mythical lore and fantastical beasts.

All the Murmuring Bones is dark, lovely, BEAUTIFULLY written, and atmospheric—a gloomy tale that wraps around you like fog on a rocky shore under gray, looming clouds. The air is wet, the water dark, and the wind slightly cold, but not enough to make you want to leave—which is everything I could ever want from gothic fiction. 🌫️🌊

[Emma Cathryne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like it was trying to be a lot of things: a dark fairytale, a gothic horror, a feminist commentary; but didn't really quite succeed at being any of them. It won the most points for me with regards to the fairy tale aspects: A.G. Slatter is certainly a stunning prose writer, and a lot of the language here was lovely. My favorite parts were the ones that leaned the heaviest into the folkloric themes, such as the short interludes of stories from Miren's book and her encounters with various creatures.

However, it was less successful with its gothic atmosphere and even less so with its feminist message. The first half of the novel and the second half of the novel felt like funhouse mirrors of each other: exploring one dark, mysterious house is fun enough but it gets a little repetitive when the protagonist rolls up to the second one. I also took a lot of issue with the "feminist" messages going on here: EVERY single other woman in this novel besides the protagonist was villanized, demonized, or set against Miren in some way. Furthermore, my BIGGEST pet peeve in novels is when fatness is used as a way to degrade female characters in comparison to the protagonist. Both Nelly and Brigid are described as larger than Miren (who we are reminded frequently is beautiful, tall, and slender) and are implied to be at various times villanous, cowardly, shallow, and overall lesser people than our protagonist, even if Brigid gets a rapid and somewhat confusing redemption arc. It really rubs me the wrong way when a novel claiming to be feminist not only lacks ANY (obvious) women of color but also puts down every other woman in the vicinity in order to put the protagonist on a pedestal. Generally this book had a lot of really interesting ideas, but the world-building beyond immediate locations felt frustratingly vague and the characters and themes left something to be desired.

TW for gruesome infant death in particular

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting but I enjoyed it all the same. It was slower 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.

[Albóndiga Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oscura oscura esta obra de fantasía que roza el terror con excelente ambientación. Te aseguro que no volverás a ver a la sirenita con los mismos ojos, y, afortunadamente, no es un retelling.
La recomiendo, me ha gustado,
Eso sí, no es nada amable, advertidos estáis...

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

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.

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 Aidan Fitzpatrick 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.

[Nora (NoraLeest) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dit ging helemaal nergens over… De achterkant van het boek gaf me het idee dat het veel over de zee zou gaan en mythologie zou hebben maar het was eigenlijk gewoon historische fictie met een BEETJE magie. Alles kwam de hele tijd net héél goed uit en gebeurde op precies het goede moment. Ik snapte eigenlijk niet heel goed wat de rode draad van het verhaal was, het leek wel alsof de auteur drie grote ideeën voor het boek had en uiteindelijk gewoon besloot ze alle drie te incorporeren in het verhaal, maar dan slordig. Ook kreeg ik totaal geen connecties met de personages dus ik bekommerde me totaal niet om wat hun overkwam. Toch blij dat ik hem niet heb geDNFed want ik was wel heel benieuwd hoe het zou eindigen.

[Kahlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a collection of Slatter’s short stories several years ago, and her masterful prose was enough of a reason for me to request All the Murmuring Bones on Netgalley. Some of these stories (or similar stories inspired by them) appear in this book, though you don’t need to have read them to follow along.

Miren’s story starts with the death of her grandfather, and the subsequent discovery that she’s about to married of to her despicable cousin, in order to save the family’s fortune and continue the family name. It takes a while to get to know Miren, but as the reader spends more time with her on her journey, her strength, determination and resilience shine through. This is a quietly but deeply feminist novel; while Miren doesn’t loudly proclaim her right to equality, she does whisper it to herself, repeatedly. Meanwhile, the inherent danger that comes with being a woman, and the chaffing caused by a lack of agency permeate this story. The side characters are less well-rounded, perhaps with the exception of Miren’s grandmother, a terrifying but also pitiable woman who has fallen victim to the same insidious family politics as Miren is about to be subjected to.

Additionally, on the atmospheric front, Slatter absolutely delivers. All the Murmuring Bones contains all the hallmarks of a gothic novel – murderous mer-people, ghastly ghosts, terrible weather, and plenty of family secrets to be uncovered. Warning: Miren (and many of her family members) did not have nice or normal childhoods. There is also a dash of magic – Miren doesn’t consider herself a witch, but with a drop of blood and a few words, she can make even the most barren garden bloom.

Admittedly, while this book contains all the hallmarks of the gothic genre, it doesn’t necessarily pursue the traditional narrative structure of the gothic novel. This is a character-driven, atmospheric novel where the focus is on the journey, rather than the destination. Miren’s goals are typically short-term, survival-driven, and the plot jumps from location to location as Miren continues to flee danger. There’s not one creepy, rundown house, but two, and no one ghost or mer haunting Miren’s travels, but several. The result is that All the Murmuring Bones feels a little aimless, lost adrift at times (much like Miren herself). There’s a lot of stuff happening, and it’s hard to tell what’s important and what’s just there to create a macabre feel.

Despite these occasional misgivings, I really enjoyed All the Murmuring Bones overall; the journey was definitely a rewarding (if occasionally horrifying) one.

Note: I received an ARC from Titan Books. All the Murmuring Bones was published on 9 March 2021.

This review is also available @firstbreathsreviews.

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a slow burn fantasy interspersed with may little folktales that hinted at the story direction. I must say the folktales were my favourite part.

The story also had a subtle gothic feel to it and to be honest I think had this been ramped up a bit it would have pushed my rating to a full 4 stars. I am not a fan of the horror/gothic genre, but the elements presented in this story were perfectly setup for my taste.

I also think there were many distinct plot lines that could have been explored more, so the fact that they were all squashed into one story felt like a lost opportunity to create a richer story.

We have a family that for generations ruled the sea. With seemingly boundless money and business savvy the O’Malleys were a powerhouse of commerce. But they were fiercely protective of their privacy, preferring to marry within the extended family than bring in outsiders. Because there are dark secrets kept hidden.

Each generation must sacrifice a child to the Mer folk that eagerly wait with sharp teeth to devour the soft morsels brought their way. But a break in this tradition has the family fortune dwindling and Miren is the last of the O’Malley line that can produce a child to restore the family to its former glory.

Full of old tales, a desperate journey to escape, witch magic and kelpies, this was a pleasure to read.

The author spent more time on creating the right atmosphere and developing the main character than the fantasy element so if you are not a big fan of fantasy then I think this is a great book to dig into.

[Deni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Една доста приятна изненада 👀

Всички шепнещи кости е книга, която се залежава в библиотеката ми от близо 2 години. Книга, купена само по анотация. Не знаех нищо нито за авторката, нито за творчеството ѝ. Едва след като я подхванах реших да проверя биографията ѝ. Определено е респектираща. Докторантура по творческо писане, милион и три награди... Дали си личи само на база "Всички шепнещи кости"? Определено.

Лееща се проза, която те носи по вълните и рисува завладяващи картини, които прекрасно плеплитат на платното си приказни и готически краски.

Сюжет, който майсторски е съчетал приключения с драма, хорър и житейска философия, поръсени с щипка чувство за хумор.

Главна героиня, която е силна, борбена, интелигентна, разсъдлива, същевременно ранима и добросърдечна. Изключително лесно е човек да ѝ симпатизира.

Атмосфера, която буквално е като отделен герой, заради неповторимия бленд от мрачния и живописен свят, митологията и доволните количества семейна драма и мистерия.

Много, много впечатлена. Израснах с приказките на Братя Грим. А Всички шепнещи кости адски много ми напомня на тях. Нищо чудно, че така кликнахме още в първите 50 страници.

Финална оценка: 4,5⭐

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dang it! This was a solid four star read all the way up to the last five pages. The ending annoyed me more than it ought to have and left a bad taste in my mouth. Talk about tripping at the finish line! More on this later.

All the Murmuring Bones is the gothy mermaid story you didn't know you needed - crumbling house, check; all the spookiest bits of mermaid/water folklore, check; a ruthless heroine with a very sharp penknife, check. The story opens with a funeral: Miren O'Malley's grandfather is dead, and his death is an invitation for Miren's grandmother to scheme. A granddaughter's hand in marriage to a cruel cousin - surely that's a fair price to pay for rebuilding the O'Malley fortunes.

Miren doesn't think so, and she's not hanging around for this particular fate. So off she goes - to seek her parents who abandoned her as a toddler, to find her own fate, and peel open sinister family secrets like an onion.

I actually found the story more engaging after Miren leaves the crumbling, spooky house with a deep well in its basement. It becomes more of a travelogue with various interesting characters (wow! the hanged men!) against a background of deep (and justified) paranoia. A.G. Slatter works in folklore so skillfully that I often couldn't tell what had source material and what was made up. The writing is good, with a strong folky rhythm to the many stories within it:

Far away and just as long ago there was a rock in a river where rusalky maidens sat and sang. Their songs seemed beautiful, if one did not listen to the words. If one did then it was likely one would follow the lovely tune off the cliff to either break upon the rock below or drown beside it, much to the maidens' delight. They look, in the daylight, like glorious girls with long locks in every shade, glowing skins and eyes, red lips and white teeth, fingers to catch the eye. Luminescent toes dangle in the floating waters, long fingers comb shining hair. By day, they are wondrous to behold.

But when the sun sets, or when they doze on the rock, they forget themselves and can be seen in their true form, for they did not begin as sprites, but rather as human girls. Murdered maids, those dead by their own hands in grief and despair, those whose own acts haunted them beyond their passing, lose the pleasing form they had when they lived. The rot of life and death can be seen, the skin has a greenish tint, the eyes sunken, the hair straw-like, the marks of fingers and fists visible on throat and face. In winter times, too, they are in a between state, for the light is never quite right to weave their illusions, so they hide then, but for the sunniest of days.

Miren surprised me more than once in her will to live and make her own choices - the knife's not just for show! There's no sentimentality or really romance in here, but there's an ambivalence in Miren's relationships - with the grandmother who raised her but also sold her, the mother who abandoned her - that I find striking and memorable.

The ending:Okay, this is probably just me (feral, unfeminine, and adamantly anti-natal), but I hate when stories end with the heroine pregnant and domesticated. And quite a lot of stories, even by female authors, do this - I'm thinking McKinley's The Blue Sword, which I refuse to reread, Setterfield's Once Upon a River, Young's The Unmaking of June Farrow, just to name a few. SO MANY. It's like no one can think of a happy ending for a heroine's bildungsroman that doesn't involve marriage and/or children. What is this patriarchal BS? Can we not? Why can't they go on to have more adventures instead of giving up their agency and independence to motherhood??

I'd probably read another book by this author, but let's say three stars because four star books don't make me rail at the patriarchy.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been in a bit of an unfortunate mental state this year.
Nothing over and above what we're all going through, mind you.
The depression, exhaustion, burned-outedness, all of the other stuff, it's not dispersing and it's having a terrible side effect on me: I have not enjoyed the books I've recently read, which was especially disheartening when the four books I'd pre-ordered with wonderfully high excitement all got here and I didn't connect to any of them.
I haven't enjoyed reading at all.
Which makes me sad.
And the spiral spirals.

I'd put All the Murmuring Bones on hold the minute we got it in the library but had to wait awhile because there were other people already on hold for it. My turn to take it home finally came up mid-June.
I'll admit, I let it sit on our ottoman for a week, maybe ten days, because of the whole inability to read joyfully thing but one day, I went outside to the hammock and brought this with me.
Can I just tell you how incredibly relieved I felt to be interested in the story from the first page?

I don't know if it's Slatter's writing style, if it was the comfort of being back in this world, or if the story just struck the right way in the moment and I'm not sure that I care, I was just happy to be happy reading again.

Quick summary:
Orphaned Miren O’Malley’s grandfather dies and her grandmother immediately puts into play a plan to restore their family's former glory but at the price of Miren's freedom and the freedom of Miren's future children. Finding evidence amongst her grandfather's papers that her parents may still be alive, Miren is determined to escape the crumbling family estate, an arranged marriage to a spiteful and cruel cousin, and her pinched little life to discover the truth about her origins.

It seems a little grimdark at times, there's a lot of supernatural murdery stuff happening in and around the landscape plus there are decrepit family manors and burnt rooms that hold the memory of dead babies but, ultimately, it's a softer story, a little quiet and dreamy, filled with herb gardens and plant-witchery, about family and belonging and why it's not so great to make deals with hungry, sharp-toothed sea people.

If you've read any of Slatter's short story collections or her novellas, you'll recognize bits and pieces throughout this story; I let out a squeak of excitement when the Weeping Gate was mentioned. If you haven't, though, this is an excellent place to start.

Thank you, Angela, for this gift that you didn't know you were giving me even though I suspect every author secretly hopes this is exactly the gift they're giving readers. You made reading lovely again.

Also...

...it's not a secret anymore.

[Teodora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Завладяваща история примесена с ирландски приказки и легенди, силна героиня и страхотна атмосфера!
Какво повече да иска човек?

[Suzannah Rowntree]

I was intrigued to read this book because I love a good gothic novel. Sadly, I didn't find what I was looking for here.

Lovers of ornate prose will likely really enjoy the writing style of this book which is very detailed and vivid, but I tend to prefer writing that's a bit more sparse and to-the-point. I'm also a very plot-oriented author, and this book's plot moved extremely slowly, picking up only in the final quarter. In terms of genre, the book did something a bit strange with the traditional gothic setup of a plucky heroine exploring morbid family secrets in an Ominous Mansion: we start the story in one Ominous Mansion before moving to a second, and although both of them come with interlinked history and secrets, it felt a bit frustrating to move from investigating and uncovering the secrets of one house, to investigating and uncovering the secrets of another, right when in most books you'd expect to be getting some real answers. In terms of theme, gothic novels from JANE EYRE to MEXICAN GOTHIC have used their dark secrets to comment upon the power of a single lonely woman when facing oppressive social structures, but because this gothic novel is set in a secondary world, I didn't really feel that this book had much of relevance to say.

Except for the General Feminist Themes - which I wound up feeling at best confused by.

Perhaps the book's greatest flaw is the lack of connection I felt with any of the characters, who all seemed rather indistinct and unpleasant. Miren, our protagonist, is a cold fish of a character who repeatedly does dubious or downright horrible things to other people, unless they are women. The world of the story felt to me like one in which evil is always repaid for evil. When an estranged friend tries to magically attack Miren, Miren responds with her own magical attack. Men are evil to Miren, so she kills them in return. Everyone in this book does terrible things, but the only characters who get serious development are the female characters, and the only characters who get anything approaching grace from the protagonist are the female antagonists. For just one example: at one point when Miren is talking to a group of women (in this world, women have magic and men are incompetent) who have been trying to use their small magics to bring fertility back to their village's barren fields, it's just casually mentioned that they were about ready to make a human sacrifice of some random young man. Stuff like this left me with the distinct impression that in this book, only women matter, while the men were treated as dismissively as my least favourite male authors treat female characters.

In the end, it's revealed that Miren's mysterious mother (for whom she has been searching the whole book) has herself perpetrated a crime of power and oppression. Miren determines to set things right, but after a whole book celebrating women who use their power and agency to get what they want regardless of who is hurt in the process, any deeper message rings hollow.

[Lizzie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter is a seaside gothic, full of murder and incest and secrets. Miren O'Malley is the last of a long line of O'Malleys, a once prosperous family, who made their fortunes by striking a deal with the sea - the first child will be for the family, the second for the church, and the third for the water. For too many generations, however, there have not been enough children for the sacrifice to the sea and their blessings have dried up. Miren is left destitute in an empty manor with her elderly grandparents, having lost her parents to fever at only 3. When her grandmother tries to marry her off to a distant cousin, Miren has to decide what she wants for her own life - does she want to be an O'Malley or does she want to claim the name of her deceased father and create her own path?

A ghost-filled, watery, eerie story, All the Murmuring Bones was a perfect summertime gothic.

4.5 stars.

[Tat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this so you don't have to!

If you think this review is too long, too boring, all over the place, try reading All the Murmuring Bones.

The book starts well enough albeit slowly. Prose is whimsical, atmospheric.
There's a funeral, clan matriarch, lost fortune, old house, magic and fairytales.

But the story never gets going. It's not that nothing happens - no, it's more that too much happens yet none of it meaningful.

I guess Slatter's never heard of Chechov's gun; she hangs guns left and right, yet rarely they go off; or if they do, we are too distracted by the yapping unrelated subplots and side quests make to notice.

Some reviewers claim this story is character driven and hence slow and boring. If you're looking for a character driven book, let me assure you, this ain't it. There's no character development, and the motivations are murky at best.

And don't get me started on dialogue - listening to strangers' conversations on public transport is more engaging.

Don't believe me? Read on!

((((SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!))))

Miren was raised by her grandparents in the old mansion. Her once respected bloodline is dying out, and the money is short. When we meet Miren, it's her grandfather's funeral and Miren is coming to terms with the life without the only protection she'd had against her stern grandmother.

O'Malley clan made their fortunes thanks to an inhumane deal they had with Mer people - they'd sacrifice a third child of each generation in exchange for the protection at the seas. Really, they should have diversified long ago and not relied on the sea and Mer as their only means of income, but alas, it was easier to just dump a baby into the sea, I guess.

However, for one reason or another (probably due to the centuries of interbreeding to keep the bloodline pure, even if it cost them their heirs as well as their ships), O'Malleys no longer have enough children to sacrifice and so now they are poor and reliant on the charity of their "lesser" thin-blooded cousins.

Okay, so this is a story of overcoming difficulties, perhaps about saving lost family fortune? Perhaps a new deal with Mer will need to be struck? We'll see.

Grandma takes Miren to the city to visit her cousins, and we meet Bridget who used to be Miren's best friend but a secret rift between them turned them into enemies. Wonder what that is? Must be important, since we spent so much time talking about it. Wrong! We later find out the girl was simply manipulated and actually it wasn't even such a big deal.

Miren goes to the theatre and enjoys a performance by an automaton - a sort of a singing robot. Hmmm, I wonder how that fits into this supposedly gothic fairytale? Turns out, it doesn't. There's literally no significance to this plotline whatsoever. Yes, we do see the theatre troupe later on, and they do play part in Miren's adventure, however, we didn't need 20 pages describing the dress and the hair and the workings of the robot for this to work.

Oh, and there's a thief queen presiding over this city, and she seems to be interested in Miren. I wonder if Miren will start working for her and get the family's money back that way?

Hahahaha, how stupid of me! Of course not! Miren never interacts with the queen of thieves, and turns out, like the automaton, she didn't need to be in the story at all.

Miren finds out her grandmother has made a deal to marry her off to her rich cousin, ensuring the bloodline continues and that Miren has lots of babies, one of whom will inevitably be tossed into the water to buy a favour from the Mer and bring back the glory days for the O'Malleys.

But her betrothed is a cruel man and Miren knows that she would never be free if they got married.

Desperate, Miren goes for a walk. She sees lots of assassins roaming around. Then mermaids try to drown her, but not really.

But back to the forced marriage. How will our girl get out of this one? Why, with the help of some well placed deus ex machina! Granny is dead, thank goodness, but actually she might be turning into a zombie, oh, no! She was murdered, who could have done it? Who knows? And who cares.

Actually it was Aiden, Miren's fiancé, who hired an assassin pretending to be a footman to do it (Miren banged him earlier before knowing he was an assassin for reasons unknown - female empowerment I guess?) but that's neither here nor there and also makes no bloody sense why he'd do it before the wedding, since the old woman is the only one who can get Miren to actually go through with the wedding. Not the smartes cookie in the toolbox, this Aiden.

Miren has no other choice but to run away. Why didn't she think of that before her grandma was killed, I wonder?

Oh, and forgot to mention, Miren found some old letters from her mother - suprise! Turns out she and her father are alive, and have abandoned her to the mean grandma "as a payment for something they stole from her". Parenting 101. Sounds like you're better of without them, Miren. Plus, mum is a literal witch.

Conveniently, in one of letters, mummy left a clue where to find her, even though she was supposed to be gone forever and didn't want her parents knowing where she and her husband were, but why not? None of it makes sense so far, so this doesn't need to either.

Anyways, Miren steals Aiden's horse, and goes on her quest, leaving behind two elderly servants -the only two people in her life who actually showed any kindness to her - knowing they would most likely be punished in her stead. But needs must, and so off she went.

She leaves the horse behind, and goes for help to Aiden's sister, Mirens childhood best friend turned enemy, a woman who tried to use black magic on her just a few days prior. Luckily, they have a heart to heart and all is good. Bridget will help her escape with the theatre troupe because, guess what, she's secretly been in love with the automaton operator.

Miren has to hide in a box with the robot while they get far enough. When finally released, she goes to pee - I kid you not, this tidbit is actually in the book, like it's not already fucking million pages long and yet nothing that matters has happened so far.

The troupe leader used to be a drinking buddies with Aiden back when Aiden was nice. But then Aiden made a clandestine deal with the queen of thieves, it didn't go well, so now he's a meanie. I guess we'll see more of Aiden later on, if this ridiculous backstory was included? Spoiler alert - we do see him again but the fact that he used to be nice is irrelevant.

Miren has to go on her own now. She judges three ghosts (and no, they're not ghosts of the Christmas past, future nor present, more like a sexist version of Peverell brothers). We never see them again

She saves a kelpie who in return carries her on his back since he ate her horse.

One of the troupe comes to give her an important message but - plot twist - he's a warewolf (not that it matters).

Finally equipped with a map, Miren somehow finds her parents new dwelling. Some stuff happens along the way - she has a bath, kills the footman-assassin who tracked her down, looks for Rusalkas (for amusement?) - I don't fucking know, I can't keep up, my brain is begging me to DNF but like Miren herself, even in the face of adversity I keep going.

I've already invested too much of my time into this thing and I want to find out what Mer people want and why did Miren's mother abandon her. At this point I doubt I'll find out but l persevere.

If by now you're thinking that this doesn't sound like a gothic story marketing department would have you believe it to be, fear not, my friend, Miren finds her parents' new house, and it's a dark mansion hiding more family secrets, lies, dead babies, abandoned babies, cruel men and Mer people. Oh, and sort of a romantic interest.

Turns out, things aren't as they seem in her new home. There is an uncle who isn't really her uncle, a baby sister who maybe isn't really her sister, her parents are gone to get help for the dying estate, or actually, they never left, but were killed.

Miren just happens to figure out mysteries, with barely any clues. The least probable explanations sort of just come to her. The reveals are ridiculous and certainly not worth the effort.

In conclusion, this was the worst book I read in 2022 (aside from those I DNFed).

Plenty of people enjoyed it, but plenty of people get full-body tattoos, so who knows. At least, in the end, those people have something to show for their pain, unlike me after finishing this pointless book.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Such a sublimely atmospheric dark fairy tale. Miren is the most fierce heroine and Aoife is a villainess you love to hate. I loved all the myth, lore, and witchcraft woven throughout this gorgeous story. From the sea side family crypt at Hob’s Head estate to the gothic manor at Blackwater, Slatter paints a vivid landscape of ancestral trauma.

[Allison Hurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot! It was a bit repetitive at times, but I had fun.

CONTENT WARNING: loss of a loved one, family abuse, domestic violence, misogyny, harm to children, house fire, caged animals

Things to love:

-Writing. Accessible but very reminiscent of a fairytale.

-Story. It was sort of like an inversion of The Goose Girl fairytale, which is one of my faves.

Things I didn't quite love:

-Needed a bit more. There just wasn't enough to chew on, and there were parts that could have done with a good chew. There were multiple subplots that just never resolved.

Obviously I still liked it plenty, and it makes me eager to read more by her!

[Gabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started strong with good writing, an interesting family background and a realistic MC with her own agenda. The first part was 4 stars for me.
The more the story went on, though, the more I had the feeling that the detailed explanations worked as a neon arrow pointing into the direction the story would take. I was hoping for a deliberate misleading of the reader to land a twist, but that didn't come. So at the end my reading experience was down to 2 stars. I still enjoyed mc and prose, but I would have wished for a little bit of unpredictability in the story.

[Susy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Again a great gothic story by AG Slatter. Though maybe I liked The Briar Book of the Dead better (the pace was a bit faster and more even), I loved being back in this world and I absolutely love Slatter's writing style. I read this while listening to Aoife McMahon's narration which definitely enhanced the experience.

Characters 10
Atmosphere 10
Writing Style 10
Premise 9
Execution/Plot 8
Execution/Pace 8
Execution/Setup 9
Enjoyment/Engrossment 8
Narration 10