𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

So much to say here… I’m going to try to be as succinct as possible but even 12 hours after finishing this book my heads still spinning, so I’ll probably fail.

First, a note on formatting…

If you got this book from NetGalley and had it sent to your kindle, be aware that the formatting is off. Line breaks where there shouldn’t be, random 1’s and 0’s, etc. I think it actually added to my enjoyment of this book, because I had to read it super closely instead of just letting myself zone into it, but it took me a bit to get used to it.

Now, the book itself…

If someone were to hand me this book, and I’d never heard of Catriona Ward and never read anything she wrote, I might have decided to put this one down after the first third. Sure, it was interesting, but in such a way that is pretty standard and can be found in many other gothic horror novels. In fact, I wouldn’t even consider the first third particularly “horror”.

But as it was, I knew better. And boy am I glad I did. This is my fifth novel by Ms. Ward. She was an auto-buy after Sundial. I would read the instructions on a shampoo bottle if she wrote them.

The twists, the mind-bending, the gender fluidity, the absolute “wtaf is going on here”… this isn’t a book you can read once and move on with your life. I’ll have to read it at least twice to even have a minor grasp. But I will, and happily.

Catriona Ward has earned her place on my shelf among Stephen King and Chuck Wendig. I absolutely cannot wait to see where her imagination takes me next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire and Catriona Ward for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Looking Glass Sound is textbook Ward. Weird, creepy, and a little unhinged. The narration was very well done and added to the creepiness factor of this story. Ward once kept me guessing for the vast majority of the story and the narration made it prefect for long walks with my dogs. Thoroughly enjoyed this dark story. A great fall or winter read.

After loving Last House on Needless Street, I was so excited to get the opportunity to read Looking Glass Sound. However, I felt like I couldn’t get into the story, I wasn’t connecting with the characters or able to figure out exactly what was going on. I feel like this can be Catriona’s MO, but this time it was a little too off the rails for me. I wanted to love it and have seen a lot of mixed reviews and am sad to be on the other side of this one. I look forward to read what she comes out with next! I feel like the narrator did a great job, and wasn’t hindering my ability to grasp the book.

I have no idea what I was listening to. This story does not make for a great audiobook. I felt like I was missing something the whole time.

Ward once again plays with the reader's perspectives with this nesting doll of a thriller. The ending is ambiguous enough to stick with readers long after the story ends.

Looking Glass Sound was unfortunately a DNF for me - while the premise sounded right up my alley the slow build and execution did not hook me. Thank you for the ARC - I know many readers will enjoy this one and it was just not for me.

Although I finished this book weeks ago, I’ve been putting off reviewing it because it’s just really difficult to describe. I find myself not even wanting to say much about it. I loved this book up until I realized it was a book within a book within a book. What!?! Yeah, it should have just stopped with the original story without all the confusion. I really enjoyed previous books by Catriona Ward & I’ll continue to read her books but this one was just too much for me.

Also, I hated the narration of the audiobook so much that I had to get the kindle version on Libby so that I could read it instead of forcing myself to listen to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for proving me with this audiobook.

The audiobook is just as wonderful as the actual book itself. The story is so encapsulating that I burnt dinner listening--and I already knew what happened. Although anyone who's read Catriona Ward knows that her books always deserve a second helping. It's a treat digging into them a second time.

I'm so torn about this novel. I have so many feelings. I loved the beginning of the book so much in the town as the friendship was forged and the mystery about the seeming antagonist was laid out. I especially enjoyed the nuance of the teenage heartache and navigation of attraction, jealousy, queerness, etc. (Which is saying a lot because I'm usually a bit annoyed at romance within horror/thriller books). Then after around the first 3rd of the book after he leaves college I found myself frustrated or my mind wandering as it splintered off and morphed into something different. That being said I appreciated that the author trusts readers to be up for a challenge and to focus through the more challenging shifts in the book. It made me want to pick up a hard copy to see if I found it less confusing than the audiobook. All in all I think for my preference I wanted the thread to be a little clearer but the writing was good, the images are very striking and the characters were memorable.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward is a masterclass in literary horror. It is a complex and unsettling novel that explores themes of grief, loss, and the power of stories.

The novel is set in the late 1980s and follows Wilder Harlow, a teenage boy who spends the summer with his parents at their deceased uncle's cottage on Whistler Bay in Maine. Wilder is immediately drawn to the bay's eerie whistling sound and its dark history of drownings. As he explores the area, he begins to uncover secrets about his uncle and his past.

Ward's writing is beautiful and lyrical, but it is also deeply unsettling. She creates a palpable sense of dread and suspense as Wilder's reality begins to unravel. The novel is also emotionally resonant, exploring the themes of grief and loss in a powerful and moving way.

One of the things that makes Looking Glass Sound so unique is its complex structure. The novel is told from multiple perspectives, including Wilder's, his uncle's, and even the perspective of the bay itself. This allows Ward to weave a complex and intricate web of stories, all of which are interconnected.

Another strength of the novel is its characters. Wilder is a complex and relatable protagonist, and the supporting characters are equally well-developed. Ward does a masterful job of creating characters that the reader will care about, even as they are drawn into the dark and disturbing world of the novel.

Overall, Looking Glass Sound is an outstanding novel that is sure to stay with the reader long after they finish reading it. It is a must-read for fans of literary horror and suspense.

Here are some specific things that I liked about the novel:

The writing is beautiful and lyrical, but also deeply unsettling.
The structure of the novel is complex and intricate.
The characters are well-developed and relatable.
The novel explores themes of grief, loss, and the power of stories in a powerful and moving way.
I highly recommend Looking Glass Sound to anyone who is looking for a well-written, suspenseful, and thought-provoking horror novel.

This was far more tense than I thought it would be, even from the first chapter. I am, however, a sucker for stories that require an adult to re-evaluate their teen years, so I could be biased.

The dreaded one star has returned. I received an advanced readers copy of this novel, but did not have a chance to read it until earlier this month. This is also my first Catriona Ward novel and I was really looking forward to reading this, but it absolutely did not live up to the excitement for me personally. However, I have read that Ward is known for convoluted psychological thrillers, but this one was a bit too hard to follow.

This book begins as a Memoir from the perspective of 16 year old Wilder Harlow, whose Uncle has passed away and left his family a cottage on the coast of Maine. That summer Wilder quickly befriends two other young teens Nat and Harper. The three friends have a great summer creating memories despite the rumors of a local serial killer in the area. Fast forward to the following summer things quickly change, discoveries are made, dark secrets come to light, and friendships are broken.

I did enjoy the first part of this novel, however, after part one Wilder writes a book that has a slightly different plot and character names that made things repetitive and confusing. This is a novel that will require your full attention and you may still get lost. Although the beginning was fascinating to me, it just did not come together well

Catriona Ward does it again with Looking Glass Sound! She has such a unique voice and a way of telling a story that keeps you guessing until the very end. This one was written in multiple timelines and I did have a little bit of a hard time keeping up with the plot a few times, but I think I just needed to slow down. Another great read, and the performance of the narrator was also great. Would highly recommend!

I struggled at first with the digital format of this one, but started listening on audio that was definitely the best way to enjoy this one.

The story had me hooked from the start and had me coming up with all sorts of crazy theories of what I thought was happening, but after the first section I can admit that I really had no idea what was going on.

It got a little confusing towards the end as the stories and characters started to converge. It was difficult to determine what was actually happening and what was part of the story, but overall I enjoyed it.

This is one I think would benefit from a re-read to full grasp the concepts and storylines.

What a weird, wondrous, coming-of-age novel full of twists, turns, lies, and love! I was totally engulfed in the story and intrigued to the end. This was the first @CatrionaWard book I have listen to, but it won’t be my last. The narration of the audiobook was spot on. Thank you @Netgalley and @MacmillanAudio for gifting @LookingGlassSound to me for my honest review. I really enjoyed it!

Catriona Ward is an underrated powerhouse when it comes to horror. I absolutely love her writing style and distinct voice. This was a fantastic read, quick, gripping, and thrilling.

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

This one was well-written, but it was also quite confusing. It wasn't until the end that everything finally made sense. Even then, I had to take some time to really think about it and piece everything together. The audiobook narration was excellent and done skillfully. While I didn't personally connect with any of the characters, it wasn't because of their portrayal or anything like that. It was mostly because there wasn't enough time spent delving deep into their backgrounds. Despite the events happening in the story, the characters felt superficial, which in this case may have been intentional.

This was the first book I have read from Ward, but I now know it won’t be my last!

WHAT. A. RIDE.
This book has so many layers. It is a little bit of a slow burn in the beginning, but the smooth writing keeps you lured in and interested. As the layers start to peel back you find yourself engulfed in a literary cave of wonders. It truly feels like a siren has lured you into the depths and by the time you realize you’re drowning it’s too late, you’re in too deep. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

"Looking Glass Sound" by Catriona Ward is a captivating and chilling novel that expertly navigates the realms of psychological horror and mystery. Ward's writing is both atmospheric and immersive, creating a narrative that keeps readers engaged and on edge.

The characters are well-drawn and multi-dimensional, with the protagonist standing out as a relatable figure whose journey into the heart of the enigma is both intriguing and emotionally resonant. The supporting cast adds complexity to the narrative, each character harboring their own secrets and insecurities.

Some reviews are hard to write - and some of the hardest are the ones for books that are twisty, convoluted, and mind-bending fun reads. You don't want to give away much in the way of plot because therein lies half the fun of the reading. That's what Catriona Ward excels at writing, and this was no exception. Every time I thought I had a clue as to what was happening, she'd throw in another twist. It starts as a coming of age story but takes multiple turns throughout and at the end I was left wondering WTH did I just read? But in the best way. It's dark and wry and atmospheric and creepy and fascinating. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if that describes the type of book you enjoy, dive on in to Looking Glass Sound. And if you enjoy audiobooks, this was well-done. Both narrators did an excellent job.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.