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The Murmurings
Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.
As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….
As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….
370 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2013
60 people are currently reading
7081 people want to read
About the author
Carly Anne West
26 books227 followersCarly Anne West is the author of several works of spooky fiction for readers of all ages, with titles including The Murmurings and The Bargaining (Simon Pulse), and the forthcoming series The Ghosts of Nameless Island (Andrews McMeel). Her works also include the Hello Neighbor series (Scholastic), based on the fan favorite video game, as well as contributions to the NYT Bestselling Five Nights at Freddy's literary universe (Scholastic), based on the wildly popular video game of the same name. Carly holds an MFA in English and Writing from Mills College and lives in Seoul, Korea with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
February 22, 2013
This cover…
…She is looking into my soul!! *rocks back and forth*
This cover is going to give any reader the expectation of a major creep-fest, and it does start out pretty fantastic on that front, hooking you from the first few pages. It's bizarre and freaky, the MC seeing things from the corner of her eye and hearing unwelcome mutterings. It definitely gave me the heeby-jeebies. Along the way, however, I did feel like the book veered a little too off course for me, trapped in a web of Takers, Seers, and other explanations behind the story. There was also the lack of character development that stopped me from being one hundred percent immersed into it all. Furthermore, the romance is one I did not care for. I feel the book would have been better off without it. If I based it just on the creepy, though, it would be getting a 4!
As far as characters go, I liked Sophie well enough--although I did forget her name within minutes of finishing the book. To me she's what I consider a surface character. She's good for the story, she fills her role, but there isn't much more to her. With this superficial personality I don't feel like I really got to know her. In turn, this affected the romance in the book even further I'm quite sure, which is a part I didn't particularly enjoy either. The way they meet and "connect", the way they interact, even the way they kiss it all felt out of place. I'm not sure if it was my impatience towards wanting to move along and get more creepy happenings, but I don't even understand how they got to be together. Suddenly, he was just there. Then poof, we've got a romantic subplot. Even though it wasn't an insta-love in the sense that they were madly in love within days, the connection and the chemistry missed its mark for me.
Oh the murmurings! Whispers and strange mutterings, unable to understand what's being said, feeling breath on your neck, mirrors that start to shimmer and move like liquid, seeing something from the corner of your eye; this is all pretty disturbing. I have to give props for this book's creepy factor. While it wasn't as constant as I was hoping due to the story kind of wandering off, this book has some great spine-chilling moments that gives its reader a bit of a rush. Those were my favorite parts hands down, and the way it's played out in the plot is interesting enough with a unique way about it. It's different from what I was expecting, though, it being a lore rather than unexplained phenomenon messing with your mind--which you gotta admit is much funner. Either way, a creepy book is what we have, it's just unfortunate there isn't much more to it than that.
For fans of thrillers, The Murmurings brings us an ominous mental institution with questionable doctors, and patients who are suffering a terrible curse. Its potential was bigger than its execution, had it had stronger characters and a tighter plot, but the book is great for an entertainingly eerie read.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
…She is looking into my soul!! *rocks back and forth*
This cover is going to give any reader the expectation of a major creep-fest, and it does start out pretty fantastic on that front, hooking you from the first few pages. It's bizarre and freaky, the MC seeing things from the corner of her eye and hearing unwelcome mutterings. It definitely gave me the heeby-jeebies. Along the way, however, I did feel like the book veered a little too off course for me, trapped in a web of Takers, Seers, and other explanations behind the story. There was also the lack of character development that stopped me from being one hundred percent immersed into it all. Furthermore, the romance is one I did not care for. I feel the book would have been better off without it. If I based it just on the creepy, though, it would be getting a 4!
As far as characters go, I liked Sophie well enough--although I did forget her name within minutes of finishing the book. To me she's what I consider a surface character. She's good for the story, she fills her role, but there isn't much more to her. With this superficial personality I don't feel like I really got to know her. In turn, this affected the romance in the book even further I'm quite sure, which is a part I didn't particularly enjoy either. The way they meet and "connect", the way they interact, even the way they kiss it all felt out of place. I'm not sure if it was my impatience towards wanting to move along and get more creepy happenings, but I don't even understand how they got to be together. Suddenly, he was just there. Then poof, we've got a romantic subplot. Even though it wasn't an insta-love in the sense that they were madly in love within days, the connection and the chemistry missed its mark for me.
Oh the murmurings! Whispers and strange mutterings, unable to understand what's being said, feeling breath on your neck, mirrors that start to shimmer and move like liquid, seeing something from the corner of your eye; this is all pretty disturbing. I have to give props for this book's creepy factor. While it wasn't as constant as I was hoping due to the story kind of wandering off, this book has some great spine-chilling moments that gives its reader a bit of a rush. Those were my favorite parts hands down, and the way it's played out in the plot is interesting enough with a unique way about it. It's different from what I was expecting, though, it being a lore rather than unexplained phenomenon messing with your mind--which you gotta admit is much funner. Either way, a creepy book is what we have, it's just unfortunate there isn't much more to it than that.
For fans of thrillers, The Murmurings brings us an ominous mental institution with questionable doctors, and patients who are suffering a terrible curse. Its potential was bigger than its execution, had it had stronger characters and a tighter plot, but the book is great for an entertainingly eerie read.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
February 24, 2013
Before reading: o_O The cover! Oh my. I hope it's as creepy as it sounds and looks.
After reading: Not anywhere near as creepy as it sounds and looks. *sigh*
2.5 stars Review to come.
After reading: Not anywhere near as creepy as it sounds and looks. *sigh*
2.5 stars Review to come.
March 11, 2013
"Best not to get used to that," I tell myself. It's not a good thing to start missing the company of your own imagination.
Have you ever watched a movie with a great deal of suspenseful buildup, only to get to the end and realize that you were sitting around waiting for nothing? *edit* I do need to clarify that there was a huge creep factor at the end. I guess I just wanted more knowledge or closure, or something. Even if this does end up being turned into a series, I really don't feel enough to want to continue on.
Apathy : I have it.
I'm having a slight amount of guilt over my non-desire to want to review this book. There's got to be something I can say to help people decide whether or not to read this. Obviously, me just saying I do/don't like something isn't always a solid indicator, since I've been known to dislike books which other people love. *cough* Insanity *cough* Oh hey, that was kind of a similar subject to this one. Well, maybe not exactly. Insanity was more sappy romantic. This book had its pine-y moments as well, but not with the same amount of overzealous thrust. Yes, I used thrust. I'm not sure why that was my word of choice.
So in this case, who might actually enjoy The Murmurings?
I had similar feelings while reading Bad Girls Don't Die. Sooooo...if you were a fan of that book, you might enjoy this one.
Review over. I'm tired. And lazy. And completely ready to move on to something else.
This book was provided from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. As this was an advanced release copy, the quote mentioned may not be present in the final copy.
February 21, 2016
The Murmurings is a book that, as soon as you so much as glance at it, promises good things. It puts into your mind images of yourself biting your nails, gripping the book/Kindle with white fingers, torn between wanting to turn away because of how creepy it is and that innate need to keep on reading. While it didn't entirely live up to that impression, this was a decent read nevertheless.
Sophie is haunted after the death of her sister, Nell. Everyone assumes that she committed suicide, unable to bear the supposed voices that she can hear but no-one else can't. Except Sophie. At first she tries to ignore it, even begins to think that she's going crazy. But soon she learns that the doctors at the mental facility Nell was staying at aren't ordinary doctors, and that there's a reason for why she can hear these voices. Why she can see shadows and distortions in the mirror. And the more she finds out, the more her own life is in danger.
The novel gets off to a good start, immersing you immediately in Sophie's world. I found myself intrigued as to what these murmurings were and how both Nell and Sophie were able to hear them. I'd seen references to Seers and Takers in other reviews, so naturally this made me even more curious. The term 'Seer' was pretty self-explanatory, but 'Taker'? I read eagerly, wanting to have my questions answered. And when I did get them, I was, for the most part, satisfied. Of course I was also waiting to be creeped out, and this was one of the big things that disappointed me. The more sinister scenes come in the second half of the book, and naturally while reading them I was questioning myself for wanting to read a creepy book so badly. But those scenes didn't last very long, and soon I'd be back to feeling slightly disconnected from the writing. At the same time, though, a mental hospital does feature quite heavily in the book, and I always feel slightly uncomfortable reading about them. They're eerie places, and let me tell you, doctors can be very scary people. I'd hate to be on the wrong side of one.
Because of that, and because of the fact that she misses her sister and also has to deal with these freaky whispers in her ear, and because of the other fact that her mother is essentially useless and her aunt focused only on her mother, I did feel sorry for Sophie. She has a lot to deal with, and The Murmurings is another example of how harming people can be. It especially frustrated me that her mother and Aunt Becca made exactly the same mistake as with Nell, apparently having learned nothing. Having said that, however, I wasn't able to entirely connect with Sophie. You'd think that knowing her ability to hear the murmurings, something that no-one else knows, would go a long way towards letting you get to really know her. But I found myself wishing to know more about her, to see layers to her. I wanted her to be a more thoughtful character rather than simply pushing boundaries beyond their limit when she knew that doing so would only end badly. My inability to connect extended to the romance as well. This was perhaps the thing that irked me most. Evan made a couple of appearances and suddenly he's all Sophie can think about. She gets nervous when she's near him. Why does she like him? Why does he like her? More questions, no answers. It ended slightly better than it started, but I still wasn't convinced.
Despite the negativity that seems to have come through here, The Murmurings was actually a good read. Granted, I would have loved a bigger dose of creepiness and the chance to really connect to what I was reading, but there was some feeling drawn from me. The concept behind the book is certainly different, and I'd recommend you read this at least for that that alone. Regardless of all the issues, it's definitely worth sticking with.
This review is also posted on my blog.
Sophie is haunted after the death of her sister, Nell. Everyone assumes that she committed suicide, unable to bear the supposed voices that she can hear but no-one else can't. Except Sophie. At first she tries to ignore it, even begins to think that she's going crazy. But soon she learns that the doctors at the mental facility Nell was staying at aren't ordinary doctors, and that there's a reason for why she can hear these voices. Why she can see shadows and distortions in the mirror. And the more she finds out, the more her own life is in danger.
The novel gets off to a good start, immersing you immediately in Sophie's world. I found myself intrigued as to what these murmurings were and how both Nell and Sophie were able to hear them. I'd seen references to Seers and Takers in other reviews, so naturally this made me even more curious. The term 'Seer' was pretty self-explanatory, but 'Taker'? I read eagerly, wanting to have my questions answered. And when I did get them, I was, for the most part, satisfied. Of course I was also waiting to be creeped out, and this was one of the big things that disappointed me. The more sinister scenes come in the second half of the book, and naturally while reading them I was questioning myself for wanting to read a creepy book so badly. But those scenes didn't last very long, and soon I'd be back to feeling slightly disconnected from the writing. At the same time, though, a mental hospital does feature quite heavily in the book, and I always feel slightly uncomfortable reading about them. They're eerie places, and let me tell you, doctors can be very scary people. I'd hate to be on the wrong side of one.
Because of that, and because of the fact that she misses her sister and also has to deal with these freaky whispers in her ear, and because of the other fact that her mother is essentially useless and her aunt focused only on her mother, I did feel sorry for Sophie. She has a lot to deal with, and The Murmurings is another example of how harming people can be. It especially frustrated me that her mother and Aunt Becca made exactly the same mistake as with Nell, apparently having learned nothing. Having said that, however, I wasn't able to entirely connect with Sophie. You'd think that knowing her ability to hear the murmurings, something that no-one else knows, would go a long way towards letting you get to really know her. But I found myself wishing to know more about her, to see layers to her. I wanted her to be a more thoughtful character rather than simply pushing boundaries beyond their limit when she knew that doing so would only end badly. My inability to connect extended to the romance as well. This was perhaps the thing that irked me most. Evan made a couple of appearances and suddenly he's all Sophie can think about. She gets nervous when she's near him. Why does she like him? Why does he like her? More questions, no answers. It ended slightly better than it started, but I still wasn't convinced.
Despite the negativity that seems to have come through here, The Murmurings was actually a good read. Granted, I would have loved a bigger dose of creepiness and the chance to really connect to what I was reading, but there was some feeling drawn from me. The concept behind the book is certainly different, and I'd recommend you read this at least for that that alone. Regardless of all the issues, it's definitely worth sticking with.
This review is also posted on my blog.
Read
June 2, 2018I love scary things (one of my favorite shows is Supernatural), and I’m drawn to psychological thrillers, so I eagerly downloaded The Murmurings once I was approved to read it. I’m glad I ended up giving Carly Anne West’s debut novel a try, because it was both genuinely spooky, and a good, moving read all at the same time. I was actually scared once or twice while reading, and that just doesn’t happen – I don’t scare easily. The fact that the main character Sophie is sometimes an unreliable narrarator only added to the twisted, trippy feel to The Murmurings. West’s book reminded me in a lot of ways of Lucid, another psychological thriller I enjoyed!
Sophie is reeling from the shock of her older sister, Nell’s death, and starting to hear and see the kind of things Nell heard and saw – murmurings, voices that aren’t dechiperable, things that can’t be possible. There was a Gothic feel to The Murmurings complete with a dysfunctinal family, and especially when the asylum Nell stayed at came into play throughout this book. Sophie is disjointed at times and doesn’t trust herself – so as a reader, I wondered if – I – could trust what was happening, especially when the REAL story began to unfold.
The Murmurings is one of those books where you think you’re going to read one kind of a story, then it turns into something else altogether. There’s a supernatural element that I didn’t forsee coming, and while at first it felt far-fetched, I relaxed into what THE MURMURINGS truly is – a mysterious, sad, ghost story. Blythe said it best in her review; the first half is one sort of book, and the second half is another. And the second half is where The Murmurings really shines.
There’s a blush of romance that’s sweet, and gives hope to this otherwise starkly scary tale. West blended that romance in really tenderly, almost a hum in the background, and managed to balance the pacing really well, I thought. I never felt jarred out of The Murmurings.
Although I did feel like some things were wrapped up too neatly at the end, I had to work for my answers, which I liked, and the climax of The Murmurings played out in a pretty cool way. I almost felt like instead of reading a book, I was watching a GOOD scary movie – not one that relies on loud noises, but one that REALLY scares you, and leaves you looking over your shoulder as you walk through your dark house afterward, or afraid to dangle your feet over the bed because of what might be underneath.
If you’re looking for a deliciously dark, spine-tingling read, try The Murmurings. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Sophie is reeling from the shock of her older sister, Nell’s death, and starting to hear and see the kind of things Nell heard and saw – murmurings, voices that aren’t dechiperable, things that can’t be possible. There was a Gothic feel to The Murmurings complete with a dysfunctinal family, and especially when the asylum Nell stayed at came into play throughout this book. Sophie is disjointed at times and doesn’t trust herself – so as a reader, I wondered if – I – could trust what was happening, especially when the REAL story began to unfold.
The Murmurings is one of those books where you think you’re going to read one kind of a story, then it turns into something else altogether. There’s a supernatural element that I didn’t forsee coming, and while at first it felt far-fetched, I relaxed into what THE MURMURINGS truly is – a mysterious, sad, ghost story. Blythe said it best in her review; the first half is one sort of book, and the second half is another. And the second half is where The Murmurings really shines.
There’s a blush of romance that’s sweet, and gives hope to this otherwise starkly scary tale. West blended that romance in really tenderly, almost a hum in the background, and managed to balance the pacing really well, I thought. I never felt jarred out of The Murmurings.
Although I did feel like some things were wrapped up too neatly at the end, I had to work for my answers, which I liked, and the climax of The Murmurings played out in a pretty cool way. I almost felt like instead of reading a book, I was watching a GOOD scary movie – not one that relies on loud noises, but one that REALLY scares you, and leaves you looking over your shoulder as you walk through your dark house afterward, or afraid to dangle your feet over the bed because of what might be underneath.
If you’re looking for a deliciously dark, spine-tingling read, try The Murmurings. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
April 15, 2014
This book had such good reviews, but it couldn’t have been more of a disappointment. The cover is unsettling and the synopsis has you expecting this dark, psychological thriller but it all fell flat for me.
When the book opens, Sophie’s older sister, Nell, is the talk of the town, having been locked away in a mental hospital for schizophrenia and then found dead after running away. Everyone at school avoids Sophie like the plague.
Number one reason I didn’t like this book, Sophie. She made so many stupid decisions it was ridiculous. The Doctor at the mental institution has had an interest in Sophie ever since her sister died. Sophie knew this, and was completely freaked out by him, yet she couldn’t stay away. She went there multiple times - ALONE. Even after she was directly told NEVER to go there again because it was so dangerous. It was right after this warning that she decided it was a great time for her to drop in for a chat, alone... at night. Brilliant! It was things like this that made it impossible for me to feel bad for Sophie. It was her own stupid fault that she got into the trouble she did.
Reason two, the villian, Dr. Keller. I don’t want to say too much here and spoil anything. Let’s just say it was hard to believe his reasons for doing the awful things he did. At least he had a reason, I guess? What was the excuse for everyone else working there? I just can’t imagine a whole staff of people working at a mental institution being that cruel for no reason at all. Half of the people working there didn’t even know what was going on; they just turned a blind eye and did what they were told.
Reason three was Nell’s mother & aunt Becca. For those who have read the book, I’m sure you know why I’m saying this. I can’t go into detail without spoiling anything, but they made one really big, really stupid decision that left me questioning their own sanity! Apprantely bad decision making skills run in the family.
Overall, the flimsy plot-line wasn’t enough to make up for all the stupid and/or cruel characters making bad decisions. Over and over.
When the book opens, Sophie’s older sister, Nell, is the talk of the town, having been locked away in a mental hospital for schizophrenia and then found dead after running away. Everyone at school avoids Sophie like the plague.
Number one reason I didn’t like this book, Sophie. She made so many stupid decisions it was ridiculous. The Doctor at the mental institution has had an interest in Sophie ever since her sister died. Sophie knew this, and was completely freaked out by him, yet she couldn’t stay away. She went there multiple times - ALONE. Even after she was directly told NEVER to go there again because it was so dangerous. It was right after this warning that she decided it was a great time for her to drop in for a chat, alone... at night. Brilliant! It was things like this that made it impossible for me to feel bad for Sophie. It was her own stupid fault that she got into the trouble she did.
Reason two, the villian, Dr. Keller. I don’t want to say too much here and spoil anything. Let’s just say it was hard to believe his reasons for doing the awful things he did. At least he had a reason, I guess? What was the excuse for everyone else working there? I just can’t imagine a whole staff of people working at a mental institution being that cruel for no reason at all. Half of the people working there didn’t even know what was going on; they just turned a blind eye and did what they were told.
Reason three was Nell’s mother & aunt Becca. For those who have read the book, I’m sure you know why I’m saying this. I can’t go into detail without spoiling anything, but they made one really big, really stupid decision that left me questioning their own sanity! Apprantely bad decision making skills run in the family.
Overall, the flimsy plot-line wasn’t enough to make up for all the stupid and/or cruel characters making bad decisions. Over and over.
February 28, 2013
Me and horror books never go, scrap that me and horror anything never go. If you ever put on an horror film on I’ll be the first one out of the room. But when I came across The Murmurings, I admit I was intrigued, the cover totally creeped me out, also lately I have been tearing my way through mystery books more and really enjoying them. So I was eager to find out the mystery surrounding Sophie’s sister and what really happened to her.
Sophie’s sister Nell had been admitted to the Oakside Behavioural institute after displaying some strange behaviour, Dr Keller from the institute deemed this as the perfect place for Nell to be at. And Sophie and her mum thought so too. But if everything was peachy there, why would Nell run off with one of the orderlies and end up dead? Sophie immediately regrets not being there for Nell when she needed her the most, so she makes it her mission to get to the bottom of the truth.
What I liked about The Murmurings was that I totally hadn’t thought about what had happened to Nell, I had some assumptions, But Carly Anne West blew these right out of the water, with the aspect she did decide to focus on. I can’t really say what it is without giving the entire plot away, but it was never something I would have considered.
Sophie was singled out at school because of everyone knowing about what had happened with her sister and everyone else assuming the same would happen to her. So it was great that Sophie found a friend in Ethan, someone she could confide in. They both soon realised they had so much in common and decided to do some investigating of their own. Their journey was one of horrific discoveries and heartache, but they both battled on to discover the truth. I admired how Sophie soldiered on, the weedy weak individual I was first led to believe that she was one that quickly disappeared. Her love and her affection for her sister came strongly through, as she would go to any extremes to get to the truth. But the one thing that bugged me about Sophie was how she went barging into situations without thinking things through and by breaking promises along the way. I understand that she wanted to bring an end to the horrible things that had happened and which took Nell away. But there were also people who cared about her, her mum was barely coping from the loss of Nell, and then she goes and immediately puts her own life at risk.
The Murmurings wasn’t as scary as I was expecting, but there were aspects that creeped me out. The concept was different from a lot of the books that I had seen out there, the only issue I had was down to pacing, it took forever for finally something major to kick off, so I welcomed the second half which was more action packed and kept me riveted until the last page. I was pleased with the way things were wrapped up, with so many unanswered questions finally being able to put to rest.
The Murmurings was a book which was very different to what I’d normally pick, but I think West did a good job in producing a novel mixed with mystery, creepiness and romance. I would certainly recommend giving it a try if you’re looking an unconventional read.
Sophie’s sister Nell had been admitted to the Oakside Behavioural institute after displaying some strange behaviour, Dr Keller from the institute deemed this as the perfect place for Nell to be at. And Sophie and her mum thought so too. But if everything was peachy there, why would Nell run off with one of the orderlies and end up dead? Sophie immediately regrets not being there for Nell when she needed her the most, so she makes it her mission to get to the bottom of the truth.
What I liked about The Murmurings was that I totally hadn’t thought about what had happened to Nell, I had some assumptions, But Carly Anne West blew these right out of the water, with the aspect she did decide to focus on. I can’t really say what it is without giving the entire plot away, but it was never something I would have considered.
Sophie was singled out at school because of everyone knowing about what had happened with her sister and everyone else assuming the same would happen to her. So it was great that Sophie found a friend in Ethan, someone she could confide in. They both soon realised they had so much in common and decided to do some investigating of their own. Their journey was one of horrific discoveries and heartache, but they both battled on to discover the truth. I admired how Sophie soldiered on, the weedy weak individual I was first led to believe that she was one that quickly disappeared. Her love and her affection for her sister came strongly through, as she would go to any extremes to get to the truth. But the one thing that bugged me about Sophie was how she went barging into situations without thinking things through and by breaking promises along the way. I understand that she wanted to bring an end to the horrible things that had happened and which took Nell away. But there were also people who cared about her, her mum was barely coping from the loss of Nell, and then she goes and immediately puts her own life at risk.
The Murmurings wasn’t as scary as I was expecting, but there were aspects that creeped me out. The concept was different from a lot of the books that I had seen out there, the only issue I had was down to pacing, it took forever for finally something major to kick off, so I welcomed the second half which was more action packed and kept me riveted until the last page. I was pleased with the way things were wrapped up, with so many unanswered questions finally being able to put to rest.
The Murmurings was a book which was very different to what I’d normally pick, but I think West did a good job in producing a novel mixed with mystery, creepiness and romance. I would certainly recommend giving it a try if you’re looking an unconventional read.
June 16, 2013
Okay, this book cover gives me the hebbie jebbies. I feel like she can see into my soul. 0_o
January 12, 2019
The more I think about this book the less I like it. I was expecting super creepy and it wasn't at all. The idea was unique and promising, but the romance way overshadowed the plot and didn't make a whole lot of sense. Sophie and Evan go from practical strangers to him just showing up at her house with no reason to be there and then they're just like, together? Everything else just conveniently falls into place despite Sophie's numerous bad decisions and so many things that happen are just too implausible. The Seer/Taker aspect was cool, but not explained well enough for me. Overall the book was just okay, but my expectations were much higher than what it delivered.
August 3, 2015
See my full review on www.stacksandshelves.wordpress.com
My Review
This novel was spooky spooky! I find anything dealing with insanity, paranormal forces, mental patients and asylums to be completely fascinating and The Murmurings definitely delivered. Sophie was a decent protagonist but I was more interested in her connection to her sister Nell. Nell broke out of the institution with the help of Adam, an orderly. Throughout the novel, Sophie reads parts of Nell’s journal and what it reveals about her time in the facility. Figuring out who Nell was referring to in her journal full of initials was a fun puzzle. Her descriptions of the creepy staff were chilling, especially the charming head doctor with a secret in his past. Also, the descriptions of Adam versus Sophie’s encounters with Adam are at odds and make it difficult for her to trust whether he is on her side or not. That is one of the recurring themes of the book, who can you trust especially when you are unsure whether you can even trust your own mind.
One thing I loved about The Murmurings was all of the spooky imagery and the way West’s writing created a sense of dread and unease. Nell is found dead very early on in the novel hanging by her toe with her other leg bent behind from a tree in a town miles away from the facility and her home. This image, let alone the questions as to how she got into that position, is truly terrifying.
Without giving too much away, mirrors play a large role in the story. The feeling of not knowing what you are seeing in a mirror or seeing things that aren’t there is extremely palpable. Mirrors already freak me out enough! Especially when the author introduces the idea of something unnatural coming out of the mirror, whether it is in Nell’s mind or actually a true dark force.
The spooky cover also provides some insight into later happenings in the story. The long hair in the face is an image used widely in horror and rightly so because it is so creepy! The cover reminds me of movies like The Ring and The Grudge.
One of the best things about The Murmurings is the way that the author describes the feelings of Nell, and later Sophie, as they start to hear things that aren’t there and see things that aren’t real. The reader can feel their isolation, their hopelessness, and the feeling of being trapped, for one in an institution and for both within their own minds. The Murmurings will have you rocking back and forth, questioning your own sanity, in no time.
In Summary
The Good
Spooky and chilling atmosphere and imagery
Trying to piece together the puzzle of Nell’s diary
Makes the reader think further on the question of sanity vs. insanity and whether there are spaces in between
The Not So Good
Now I am even more freaked out by mirrors
Recommendation
Yes yes yes! So spooky! I loved it.
My Review
This novel was spooky spooky! I find anything dealing with insanity, paranormal forces, mental patients and asylums to be completely fascinating and The Murmurings definitely delivered. Sophie was a decent protagonist but I was more interested in her connection to her sister Nell. Nell broke out of the institution with the help of Adam, an orderly. Throughout the novel, Sophie reads parts of Nell’s journal and what it reveals about her time in the facility. Figuring out who Nell was referring to in her journal full of initials was a fun puzzle. Her descriptions of the creepy staff were chilling, especially the charming head doctor with a secret in his past. Also, the descriptions of Adam versus Sophie’s encounters with Adam are at odds and make it difficult for her to trust whether he is on her side or not. That is one of the recurring themes of the book, who can you trust especially when you are unsure whether you can even trust your own mind.
One thing I loved about The Murmurings was all of the spooky imagery and the way West’s writing created a sense of dread and unease. Nell is found dead very early on in the novel hanging by her toe with her other leg bent behind from a tree in a town miles away from the facility and her home. This image, let alone the questions as to how she got into that position, is truly terrifying.
Without giving too much away, mirrors play a large role in the story. The feeling of not knowing what you are seeing in a mirror or seeing things that aren’t there is extremely palpable. Mirrors already freak me out enough! Especially when the author introduces the idea of something unnatural coming out of the mirror, whether it is in Nell’s mind or actually a true dark force.
The spooky cover also provides some insight into later happenings in the story. The long hair in the face is an image used widely in horror and rightly so because it is so creepy! The cover reminds me of movies like The Ring and The Grudge.
One of the best things about The Murmurings is the way that the author describes the feelings of Nell, and later Sophie, as they start to hear things that aren’t there and see things that aren’t real. The reader can feel their isolation, their hopelessness, and the feeling of being trapped, for one in an institution and for both within their own minds. The Murmurings will have you rocking back and forth, questioning your own sanity, in no time.
In Summary
The Good
Spooky and chilling atmosphere and imagery
Trying to piece together the puzzle of Nell’s diary
Makes the reader think further on the question of sanity vs. insanity and whether there are spaces in between
The Not So Good
Now I am even more freaked out by mirrors
Recommendation
Yes yes yes! So spooky! I loved it.
March 1, 2013
Sophie's sister, Nell, heard voices. She was committed to a mental hospital, escaped, and was found dead six months ago. Sophie is seen as a freak after what happened. Her mom is depressed and she is desperately trying to move on. Especially since she started hearing voices and seeing things in the mirror. Dr. Keller keeps calling wanting to speak to Sophie's mom about her. Does he know she is hearing voices? Will she have to be committed like her sister?
Sophie starts out as a very shy and scared person. When Evan from school shows an interest she wonders why someone like him would be interested in her. Evan's cousin went through something similar to Sophie's sister so together they decide to do a little research and get to the bottom of things. Although Evan having this in common with Sophie was a bit convenient I really enjoyed their relationship. This is when Sophie becomes really strong because she wants to get justice for her sister. She thinks maybe the guy Nell ran off with might of had something to do with it. There are blog posts and lots of info on the internet about others going through this experience. Sophie also goes through Nell's journal which has some interesting clues. I kind of wished that maybe it went to Nell's POV before she disappeared, instead of just diary entries because it felt a bit like info dumping at times.
The paranormal aspect was interesting. It reminded me of The Grudge a bit but I won't say more about it since I thought that was one of the most exciting parts about reading. It is revealed only halfway through so then things become less creepy. I did find the mental institution scary. Sophie in danger of being held there against her will with no way out scares me! Maybe me watching too much American Horror Story: Asylum but that kind of lack of power is pretty scary. Other than that I wouldn't say that this is a super creepy story. I really enjoyed the romance and The Grudge aspects. I read it pretty quickly but I just don't have really strong feelings towards this book one way or the other. I'd recommend giving it a try if it sounds like something you would enjoy.
---
In one quick movement, his lips are on mine, both soft and commanding at the same time. They move from my uppers to my lower lip, fst at first, then slower as we find a rhythm. Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" pipes through the speakers with the same kind of urgency as my heart, which thrums inside me. Evan's hands move from my hair to my neck, from my neck to my shoulders, my shoulders to my back.
He pulls away just long enough to find my ear, his lips brushing my earlobe as he breathes into it: "You have no idea what you do to me."
---
*Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for the ARC*
Sophie starts out as a very shy and scared person. When Evan from school shows an interest she wonders why someone like him would be interested in her. Evan's cousin went through something similar to Sophie's sister so together they decide to do a little research and get to the bottom of things. Although Evan having this in common with Sophie was a bit convenient I really enjoyed their relationship. This is when Sophie becomes really strong because she wants to get justice for her sister. She thinks maybe the guy Nell ran off with might of had something to do with it. There are blog posts and lots of info on the internet about others going through this experience. Sophie also goes through Nell's journal which has some interesting clues. I kind of wished that maybe it went to Nell's POV before she disappeared, instead of just diary entries because it felt a bit like info dumping at times.
The paranormal aspect was interesting. It reminded me of The Grudge a bit but I won't say more about it since I thought that was one of the most exciting parts about reading. It is revealed only halfway through so then things become less creepy. I did find the mental institution scary. Sophie in danger of being held there against her will with no way out scares me! Maybe me watching too much American Horror Story: Asylum but that kind of lack of power is pretty scary. Other than that I wouldn't say that this is a super creepy story. I really enjoyed the romance and The Grudge aspects. I read it pretty quickly but I just don't have really strong feelings towards this book one way or the other. I'd recommend giving it a try if it sounds like something you would enjoy.
---
In one quick movement, his lips are on mine, both soft and commanding at the same time. They move from my uppers to my lower lip, fst at first, then slower as we find a rhythm. Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" pipes through the speakers with the same kind of urgency as my heart, which thrums inside me. Evan's hands move from my hair to my neck, from my neck to my shoulders, my shoulders to my back.
He pulls away just long enough to find my ear, his lips brushing my earlobe as he breathes into it: "You have no idea what you do to me."
---
*Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for the ARC*
March 25, 2013
It's pretty safe to say from the reviews that have already come out and from what my own expectations were that The Murmurings is not the book most readers will be expecting. The cover and the blurb suggest and incredibly eerie, horror-filled read, but that really isn't how West's debut is. In fact, The Murmurings is largely a slower-paced contemporary on the nature of insanity, with a bit of horror and paranormal towards the end.
The best part of The Murmurings is the writing. West achieves a sort of distance in Sophie's narration that perfectly suits her mental state and desire to keep herself apart from everyone. Below that frosty surface, you also get a sense of how open Sophie probably used to be. Both the contemplative and faster-paced scenes during the climax scenes are well-handled.
The concept of the murmurings creeps me out for sure. Sophie's sister Nell was put into a mental institution because she heard voices and saw weird things in the mirror. Nell ended up escaping with one of the orderlies, but then is found dead in a nearby town, hanging upside down. Sophie has started hearing the murmurs too, and Dr. Keller of Oakside, the mental hospital, keeps calling to talk to Sophie's mom. West sets up a seriously creepy concept and makes you curious to find out what's going on at Oakside.
The mental hospital has a sort of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Vibe. The workers are all horribly creepy and rude, obviously uninterested in the rehabilitation of the patients. They give out drugs to make the patients pliable and run painful experiments. It's like only Nurse Ratched works at this place. Other than the fact that it seems to be really easy for patients to sneak out of their rooms, the mental hospital was sufficiently creepy and upsetting.
Sadly, I feel like the paranormal elements could have been a bit better-explained. I'm still not entirely certain what was going on, especially why victims ended up hanging upside down in impossible positions. Creepy? Most definitely. However, it leaves me with a lot of questions. Of course, I suppose all of it could be in Sophie's mind as she sits, drugged, in the mental hospital...
If you're looking for a gruesome, terrifying, fast-paced read, you might want to look elsewhere, but, if you like atmospheric novels and can deal with a slower pace, I would recommend The Murmurings.
The best part of The Murmurings is the writing. West achieves a sort of distance in Sophie's narration that perfectly suits her mental state and desire to keep herself apart from everyone. Below that frosty surface, you also get a sense of how open Sophie probably used to be. Both the contemplative and faster-paced scenes during the climax scenes are well-handled.
The concept of the murmurings creeps me out for sure. Sophie's sister Nell was put into a mental institution because she heard voices and saw weird things in the mirror. Nell ended up escaping with one of the orderlies, but then is found dead in a nearby town, hanging upside down. Sophie has started hearing the murmurs too, and Dr. Keller of Oakside, the mental hospital, keeps calling to talk to Sophie's mom. West sets up a seriously creepy concept and makes you curious to find out what's going on at Oakside.
The mental hospital has a sort of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Vibe. The workers are all horribly creepy and rude, obviously uninterested in the rehabilitation of the patients. They give out drugs to make the patients pliable and run painful experiments. It's like only Nurse Ratched works at this place. Other than the fact that it seems to be really easy for patients to sneak out of their rooms, the mental hospital was sufficiently creepy and upsetting.
Sadly, I feel like the paranormal elements could have been a bit better-explained. I'm still not entirely certain what was going on, especially why victims ended up hanging upside down in impossible positions. Creepy? Most definitely. However, it leaves me with a lot of questions. Of course, I suppose all of it could be in Sophie's mind as she sits, drugged, in the mental hospital...
If you're looking for a gruesome, terrifying, fast-paced read, you might want to look elsewhere, but, if you like atmospheric novels and can deal with a slower pace, I would recommend The Murmurings.
September 27, 2016
*SPOILER*
To be honest I expected her to have some mental illness but it turns out, she didn't.
Instead she's a "seer"
She is able to see and hear "Takers"
Sophie and Nell had this ability to see these creatures. And of course there is a crazy doctor trying to get their hands on them. Well the crazy doctor has a story too. His lover died by the hands of the "Takers"
Since Sophie and Nell are able to see these takers as well as a few others, The "crazy doctor" aka Mr. Keller wants to use them to get his lover back. She died right in front of him. Crazy doctor wasnt always like this but...people change.
To be honest its not that very scary and horrific. I was expecting horror but sadly there is not that much. For those of you horror fans there isnt much in here.
July 23, 2012
Creepy, amazing writing, very literary feel. Real review closer to release date!
June 14, 2019
*NOTE: This is Jess's review, as she is helping me get through my huge TBR pile*
If you didn’t know I LOVE scary stories. I am addicted to anything that is going to freak me out, scare me, and totally make me want to sleep with the lights on, so this one hit that out of the park!! The Murmurings is one book that I will not soon forget. It was totally creepy and had a few twists that I didn’t see coming. Sophie was such a great character and what she goes through is just mind boggling. This is one story that would make a fabulous movie or tv show! So, if you're looking for a new paranormal story check this one out!
If you didn’t know I LOVE scary stories. I am addicted to anything that is going to freak me out, scare me, and totally make me want to sleep with the lights on, so this one hit that out of the park!! The Murmurings is one book that I will not soon forget. It was totally creepy and had a few twists that I didn’t see coming. Sophie was such a great character and what she goes through is just mind boggling. This is one story that would make a fabulous movie or tv show! So, if you're looking for a new paranormal story check this one out!
February 22, 2013
The Murmurings is fantastically creepy. I am not one that normally reads creepy books, but this one sounded way to interesting to pass up. And I am so glad I decided to give it a shot. I mean seriously, just look at that cover. Has such a creepy feel to it, and I can promise you that the creepy feeling you get from the cover resonates throughout the pages of the book. I have no problem saying that this book is by far one of my favorite books with a creepy vibe. Carly did an absolutely fantastic job writing it.
I love the synopsis for this book, it doesn't even scratch the surface of the story but gives you enough to peak your interest. Once you get into the book though, you start to see how incredibly rich this book is. I thought it would be fairly straight-forward, but boy was I surprised. I have to admit it is difficult for me to talk about everything, because this book is extremely spoiler heavy. More so than most books I have read, but I will try my best. There is a lot more going on in the story than just the things revolving around Sophie and Nell that you see in the synopsis. That is a big focal point, but it doesn't really give you much to go on. Once you start getting into things like Oakside, The Takers, and other things the story gets pretty insane.
Sophie and Nell look as though they would be the main focus of the story as far as the characters go but Nell really isn't. What happened to her does have a major impact on where the plot goes, but I felt like the story was focused more around Sophie, Deb & Adam. There are a lot of pretty awesome characters in this book, and considering how spoiler heavy it is I really can't go into much detail about them all sadly. But I was truly impressed by how great they all were. Even the creepy staff at Oakside was wonderfully written.
The ending was fairly decent, I do think it could of been a little better. Especially having such an incredibly story leading up to it. I do like where everything went though, there were quite a few interesting events at the end that really keep you reading so that it always a good thing. Overall I think the book was fantastic though, not really much to complain about.
If you're looking for a creepy book to read, then you really have to pick up The Murmurings once it is out. It is a beautifully written debut book with a lot of potential. Even if you're like me and don't read many creepy books, I really think you will love this one. So at least give it a shot even if you're on the fence. I am really glad I did, and I can't wait to see what books Carly writes in the future.
I love the synopsis for this book, it doesn't even scratch the surface of the story but gives you enough to peak your interest. Once you get into the book though, you start to see how incredibly rich this book is. I thought it would be fairly straight-forward, but boy was I surprised. I have to admit it is difficult for me to talk about everything, because this book is extremely spoiler heavy. More so than most books I have read, but I will try my best. There is a lot more going on in the story than just the things revolving around Sophie and Nell that you see in the synopsis. That is a big focal point, but it doesn't really give you much to go on. Once you start getting into things like Oakside, The Takers, and other things the story gets pretty insane.
Sophie and Nell look as though they would be the main focus of the story as far as the characters go but Nell really isn't. What happened to her does have a major impact on where the plot goes, but I felt like the story was focused more around Sophie, Deb & Adam. There are a lot of pretty awesome characters in this book, and considering how spoiler heavy it is I really can't go into much detail about them all sadly. But I was truly impressed by how great they all were. Even the creepy staff at Oakside was wonderfully written.
The ending was fairly decent, I do think it could of been a little better. Especially having such an incredibly story leading up to it. I do like where everything went though, there were quite a few interesting events at the end that really keep you reading so that it always a good thing. Overall I think the book was fantastic though, not really much to complain about.
If you're looking for a creepy book to read, then you really have to pick up The Murmurings once it is out. It is a beautifully written debut book with a lot of potential. Even if you're like me and don't read many creepy books, I really think you will love this one. So at least give it a shot even if you're on the fence. I am really glad I did, and I can't wait to see what books Carly writes in the future.
March 4, 2013
Before I started this book I took one look at the cover, shuddered and then got a little excited. I am a massive horror fan and I thought this was going to scare the pants out of me, but in truth it didn’t.
Actually it was not scary at all and there is no way that I would ever label this book as a horror story at all. Somehow along the way this book has been massively misunderstood. All over Goodreads people are talking about how scary it looks, how the cover freaks people out. I am not blaming them, I WAS one of those people but the problem is that this is not what this book is and I am afraid that people will dislike it because they wanted to be scared. The Murmurings is not a ghost story (although there are ‘ghosts’ in it) it is a psychological thriller and it is a pretty good one.
I thought the writing was very good this is Carly Anne West’s first novel and it is a promising start. There are a few moments where I thought it could have been richer, or more developed but for a debut novel this is pretty good. I cannot fault her for her imagination The Murmurings is different from other books of this sort and has a very interesting storyline that manages to draw me in effortlessly. There was a few times where I felt things maybe went a little too far but it did not happen often and it did not put me off.
The main character Sophie was likeable and she had to be because she was kind off on her own. There was no real parental input in this novel or her life, she had no real family apart from an aunt that was more concerned with helping her grieving mother. She had no friends apart from Evan, the love interest, and things could be awkward between them. Sophie carries this and if you don’t like her then you won’t like this. There were a few times when she did things that I felt were stupid and I wanted to scream at her to make her stop but it was never annoying enough to put me off her. She was mostly sensible and genuine.
Evan was sweet to and added some much needed lighter moments. This is a fairly dark book and his input stopped it from being too heavy. The romance was sweet and awkward like a lot of new teenage romances are. I liked the way it was played out, it was not a main part of the book and there was no relationship drama that swallowed up everything else.
The Murmurings is a good thriller that does have some spooky aspects but is far from horror. I really hope that readers will see this for what it is and not be disappointed in the lack of horror.
Actually it was not scary at all and there is no way that I would ever label this book as a horror story at all. Somehow along the way this book has been massively misunderstood. All over Goodreads people are talking about how scary it looks, how the cover freaks people out. I am not blaming them, I WAS one of those people but the problem is that this is not what this book is and I am afraid that people will dislike it because they wanted to be scared. The Murmurings is not a ghost story (although there are ‘ghosts’ in it) it is a psychological thriller and it is a pretty good one.
I thought the writing was very good this is Carly Anne West’s first novel and it is a promising start. There are a few moments where I thought it could have been richer, or more developed but for a debut novel this is pretty good. I cannot fault her for her imagination The Murmurings is different from other books of this sort and has a very interesting storyline that manages to draw me in effortlessly. There was a few times where I felt things maybe went a little too far but it did not happen often and it did not put me off.
The main character Sophie was likeable and she had to be because she was kind off on her own. There was no real parental input in this novel or her life, she had no real family apart from an aunt that was more concerned with helping her grieving mother. She had no friends apart from Evan, the love interest, and things could be awkward between them. Sophie carries this and if you don’t like her then you won’t like this. There were a few times when she did things that I felt were stupid and I wanted to scream at her to make her stop but it was never annoying enough to put me off her. She was mostly sensible and genuine.
Evan was sweet to and added some much needed lighter moments. This is a fairly dark book and his input stopped it from being too heavy. The romance was sweet and awkward like a lot of new teenage romances are. I liked the way it was played out, it was not a main part of the book and there was no relationship drama that swallowed up everything else.
The Murmurings is a good thriller that does have some spooky aspects but is far from horror. I really hope that readers will see this for what it is and not be disappointed in the lack of horror.
March 24, 2013
This was super creepy.
I applaud you Mrs. West. You managed to freak me out throughout the novel.
Since last year, I've been more and more interested in thrillers after so many paranormal novels disappointed me so I decided to shake things up and I'm glad I did because thrillers were just what I needed.
The night before I finished this book I was home alone and playing Left4Dead and lets just say, it wasn't pretty. All of the lights were on in my house and I was sitting in a corner listening to early Britney songs. This usually does the trick and I snap out of it but it wasn't helping because I started to think of all the creepy things that happened in this book and I back then I hadn't even read the first half of the book.
The creep factor was really high in this book. I did not expect it would go that far. There were two different parts in this novel. The first one was more contemporary with a dash of eerie mirror scenes with random whispering while the second was full on paranormal/horror story with the strange hair-raising black monsters that are actually something like split ghosts that are looking for their lost, other half in this world.
Also, the first half had romance which was ignored in the second part of the book. I didn't feel attached to the growing relationship of the characters because it happened to fast for my taste, especially considering that the main character, Sophie didn't have friends in school but she suddenly accepts the attention of Evan.
There was one thing I didn't like. The way out protagonist, Sophie never listened to anyone. There were a lot of situations where someone would say something like Don't go to that mental hospital or Don't go there alone or Obey the doctor, she wouldn't do it and her disobedience is what got her in big, colossal trouble every time. If she hadn't gone to the hospital in the middle of the night alone, none of the mess in the second half of the book wouldn't happen. But I guess, all of those things needed to happen in order to solve the whole mystery.
It might appear I said a lot of things that didn't set right but that's not entirely true because it's easier to talk about the bad side of the book rather that the good. All in all, I would recommend this book to my friends and everyone else since it had so many scary and unnerving scenes. It was definitely one of the best young-adult thrillers I've read.
I applaud you Mrs. West. You managed to freak me out throughout the novel.
Since last year, I've been more and more interested in thrillers after so many paranormal novels disappointed me so I decided to shake things up and I'm glad I did because thrillers were just what I needed.
The night before I finished this book I was home alone and playing Left4Dead and lets just say, it wasn't pretty. All of the lights were on in my house and I was sitting in a corner listening to early Britney songs. This usually does the trick and I snap out of it but it wasn't helping because I started to think of all the creepy things that happened in this book and I back then I hadn't even read the first half of the book.
The creep factor was really high in this book. I did not expect it would go that far. There were two different parts in this novel. The first one was more contemporary with a dash of eerie mirror scenes with random whispering while the second was full on paranormal/horror story with the strange hair-raising black monsters that are actually something like split ghosts that are looking for their lost, other half in this world.
Also, the first half had romance which was ignored in the second part of the book. I didn't feel attached to the growing relationship of the characters because it happened to fast for my taste, especially considering that the main character, Sophie didn't have friends in school but she suddenly accepts the attention of Evan.
There was one thing I didn't like. The way out protagonist, Sophie never listened to anyone. There were a lot of situations where someone would say something like Don't go to that mental hospital or Don't go there alone or Obey the doctor, she wouldn't do it and her disobedience is what got her in big, colossal trouble every time. If she hadn't gone to the hospital in the middle of the night alone, none of the mess in the second half of the book wouldn't happen. But I guess, all of those things needed to happen in order to solve the whole mystery.
It might appear I said a lot of things that didn't set right but that's not entirely true because it's easier to talk about the bad side of the book rather that the good. All in all, I would recommend this book to my friends and everyone else since it had so many scary and unnerving scenes. It was definitely one of the best young-adult thrillers I've read.
April 5, 2016
~ This story was creepy enough to make me jump in bed so whatever was laying in wait beneath it couldn't grab my feet! It was a good horror story with a good arc and interestingly imperfect characters~
I really enjoyed this break from my YA/Fantasy kick. This story was creepy and interesting throughout. I enjoyed Sophie's sarcasm, and self doubt. The picture painted by West was, what I assume would be, a painfully accurate description of the struggle of families after losing a loved one. Sophie's anger at her mother and aunt was understandable and heartbreaking. Evan's quirky demeanor but vulnerability was endearing. The other characters developed throughout were intriguing and frustrating and sad, but I enjoyed their stories immensely.
There were definitely a few times the creep factor of this book had me jumping at small sounds and imagining shadows where there weren't any. My old childhood fears and habits suddenly sprang back to life. I found myself sprinting up the stairs after brushing my teeth, snapping the lights off as I ran and jumping full stride into bed to hide under the covers. My husband found me ridiculous.
I read another review on Goodreads I felt hit the nail on the head with this story. It's almost like two stories, the beginning where Sophie is trying to find out what was/is happening and the second half where she's trying to confront it. It doesn't quite flow as well as it could and there are a lot of silly missteps that were kind of annoying, but overall I enjoyed the story.
I really enjoyed this break from my YA/Fantasy kick. This story was creepy and interesting throughout. I enjoyed Sophie's sarcasm, and self doubt. The picture painted by West was, what I assume would be, a painfully accurate description of the struggle of families after losing a loved one. Sophie's anger at her mother and aunt was understandable and heartbreaking. Evan's quirky demeanor but vulnerability was endearing. The other characters developed throughout were intriguing and frustrating and sad, but I enjoyed their stories immensely.
There were definitely a few times the creep factor of this book had me jumping at small sounds and imagining shadows where there weren't any. My old childhood fears and habits suddenly sprang back to life. I found myself sprinting up the stairs after brushing my teeth, snapping the lights off as I ran and jumping full stride into bed to hide under the covers. My husband found me ridiculous.
I read another review on Goodreads I felt hit the nail on the head with this story. It's almost like two stories, the beginning where Sophie is trying to find out what was/is happening and the second half where she's trying to confront it. It doesn't quite flow as well as it could and there are a lot of silly missteps that were kind of annoying, but overall I enjoyed the story.
October 31, 2014
what a creeptastic little gem.
i devoured THE MURMURINGS in one night*, mostly because it creeped me out too much not to finish it and have the answers, but also because it wouldn't let me go otherwise. west's placement of detail left just enough hanging over my head for me to have an excuse to keep reading. the tension built to a terrifying height as the novel progressed, and by its end, i was emotionally spent. west's novel is a wonderful start to a promising novel-writing career. i already can't wait for her next one, THE BARGAINING (out next year!).
*to be quite honest, i actually read THE MURMURINGS over five days, but that's not fair to say, because it took me five days to read the first chapter. the rest was read in a night, one long, gruesomely frightening night.
i devoured THE MURMURINGS in one night*, mostly because it creeped me out too much not to finish it and have the answers, but also because it wouldn't let me go otherwise. west's placement of detail left just enough hanging over my head for me to have an excuse to keep reading. the tension built to a terrifying height as the novel progressed, and by its end, i was emotionally spent. west's novel is a wonderful start to a promising novel-writing career. i already can't wait for her next one, THE BARGAINING (out next year!).
*to be quite honest, i actually read THE MURMURINGS over five days, but that's not fair to say, because it took me five days to read the first chapter. the rest was read in a night, one long, gruesomely frightening night.
July 15, 2013
Creepy asylum story of Sophie who can hear murmurings.... what does this mean?
February 26, 2015
Creepy and disturbing and heartfelt, The Murmurings by Carly Anne West had me hanging on it's every word. I recommend to fans of psychological thrillers and general well-written book lovers.
July 23, 2019
Aside from the premise, there wasn’t much I liked about this book. The writing was just plain bad, whether it was the dialogue, the relationships, the pacing, info-dumping, etc. This was literally 370 pages of the main character running around making the dumbest decisions and lacking any and all common sense. I really had to force myself to read after a while because I was that bored and emotionally checked out from what was going on. It was disappointing because the synopsis had me expecting something much more thrilling and creepier than what I got. Like, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t take thing seriously. The physical description was fine. However, the constant references to people being dragged into the air/hung from trees by their big toe was such a mood killer. How the hell is that supposed to be scary?? I don’t get it.
Also, the romance between Sophie and Evan was super cringey. The flirting and moments of them ‘connecting’ were awkward as hell. I have no clue why Evan was even interested in her in the first place. It got to the point where I was convinced that . It just seemed to me like the author was forcing these two characters to fall in love even though they had absolutely zero chemistry.
Overall, I’m honestly struggling to find anything positive to say. This was just another one of those books where the idea was good, but the execution sucked. It would’ve been better if it had been written by someone else or adapted into a movie instead.
Also, the romance between Sophie and Evan was super cringey. The flirting and moments of them ‘connecting’ were awkward as hell. I have no clue why Evan was even interested in her in the first place. It got to the point where I was convinced that . It just seemed to me like the author was forcing these two characters to fall in love even though they had absolutely zero chemistry.
Overall, I’m honestly struggling to find anything positive to say. This was just another one of those books where the idea was good, but the execution sucked. It would’ve been better if it had been written by someone else or adapted into a movie instead.
September 25, 2019
I liked it. It was weird, and a little creepy. I did wish there was more to it in the end. Like the secret room, I was hoping for a dead body or something more exciting than some random papers. Or the fact that the way to get rid of the monster was so simple that no one figured it out before then? Overall though I love the story and the characters and their relationships they had with each other.
May 21, 2023
2.5/5? It had a lot of potential but kind of fell short.
March 25, 2024
I definitely wish the paranormal aspect of this book had been explored a bit more in depth, but overall the concept was interesting enough to me that I still very much enjoyed reading it.
I am a simple girl—give me vaguely spooky vibes and a troubled teenage girl and I’m hooked.
I am a simple girl—give me vaguely spooky vibes and a troubled teenage girl and I’m hooked.
October 21, 2023
Easy read and was scaryyyy
September 11, 2019
A very fast, and suspenseful, read; however, I do have some unanswered questions. I rate "The Murmuring" 4 stars, and would definitely read more Carly Anne West's books.
September 22, 2019
2.5 stars
Initial Impressions: If I wasn't reading this for SC, I probably wouldn't have finished. What a disappointing read. I was hoping for something creepy and psychologically thrilling but instead the story felt way too far-fetched to even begin to scare me (and I'm a chicken. I'm afraid of everything... This didn't do it).
So yes, pretty disappointed and I ended up rushing/skimming through the second half just so I could finish. I wasn't very happy with it at all.
Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: I’m not usually one for creepy-type books because let’s face it. I’m a scaredy cat and I’m willing to admit it! THE MURMURINGS, however, seemed really interesting and I was willing to be a little creeped out in a good way. It seemed like part paranormal, part psychological thriller and I was definitely interested in getting my hands on it! After reading though… I was pretty disappointed. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews for THE MURMURINGS and now I understand why. I think some people will find the concept delightfully creepy, but others (like me) will feel like although it was an interesting idea, the pacing and the follow-through of the concept fall flat as well as some characters that I didn’t feel were developed enough.
I was less than a quarter of the way through the book when already I felt like too many plot points had just been given to the audience instead of being drawn out and suspenseful. Then things I didn’t think needed to be drawn out went on for several chapters. I felt like Nell’s diary entries really slowed down the pacing of the book instead of adding extra mystery and bringing some of her personality to the book. Even with horrifying scenes that involve SEEING THINGS IN MIRRORS THAT AREN’T THERE (WTF… My worst nightmare come true), I actually didn’t find myself being creeped out and I totally should have. Too many aspects of the ghostly happenings (mostly the way Nell died) seemed too unrealistic to me. In order to scare me like it should have, I should have felt like this was real and any of it could happen to me. I felt like it was juuust outside of believable and unfortunately it kind of killed the whole feel of the book for me.
I never connected with the characters in the book either. Sophie was okay but her personality didn’t really stand out to me. The only times she really caught my attention was when she was being sarcastic and I was amused by her snark, but other than that, she was a little flat for me. I also felt like her character wasn’t consistent and her actions were contradictory, and not in a growing & changing way. She jumped back and forth between being fearless and being fearful, compliant and obstinate, skeptical and trusting – It didn’t really seem to create a clear picture of who she was. I wasn’t a fan of the secondary characters either. I was very skeptical of Evan the whole time and at the VERY beginning he seemed so unreal that I almost thought he was a manifestation of Sophie’s schizophrenia. (I guess that was my almost Psych minor wanting to see something that wasn’t there, ironically enough…)
I guess I could say THE MURMURINGS wasn’t a “bad” book, but it was really just not the book for me. I didn’t make an emotional connection with it and I didn’t make any connection with the characters either. The plot was interesting, but never quite made it past an exciting idea for me as a reader. I was just bummed!
Initial Impressions: If I wasn't reading this for SC, I probably wouldn't have finished. What a disappointing read. I was hoping for something creepy and psychologically thrilling but instead the story felt way too far-fetched to even begin to scare me (and I'm a chicken. I'm afraid of everything... This didn't do it).
So yes, pretty disappointed and I ended up rushing/skimming through the second half just so I could finish. I wasn't very happy with it at all.
Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: I’m not usually one for creepy-type books because let’s face it. I’m a scaredy cat and I’m willing to admit it! THE MURMURINGS, however, seemed really interesting and I was willing to be a little creeped out in a good way. It seemed like part paranormal, part psychological thriller and I was definitely interested in getting my hands on it! After reading though… I was pretty disappointed. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews for THE MURMURINGS and now I understand why. I think some people will find the concept delightfully creepy, but others (like me) will feel like although it was an interesting idea, the pacing and the follow-through of the concept fall flat as well as some characters that I didn’t feel were developed enough.
I was less than a quarter of the way through the book when already I felt like too many plot points had just been given to the audience instead of being drawn out and suspenseful. Then things I didn’t think needed to be drawn out went on for several chapters. I felt like Nell’s diary entries really slowed down the pacing of the book instead of adding extra mystery and bringing some of her personality to the book. Even with horrifying scenes that involve SEEING THINGS IN MIRRORS THAT AREN’T THERE (WTF… My worst nightmare come true), I actually didn’t find myself being creeped out and I totally should have. Too many aspects of the ghostly happenings (mostly the way Nell died) seemed too unrealistic to me. In order to scare me like it should have, I should have felt like this was real and any of it could happen to me. I felt like it was juuust outside of believable and unfortunately it kind of killed the whole feel of the book for me.
I never connected with the characters in the book either. Sophie was okay but her personality didn’t really stand out to me. The only times she really caught my attention was when she was being sarcastic and I was amused by her snark, but other than that, she was a little flat for me. I also felt like her character wasn’t consistent and her actions were contradictory, and not in a growing & changing way. She jumped back and forth between being fearless and being fearful, compliant and obstinate, skeptical and trusting – It didn’t really seem to create a clear picture of who she was. I wasn’t a fan of the secondary characters either. I was very skeptical of Evan the whole time and at the VERY beginning he seemed so unreal that I almost thought he was a manifestation of Sophie’s schizophrenia. (I guess that was my almost Psych minor wanting to see something that wasn’t there, ironically enough…)
I guess I could say THE MURMURINGS wasn’t a “bad” book, but it was really just not the book for me. I didn’t make an emotional connection with it and I didn’t make any connection with the characters either. The plot was interesting, but never quite made it past an exciting idea for me as a reader. I was just bummed!
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