A slow paced book with characters who I feel I should have been more invested in, however the main character for me ended up being the Avallon Hotel itself and the location. This isn’t an action packed read, it steadily builds up and the final hour really held my interest. It was a completely unique subject, I didn’t know this commandeering of hotels for Nazi ‘sympathisers’ happened.

Дебютна доросла проза Меґґі Стівотер, в якій усе, як пише Меґґі, і усе не те, чим здається. І мені хотілося би, щоб усе виявилося іншим, аніж здається аж до кінця, але...почнемо з початку.

Хосс, або Джейн Гатсон, головна менеджерка розкішного готелю для багатих. Сенс існування Авалону, побудованого у Аппалачах на солодких водах, один — дарувати жителям розкіш. І без того багаті люди приїжджають в дорогий готель, хтось вірить в чудодійні солодкі води, хтось насолоджується тим, що простір і обслуга до їхніх послуг і готова задовольнити будь-який каприз. І нема в Хосс, чи в будь-кого з обслуговуючого персоналу, нічого важливішого за те, щоб бути Авалоном, щоб Авалон задовольнив усе, найдивніші і надзвичайніші потреби — весілля, крусани, жити подалі від солодких вод. Я вже думала, що це буде рецензія біднячки.

Але я чекала, і була нагороджена (не всі нагороди нам потрібні, ой не всі) — на порозі другої світової війни агенти фбр обрали Авалон місцем для своїх політичних ігрищ. Усі, хто роками платив за розкіш Авалону, мав негайно забратися, лишитися мав тільки персонал. А вже завтра до Авалону привезуть нацистів країн Осі. І готель зобов'язаний прийняти їх не менш, як багатіїв. Хосс, надто прив'язана до готелю, ніби і є ним, щиро впевнена в тому, що ким би не були гості, вони все ще гості Авалону і готель має дати те, що дає завжди — розкіш.

Поки нацисти чекають депортації зі штатів Америки.

В одному з найдорожчих готелів.

Щоб їх прийняли, як поважних гостей.

І менеджерка тільки "за", хай би що говорив кухар, покоївка чи ще хтось, чиї рідні загинули у цій війні.

Це могла бути рецензія біднячки, але це буде рецензія українки, в якої більше не лишилося напівтонів.

Частина тексту пишеться з точки зору Хосс, яка асоціює своє буття з розкішним готелем, і іноді страждає, що власник готелю недостатньо її цінує, частина від одного з агентів, Мінніка, і з'являється ще одне лице — до Авалону прибуває Ганналор з батьком, німецьким нацистським дипломатом, матір'ю, і лікарем. Ганналор не говорить, їй 14 (?), і вона наспівує певну пісеньку, якої її навчили. Я не профі, але маю підозру, що Ганналор в спектрі, і сприймає світ дещо інакше. Хосс одразу помічає, що дівчинка прислухається до вод і готелю, як і сама вона, і тут же визнає свою з нею схожість (чому?), і прив'язується?

Поки готель розкішно приймає нацистів, дипломатів Осі, менеджерка переживає і любовні переживання, поки контролює персонал, щоб вбивць гарно годували, щоб агенти гарно спали. Любовна лінія одна з найбільш приємних в цій книзі, її зміни та настрої, і фінал. Друга приємна річ в цій книзі — хлопець, який був наче братом Хосс, бо вони росли разом, і він пішов на війну, а повернувся вже в кріслі колісному і не реагує на цей світ. Так, світе, подивися, що на нас чекає. Втрати. Розчарування. Біль. Найкращі хлопчики більше ніколи не будуть такими, як раніше. Ніхто не буде таким, як колись. Поки ти годуєш нацистів з золотих ложечок і напуваєш солодкою водою, Хосс. Може, не дарма солодка вода на смак, як попіл?

Підійдемо до частини, яка найбільше мене розчарувала — адже Ганналор не така, як її батьки-нацисти! Лише дівчинка (яку в ховали в нацистських ідеалах), яку треба рятувати. Обов'язково-обов'язково всі захочуть рятувати ні в чому невинну дитину. Але ми хто такий в нас наївний? Хто такий хороший і вірить в мир в усьому світі? Хто ця маленька неполітична булочка? Попалися?! Вітаю, ви в клубі "нєвсьотакадназначна". Назву кілька моментів: батьки цієї дівчинки багаті, ну вони дипломати і розкішне життя для них звичка, батьки цієї дитини мають вплив, ресурси та вибір, і вони його зробили. Ця дівчинка має усе, чого немає в жодного з нас, щоб мати прекрасне безхмарне майбутнє, її батьки мають усе, аби змінювати майбутнє на краще для неї. Але якщо батьки обрали саме таке майбутнє, саме владу, яка вбиває таких, як Ганналор (фашисти першою своєю ціллю обрали людей з інвалідністю, щоб знищити усіх незручних в ім'я чистоти раси), то чому ці багаті американці, які живуть в розкішному готелі, який далеко в горах ховає їх від війни, обирають рятувати цю "нещасну дитину"? Свята наївність. Позбудьтеся цієї цноти, допоки не пізно. Я емпатична аж до блювоти, але до ворога не може бути емпатії, інакше він забереться під шкіру голками, як це робила русня. Якщо нацисти хочуть рятувати своїх дітей, вони мають робити це також і самі.

Також з мінусів, менш значних, бо в порівнянні зі співчуттям до нацистів, готель, що мав би бути ще одним персонажем — ні, не відчула. Не було у Авалона ніякої волі, ніякого слова. Хосс, яка відчувала готель, я в це також не повірила, жодного бажання Авалона, ніякого злиття чи розлуки.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There was so much unfolding in this book that I couldn't put my finger on what specific genre it was! With Maggie Stiefvater you definitely get a strong story.

Thank you to the publisher for the earc!

I should be more careful when reading synopsis, as I completely missed the fact that it’s set in WW2. I’m not a fan of historical books, even if it’s a historical fantasy such as The Listeners was. If you’re interested in the lives of diplomats after Pearl Harbor, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book!

Maggie Stiefvater beautifully blends a story of both historical and personal significance, reaching back into a dark time in our history than is becoming increasingly relevant while examining the benefits and costs of being brave, loyal, and compassionate to each other and ourselves. Her beautifully lyrical writing pulls you in, and the characters shine with deep emotion and gritty reality. The setting is also a fully realized character - the mountains, the sweetwater, the hotel - they all exude their own influence on the characters and the story, shaping their lives, personalities, and actions. Books like this are hard to talk and write about sometimes because they make you think so much that your head starts spinning with all the ideas and connections and emotions. The biggest compliment I can give is I immediately want to read it again.

I loved getting to know June, through her relationships with the Gilfoyle family members, and her connection to the sweetwater, and the family she built at the Avallon, and her slow realization of what truly mattered to her. She is a woman who cares deeply about those around her, partly because of who she is but also because of how she grew up. June was abandoned, but she found a home at the Avallon, a place she felt she belonged, a role of importance, where it felt like she was valued and doing good work. All those things coalesced into this feeling that she had no future outside of the Avallon, either because she owed it for what it gave to her or because it needed her and couldn’t survive without her. But what about what June wants and needs? This story is June’s story of finally seeing the truth of herself, and believing those who say she deserves more than the small joys she’d been allowing herself.

Agent Minnick. Tucker. Sigh. His journey of self-realization was no less powerful - after a lifetime of trying to be the perfect government man, to show that he’d changed and made up for any mistakes he felt he’d made in the past, the universe drew him back to the place where he could confront those emotional demons and connect to his grief, freeing him to be himself. I love how he slowly let down those walls, partly for himself but also for June, for this woman he is captivated by and afraid of and can’t imagine living without.

The sweetwater itself is its own entity that I still don’t fully understand, but seems to spring from the unique nature of the Virginia mountains, connected to the people, absorbing and sending our emotions to those around it, touching it. The water is why I need to read this on repeat. I feel like there’s a metaphor in there about how people spoil what is natural, and eventually nature rises up in resistance, reclaiming what is rightfully its own and clearly out the evil intentions and emotions of humanity. Visiting Casto Springs and feeling the difference between the water there and that of the Avallon is really telling.

The historical element of this book, that of the detainment of Axis dignitaries and their staffs after Pearl Harbor and the negotiations for exchanging them with American prisoners was both fascinating and horrifying. I can see why they felt they needed to treat their detainees well in order to encourage the their enemies to treat the Americans in their custody well, also (though we know that didn’t actually ensure anything), but I agree that it would be incredibly difficult to stomach, especially considering the attitudes of some of the worst Nazis, especially those in the German delegation. The way the Avallon was set up, to treat their guests as special and important no matter who they are, made it the perfect place to keep detainees like the dignitaries, but I think what June discovered is you *can’t* fully separate who people are outside the hotel from how you see and treat them inside it. You can’t un-know which men wish death on their waiter because of his ethnicity and which is planning on euthanizing a child for being different. In the end, June does the only thing she can do - follow her conscience to save who she can, risking her life and livelihood in the process. And how the people around her react is telling of their own character and morality, and what side of history they end up on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy of this book for review purposes. If it wasn’t obvious, I highly recommend this one, especially for fans of historical fiction with a side of magical realism. I feel like I have barely done the book justice with this review because I left so many things out, but you didn’t come here for a dissertation.

The Listeners releases on June 3, and you can preorder a copy or place a hold at your library today! Also, you should follow Maggie Stiefvater on BlueSky - she’s been posting drawings of dachshunds inserted into works of art for the past 2 months and plans on continuing until publication day. It’s been so fun to see what she comes up with every day! Also, if you’re wondering, “why dachshunds?” - as Maggie says, the books not really ABOUT dachshunds but there are 3 in it and they are always there.

Set in the depths of West Virginia during World War Two The Listeners blends history with romance and a touch of magic. It’s beautifully written but you need to persevere as it is quite slow!

Overall thoroughly enjoyed The Listeners. I was surprised that Maggie was writing such a historical novel but I knew she would undoubtedly bring a twist, and she did! I loved the setting of the Avalon and the magical elements of this story balanced by the historical period. I do wish the sweetwater had been utilised in a more magical way. It felt a bit underwhelming by the end despite it being present and adding tension the whole time. I really loved the ensemble of characters, The romance story line was sweet, a nice subtle slowburn which I really appreciated.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is a hauntingly beautiful blend of historical fiction and magical realism, set against the quietly tense backdrop of 1942 West Virginia. The story unfolds in The Avallon Hotel, a grand, luxurious retreat known for its elegance—and now, its unlikely new role as a holding space for Axis diplomats, their staff and families.. At the centre of it all is June, the fiercely capable General Manager, who’s worked her way up from orphaned girl to beloved pillar of the hotel and its staff. They call her Hoss, which I googled and it's a term of respect for someone strong and capable (usually for a man) so that gives the reader and idea of what the hotel staff think of June.

June isn’t just running the hotel—she’s tied to it, and to the sweetwater, a mineral spring with mysterious properties that only she seems to understand. When The Avallon is quietly transformed into a wartime holding facility, the tension among guests and staff runs deep. Japanese, German, and Italian delegates dine under the same roof as Americans whose loved ones are on the front lines. And amid this uneasy truce, June must keep the hotel running with poise and diplomacy.

Enter Agent Tucker Minnick—an FBI agent stationed at The Avallon to keep a watchful eye on proceedings. He’s quiet, composed, and straightforward, with an air of confidence that makes him easy to trust. He’s not complicated—except for one deeply personal piece of his past that connects him to the land and the sweetwater. He and June, although initially wary of each other, are slowly drawn together. What develops between them is a tender, slow-burn connection rooted in attraction, shared values, and growing affection.

Interspersed throughout are chapters told from the perspective of Hannelore, the young daughter of one of the German diplomats. Hannelore is neurodivergent, though the book never labels her—and doesn’t need to. Her perspective is written with a gentle sensitivity that feels authentic and grounded. Her character adds a quiet but powerful emotional depth, especially as the story hints at the danger she would face if returned to Nazi Germany, where those who were seen as different were often treated cruelly. Hannelore feels real—vulnerable, perceptive, and deeply affecting.

Stiefvater’s prose is lyrical and immersive, weaving together the quiet mystery of the sweet water with the fraught emotional landscape of wartime America. While the story doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of the era—class, xenophobia, nationalism, loss—it’s also infused with warmth, hope, and a sense of found family. The secondary characters bring colour and texture, and The Avallon Hotel itself feels like a character—rich in history, secrets, and magic, something to be feared and respected.

This is my first Maggie Stiefvater novel, and her first foray into adult fiction—and it’s an enchanting, poignant success. The Listeners is a story of love, loyalty, and healing in the face of uncertainty. I was fully swept away. Five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—opinions are entirely my own.

The Listeners is historical fiction, set in a luxury hotel in the US in 1942. America has just been fully drawn into WWII following the attack on Pearl Harbour, and the Avallon Hotel has been recruited by the FBI to host Axis diplomats, journalists and their families at a time of huge uncertainty.

It is mysterious and atmospheric, with a steady foundation of unease throughout. When I picked this up it was tagged as Fantasy, which honestly I think is a bit of a stretch. There is just a hint of magical realism, a somewhat open, but also hidden, secret at the heart of the hotel. It impacts the setting and the atmosphere, certainly, but it doesn't actually have that much impact on the story. If you removed that element there wouldn't be all that much change to the plot, but there would be to the feel of the novel. This is not the book if you're looking for a fantasy novel, but is for enjoyers of historical fiction, particularly if you'd enjoy an enigmatic, almost mythological quality to the story.

I am a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater and have been since her Wolves of Mercy Falls days. I have followed her writing with delight over the years (The Scorpio Races is one of my all time favourite books) and I was really excited to learn that she was publishing her first adult novel.

This book did not disappoint. Stiefvater is the queen of atmosphere and this book is just teeming with it. The Listeners is historical fiction with a side of magical realism. Set in 1942, the five star Avalon Hotel has been requisitioned by the US government to host Axis power diplomats in the wake of Pearl Harbour. The book follows hotel boss June as she wrestles with the dilemma between maintaining the hotel’s reputation of providing a personalised five star service to all guests against the fact that the “guests” are essentially prisoners, some of whom may be spies and nazis.

Running through this dilemma is the silent threat of the sweet water turning - the hotel is a spa hotel, with a spring running through the grounds, and the staff are all very respectful/afraid of the water. The fate of the hotel is intrinsically linked to the health of the sweet water and it reacts to whatever is happening around it. Anger, sadness and frustration can cause the sweet water to “turn” which could lead to the distruction of the hotel. June is the only person who knows how to placate or negotiate with the water. This is woven very finely throughout the novel and while it’s clear that the locals believe the water to be alive, it could easily been seen by incomers as a bit of local mythology. The fantasy element is very subtle and you can decide yourself whether there are actual magical events taking place.

This book has the same feel to me as All the Crooked Saints and The Scorpio Races and I really loved it. Anyone who enjoys Stiefvater’s beautiful, haunting writing will appreciate this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for approving me for this ARC. I read Maggie Stiefvater’s first series, The Wolves of Mercy Cycle, about 15 years ago when it was first released. I wasn’t a Twilight fan but I did remember enjoying this. I did try reading The Raven Boys a year or so ago but struggled to get into it. I remember coming across this book on Waterstones and liking the premise before realising who the author was, and was really happy to see it come up as an ARC for request and then to be accepted.

The Listeners is wildly different to her previous books. It reads like historical fiction with just a hint of fantasy, so I put it firmly in the magical realism category. This is set during 1942 during WW2, after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, and the book, I find, is more a study of human beings and social class from the viewpoint of June Hudson, the hotel’s general manager. The novel is set at the Avallon Hotel, a luxury hotel, that is overtaken by enemy diplomats and the waters that run through the hotel (similar to a hot springs hotel) through its taps and bathhouses have a power that is referred to by June and the staff throughout and everyone treads carefully with how they treat the water.

I found it a fascinating insight into the human psyche through June’s observations of the guests throughout her time there. If you are expecting Stiefvater’s typical paranormal romance, this is not it, but I loved it. This was a refreshing different novel in this fantasy genre. Fairyloot is releasing a special edition of this book and the cover reminds me of Titanic.

The book did start to lose its way a little in the middle and there wasn’t much plot left to it. I was also a little confused by the romance because whilst it was slow burn, I didn’t quite get where the attraction came from. Other points, it took me ages to work out June’s age (she’s 35) so it was a little difficult to picture her and I still don’t understand why she’s called Hoss.

Overall, it felt like a coming of age story in many ways even though the protagonist is older. I loved the start but felt it started to drag halfway through. It is a historical novel with a dash of magic (and I mean a little). Is it worth reading? Yes, but come to it expecting the unexpected, not your typical fantasy.

I rate this 3.5 stars, rounded up.

4.5⭐

It's been a little while since I have read a Maggie Stiefvater book so I had forgotten just how beautiful and immersive the story and writing could be. While based around a certain period of time in history, it was a interesting and gripping read.I will admit it did take me a little while to get into this but once I did I couldn't put The Listeners down.

The way she can write so many different characters in a way that makes them feel so human and less stereotyped just proves the magic she has in her writing and storytelling. While this was a completely different book than I am use to, it was a really good book to take me out of my comfort zone and I'm so happy I decided to give it a chance.

At first I wasn’t sure what to think about this book. But as I got more into the story, I started to enjoy it even though I wished for a more fulfilling epilogue but I understand why the author left as it is. I did find the layout of the chapters slightly confusing at the beginning as it is told from different POV’s but also in almost a third person format. While I did enjoy it, I won’t be going out and buying a physical copy

I couldn't wait to start reading The Listerners and it didn't disappoint. I love the author's writing style and the atmosphere she created throughout this story was excellent. I loved June's character and there were some magical elements woven into the story. It is historical but the writing is flawless. It was a pleasure to read this hauntingly beautiful story set during World War II.

I was very excited to read Maggie Stiefvaters first Adult novel after enjoying multiple of her YA works and I was right to be so.
This book, although not something I'd have perhaps picked up without the authors name attached genuinely blew me away with the characters, imagery and plot it holds such a depth which really allows you to sink your teeth into the story. This story is set in the Avallon, a magical hotel ran by Jane Hudson which is set in WW2 making the book a historical fiction book, but laced with magical tones and intricate lore.
It's intriguing to read a book that is littered and stuffed with deeply researched historical facts yet also weaved with magic and characters that make you feel so immersed within the story itself. This story holds so much imagery and allows a world to be created in your minds eye whilst reading.
I initially had a worry that, when we began meeting multiple characters that I'd get bored if reading about a certain one for a significant amount of time but the characters are written in such a way that their stories are all able to be utterly intrigued with.
The ending was slightly predictable the more you continued the book, however I think it suits the book well in this case.
I also would note that even if you've never read historical fiction before that this book makes understanding any specific references/historical knowledge relatively easy to understand. As someone myself who doesn't have a lot of knowledge on history I didn't feel excluded from the story which again was one of my initial worries picking up this book.
I would recommend this book purely based on how impressed I was with the characters and their intricacies, and the settings which make this story so pleasant to fall into.
4.5 stars

The Avallon Hotel, situated in the Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia is a luxurious hotel and spa catering to the very wealthy, that is until the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbour. The hotel general manager, June Hudson, is ordered to empty the hotel of guests and prepare to accept Axis diplomats and other high profile aliens whilst an exchange is arranged for Allied diplomats. Three FBI agents are sent to oversee the detainees. The writing is very poetic and beautifully descriptive with this slow paced read definitely more character driven than plot driven. The factual background to the treatment of the detainees, action that I had previously been unaware of, makes for fascinating reading.

Briefly, most of the new guests in the hotel are German, Italian and Japanese but this story concentrates more on the German guests. As well as the FBI investigating the hotel guests there are a number of other threads; including those around room 411 in the hotel, the hotel owners the Gilfoyle family and the four spa rooms.

I really enjoyed the historical element of the story and all the wonderful characters involved in the story, alongside main characters June and FBI agent Tucker Minnow I really connected with Hannelore. I did struggle a bit with the magical realism around the sweetwater and to me the plot was a little unclear at times. All in all I did like it and would read this author again but I didn’t love it. I think I’m in the minority here so I may well revisit it later. An unusual and interesting read based on true events during WWII in USA.

3.5⭐️

I loved the historical details of this novel - set in 1942, shortly after Pearl Harbour when the American authorities need to decide what to do with German and Japanese (and allies) diplomats and staff, all of whom are now considered enemy elements. They negotiate to swap them for American staff in Germany, Italy and Japan and in order to do that they round these people up and lodge them in hotels prior to departure across the Atlantic.
The Avallon hotel is fictional setting for a group of these diplomats. It is a place of high luxury where every curtesy is extended to the guests even if they are German. But the hotel has a secret - it is located above the streams of 'sweetwater' - and keeping the water on side is done at a cost to the general manager, Hoss. This background gives the hotel a mysterious and rather ominous feeling - something I would actually have liked to have seen more of in the book.
There is a large cast of characters, of whom June (Hoss) is the main character. Some these people don't get much of a story and little characterisation and possibly play second fiddle to the hotel itself which is almost a character in its own right. June finds herself drawn into the hunt for secrets among the diplomats at the hotel as FBI Agent Tucker Minnick and his men eavesdrop on everyone.
As the story develops both June and Tucker struggle with who they are and where their loyalties lie.
This is an unusual blend of historical fiction and magical realism and whilst I enjoyed it, I didn't feel it quite achieved either category completely. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but ultimately the interest in the hotel kept me reading to the end.
With thanks to Netgalley and Headline for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

A fabulous read. Although the hotel and story was a work of fiction, it was based on a lot of what really happened at that time. Highly recommended story, following the lives of foreign aliens put up in American hotels during World War II. I was so happy to receive an advance reader copy and leave this review willingly.

I was super excited to see Stiefvater doing an adult book, and while I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction (this is set in 1942), the setup of the manager of a luxury hotel with magical water having to deal with hosting Axis power diplomats (including Nazis) was instantly intriguing to me.

Content warnings include: racism, Nazis, ableism, autistic child character has a meltdown, suicide attempt; Mentions of: euthanasia, genocide, sterilization.

Stiefvater's writing, as usual, is one of the big plus points here. It's just a delight to read. A bit more mature, a bit less whimsical than her other books, but there is still plenty of magic and wittiness and just a lot of fun to read.

The plot was very vibes based, despite being very grounded around the hotel being more or less forced to host the Axis Power/Nazi (and other) diplomats and their staff. Despite there being plenty of tension due to the delicate nature of the politics, there were lighthearted and merry moments, often facilitated through the (seemingly) effortless luxury and ease of the hotel and the highly skilled employees. That was one of my favourite parts of the book, to read about the hard work the hotel employees, and June, the hotel manager, in particular, put in to make the luxury feel effortless while tayloring each guest's experienced to their liking, without them even noticing.

But the shadow of the war happening was ever present as well - there is plenty of classism, racism, xenophobia and ableism going on, not to mention the horrors or war and poverty.

While June is the main protagonist, there are occasional chapters told from the POV of an FBI agent who has a past, and of a non-verbal autistic child, the daughter of a German diplomat. Hannelore's POV was fascinating in particular. It is heavily implied that June is autistic as well. (I personally read it as autism at least, it is not labelled as such on-page.)

Another part of the plot is the sweetwater, the magical water that flows through the region where the hotel is located. I'll be honest and say I expected a bit more from it. What exactly is up with the water is never really said, and while I enjoy a good mystery, and not every answer needs to be spelled out... I wanted more from it. Overall it played a pretty minor role and honestly could have very easily been excluded without any big changes. The few details that we got were cool, just... not quite enough for me. If there is a change between the final version and the review copy I read, I hope it's the involvement of the sweetwater.

There is a romance subplot that is not super present in the book, but kinda picks up towards the end. Picks up so much, in fact, that I was almost confused by the strength of the characters' feelings at the end? I don't think more romance would have been needed, I even think that could have distracted from the rest, but I personally was a bit blindsided by how the two characters ended up.

Another thing that stumped me a bit was the involvement/importance of 411. I don't want to say much about it as I do not want to give anything away, but at the same time, I'm not sure what there is to give away because I did not see how it mattered at all? It must have gone completely over my head, and if someone wants to fill me in I'd appreciate it!

Overall this was a great read, super intriguing, with fun characters and a bittersweet and sometimes chilling undertone.