The Listeners transports you to a tense moment in history as American enters World War II. It's a time filled with uncertainty and fear, but at the Avallon Hotel, June Hudson and her staff are trying to keep the hotel's legacy of luxury and good feelings alive for their guests, even when the government saddles them with detainees from Axis countries. June's balancing act of putting aside her personal feelings about guests is put to the ultimate test, and she struggles with the principles she's been trained to uphold, ones that place guest satisfaction above all. She's also tasked with maintaining the mysterious power of the springs that feed the hotel, a feat that becomes more difficult as tensions rise.

While the time period may seem bleak, the reading experience is not! The Avallon is mysterious and beautiful, an enchanting escape for both the characters and the reader. From the fountains of sweetwater to the glass snails, the follies and ballrooms and hidden nooks, it's a place saturated in magic and wonder. It's also peopled by a diverse staff, mostly from the surrounding rural area. June shines as the peerless general manager, affectionately nicked named "Hoss." She carries out her duties with grace and good humor, charming those around her, even strict, by the book, Agent Tucker Minnick. The main characters and supporting characters are a delight, and I loved all the interactions, conversations, and back stories. From start to finish, I was absolutely riveted and invested in the characters and the story. There are surprise twists, heart wrenching moments, delightful encounters, and devastating revelations. I'll definitely be thinking about these characters and the hotel for a long time.

I want to first say I have never read Maggie Stiefvater's YA books. I always meant to but never got around to picking one up. The cover and then the description grabbed my attention, and I was excited to finally read one of her books. I know this book is a departure for her in several senses, but I didn't have any expectations about what a book by her should be like. I also love books that take place in luxury hotels and books that include just a whisper of magic realism. So, I was a huge fan of this book right from the start.

This story is very character driven. The plot moves along rather slowly as does the romance element. I really enjoyed how well thought out each character seemed to be. They very much felt like real people to me as I read. The pictures I had in my mind for each of them were so clear.

I lived in Virginia, not far from the hot spring resorts in West Virginia or old hotels like the Omni or Greenbrier. It was so easy to picture the hotel the author was creating that was similar to these actual places, right down to the mythical water.

The premise of the story, that June is trying to create a luxury hotel experience for high ranking detained prisoners during WWII was really interesting.

Overall, I really loved this book. I'm interested in going back to read her YA books now!

Maggie always brings it! Long time fan, she can do no wrong. This newest book is yet another direction.

I have been a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater since day one. Her books are ones I find myself returning to again and again, simply because I miss the characters and world she creates so much. Every time I finish one, I want nothing more than to be taken back to the beginning and experience it all over again.
Maggie’s writing is truly unique. As both an artist and musician, her creativity bleeds onto the page. She paints vivid, poetic pictures of her characters and the mystical, emotionally rich worlds they inhabit. The Listeners is no exception.
Although this story isn’t in a genre I topically read and is quite different then what we usually see from Maggie, it still carries the same magical, haunting feel that makes her work so unforgettable. It’s atmospheric, lyrical and deeply evocative.
Maggie Stiefvater continues to be one of the few authors whose work I don’t just read, I live in it, breathe it and long for it when it’s gone.
If you’re already a fan, you’ll recognize the signature beauty in her voice. And if you’re new to her work, this might just be the strange little story that draws you in.

The Listeners completely swept me away. From the first page, Maggie Stiefvater crafts a world that feels so textured and real you can almost smell the rain and hear the creak of the Avallon Hotel floorboards. Her prose is stunning, lyrical without being overwrought, and it makes every moment feel charged with atmosphere.

June Hudson, the general manager of the Avallon, is one of the most layered characters I’ve read in a long time. She’s tough, loyal, and heartbreakingly human. The way Stiefvater weaves Appalachian folklore into the story feels effortless, creating a sense of eerie magic that lingers long after you finish the book.

Yes, the pacing is deliberate, but in the best way possible, it gives you time to sink into the setting, to feel the quiet danger and beauty threaded through every scene. The Listeners isn’t just a book you read; it’s one you live inside.

If you love historical fiction with a brush of the uncanny, rich character work, and writing that sings, you cannot miss this novel. It’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

Set in a fictional grand hotel during World War II, this intriguing story is based on the true story of Axis diplomats and their families held in detention in various grand hotels in the country--like the Greenbrier or Hotel Hershey--as bargaining chips for the American diplomats held abroad by the Axis powers.
June Hudson is the general manager of the Avallon Hotel when she is informed that the hotel will be taken over by the State Department to house Axis diplomats and persons of interest. The families involved, and their interactions with the staff, the FBI, Border Patrol, and State Department personnel makes for a truly fascinating look at this little-known face of the war and how it affected those on the home front who had to deal with it. The listeners involved have learned--in various ways--how close attentions to what is said--and not said--makes all the difference in the outcome of a situation. The believable characters and their conflicts and interactions keep the pages turning in a very enjoyable way. I highly recommend the book.

As always, Maggie Stiefvater delivers a story that could only come from her unique and wonderful brain. It's atmospheric, engaging, and a little weird in the best possible ways.

That said: it's unlike her YA novels and that seems to be upsetting to some people. If you like her writing, I think you'll enjoy "The Listeners."

Steifvater's adult debut is a departure from her typical brand of fantastical eloquence, grounding both story and prose in the context of a unique historical phenomenon. Steifvater examines the brief, fraught period following the U.S.'s entry into WWII in which Axis diplomats were confined to luxury hotels in the DC area to await repatriation as federal officials negotiated high profile hostage deals. While the Avalon hotel is fictional, it draws inspiration from a series of real-life institutions that played host to dignitaries both caught up and complicit in atrocities.

As I've come to expect from Steifvater, the built & natural environments are evoked in sharp, shining detail. The architectural idiosyncrasies of the hotel and the dense, woodsy shadow of the Blue Ridge mountains are a vivid background that occasionally overshadow a comparatively bland cast. This was a disappointment, as Steifvater's ability to breathe life into her characters is usually a major strength: June and Agent Tucker, however, were intangible and immemorable protagonists.

However, while I found the story an interesting case study of a historical phenomenon, Steifvater's cultural criticism lacked teeth. The story doesn't so much wrestle with the complex ethical issues of being asked to provide a luxury experience to the Nazi sympathizers as it does broadly gesture towards it, acknowledging uncomfortable questions without ever fully reckoning with them. While I don't take issues with a commentary on wealth and class, it says something to me that this is the primary political point, and that the voices we hear from are almost all able-bodied, heterosexual, non-Jewish, and White. Hannelore's story is the closest the novel comes to reckoning with the chilling implications of ongoing events and even this leaves something to be desired.

While I can see where Steifvater was going by largely obscuring the guests' actions and allegiance, coyly hinting at birthday parties thrown for war criminals and favorable articles written about a certain German chancellor, the central message was weakened by lack of a third-act punch back to reality. If the idea is that June loses her rose-tinted perspective on the value of preserving image, of preserving "luxury", at the cost of the truth, so to should the novel. I felt like I was waiting for a penny drop that never came, the final nail in a more meaningful message about the dangers of failing to hold people accountable for terrible things just because they are kind to you specifically.

The Listeners mixes historical fiction with low fantasy and is set in West Virginia from January through April 1942 when the U.S. government takes over several luxury hotels for "the war effort." The Avallon is different from other hotels though as its healing "sweetwater", the mineral water found in the bathing pools, flowing throughout the pipes and filling the fountains, is the fantastical element that enters this world. There is a strong sense of place with a descriptive writing style that made me feel that I was at the Avallon and slowly getting to know General Manager June Hudson, FBI agent Tucker Rye Minnick, the Gilfoyle family, other staff and the "guests" who arrive. Stiefvater writes both lush descriptions and well-crafted dialogue. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy an atmospheric setting, appreciate a slow beginning with a gradually intensifying plot, and prefer reflective characters.
Maggie Stiefvater spent four years doing research for this book, and it felt so authentic. I loved this story and have never read anything quite like it. When I was about 90 percent finished, I didn’t want to put it down but also didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend for book discussion groups!

Hosting diplomatic enemies of The United States in a luxury hotel right after the attacks on Pearl Harbor is a choice certain to raise eyebrows. That it is based on historical accounts makes it even more wild.

The premise of this book was so “out there” that it drew me in immediately. I thought it was speculative fiction until I used my friend Google.

The hotel Avallon was definitely a central character and my favorite part of the story. The descriptions were detailed and I could easily imagine what it would be like to stay there.

The main character, June, capably managed the Avallon through all this craziness. I wish I got to know more of her story.

My one criticism of this story is it didn’t go far enough. Like dipping my toe in the Sweet Water when I wanted to dive in. There seemed to be a distanced between the reader and the action in the story. The writing was interesting, the characters had potential to be interesting and I’m left wanting more but not in a good way. Meh.

Maggie has written a masterful novel that keeps pulling you into the world. This is one of those novels that will read different every single time you read it, providing you with more insights, questions, and perspectives. Maggie is also a master at making the setting of her stories into their own characters. The looming presence of the Avallon and the mercurial spirit of the sweetwater add a magical and ethereal quality to this story that take it to the next level. And the ending provides just enough to be satisfying but little enough that I am begging for more.

June is the GM of the Avallon Hotel, the foremost hotel in luxury stays. After Pearl Harbor, the owner makes the decision to allow the State Department to hold foreign diplomats in the hotel in order to enter negotiations to have Americans returned from countries we are at war with. This throws the hotel into disarray, and June must keep order while also dealing with growing staff deficiencies from the draft. Her people love her, they rely on her, and she has to be strong and gracefully carry them and the hotel through every obstacle.

This is definitely one of the must-reads of the summer. And with quotes such as the one below, how can you resist?
"Everything," he replied. "I want to be what makes you smile when we come home to each other and I want to be what makes you settle under a full moon and I want to be what makes you wild when I'm gone and I want to be what makes you weep when I die and I want to be everything else in between and I want to take you into the world and see it with you, but if it has to be here, then here is where I land."
(this quote is from an advanced copy and may appear differently in the finished copy)

Review goes live May 19

Loved this book and all its many characters, especially the sweetwater! The subject was obviously thoroughly researched and the descriptions made me feel like I was a guest at the Avallon. Thank you to the author for this beautiful piece of historical fiction.

I wanted to love this book, but it was very slow. It reminded me a lot of Emily St. John Mandel's The Glass Hotel, but without the poetry or esoteric propulsion. This book is more severe, more stark in its language and in the world that is created. I struggled to connect to any of the characters, and I couldn't quite follow the plot (is there a plot?). I wanted it to be more whimsical-- perhaps more like The Maid?
I worry that Steifvater may have overestimated her readers here, as it's definitely very far removed from her previous work.

This book had such a unique premise and a beautiful, immersive atmosphere. I was so intrigued by the idea of a hotel in West Virginia housing Axis diplomats during WWII—it’s not a part of history I’d ever seen explored in fiction. The story doesn’t focus on the war itself so much as the people inside the hotel, especially June, the general manager. I really admired her strength and how she carried the weight of two worlds—staff and guests—with so much grace.

There’s also this quiet, magical realism thread running through the story—the hotel feels almost alive, tied to the natural springs around it and the characters themselves. I loved the concept, even though I sometimes found it hard to follow. Some elements didn’t fully come together for me by the end, but I still really appreciated the writing and emotion behind it. I’d absolutely read more from this author. This one just left me with a lot to think about.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin Group Publishing for an early E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is a gripping historical thriller set during World War II at the lavish Avallon Hotel & Spa in West Virginia. As Axis diplomats arrive under the guise of diplomacy, general manager June Porter Hudson works to maintain order and the air of luxury—while working around Special Agent Tucker Rye Minnick, who’s monitoring their every move. As war is brought from the frontlines directly to the hotel and the mountain sweetwater begins to shift in unnatural ways, June finds herself caught in a web of political games, deception, and the world threatening the only foundation she’s ever known.

The Listeners was a book for fans of historical fiction that like a little bit of magic, but not an overwhelming amount like fantasy novels might contain or be based around. Fans of Stiefvater’s previous works will appreciate the nod to her magical roots and be surprised at how different the tone of this work is! Reading about the Avallon and her guests felt so tangible, as if the hotel and it’s staff really existed. Stiefvater is a master of imagery—her descriptors are vivid and transport the reader right into each scene. The writing style is especially immersive, and the use of vernacular is exceptional for the time period, while still being understandable to a modern audience. Stiefvater’s fly-on-the-wall point of view allows the reader to act like Agent Minnick, as if we, too, were listening in on everyone’s conversations behind closed doors. The atmosphere, the dialogue, and structure let the audience feel the magnificence of the hotel and its elite guests while we grappled with moral obligations alongside June.

The conclusion of the novel fell slightly short of my expectations, particularly in regard to Hannelore’s character arc. As the daughter of German diplomats with Nazi sympathies, Hannelore was portrayed with nuance and depth, exhibiting traits suggestive of neurodivergence. Her emotional complexity made her an especially compelling figure, which made the resolution of her storyline feel somewhat unfulfilled. Despite being positioned for a significant narrative payoff, her arc is ultimately concluded by transferring her future to the care of a State Department agent—an ending that seemed more convenient than earned. Although the thematic parallels between Hannelore and June were thoughtfully drawn, the climax lacked the emotional and narrative weight I had anticipated.

Overall, the book was a fascinating and immersive read, and I can certainly appreciate the dedicated research that took place to make it seem as realistic yet fantastical as possible! I look forward to Maggie’s adult debut and future novels.

This was a lovely, slow book, and I'm 85% sure I liked it.

When I think Maggie Stiefvater, I think atmosphere. This woman is an absolute master at curating a literary vibe, so it makes sense that this novel centers around a woman who curates vibes professionally. And the book was vibey, but not in the way that I've come to anticipate. There was an underpinning of the supernatural, but it felt like such a background character, not taking up the space that I would typically expect. It's also worth noting that this is a slow burn of a book, that doesn't quite feel character OR plot driven. It kind of floats along, which, given the subject matter, worked for it. And, like I said, I liked it (at least I'm pretty sure). I was engaged, I could taste the environment, and I was a bit bummed when it ended. But when I think of Stiefvater novels, I don't think this will be the one that defines her work for me.

This is a WW2 story that isn't really about the war, and as usual Stiefvater takes what could be a prosaic, straightforward tale of "the war" and turns it into something much bigger, deeper, and more magical. The Avallon is a luxury hotel in the Appalachian mountains, with an unusual female General Manager, June Hudson. In 1942, the FBI appropriates the entire hotel to stash foreign diplomats: German Nazis, Italians, Japanese. But this isn't a story about the war: it's about humanity, where we're willing to draw a line, and what are the costs of crossing that line -- with the added twist of the sweetwater that runs through the mountains feeding off human emotions, all written in gorgeous prose.

I have read many books by this author, and this one does not disappoint! It is a wonderful mix of history, mystery, human connection (and a little romance), elements of magic, and much more that can't be defined, but is pure Maggie! The cover and title didn't immediately give a clue to the story inside. I can't wait to share this with customers.

I love Maggie Stiefvater. She's one of my favorite YA authors. So when I saw she was writing her first book for adults, I was curious and excited. Historical fiction isn't my primary genre, but I do enjoy it occasionally. It looks like she did tons of research for this one, basing it on the detention of diplomats from enemy countries in American hotels during World War 2.

I was glad to see the Stiefvateran injection of the supernatural in the form of the "sweetwater," that makes the Avallon hotel such a special place. The mysterious, sometimes ominous, atmosphere of the hotel was a fantastic setting for this story.

The set-up felt a little long, and I wasn't in true devour mode until the 40-50% point. The beginning was good for creating the atmosphere and establishing June and Tucker's characters and June's relationship with the hotel staff--it just didn't move as quickly as the second half.

I loved the ending, the twists I half-guessed and the ones I didn't see coming. I felt conflicted about how certain decisions would affect the hotel staff, but I made myself feel better by imagining a good ending for them.

This was a good adult debut, and was happy to read another book by Maggie Stiefvater.

This was not for me...and I am having a hard time thinking of who this could be for. Maybe a die-hard Maggie Stiefvater fan, but other than that...not sure. This book had a lot of traits that I really enjoy: cool setting, historical fiction, deep character dive, little bit of magical elements. But every single one of those fell flat in one way or another.

Firstly, this almost put me into a reading slump, and I don't slump. I NEVER, not once, wanted to pick this up. Every section of the book dragged on and meandered left and right with no real direction. Nothing was gripping there that enticed me to keep reading, and honestly, not much of a plot to begin with. This could have easily been a novella and not a 400-page book.

For characters, none of them stood out. And there is a lot to choose from. For a book that is supposed to be all about characters, I still felt I knew absolutely nothing about any of them by the end. I tried to like Hoss, but she was as flat as cardboard. As for the other characters, I spent too long trying to find out if they mattered or not, or if they were secretly bad people or not, to care about them in any real capacity.

The magic system was incredibly bizarre. Now I love an interesting magic system, and this was, but it was NEVER explained. Not even in the tiniest little crumb. Absolutely nothing. So little to the point that I'm not even sure if it could be considered magical. Which is a big disappointment because the "magic" was a huge plot point and was very crucial in the end. I just didn't know anything about it, so it made the conclusion unfulfilling.

The romance was the slowest burn romance I have ever read, and that is coming from someone who lives and breathes slow burn. SO slow burn that I didn't even realize that there was supposed to be a romance between the two characters until halfway through the book.

This was just missing so many elements that make a historical fiction strong. There is supposed to be atmosphere and history and raw and real emotions. There are usually moments that make the era come alive, with music, or arts, or even the language itself. But all of that was missing here. No emotions elicited.

Lastly, I am not sure about some of the plot points themselves. Maybe that is just how history was, but reading about someone taking care of Nazi's just wasn't my vibe. That, and the fact that two characters' disabilities were used as plot devices and as a prank...so there's that too.

The only saving grace in this, and why it is not getting one star, is the writing itself. But even that was not enough to save a book that just wasn't interesting. I appreciate her trying something different, and I did enjoy this more than the other book I read from her (a one-star), but this was not strong.

2/5 stars.