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Murmuration
This edition is out of print. For current Kindle edition [|48729875]
In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.
The people here know certain things as
Amorea is the best little town there is.
The only good Commie is a dead Commie.
The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.
And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.
Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.
But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.
Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves.
In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.
The people here know certain things as
Amorea is the best little town there is.
The only good Commie is a dead Commie.
The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.
And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.
Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.
But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.
Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2016
151 people are currently reading
2851 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Klune
69 books60.9k followersTJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.
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February 9, 2017UPDATED 1/16/17:
Murmuration has been released as an audiobook! It's narrated by Kirt Graves, who did the audio for Wolfsong. I hope you all enjoy it!
http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Mur...
Tj
DSP: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/boo...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murmuration-TJ...
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murmu...
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...
Murmuration has been released as an audiobook! It's narrated by Kirt Graves, who did the audio for Wolfsong. I hope you all enjoy it!
http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Mur...
Tj
DSP: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/boo...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murmuration-TJ...
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murmu...
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...
October 8, 2016
*Spoiler-free review*
*3.75 stars*
I was pretty nervous about Murmuration from the blurb. What was this book like? Angsty? Violent? Tragic? I wasn't sure that I wanted to read it because I haven't been in the mindset to read anything bleak. However, after seeing T.J. Klune write about how this book isn't dark, I decided to give it a go.
Murmuration ended up giving me an interesting mix of emotions. Now, I'm always EXTREMELY conscious about not spoiling anything for my fellow readers. My reviews tend to be 95% about how a book made me feel. I sometimes don't even put the characters' names in my reviews because I just don't talk plot... at all. I like finding out everything for myself, and I like others to have that experience as well.
This book is pretty hard to talk about without spoiling anything but *I'm going to try to do it.*
Right from the start of the story, I cottoned on to the basic plot, or at least I thought I did. It turns out that I was about 70% correct, which is pretty good considering I am usually terrible at guessing these things. It helps that I read a M/F book within the past 12 months or so that had a vaguely similar plot, so the general vibe felt somewhat familiar to me.
More important than the actual plot, however, is how the framework of the story made me feel. There is a general sense of unease that I felt while reading this story. As you can tell from the blurb, Mike is trying to figure out what is happening to him, and going through the motions with him gave the book a more intense, mystery-vibe than I was expecting.
It's also true that the story isn't dark, per se, but it also isn't a cheery, light story either. Mike has a lot going on with him, as we find out through reading, and some of that is pretty painful stuff. This story isn't a story that will make you cry, but it does have a level of that turmoil. At least, it didn't make me cry.
If you are expecting one of T.J. Klune's funny stories, look elsewhere. This one isn't funny and it isn't supposed to be.
While I'm painting a picture of a book that seems pretty bleak... it also isn't that either. There is a lot of hope and happiness in the story, and most of that is due to Mike's relationship with Sean. The romance between Mike and Sean is sweet, affectionate, and lovely. They are already dating... sort of... when the book starts. The two are dancing around each other in an "aw shucks" kind of way, but it is apparent from the start that they are drawn together, belong together. There is no relationship-related angst, which I liked.
T.J. Klune called this book one of the most romantic books he's ever written. I'm... I'm not sure about that, at least from my perspective. In fact, while I liked the romance and loved the intensity of it, I didn't feel that RUSH of rooooommmaaannncceee until the last 3% of the story. I actually marked it on my Kindle, because I felt a WOOSH in my gut at the end. This book is romantic in a "I'll do anything in the world for you" kind of way, or in a classic, movie-type of romance. It is hard to explain without giving too much away. However, I think I would have felt that romance-punch earlier if I wasn't so distracted with trying to figure out what was going to happen next with each step of the story. I was more into the plot and what was coming than the romance for a large chunk of it.
I really liked the book for the majority of the story, and I had a hard time putting it down. I struggled a little bit with how I felt during the last 25% (other than the last 5%, which I loved). The latter portion of the book was a bit of "explain, explain, explain" for my taste, and it interrupted the dreamy, intense vibe from earlier in the story. I'm not sure how else it could have played out, but it was not my favorite part of the book.
As you can see, this book is hard to describe and even harder to quantify. It was very well written and very thoughtful, as all of T.J. Klune's books are. I have to say it one more time, but this book is very well written. TJ has a remarkable way with words, and I loved how he crafted the cadence of the book. This story was probably insanely hard to write in a way that came across as cohesive, and it flowed beautifully.
My take away is that Murmuration made me think a lot and really reflect a lot, which is always a good thing. You'll just have to try it for yourself to get the entire experience.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
*3.75 stars*
I was pretty nervous about Murmuration from the blurb. What was this book like? Angsty? Violent? Tragic? I wasn't sure that I wanted to read it because I haven't been in the mindset to read anything bleak. However, after seeing T.J. Klune write about how this book isn't dark, I decided to give it a go.
Murmuration ended up giving me an interesting mix of emotions. Now, I'm always EXTREMELY conscious about not spoiling anything for my fellow readers. My reviews tend to be 95% about how a book made me feel. I sometimes don't even put the characters' names in my reviews because I just don't talk plot... at all. I like finding out everything for myself, and I like others to have that experience as well.
This book is pretty hard to talk about without spoiling anything but *I'm going to try to do it.*
Right from the start of the story, I cottoned on to the basic plot, or at least I thought I did. It turns out that I was about 70% correct, which is pretty good considering I am usually terrible at guessing these things. It helps that I read a M/F book within the past 12 months or so that had a vaguely similar plot, so the general vibe felt somewhat familiar to me.
More important than the actual plot, however, is how the framework of the story made me feel. There is a general sense of unease that I felt while reading this story. As you can tell from the blurb, Mike is trying to figure out what is happening to him, and going through the motions with him gave the book a more intense, mystery-vibe than I was expecting.
It's also true that the story isn't dark, per se, but it also isn't a cheery, light story either. Mike has a lot going on with him, as we find out through reading, and some of that is pretty painful stuff. This story isn't a story that will make you cry, but it does have a level of that turmoil. At least, it didn't make me cry.
If you are expecting one of T.J. Klune's funny stories, look elsewhere. This one isn't funny and it isn't supposed to be.
While I'm painting a picture of a book that seems pretty bleak... it also isn't that either. There is a lot of hope and happiness in the story, and most of that is due to Mike's relationship with Sean. The romance between Mike and Sean is sweet, affectionate, and lovely. They are already dating... sort of... when the book starts. The two are dancing around each other in an "aw shucks" kind of way, but it is apparent from the start that they are drawn together, belong together. There is no relationship-related angst, which I liked.
T.J. Klune called this book one of the most romantic books he's ever written. I'm... I'm not sure about that, at least from my perspective. In fact, while I liked the romance and loved the intensity of it, I didn't feel that RUSH of rooooommmaaannncceee until the last 3% of the story. I actually marked it on my Kindle, because I felt a WOOSH in my gut at the end. This book is romantic in a "I'll do anything in the world for you" kind of way, or in a classic, movie-type of romance. It is hard to explain without giving too much away. However, I think I would have felt that romance-punch earlier if I wasn't so distracted with trying to figure out what was going to happen next with each step of the story. I was more into the plot and what was coming than the romance for a large chunk of it.
I really liked the book for the majority of the story, and I had a hard time putting it down. I struggled a little bit with how I felt during the last 25% (other than the last 5%, which I loved). The latter portion of the book was a bit of "explain, explain, explain" for my taste, and it interrupted the dreamy, intense vibe from earlier in the story. I'm not sure how else it could have played out, but it was not my favorite part of the book.
As you can see, this book is hard to describe and even harder to quantify. It was very well written and very thoughtful, as all of T.J. Klune's books are. I have to say it one more time, but this book is very well written. TJ has a remarkable way with words, and I loved how he crafted the cadence of the book. This story was probably insanely hard to write in a way that came across as cohesive, and it flowed beautifully.
My take away is that Murmuration made me think a lot and really reflect a lot, which is always a good thing. You'll just have to try it for yourself to get the entire experience.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
December 19, 2016
➦It's really hard to review this without giving any spoilers... so I will just tell you my feels.
➦A romantic read about two guys living in a small town. Very very romantic. Also very strange. Somewhat confusing. And intriguing. At times even depressing. But overall - fascinating.
➦Mike is a book shop owner. He has been forever in love with his best friend Sean, who works as a waiter at the local diner. Mike finally decides it's time for them to be MORE.
➦But while Mike's love life does take a turn for the best his mental health seems to be deteriorating. Strange stuff is happening to him: he starts asking himself weird questions, starts seeing and hearing stuff that's not there. Or is it?
➦I have to say that as I was reading this book I sort of knew where it was going. But either way it was kind of hypnotizing/suspenseful and I had no problem getting to the end of it.
➦This book is definitely not your typical M/M romance, it has paranormal elements to it and while it's very romantic it is also low on steam. (if that's what you're after) It was also lacking the humor that I'm so used to finding in Klune's books. That's not a bad thing, it's just a different kind of read and I very much enjoyed it.
October 28, 2016
As they used to say waaaay back in the day on The Monty Python Show...
"Murmuration" was definitely like nothing I've read from TJ previously. As I began reading and was introduced by the prim and proper townsfolk of 1950's Amorea, one word kept popping into my mind over and over again.
Stepford.
Not in a dark way, really. Just more that actions were being somehow policed, either internally or externally. As if an unseen force was poised to swoop in at any moment.
Everyone had their roles in Amorea, with Mike's being a 36 y.o. book store owner and Sean's being a 23 y.o. waiter at the local diner.
A large portion of the book was devoted to 1.) the development of their relationship and 2.) the strange goings on in the town, which I personally enjoyed; however, I wouldn't be overly shocked if some readers complain that this part of the book moved a bit too slowly. Had maybe a few too many pages.
For me, it came across more as unrushed and I did appreciate the extra page time, for the most part. It helped to cement the fact that Mike and Sean truly were soul mates and their connection was bone (and heart) deep.
By the end of the story, Mike's background is much more thoroughly explained than Sean's, but I won't be divulging any details in an effort to avoid spoilers.
I did enjoy the story, especially once Mike's situation regarding how he came to be in Amorea was brought to light. Things definitely got a bit more interesting at that point and my curiosity was finally quenched.
Much to my delight, my suspicions as to what was *really* going on were extremely close, with only one or two minor aspects being slightly off.
Was it my favorite of TJ's works? Hello, this is a bit of a slow burn psychological mystery competing against hornless unicorns, dragons and Knight Delicious Face, so no. It wasn't my favorite. I didn't expect that it would be.
Was it worth giving a read? If you appreciate a well-written " What in the ever lovin' hell is going on here? " story, then I'd say yes and suggest giving it a go.
Mysteries in general aren't really my thing, especially historical ones, but this one held my interest and kept me thoroughly engaged, so kudos to TJ for succeeding there, where numerous others have failed.
Overall, I'd rate "Murmuration" at 3 1/2 stars where *my* reading tastes are concerned and look forward to discussing it more fully once it's released and people begin reading it. I anticipate tons of discussion on this one. : )
------------------------------------------------
My ARC copy of the story was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
November 4, 2016
Beware of yourself.
Beware of the horse.
Beware of the birds.
Beware of everybody.
And everything else.
But beware of yourself first.
You can never know. The psyche works in mysterious ways.
Right?
Well, that was all sorts of spectacular.
There are moments like these in which I realize Klune is not just a good M/M romance writer. But he is a good writer. His stories show off a utter complexity formed with a layer and a layer, and a layer beneath, that they become a solid and bullet-proof cloth with apparently no effort. It just flows. They become something tangible, something real.
The book is marvelous. I was hooked and couldn’t let go. Mike’s voice is compelling and inquisitive. There are questions, questions, questions, and wrong, wrong, WRONG signs. From all directions: up and down, right and left, from the inside, from the outside. I felt chills during most of the time. It definitely put me on edge. It surely drove me crazy.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this is the most romantic story written by Klune. Moreover, what dazzled me was everything that was not love. Everything else. Like… everything in the end? I know it doesn’t speak high of the book, because chances are people wanna know whether or not this is a good romance. Well, the romance is sweet, friends becoming lovers so very slowly, trust and friendship taking an eternal meaning. Yes, I enjoyed it pretty much. But it’s eclipsed by the utter magneficience of everything else. Which is like, the most important part of the book. For me, the romance was a secondary plot, even though the MC’s motivations are truly led by this strong emotion. His decisions are driven by love at its purest sense. So I guess that’s why Klune said this was his most romantic novel. However, I also have to admit I got more love feelz in other novels of his.
I have no way to classify this story. There is no corseted genre in the M/M romance with whom I could compare this book. The blurb leads you to believe this is historical, but I dare to say that’s not it, not exactly. I’d say it’s more fantastical than historical. No, not unicorns to be seen, but believe me, very weird things happen here. You can never let your mind rest in peace, because you never know when and how the next blow will come. And I promise you this, it will come, in a way or the other, but it will. One after the other. KO after KO.
Sends shivers down my spine, body’s aching all the time...
Although you get hints and clues, you cannot entirely grasp what’s going on, and that was a powerful incentive to go on by itself.
But what a hell of a trip! This maelstrom in Mike’s head surely sucks you in. No escape.
Everything was spot-on. Every question unveiled. Every mystery unfolded. Everything was ok. More than ok. Superb. Spectacular. Mindfuck. And reaching the climax, reaching the climax, reaching the CLIMAX… puff. I mean, that ending? I admit I had issues with that last 5%. I rebelled against the idea. It didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t agree with me. So I let some time pass. I let myself ponder it. Chew on it. Sleep on it. And you know what? I like that ending more and more with each passing day. Funny that.
Visions. Voices. Hallucinations. Memories. Memories lapses. Reminiscences of a past which doesn’t begin to be understandable. Dreams that sound like experiences. Experiences which seem taken out of a dream. Surrealism. Hyper-realism.
And when the inquisitive man finally gets out of the cave… is he the wise man or is he the mad man? Will he ever be able to get back to was it used to be, to erase everything that came after that exact momento in which he began realizing there was something else, something more, something not quite right? Everything that used to be a major truth is losing its reliability. Every reference point is upside down. What to believe? What to trust? And the most important question: What is real here? What is an illusion?
Kind of creepy.
Amorea. I think it sounds like amor. Not only because of Mike and because of Sean. Sean and Mike. But because everything was lovely here. Most of the time, so much so. So much so to be true.
To be real.
*****
*****
Group review!
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
Beware of the horse.
Beware of the birds.
Beware of everybody.
And everything else.
But beware of yourself first.
You can never know. The psyche works in mysterious ways.
Right?
Well, that was all sorts of spectacular.
There are moments like these in which I realize Klune is not just a good M/M romance writer. But he is a good writer. His stories show off a utter complexity formed with a layer and a layer, and a layer beneath, that they become a solid and bullet-proof cloth with apparently no effort. It just flows. They become something tangible, something real.
The book is marvelous. I was hooked and couldn’t let go. Mike’s voice is compelling and inquisitive. There are questions, questions, questions, and wrong, wrong, WRONG signs. From all directions: up and down, right and left, from the inside, from the outside. I felt chills during most of the time. It definitely put me on edge. It surely drove me crazy.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this is the most romantic story written by Klune. Moreover, what dazzled me was everything that was not love. Everything else. Like… everything in the end? I know it doesn’t speak high of the book, because chances are people wanna know whether or not this is a good romance. Well, the romance is sweet, friends becoming lovers so very slowly, trust and friendship taking an eternal meaning. Yes, I enjoyed it pretty much. But it’s eclipsed by the utter magneficience of everything else. Which is like, the most important part of the book. For me, the romance was a secondary plot, even though the MC’s motivations are truly led by this strong emotion. His decisions are driven by love at its purest sense. So I guess that’s why Klune said this was his most romantic novel. However, I also have to admit I got more love feelz in other novels of his.
I have no way to classify this story. There is no corseted genre in the M/M romance with whom I could compare this book. The blurb leads you to believe this is historical, but I dare to say that’s not it, not exactly. I’d say it’s more fantastical than historical. No, not unicorns to be seen, but believe me, very weird things happen here. You can never let your mind rest in peace, because you never know when and how the next blow will come. And I promise you this, it will come, in a way or the other, but it will. One after the other. KO after KO.
Sends shivers down my spine, body’s aching all the time...
Although you get hints and clues, you cannot entirely grasp what’s going on, and that was a powerful incentive to go on by itself.
But what a hell of a trip! This maelstrom in Mike’s head surely sucks you in. No escape.
Everything was spot-on. Every question unveiled. Every mystery unfolded. Everything was ok. More than ok. Superb. Spectacular. Mindfuck. And reaching the climax, reaching the climax, reaching the CLIMAX… puff. I mean, that ending? I admit I had issues with that last 5%. I rebelled against the idea. It didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t agree with me. So I let some time pass. I let myself ponder it. Chew on it. Sleep on it. And you know what? I like that ending more and more with each passing day. Funny that.
Visions. Voices. Hallucinations. Memories. Memories lapses. Reminiscences of a past which doesn’t begin to be understandable. Dreams that sound like experiences. Experiences which seem taken out of a dream. Surrealism. Hyper-realism.
And when the inquisitive man finally gets out of the cave… is he the wise man or is he the mad man? Will he ever be able to get back to was it used to be, to erase everything that came after that exact momento in which he began realizing there was something else, something more, something not quite right? Everything that used to be a major truth is losing its reliability. Every reference point is upside down. What to believe? What to trust? And the most important question: What is real here? What is an illusion?
Kind of creepy.
Amorea. I think it sounds like amor. Not only because of Mike and because of Sean. Sean and Mike. But because everything was lovely here. Most of the time, so much so. So much so to be true.
To be real.
*****
*****
Group review!
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
October 29, 2016
BR with Tara
This book was simply brilliant.
I didn’t expect to like this at all. I’m not a diehard T.J. fan and I have disliked more books by him, than liked them (sorry!) (although he did write my favorite book of all time The Lightning-Struck Heart), so this is not a fangirl review (I kind of hate those reviews since they never say anything constructive).
But…. I LOVED this. Was it fluffy? Absolutely not. Was it dark? No, I wouldn’t quite say this is dark, although the end makes you think.
Mike lives in Amorea, a quiet little town. He is happy there. There is also Sean, who works at the diner. Mike and Sean are friends. But also something more. They both know it, but nothing has happened yet. They weren’t ready before, but they are now..
I loved how most of this story takes place in the quiet little town with the same people. It’s all about Mike. And how he feels about Sean. It felt calm, it felt quiet. This is not a book with a lot of side characters. There are a few interesting side characters, but it's still mostly about Mike, and Sean.
The writing was amazing. T.J. Klune sure knows how to set a certain mood. It was like watching a movie where instead of music they use complete silence to create the atmosphere. I was so impressed with this.
The below is not a major spoiler about the plot, but it still gives away my feelings about some parts of the book. If you want to go in totally blind, don’t read it, but if you’re curious, it won’t spoil the book for you.
Still, I cannot get over the brilliance that is this book. This one will say with me for a long long time.
This book was simply brilliant.
I didn’t expect to like this at all. I’m not a diehard T.J. fan and I have disliked more books by him, than liked them (sorry!) (although he did write my favorite book of all time The Lightning-Struck Heart), so this is not a fangirl review (I kind of hate those reviews since they never say anything constructive).
But…. I LOVED this. Was it fluffy? Absolutely not. Was it dark? No, I wouldn’t quite say this is dark, although the end makes you think.
Mike lives in Amorea, a quiet little town. He is happy there. There is also Sean, who works at the diner. Mike and Sean are friends. But also something more. They both know it, but nothing has happened yet. They weren’t ready before, but they are now..
I loved how most of this story takes place in the quiet little town with the same people. It’s all about Mike. And how he feels about Sean. It felt calm, it felt quiet. This is not a book with a lot of side characters. There are a few interesting side characters, but it's still mostly about Mike, and Sean.
The writing was amazing. T.J. Klune sure knows how to set a certain mood. It was like watching a movie where instead of music they use complete silence to create the atmosphere. I was so impressed with this.
The below is not a major spoiler about the plot, but it still gives away my feelings about some parts of the book. If you want to go in totally blind, don’t read it, but if you’re curious, it won’t spoil the book for you.
Still, I cannot get over the brilliance that is this book. This one will say with me for a long long time.
October 28, 2016
3.5 Stars
Have you ever tried to think of a word that you know, but can't quite find in your brain? How you can almost catch it, but it's just out of reach? That feeling describes Murmuration almost perfectly.
Murmuration is an...odd book. Yeah, odd. I have no idea how to review it without spoiling anything! And that is bad, because I never ever want to spoil the plot for other readers. But what can I say without giving anything away? As I read, I jotted down notes about what I thought was going on, not that I was going to use any of the notes in my review. I was merely trying to keep track of a moving target. And it was tough. So tough. Though I will say that one of my two hypothesis was nearly spot on correct.
Let's see. When I started reading Murmuration, I was thinking...creepy. Not ghost story creepy, or undead creepy, but creepy, just the same. This is not a dark story. It's not a scary story. But you'll find from the first page onward that something. Just. Isn't. Right. So, creepy. And ominous. And more than a little unsettling.
And all through Murmuration, Mike is trying to figure things out, too. He has weird dreams and odd thoughts, that he doesn't understand. But the uneasiness comes and goes. Until it just won't go away. And I felt like that for much of the book, too.
TJ said this was his most romantic story to date. Hmmm, I'm not sure I agree. Murmuration was sentimental, but I didn't really feel the romance. There was sweetness, though, I cannot deny. And I liked it. Mostly. It's also the strangest book I've read by TJ, and I think that says a lot. It left me feeling very unsettled. And I can't tell you why.
Should you read it? If you're a fan of TJ's writing, I'd say definitely, yes. Murmuration does not contain TJ's trademark humor, but his very vivid imagination is definitely there. What it must be like inside his brain…. So, if you're in the mood for something a bit different, do give Murmuration a shot.
-------------
ARC of Murmuration was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever tried to think of a word that you know, but can't quite find in your brain? How you can almost catch it, but it's just out of reach? That feeling describes Murmuration almost perfectly.
Murmuration is an...odd book. Yeah, odd. I have no idea how to review it without spoiling anything! And that is bad, because I never ever want to spoil the plot for other readers. But what can I say without giving anything away? As I read, I jotted down notes about what I thought was going on, not that I was going to use any of the notes in my review. I was merely trying to keep track of a moving target. And it was tough. So tough. Though I will say that one of my two hypothesis was nearly spot on correct.
Let's see. When I started reading Murmuration, I was thinking...creepy. Not ghost story creepy, or undead creepy, but creepy, just the same. This is not a dark story. It's not a scary story. But you'll find from the first page onward that something. Just. Isn't. Right. So, creepy. And ominous. And more than a little unsettling.
And all through Murmuration, Mike is trying to figure things out, too. He has weird dreams and odd thoughts, that he doesn't understand. But the uneasiness comes and goes. Until it just won't go away. And I felt like that for much of the book, too.
TJ said this was his most romantic story to date. Hmmm, I'm not sure I agree. Murmuration was sentimental, but I didn't really feel the romance. There was sweetness, though, I cannot deny. And I liked it. Mostly. It's also the strangest book I've read by TJ, and I think that says a lot. It left me feeling very unsettled. And I can't tell you why.
Should you read it? If you're a fan of TJ's writing, I'd say definitely, yes. Murmuration does not contain TJ's trademark humor, but his very vivid imagination is definitely there. What it must be like inside his brain…. So, if you're in the mood for something a bit different, do give Murmuration a shot.
-------------
ARC of Murmuration was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2016
Unicorn Pile Review
“The very essence of romance is uncertainty.”
– Oscar Wilde
True story! I was not in the mood to read this. I must’ve opened and closed it three times before I told myself, ‘let’s get ‘er dun. Daylight’s wasting!’ But that tide turned quickly when I realized I was only going to get one chance to read this for the first time and I shouldn’t deprive myself of the experience. I think that’s a testament to Klune’s writing prowess that I feel like his stories are meant to be experienced and make no mistake Murmuration is an experience. One that I’ll not soon forget and am fairly confident in it being a book people will discuss.
I’ve thought about this book for several days now even woken up at ungodly hours thinking about it. I read the blog post that said Murmuration was exceedingly romantic. I agree that the premise is the stuff of a classic romance-mostly chaste (excepting one whopper of a sex scene!) with a timeless romance trope that’s always inviting. But I think the execution of the sentiment was buried under the verisimilitude of Amorea and the white noise of Mike’s psyche. I’m still conflicted on this though because there are several swoonworthy moments. While the connection between Sean and Mike is unequivocal, there was something missing for me that’s hard to define. Maybe it’s that uncertainty Wilde speaks of? Maybe Sean’s perspective would’ve made a difference? I’m not sure. Regardless, I am rooting for them, but they didn't set up camp in my heart. Also, if you’re looking for a solid HEA you’ll likely be disappointed.
However, the cleverness of Murmuration is something I cannot ignore. It’s clear time, effort and research were put forth and those are things that appeal to me. Amorea is a halcyon 50s town with all its controlled rigidity and contrasting it with contemporary society poses a number of interesting questions. The 50s possess a winsome quality that harkens back to a simpler time where everyone was stalwart and there was a sense of inclusion, if you towed the line. There is a certain charm about the era, conservative and restrictive morals notwithstanding. But Klune making the queer community inclusive added another dimension that made it just a tiny bit tempting. I wouldn’t want to return to that sort of parochial society, but I have to say the dynamics, implications and possibilities under these particular circumstances got into my head. I wish I could go into more specifics but spoiling and you should enter into this book with a clean slate. I truly believe everyone will have a different experience or interpretation of it which gives it an irrefutable gravitas and respectability, in my opinion.
There were a couple of plot points that I’ve mostly chalked them up to foolishness and superstition, but the bottom line is I still have questions and I wish I didn’t. Another thing that needled was the repetition. I’m still a Klune neophyte and I believe this is a facet of his writing style. It worked for me in Wolfsong but here it seemed manufactured with the express purpose of convincing me just how much Mike and Sean love one another rather than allowing me to come to that conclusion on my own.
Nonetheless, the story is engaging, cerebral, held my attention and made me think which is why I think everyone should read it.
ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
“The very essence of romance is uncertainty.”
– Oscar Wilde
True story! I was not in the mood to read this. I must’ve opened and closed it three times before I told myself, ‘let’s get ‘er dun. Daylight’s wasting!’ But that tide turned quickly when I realized I was only going to get one chance to read this for the first time and I shouldn’t deprive myself of the experience. I think that’s a testament to Klune’s writing prowess that I feel like his stories are meant to be experienced and make no mistake Murmuration is an experience. One that I’ll not soon forget and am fairly confident in it being a book people will discuss.
I’ve thought about this book for several days now even woken up at ungodly hours thinking about it. I read the blog post that said Murmuration was exceedingly romantic. I agree that the premise is the stuff of a classic romance-mostly chaste (excepting one whopper of a sex scene!) with a timeless romance trope that’s always inviting. But I think the execution of the sentiment was buried under the verisimilitude of Amorea and the white noise of Mike’s psyche. I’m still conflicted on this though because there are several swoonworthy moments. While the connection between Sean and Mike is unequivocal, there was something missing for me that’s hard to define. Maybe it’s that uncertainty Wilde speaks of? Maybe Sean’s perspective would’ve made a difference? I’m not sure. Regardless, I am rooting for them, but they didn't set up camp in my heart. Also, if you’re looking for a solid HEA you’ll likely be disappointed.
However, the cleverness of Murmuration is something I cannot ignore. It’s clear time, effort and research were put forth and those are things that appeal to me. Amorea is a halcyon 50s town with all its controlled rigidity and contrasting it with contemporary society poses a number of interesting questions. The 50s possess a winsome quality that harkens back to a simpler time where everyone was stalwart and there was a sense of inclusion, if you towed the line. There is a certain charm about the era, conservative and restrictive morals notwithstanding. But Klune making the queer community inclusive added another dimension that made it just a tiny bit tempting. I wouldn’t want to return to that sort of parochial society, but I have to say the dynamics, implications and possibilities under these particular circumstances got into my head. I wish I could go into more specifics but spoiling and you should enter into this book with a clean slate. I truly believe everyone will have a different experience or interpretation of it which gives it an irrefutable gravitas and respectability, in my opinion.
There were a couple of plot points that I’ve mostly chalked them up to foolishness and superstition, but the bottom line is I still have questions and I wish I didn’t. Another thing that needled was the repetition. I’m still a Klune neophyte and I believe this is a facet of his writing style. It worked for me in Wolfsong but here it seemed manufactured with the express purpose of convincing me just how much Mike and Sean love one another rather than allowing me to come to that conclusion on my own.
Nonetheless, the story is engaging, cerebral, held my attention and made me think which is why I think everyone should read it.
ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2021
3.5 Stars!
As usual, when I’m this late to the game, there isn’t much I can add to all the other reviews out there. Basically, if you're a Klune fan then I think this is a worthy read but be forewarned, this is the more serious, angsty side of Klune. I’m making the assumption that this entry is a very personal reflection from the author, more so than any of his other works, and it definitely shows.
Overall, this is a unique story with an equally unique win for the romantic protagonists Mike and Sean. What sticks out the most while reading this book is that it was an amalgam of various things many of us have probably consumed - Pleasantville, The Truman Show, The Matrix. The Maze, Lost, Under the Dome. Take that for what you will. Regardless, it’s a romantic mind trip for sure!
As usual, when I’m this late to the game, there isn’t much I can add to all the other reviews out there. Basically, if you're a Klune fan then I think this is a worthy read but be forewarned, this is the more serious, angsty side of Klune. I’m making the assumption that this entry is a very personal reflection from the author, more so than any of his other works, and it definitely shows.
Overall, this is a unique story with an equally unique win for the romantic protagonists Mike and Sean. What sticks out the most while reading this book is that it was an amalgam of various things many of us have probably consumed - Pleasantville, The Truman Show, The Matrix. The Maze, Lost, Under the Dome. Take that for what you will. Regardless, it’s a romantic mind trip for sure!
November 4, 2016
*hangs head*
This is hard. So hard. And no, it's not that kind of hard.
I don't want to spoil or ruin anything but I have to tackle this now....I'm going to simply tell you how I feel about this story.
I wanted to love this book. I expected to like it.
And sadly, I was left fizzling with agitation and disappointment.
Wolfsong just might be my FAVORITE book so far this year. This should be an auto-win author for me. No brainer than, right?
Wrong.
This book was a challenge.
Some might call it intriguing.
I found it frustrating.
Others may see a veil of bewilderment.
I felt trapped in a web of discomfort.
It wasn't funny.
I did not feel any romance.
What I felt was a sense of déjà vu....and I didn't welcome it.
I was...upset.
I was...disturbed.
And then I was upset that I was upset. I was mad at myself.
Perhaps I took it too personal? Maybe I read it differently than I was meant to?
I hope so.
For now, I'm going chalk this up as the Klune book that got away from me.
More thoughts to wrap up my feelings later....
And now it's later and I've forgotten to explain what...happened to taint my reading experience with this book. It just popped up on my feed again, so here goes....
I was very much looking forward to this story and jumped into it with giddy glee.
Then as I'm reading I thought, "this feels familiar...."
"I know this from somewhere...where is it?"
And you know how bothersome that can be, right?
*smack*
It hits me.
It felt just like Woke Up in a Strange Place.
And my heart started to beat harder...in an anxious gallop.
It was different but it FELT the same.
You see, I absolutely loved WUIASP; it's my favorite Arvin book.
Dazed and confused intro (familiar).
Little snippets are given to us as we go along (familiar)
And once we discover what in the heck is going on...
My heart fell into my stomach.
Because other things came crashing into my realization .
I don't know if it was intentional or not.
But it felt very...painful.
I can't deny this is irrational pain....but I can only tell you how I feel.
If you haven't read WUIASP, then I am certain this will not bother you.
If you have, I wonder if you feel the same?
This wasn't the only thing that didn't work for me in this story, but it's by far the biggest.
I'm definitely in the minority here and that's okay.
I'm always grateful when obstacles in my reading experience don't hinder my friends in the same manner. If it worked for you, I'm glad. But this is why it didn't work for me.
This is hard. So hard. And no, it's not that kind of hard.
I don't want to spoil or ruin anything but I have to tackle this now....I'm going to simply tell you how I feel about this story.
I wanted to love this book. I expected to like it.
And sadly, I was left fizzling with agitation and disappointment.
Wolfsong just might be my FAVORITE book so far this year. This should be an auto-win author for me. No brainer than, right?
Wrong.
This book was a challenge.
Some might call it intriguing.
I found it frustrating.
Others may see a veil of bewilderment.
I felt trapped in a web of discomfort.
It wasn't funny.
I did not feel any romance.
What I felt was a sense of déjà vu....and I didn't welcome it.
I was...upset.
I was...disturbed.
And then I was upset that I was upset. I was mad at myself.
Perhaps I took it too personal? Maybe I read it differently than I was meant to?
I hope so.
For now, I'm going chalk this up as the Klune book that got away from me.
More thoughts to wrap up my feelings later....
And now it's later and I've forgotten to explain what...happened to taint my reading experience with this book. It just popped up on my feed again, so here goes....
I was very much looking forward to this story and jumped into it with giddy glee.
Then as I'm reading I thought, "this feels familiar...."
"I know this from somewhere...where is it?"
And you know how bothersome that can be, right?
*smack*
It hits me.
It felt just like Woke Up in a Strange Place.
And my heart started to beat harder...in an anxious gallop.
It was different but it FELT the same.
You see, I absolutely loved WUIASP; it's my favorite Arvin book.
Dazed and confused intro (familiar).
Little snippets are given to us as we go along (familiar)
And once we discover what in the heck is going on...
My heart fell into my stomach.
Because other things came crashing into my realization .
I don't know if it was intentional or not.
But it felt very...painful.
I can't deny this is irrational pain....but I can only tell you how I feel.
If you haven't read WUIASP, then I am certain this will not bother you.
If you have, I wonder if you feel the same?
This wasn't the only thing that didn't work for me in this story, but it's by far the biggest.
I'm definitely in the minority here and that's okay.
I'm always grateful when obstacles in my reading experience don't hinder my friends in the same manner. If it worked for you, I'm glad. But this is why it didn't work for me.
May 12, 2021
3.5 Stars
Murmuration is one of those books that left me completely torn up over how to rate it.
On one hand, it’s completely unlike anything else I’ve read before. Clever, innovative, thought-provoking to the core, this really was impressive in concept and execution, so big points for that.
On the other hand, even though the idea behind it was original, with its “what the hell is going on here?” vibe, I was actually kind of bored, to be brutally honest. I found that a lot of the narrative felt repetitive to me, even if every word was probably necessary for full impact. (I’m such a contradiction, I know).
Put it this way: it took me 7 days to read the first half of the book and 1 day to read the second half. I’m sure that tells you a lot. I’m aware that sometimes the slower parts are vital to get to the big parts, but I just wish the slower parts here weren’t so... slow. 🤷🏼♀️
I’ve also read elsewhere that this was meant to be the most romantic story Klune has ever written. I’m not sure how I feel about that, if truth be told. I think, for me, that the romance between the MCs, Mike and Sean, actually got watered down because the how, what and why of their mysterious circumstances felt all consuming. Yes, the plot is complex and the reader is meant to spend a great deal of time puzzling over what is actually happening in this idyllic little town, but I’m sure, like myself, that many readers still mostly had a good idea of the basics of what was happening from early on, and I feel, because of this, I didn’t really allow myself to invest in the characters or their relationships to a deeper degree, like perhaps I was meant to.
Ultimately, I’m rounding up, because of that innovation and quality execution I mentioned earlier—I can never deny that master quality storytelling that Klune is famous for. I wish it was a story that made me feel more—of course I do—but it was still a worthwhile read just for the ingenuity of it all.
My advice to potential readers is to not research too heavily before deciding to pick this up or not, because it’s definitely one to experience with limited foreknowledge. I believe that awe and joy may be found in the unknown, and that rings true here more than in most cases.
Murmuration is one of those books that left me completely torn up over how to rate it.
On one hand, it’s completely unlike anything else I’ve read before. Clever, innovative, thought-provoking to the core, this really was impressive in concept and execution, so big points for that.
On the other hand, even though the idea behind it was original, with its “what the hell is going on here?” vibe, I was actually kind of bored, to be brutally honest. I found that a lot of the narrative felt repetitive to me, even if every word was probably necessary for full impact. (I’m such a contradiction, I know).
Put it this way: it took me 7 days to read the first half of the book and 1 day to read the second half. I’m sure that tells you a lot. I’m aware that sometimes the slower parts are vital to get to the big parts, but I just wish the slower parts here weren’t so... slow. 🤷🏼♀️
I’ve also read elsewhere that this was meant to be the most romantic story Klune has ever written. I’m not sure how I feel about that, if truth be told. I think, for me, that the romance between the MCs, Mike and Sean, actually got watered down because the how, what and why of their mysterious circumstances felt all consuming. Yes, the plot is complex and the reader is meant to spend a great deal of time puzzling over what is actually happening in this idyllic little town, but I’m sure, like myself, that many readers still mostly had a good idea of the basics of what was happening from early on, and I feel, because of this, I didn’t really allow myself to invest in the characters or their relationships to a deeper degree, like perhaps I was meant to.
Ultimately, I’m rounding up, because of that innovation and quality execution I mentioned earlier—I can never deny that master quality storytelling that Klune is famous for. I wish it was a story that made me feel more—of course I do—but it was still a worthwhile read just for the ingenuity of it all.
My advice to potential readers is to not research too heavily before deciding to pick this up or not, because it’s definitely one to experience with limited foreknowledge. I believe that awe and joy may be found in the unknown, and that rings true here more than in most cases.
May 18, 2017
Updated: If you read this, and I highly recommend you do, go in blind. BLIND. Don't read the blurb, the reviews, nothing. Don't even read this. Well, I guess it's too late. Stop reading this and go read that. Blind.
Seriously. What am I supposed to do now?
Seriously. What am I supposed to do now?
October 30, 2016
How does one write a review of a book that they can’t say anything about without spoiling? I’m not sure it can be accomplished but I’m going to try.
This book was intense. A total mind fuck of a story that had me bewildered from the very first page. By the time I reached chapter two (which, by the way, was in Roman numerals thus adding to the confusion as I had to remember how to read them) I knew I was in for a serious mind melting tale. I had so many theories by the time I reached the quarter mark that my brain was starting to short out. Of course, shortly thereafter I had to toss all those theories out the window. Luckily, I have ADD and my brain thrives on chaos so I was able to give up trying to figure out what was going on and just sit back and enjoy where the story was taking me. That turned out to be the best decision I ever made, for many reasons but especially for two.
First, letting go allowed me to focus on the romance. And let me tell you, this story is sooo romantic! TJ said it was his most romantic story and I have to agree with him 100%. It’s not a romance in the traditional sense; I felt it on a much deeper level. It made me feel more than I have while reading in a long time. I was swooning almost from the beginning. These characters and what they say to each other, what they mean to each other… gah! I can’t describe it. I’m trying to come up with a comparison but I’m coming up empty. With just a look, just a “yeah”, I was a goner. I’m still thinking about it days after reading. I’m still feeling this days after reading. My heart is so full. I just.., don’t know what to say. I have the urge to find TJ and give him the biggest hug in thanks for writing those beautiful, beautiful words. They moved me.
Dammit! I’m tearing up right now just thinking about it. *deep breath* Ok, JL, get it together and finish your review. You can read the book again once you’re done.
The other main reason letting go helped was that I was able to immerse myself in the story so deeply that I felt like I was there. I let all of the words just wash over and through me and it helped me to connect with the characters to the point I felt like I knew them; like I’ve always known them. I lived in Amorea with them. I ate at that diner. I perused the shelves in that bookstore. I sat on the grass in that park and I watched the clouds go by. I was invested. I was so involved with this story that I just had to talk to someone about it. Thank everything in the world that I had a friend who read this with me because if I didn’t talk about this book I was going to explode. And we talked. We talked until we just about broke gmail. Did you know there is a limit to how many emails can be in one thread on gmail? I do… now.
So there I was, reading and talking and feeling when something happened. Something amazing happened. All it took was one word, just one little word, and it happened.
I got it.
I got it! It all just clicked together in my brain and I understood everything! I knew what this story was about! I knew what was happening and more importantly, I knew why. It was incredible! It was brilliant! I was in awe. I’m still in awe sitting here writing this review. TJ’s writing skills and his brilliant, magnificent brain are beyond contestation. I urge everyone to pick up this book. Lose yourself in the story. Feel the romance. Take a stroll through Amorea. Stop in the diner for a quick bite and be sure to visit the bookstore while you’re there. It’s an experience I guarantee you’ve never had before and will never have again.
See my review and all of the others here:
September 2, 2018
*4.5 stars*
Well.... Let me think this over first......
This may have been the weirdest mindfuck I've ever read. Dunno if I liked it. I was on edge all the time. Quite frankly wanted it all to be over with. But my emotions were all over the place. So I guess, a writer that can accomplish that deserves 5 mindfucking stars.
I'll be back later for a proper review.
April 26, 2017
Such a psychological-mystery romance that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What happened? This was......... This was was is..... This IS something precious. This is a magnificent story in the MM kingdom. Truly creative concepts from the cover to the final author’s note. Very very smart Mr. Klune. It flows and changes and spins around like a real murmuration. I’ve never thought about starlings,how they fly and move as a group. All flying together as one. It’s controlled chaos. It moves with purpose. Being lost in the murmuration is so good. All of it. This exactly I love-
A Brain Power At Maximum Level.
The year is 1954. His name is Mike Frazier. He lives in Amorea, where all the people know and care and love each other. People don’t lock their doors. There are no children because ---. No cars because ----. No newspapers. No television. He has a cat named Martin and his fella is a waiter named Sean. He owns a bookstore called Bookworm. It’s very popular. People come in every day. There is a book club on Mondays where they sit around and discuss literature. The people of this town seem overly invested in making sure the proprietor of the bookshop and the waiter at the diner eventually get together. They are happy, healthy, and whole. Balance. This is everything to him. This place. This people. His home. This man. He doesn't care what the rest of this world is as long as Sean in it. So what if he can’t ---. Everything whites out. EVERYTHING IS hazy after ---. For a very long time. It’s precious, this thing between them, and Mike will protect it at all costs.
Things are not what they appear, which I got it right from the beginning of the book. But I couldn’t figure out who Mike was talking about… , who was that guy. And finally, after the last third, I got it what was going on in a complete surprise. Very smart Mr. Klune.
The romance line is sweet and tender,corresponding well with the location and its inhabitants, and supported by his writing prose- natural and fluid. Even thought the mystery is very strong part, their love moving the happening.
“I think,” Sean says, tilting his head so their foreheads are almost touching, “that it’d be like having a storm of birds in your mind. But a controlled storm. Like with a purpose. It’s there, and it’s chaos, but there’s order to it. It won’t make sense to anyone else, but it does to the person that has it.”
“A murmuration?” he asks.
“Exactly,” Sean says, and he’s leaning in, like they’re going to kiss, like they’re going to—
I want to explain to you why I think this book is so different from other MM novels, but it's difficult to do without ruining your experience. This story really affected me- grips me immediately, until the end of the last chapter, and then I read the author's note about why he'd decided to write about this topic and I really realized how he had gotten the idea. I hope he writes more soon because, as you may have guessed, I'm an unapologetic fanboy of this particular direction. This wouldn't be everyone’s cup of tea, but it's the best TJ Klune's books I’ve read so far. Congrats Mr. Klune it fits me like a glove.
When my heart was crushed at the same time it was uplifted and my brain's working on the max, I cannot give this book any less than 5 stars. I cannot wait to listen to a future audio edition. Please, please, please make that happens.
The year is 1954. His name is Mike Frazier. He lives in Amorea, where all the people know and care and love each other. People don’t lock their doors. There are no children because ---. No cars because ----. No newspapers. No television. He has a cat named Martin and his fella is a waiter named Sean. He owns a bookstore called Bookworm. It’s very popular. People come in every day. There is a book club on Mondays where they sit around and discuss literature. The people of this town seem overly invested in making sure the proprietor of the bookshop and the waiter at the diner eventually get together. They are happy, healthy, and whole. Balance. This is everything to him. This place. This people. His home. This man. He doesn't care what the rest of this world is as long as Sean in it. So what if he can’t ---. Everything whites out. EVERYTHING IS hazy after ---. For a very long time. It’s precious, this thing between them, and Mike will protect it at all costs.
Things are not what they appear, which I got it right from the beginning of the book. But I couldn’t figure out who Mike was talking about… , who was that guy. And finally, after the last third, I got it what was going on in a complete surprise. Very smart Mr. Klune.
The romance line is sweet and tender,corresponding well with the location and its inhabitants, and supported by his writing prose- natural and fluid. Even thought the mystery is very strong part, their love moving the happening.
“I think,” Sean says, tilting his head so their foreheads are almost touching, “that it’d be like having a storm of birds in your mind. But a controlled storm. Like with a purpose. It’s there, and it’s chaos, but there’s order to it. It won’t make sense to anyone else, but it does to the person that has it.”
“A murmuration?” he asks.
“Exactly,” Sean says, and he’s leaning in, like they’re going to kiss, like they’re going to—
I want to explain to you why I think this book is so different from other MM novels, but it's difficult to do without ruining your experience. This story really affected me- grips me immediately, until the end of the last chapter, and then I read the author's note about why he'd decided to write about this topic and I really realized how he had gotten the idea. I hope he writes more soon because, as you may have guessed, I'm an unapologetic fanboy of this particular direction. This wouldn't be everyone’s cup of tea, but it's the best TJ Klune's books I’ve read so far. Congrats Mr. Klune it fits me like a glove.
When my heart was crushed at the same time it was uplifted and my brain's working on the max, I cannot give this book any less than 5 stars. I cannot wait to listen to a future audio edition. Please, please, please make that happens.
October 28, 2016
5++ Outstanding good!! Murmuration by TJ Klune
TJ's own words 'A love letter to the 50's'
I always have to prepare myself before for reading a Klune because....its a Klune....and that means no superficial read but a through and through developed book. You can expect everything...
Mike lives in Amorea and loves Sean. Yeah he is mesmerized by Sean
and Sean.... he loves Mike. Only somehow they never put it in words......
"It has only ever been Sean. It will only ever be Sean"
It's a s l o w b u r n one very slow and easy progress but....with none dull moment.
With every page there is a sneak preview. More and more getting clear
Mike has a gap in his memory, has somewhat déjà vu moments, he sees and hears things....and where they from.....I can't tell...
I really can't tell details that would give this beautiful story away but if you are familiar with Klune's writing you know you can expect something amazing. You won't believe your eyes.
Amorea a lovely village with meddling people (but just because they care and can :)
Amorea a little slice of heaven....I think a sort of Utopia....
And there are inexplicable things happening and inexplicable forgetfulness.
It's mysterious, fantastical....like with a bit from beyond....like from another dimension... ....but.you.never.know.for.sure.....it will make you so curious how and why things happen as they happen. It is becoming increasingly oppressive......It's utterly confusing (in a very good way)
Mike loves Sean and Sean......he loves his big guy Mike... yeah....!
'There will never be a time when Mike Frazier doesn’t want Sean Mellgard'
The power of observation breathe through the pages in an amazing way.
Its delicate and detailed written. The little things, the strings through all the sentences what's makes this story big-bigger-biggest
A strong written book with an amazing storyline that let you jump from one feet to the other. You never know where you are at the moment. It will blast you away!!
..........it’s not about the length of time you have, but what you do with it."
--Deep bow for TJ Klune--
**ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a honest review**
TJ's own words 'A love letter to the 50's'
I always have to prepare myself before for reading a Klune because....its a Klune....and that means no superficial read but a through and through developed book. You can expect everything...
Mike lives in Amorea and loves Sean. Yeah he is mesmerized by Sean
and Sean.... he loves Mike. Only somehow they never put it in words......
"It has only ever been Sean. It will only ever be Sean"
It's a s l o w b u r n one very slow and easy progress but....with none dull moment.
With every page there is a sneak preview. More and more getting clear
Mike has a gap in his memory, has somewhat déjà vu moments, he sees and hears things....and where they from.....I can't tell...
I really can't tell details that would give this beautiful story away but if you are familiar with Klune's writing you know you can expect something amazing. You won't believe your eyes.
Amorea a lovely village with meddling people (but just because they care and can :)
Amorea a little slice of heaven....I think a sort of Utopia....
And there are inexplicable things happening and inexplicable forgetfulness.
It's mysterious, fantastical....like with a bit from beyond....like from another dimension... ....but.you.never.know.for.sure.....it will make you so curious how and why things happen as they happen. It is becoming increasingly oppressive......It's utterly confusing (in a very good way)
Mike loves Sean and Sean......he loves his big guy Mike... yeah....!
'There will never be a time when Mike Frazier doesn’t want Sean Mellgard'
The power of observation breathe through the pages in an amazing way.
Its delicate and detailed written. The little things, the strings through all the sentences what's makes this story big-bigger-biggest
A strong written book with an amazing storyline that let you jump from one feet to the other. You never know where you are at the moment. It will blast you away!!
..........it’s not about the length of time you have, but what you do with it."
--Deep bow for TJ Klune--
**ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a honest review**
March 18, 2018
The despairing truth is : I keep trying T.J. Klune's books because his writing speaks to me and always manages to draw me in. I love it.
Yet again, the story itself leaves me with a sense of... non-fulfillment? Hollowness? I don't know. It just doesn't work for me and as always, I feel bad about it and that's so out of character because really, I read books I don't like all the time. Or, rather, often enough, you know? And it doesn't faze me.
Usually.
(but it does, this time it does)
I think that most of all, with T.J. Klune I grieve the possibility of his novels, that fleeting hope I always feel in the beginning,
(yes this is it yes YES I'm gonna love this one)
... and the slow descent to hopelessness is just too much to bear.
Gah. Don't mind me. Alone in the minority I stay.
TW - mention of child abuse, pedophilia, rape, drug use, domestic abuse ; ableist language unchallenged, murder
Yet again, the story itself leaves me with a sense of... non-fulfillment? Hollowness? I don't know. It just doesn't work for me and as always, I feel bad about it and that's so out of character because really, I read books I don't like all the time. Or, rather, often enough, you know? And it doesn't faze me.
Usually.
(but it does, this time it does)
I think that most of all, with T.J. Klune I grieve the possibility of his novels, that fleeting hope I always feel in the beginning,
(yes this is it yes YES I'm gonna love this one)
... and the slow descent to hopelessness is just too much to bear.
Gah. Don't mind me. Alone in the minority I stay.
TW - mention of child abuse, pedophilia, rape, drug use, domestic abuse ; ableist language unchallenged, murder
November 8, 2016
Let's ponder some words...
So in my ponderings some of the words that have gone through my brain have been...interesting, unusual, unique, disturbing, thought provoking, gripping, emotional, happy, depressing and talented (this one applies to the author).
I read this book and I finished it about a day and a half ago. My problem is how do I review it. I've been giving this a lot of thought...seriously a lot...ask my hubby, he's had to listen to my ramblings enough that he can probably tell you what the books about.
What I'm going to talk about here isn't what the story was about because that's what the blurb is for. What I'm going to try and share is how this story made me feel. 'Murmuration' was for me a distinctly 'unique' reading experience. In terms of reading choices it was a bit of an 'unusual' choice. It felt like 'The Twilight Zone' meets 'Mayberry, RFD' (if you're not familiar with this than might I suggest google...is your friend) and while I liked 'Mayberry, RFD' in all it's idealistic representations of life when mixed with the 'Twilight Zone' my brain conjures images that while 'interesting' they are also a bit 'disturbing'. Do I have you feeling totally confused? If so it's ok because at the end of this in some ways I was too. Ok, I'll stop with the word game and see if I can explain why I read this book and why ultimately I enjoyed it and was incredibly impressed by this author's talent.
'Murmuration' is a story set in the small town of Amorea during the 50s and it's about Mike Frazier and Sean Mellgard or at least it seems that way. But as the story progressed I quickly figured out that there was more so very, very much more to things than what it seemed and this is the part that I'm not talking about because this is the part that each reader needs to discover on their own.
The romance between Sean and Mike is sweet with a slow build-up to it. It's so fitting for the era that these men are existing in. Ironically it's not the sweetness of the romance between Mike and Sean that made their love so endearing for me...no, it's the secret surrounding the town or Amorea itself. It's all the things that aren't in the blurb that made me want them to be together.
Early into the book I figured I knew what was going on or at least had the gist if what was happening and by the end of the book I figured out that I'd known everything and nothing all at the same time. I can't say that 'Murmuration will go down as one of my favorite books of this year but it will definitely be at the top of the list for 'unusual books that I read and liked' because I did like it. I liked that even though I thought I knew what was happening, it still kept me guessing right up until the very end. I like that even though I finished this book a day and a half ago I'm still reflecting on it, still considering much of what happened and the moral implications of a lot of things.
To say the least 'Murmuration' may be a love story, but it's not your typical love story, it's more so much more and I found myself reflecting on a lot of different things...I guess at the end of it all the one thing I feel fairly certain of is that this is a book that each person needs to experience for themselves because I really get the feeling that more than most books this one will offer each of us a different story.
I'm not really sure that I can say a lot more about this book except maybe...read it and if you want after that we can chat.
********************
An ARC copy of 'Murmuration' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
So in my ponderings some of the words that have gone through my brain have been...interesting, unusual, unique, disturbing, thought provoking, gripping, emotional, happy, depressing and talented (this one applies to the author).
I read this book and I finished it about a day and a half ago. My problem is how do I review it. I've been giving this a lot of thought...seriously a lot...ask my hubby, he's had to listen to my ramblings enough that he can probably tell you what the books about.
What I'm going to talk about here isn't what the story was about because that's what the blurb is for. What I'm going to try and share is how this story made me feel. 'Murmuration' was for me a distinctly 'unique' reading experience. In terms of reading choices it was a bit of an 'unusual' choice. It felt like 'The Twilight Zone' meets 'Mayberry, RFD' (if you're not familiar with this than might I suggest google...is your friend) and while I liked 'Mayberry, RFD' in all it's idealistic representations of life when mixed with the 'Twilight Zone' my brain conjures images that while 'interesting' they are also a bit 'disturbing'. Do I have you feeling totally confused? If so it's ok because at the end of this in some ways I was too. Ok, I'll stop with the word game and see if I can explain why I read this book and why ultimately I enjoyed it and was incredibly impressed by this author's talent.
'Murmuration' is a story set in the small town of Amorea during the 50s and it's about Mike Frazier and Sean Mellgard or at least it seems that way. But as the story progressed I quickly figured out that there was more so very, very much more to things than what it seemed and this is the part that I'm not talking about because this is the part that each reader needs to discover on their own.
The romance between Sean and Mike is sweet with a slow build-up to it. It's so fitting for the era that these men are existing in. Ironically it's not the sweetness of the romance between Mike and Sean that made their love so endearing for me...no, it's the secret surrounding the town or Amorea itself. It's all the things that aren't in the blurb that made me want them to be together.
Early into the book I figured I knew what was going on or at least had the gist if what was happening and by the end of the book I figured out that I'd known everything and nothing all at the same time. I can't say that 'Murmuration will go down as one of my favorite books of this year but it will definitely be at the top of the list for 'unusual books that I read and liked' because I did like it. I liked that even though I thought I knew what was happening, it still kept me guessing right up until the very end. I like that even though I finished this book a day and a half ago I'm still reflecting on it, still considering much of what happened and the moral implications of a lot of things.
To say the least 'Murmuration' may be a love story, but it's not your typical love story, it's more so much more and I found myself reflecting on a lot of different things...I guess at the end of it all the one thing I feel fairly certain of is that this is a book that each person needs to experience for themselves because I really get the feeling that more than most books this one will offer each of us a different story.
I'm not really sure that I can say a lot more about this book except maybe...read it and if you want after that we can chat.
********************
An ARC copy of 'Murmuration' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2016
"I’m not very good at this."
"At what?"
"You."
"You’re very good at me. Maybe the best of all."
I'm not gonna lie. This was very difficult for me to read. I was constantly on edge and a lot of the time I just wanted it to be over. Until, that is, it was over. Now I just want to have a cry and read more.
Not your typical love story but for me it was a truly remarkable one. It's also going to stay with me for a good long while.
"I love you today. And I’ll love you tomorrow. And every day after."
Started as a BR with Susan, she read it in like a day and I was a scaredy cat and it took me like five. Still. Got there in the end. We can now dissect it in a chat and hopefully she can put me back together.
"At what?"
"You."
"You’re very good at me. Maybe the best of all."
I'm not gonna lie. This was very difficult for me to read. I was constantly on edge and a lot of the time I just wanted it to be over. Until, that is, it was over. Now I just want to have a cry and read more.
Not your typical love story but for me it was a truly remarkable one. It's also going to stay with me for a good long while.
"I love you today. And I’ll love you tomorrow. And every day after."
Started as a BR with Susan, she read it in like a day and I was a scaredy cat and it took me like five. Still. Got there in the end. We can now dissect it in a chat and hopefully she can put me back together.
January 15, 2020
This is my first book by Klune, about whom I've been hearing good things for a couple of years now. I was certainly impressed by the writing (although I felt the pacing was a bit slow, for my taste) and the characterization was interestingly handled given spoilery considerations that I won't go into.
It's always a risk, writing something with a big reveal or twist that the reader is waiting for, that the payoff won't be adequate, and in this case I have to say I did feel a bit disappointed in the last two sections of the book.
However, I was overall impressed by the author and plan to read at least one more. 3.5 stars.
(rating rounded down because I enjoyed it less and less as it went on.)
It's always a risk, writing something with a big reveal or twist that the reader is waiting for, that the payoff won't be adequate, and in this case I have to say I did feel a bit disappointed in the last two sections of the book.
However, I was overall impressed by the author and plan to read at least one more. 3.5 stars.
(rating rounded down because I enjoyed it less and less as it went on.)
February 9, 2017
This book is what I would classify as a classic mind fuck.
TJ says it himself, "It's the most romantic thing I've written. It's also the most fucked up. By the end, I will have shattered your heart and put it back together, even though a few of the pieces might be missing."
It has, to me, an almost Dean Koontzesque feel to it (from the '80's and '90's when they were still good stories) where you don't know what's happening, or why, or where the story is taking you.
I think this might be one of those stories where you either love it or hate it. I don't think there will be much middle ground. T.J. Klune has created a world so unlike anything else he's ever done, while at the same time, writing in a way that is so familiar, that I think some may need some time to really immerse themselves in this. To really get it. And it's totally worth the effort.
While it's not a book filled with passion, it is packed with a kind of romance. The kind of romance where one person is your home and you'd do anything, anything, for that person.
What Mike feels for Sean is bone, soul, deep.
It's just a ride you have to hold on for, and hope that you'll make it out the other side intact. Because it's hard. It's not easy...but nothing worth having ever really is, is it?
For my audio review, click here.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Murmuration provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
TJ says it himself, "It's the most romantic thing I've written. It's also the most fucked up. By the end, I will have shattered your heart and put it back together, even though a few of the pieces might be missing."
It has, to me, an almost Dean Koontzesque feel to it (from the '80's and '90's when they were still good stories) where you don't know what's happening, or why, or where the story is taking you.
Mike has never felt so small, so insignificant at the sight of something.
He has no words.
He stands in his backyard at 133 Sunlight Way and watches starlings above him dance and dance and dance.
It goes on for three minutes. Then four.
And he’s thinking, he’s thinking there’s more to it than this. He’s thinking that if something like this cloud of birds could exist, there has to be more out there. Something bigger. Something greater.
I think this might be one of those stories where you either love it or hate it. I don't think there will be much middle ground. T.J. Klune has created a world so unlike anything else he's ever done, while at the same time, writing in a way that is so familiar, that I think some may need some time to really immerse themselves in this. To really get it. And it's totally worth the effort.
While it's not a book filled with passion, it is packed with a kind of romance. The kind of romance where one person is your home and you'd do anything, anything, for that person.
This is something to him. This is everything to him. This place. His home. This man. So what if he can’t really ever remember a life outside or before Amorea. It must not have been anything special if it’s so easily forgotten. He doesn’t need it. He has everything he needs right here, right now, and it’s enough. Maybe one day it won’t be, but right now it’s enough.
What Mike feels for Sean is bone, soul, deep.
This isn’t physical; that’s not what Mike wants right now. It’s intimacy, simple and easy, and Mike doesn’t have this with anyone else. He doesn’t want it with anyone else. He knows he’s going to have to explain himself, knows how terrible it’s all going to sound. But he doesn’t want to lose this. These little moments where it’s just Mike and Sean and nothing else matters.
It's just a ride you have to hold on for, and hope that you'll make it out the other side intact. Because it's hard. It's not easy...but nothing worth having ever really is, is it?
Mike reaches out and touches Sean’s cheek. His heart is very full, and he’s having trouble choosing what words to say. Finally, “I would do it again.”
“What?”
“All of this. To get here. If I had to, I’d do it all over again.”
For my audio review, click here.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Murmuration provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
October 30, 2016
Ok so that was something different ! I love that TJ explores sub genres and unique ideas - be it OTT humor, heart wrenching tears or emotions in many forms, he plays with ideas and allows his readers to explore the edges of fantasy and reality. So this is how I felt with this book - on the edge... like being in the dusk, not day and not night. I wanted, well needed just a little more at the end. My heart was invested and then it was suddenly over - I mean really ???? Surely a little more time
January 28, 2022
[3.9] even though i caught on to the general gist pretty early on—TJ Klune wasn’t aiming for subtlety with his copious dropping of hints as to where the story was heading—the prevailing air of disquiet that bled out of every page had me on pins and needles regardless.
while classified as a romance, this book isn’t one in the typical sense, and i would even go so far to say that your usual overt displays take a backseat to the overarching suspenseful unease, but there’s something indescribably resonating in the extreme lengths people are willing to go to for love.
same as Olive Juice, the author refrains from injecting his classic humor into the mix to ease the sting of truths as they’re slowly uncovered.
did i cry? no.
did it leave me lying on my back, staring at the ceiling with a sinking feeling in my stomach, this somber, laden hollowness? yes. yes, it did.
it is such a challenge to put into words what emotions i was experiencing at the very end, but a comparison to a certain Netflix show might just do the trick. as some might consider it spoilery, i’ll hide it behind a spoiler tag just in case, but the way i’d feel at the end of an episode of essentially captures my headspace to a T 😶
while classified as a romance, this book isn’t one in the typical sense, and i would even go so far to say that your usual overt displays take a backseat to the overarching suspenseful unease, but there’s something indescribably resonating in the extreme lengths people are willing to go to for love.
same as Olive Juice, the author refrains from injecting his classic humor into the mix to ease the sting of truths as they’re slowly uncovered.
did i cry? no.
did it leave me lying on my back, staring at the ceiling with a sinking feeling in my stomach, this somber, laden hollowness? yes. yes, it did.
it is such a challenge to put into words what emotions i was experiencing at the very end, but a comparison to a certain Netflix show might just do the trick. as some might consider it spoilery, i’ll hide it behind a spoiler tag just in case, but the way i’d feel at the end of an episode of essentially captures my headspace to a T 😶
February 21, 2017
BIGGEST UNICORN GANGBANG! Not the book, just our reviews ;-)
Click here to have a look,
4.5 Hearts!
Please please please don’t read reviews with spoilers in them, it will ruin what is fantastic about this book. If there's anything you’re anxious about, hopefully I’ll put it to rest with this review (without spoilers).
I’ll be brief because I won’t be giving away spoilers and there are lots more detailed reviews out there. I’m just going to go through a few points that I generally like to know before going into a book I know nothing about. So here goes.
1. HEA
Yes it does! Some (although not many I’m sure) would argue with that, but to me there is no way better way I could imagine this ending!! (And you get all the answers you want!)
2. Romance
The romance in this is one of those forever and ever type of loves, and it is soooooo beautiful. I craved all the scenes with Mike and Sean together and gushed like someone discovering romance novels for the first time. While the romance is prominent and constant, I still felt it was overshadowed by the mystery at times, but the mystery was so mind-blowingly engaging I didn’t mind.
3. Sex
Like all Klune books, they are not about sex but about feelings and relationships, it’s exactly the same here. That being said there is a sex scene and it’s made better for the build-up. It ends up being everything you’d what for these two, romantic, tender and still super hot!
4. Writing Style
There’s nothing like it. I was glued from the first sentence and was stuck in Mike's head until the end! Perfect!
5. How it made me feel
Now this is the important one isn’t it. I don’t like feeling stressed or anxious while reading and honestly that's why this is 4.5 and not 5 hearts, because I was anxious while reading it. That was because I wasn’t sure if there’d be a HEA though, and now that you know there is, you can enjoy the wild mind-fuck for what it is.
This made me feel lots and lots. Confused is probably the most prominent emotion. If you can just sit back, relax and let events unfold as they do it’ll be more enjoyable and it's completely engrossing. Being with Mike each step of the way was a journey I loved and will be thinking about a lot over the next few weeks.
Give the book a shot. Whether you love it, like it or can’t stand how confused it left you, Mike and Sean’s story will leave you thinking about it long after you’re done.
Click here to have a look,
4.5 Hearts!
Please please please don’t read reviews with spoilers in them, it will ruin what is fantastic about this book. If there's anything you’re anxious about, hopefully I’ll put it to rest with this review (without spoilers).
I’ll be brief because I won’t be giving away spoilers and there are lots more detailed reviews out there. I’m just going to go through a few points that I generally like to know before going into a book I know nothing about. So here goes.
1. HEA
Yes it does! Some (although not many I’m sure) would argue with that, but to me there is no way better way I could imagine this ending!! (And you get all the answers you want!)
2. Romance
The romance in this is one of those forever and ever type of loves, and it is soooooo beautiful. I craved all the scenes with Mike and Sean together and gushed like someone discovering romance novels for the first time. While the romance is prominent and constant, I still felt it was overshadowed by the mystery at times, but the mystery was so mind-blowingly engaging I didn’t mind.
3. Sex
Like all Klune books, they are not about sex but about feelings and relationships, it’s exactly the same here. That being said there is a sex scene and it’s made better for the build-up. It ends up being everything you’d what for these two, romantic, tender and still super hot!
4. Writing Style
There’s nothing like it. I was glued from the first sentence and was stuck in Mike's head until the end! Perfect!
5. How it made me feel
Now this is the important one isn’t it. I don’t like feeling stressed or anxious while reading and honestly that's why this is 4.5 and not 5 hearts, because I was anxious while reading it. That was because I wasn’t sure if there’d be a HEA though, and now that you know there is, you can enjoy the wild mind-fuck for what it is.
This made me feel lots and lots. Confused is probably the most prominent emotion. If you can just sit back, relax and let events unfold as they do it’ll be more enjoyable and it's completely engrossing. Being with Mike each step of the way was a journey I loved and will be thinking about a lot over the next few weeks.
Give the book a shot. Whether you love it, like it or can’t stand how confused it left you, Mike and Sean’s story will leave you thinking about it long after you’re done.
February 13, 2017
I typically only read romances, and Murmuration is not a romance in the typical sense, but it is about a romance. One that shouldn’t exist but does. One that’s determined to survive at any cost.
I picked up this book solely for the writing. I have a mad crush on T.J. Klune, and his writing style fascinates me. I didn’t even bother with the blurb; I rarely do anyway. But, this story is out there so you may want to check it out first. Think: Pleasantville meets The Twilight Zone.
The relationship between the two H’s is swoony and slow burning. I’m not usually a fan of slow burn, but it works for me here, and it’s vital to the plot. But because of this, I was able to put it down. I even read other books simultaneously. Even so, I loved it. It’s not a book you inhale; it’s a book you savor. It unfolds slowly, and I don’t think you can fully appreciate it until you’ve experienced it in its entirety.
Aside from the writing style, Murmuration is nothing like Wolfsong. If that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t find it here. But, if like me you’re obsessed with Klune, here ya go.
I picked up this book solely for the writing. I have a mad crush on T.J. Klune, and his writing style fascinates me. I didn’t even bother with the blurb; I rarely do anyway. But, this story is out there so you may want to check it out first. Think: Pleasantville meets The Twilight Zone.
The relationship between the two H’s is swoony and slow burning. I’m not usually a fan of slow burn, but it works for me here, and it’s vital to the plot. But because of this, I was able to put it down. I even read other books simultaneously. Even so, I loved it. It’s not a book you inhale; it’s a book you savor. It unfolds slowly, and I don’t think you can fully appreciate it until you’ve experienced it in its entirety.
Aside from the writing style, Murmuration is nothing like Wolfsong. If that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t find it here. But, if like me you’re obsessed with Klune, here ya go.
October 2, 2024
4 Stars
Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has in no way influenced my review.*
I've sat here for a while just trying to figure out how to start this because this is one of those books that's just... difficult to review.
I've noticed a lot of reviewers describe this as a mindf*ck type of book, but it really doesn't fit my definition of that word. It was definitely Twilight Zone-esque, but it was never confusing or shocking to me. And though I still wanted to know the details and reasons and full story behind it, it was obvious to me early on what the general explanation was. That's not to say the story was predictable, I still didn't know how it would end, just that for me the enjoyment of this book didn't lie in any shocking twistiness.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. This was a good book with a good story. I was invested while reading. The quaint little 1950s town made for a unique setting, at least for me. And though Mike could be painfully shy and tongue-tied, making Sean supply the conversation while he mostly just responded with, "Yeah," he and Sean were cute together. I was rooting for them the same as the rest of the townsfolk. So yeah, this was sweet and romantic as you would expect from the blurb and the cover...
...but I feel like it was also kind of dark, and that's coming from me. It wasn't violent or gruesome or gritty, but it left me feeling far more unsure and unsettled than probably any other book I've ever read.
*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT (seriously, these are my thoughts about the ending, and I urge you not to read this unless you've already finished the book or don't plan on reading it)* *END SPOILER ALERT*
Feeling unsure and unsettled is not necessarily a bad thing though. It made me feel something, and that's good.
I also found the book to be really thought-provoking. Not in a lessons/morals kind of way though. There was nothing preachy about this book. But it still made me think a lot, about things like the way life spirals downward sometimes, and how it's so easy to state a solution when looking in from the outside but so much more complicated when you're on the inside, and how maybe I'm still too judgmental despite how hard I try not to be because maybe even the people who are making bad choices, who have willfully chosen to do things that ruined their lives, had reasons and just got caught in that spiral and might be good people underneath it all if only things had happened differently.
*sigh* I think this has become less of a review and more of a philosophical discussion at this point, but I can't help it, that's how this book has made me feel and what it's made me think.
BUT you may take something completely different away from this book than I did. This isn't a cut-and-dry, black-and-white type of thing. I can see people having all different sorts of reactions to it, including both positive and negative emotions, maybe even at the same time. It all depends on how you look at things.
So overall I enjoyed the love story between the characters, I loved how thought-provoking the book was, and I thought the whole thing was well-written, but it also made me feel kind of emotionally confused, and I think it's the kind of book that's really going to be experienced differently by different people.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes M/M romance, science fiction, love stories, and thought-provoking books.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has in no way influenced my review.*
I've sat here for a while just trying to figure out how to start this because this is one of those books that's just... difficult to review.
I've noticed a lot of reviewers describe this as a mindf*ck type of book, but it really doesn't fit my definition of that word. It was definitely Twilight Zone-esque, but it was never confusing or shocking to me. And though I still wanted to know the details and reasons and full story behind it, it was obvious to me early on what the general explanation was. That's not to say the story was predictable, I still didn't know how it would end, just that for me the enjoyment of this book didn't lie in any shocking twistiness.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. This was a good book with a good story. I was invested while reading. The quaint little 1950s town made for a unique setting, at least for me. And though Mike could be painfully shy and tongue-tied, making Sean supply the conversation while he mostly just responded with, "Yeah," he and Sean were cute together. I was rooting for them the same as the rest of the townsfolk. So yeah, this was sweet and romantic as you would expect from the blurb and the cover...
...but I feel like it was also kind of dark, and that's coming from me. It wasn't violent or gruesome or gritty, but it left me feeling far more unsure and unsettled than probably any other book I've ever read.
*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT (seriously, these are my thoughts about the ending, and I urge you not to read this unless you've already finished the book or don't plan on reading it)* *END SPOILER ALERT*
Feeling unsure and unsettled is not necessarily a bad thing though. It made me feel something, and that's good.
I also found the book to be really thought-provoking. Not in a lessons/morals kind of way though. There was nothing preachy about this book. But it still made me think a lot, about things like the way life spirals downward sometimes, and how it's so easy to state a solution when looking in from the outside but so much more complicated when you're on the inside, and how maybe I'm still too judgmental despite how hard I try not to be because maybe even the people who are making bad choices, who have willfully chosen to do things that ruined their lives, had reasons and just got caught in that spiral and might be good people underneath it all if only things had happened differently.
*sigh* I think this has become less of a review and more of a philosophical discussion at this point, but I can't help it, that's how this book has made me feel and what it's made me think.
BUT you may take something completely different away from this book than I did. This isn't a cut-and-dry, black-and-white type of thing. I can see people having all different sorts of reactions to it, including both positive and negative emotions, maybe even at the same time. It all depends on how you look at things.
So overall I enjoyed the love story between the characters, I loved how thought-provoking the book was, and I thought the whole thing was well-written, but it also made me feel kind of emotionally confused, and I think it's the kind of book that's really going to be experienced differently by different people.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes M/M romance, science fiction, love stories, and thought-provoking books.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
January 24, 2022
I've had this sitting on my kindle for about six years. Glad I finally got to it. The story did keep me reading. If you love the old Twilight Zone tv series this will be right up your alley. Even though one of my initial three theories was pretty much correct, there was still a twist to it.
Yes, there is romance, Mike and Sean are sweet as sugar, but my focus was on the knowledge that something was not right in Amorea, and something was not right with Mike, and trying to work out that puzzle. It was part small-town romance, part mystery, and part science fiction. There was also quite the unexpected ending. I may have had a couple lingering questions, but overall I was satisfied with how it all worked out.
Yes, there is romance, Mike and Sean are sweet as sugar, but my focus was on the knowledge that something was not right in Amorea, and something was not right with Mike, and trying to work out that puzzle. It was part small-town romance, part mystery, and part science fiction. There was also quite the unexpected ending. I may have had a couple lingering questions, but overall I was satisfied with how it all worked out.
October 30, 2020
Without spoiling anything, the ending hurt. I suppose it’s a happy ending but when you focus on the rest, you kind of wish it ended differently. I would say to go in completely blind if you read this, the experience would be better, and it’s worth the twists.
March 29, 2018
Another 5-star read from T.J. Klune.
Murmuration is, in the words of its author, a love song to 1950s' America (and Americana, an idealised vision of a country that perhaps never was) and to The Twilight Zone - mysterious, intriguing, suspended between a piece of historical fiction, sci-fi, romance and psychological drama.
It'd be impossible to get into the novel's plot and characters without inadvertently giving away too much and Murmuration must be approached and read with no previous insights, so I shall keep this short.
Mike Frazier and Sean Mellgard deserve all your attention and commitment. Their story, bringing together time plans, locations and characters, is carefully interwoven and kept tight and compelling throughout the book.
As with other novels by TJ Klune, details and layers are piled and crisscrossed little by little, chapter by chapter. The visual image of the murmuration, a seemingly chaotic but instead highly regulated movement of starlings in the sky is a very effective metaphor not only for the characters' lives but for the novel itself.
The apparent sense of confusion due to intertwining voices and POVs is slowly reorganised and explained as the story progresses and I was constantly left wondering about what would come next, what certain details or words would mean within the overall structure of the novel.
Murmuration is challenging, romantic, melancholic and hopeful. Read it!
Murmuration is, in the words of its author, a love song to 1950s' America (and Americana, an idealised vision of a country that perhaps never was) and to The Twilight Zone - mysterious, intriguing, suspended between a piece of historical fiction, sci-fi, romance and psychological drama.
It'd be impossible to get into the novel's plot and characters without inadvertently giving away too much and Murmuration must be approached and read with no previous insights, so I shall keep this short.
Mike Frazier and Sean Mellgard deserve all your attention and commitment. Their story, bringing together time plans, locations and characters, is carefully interwoven and kept tight and compelling throughout the book.
As with other novels by TJ Klune, details and layers are piled and crisscrossed little by little, chapter by chapter. The visual image of the murmuration, a seemingly chaotic but instead highly regulated movement of starlings in the sky is a very effective metaphor not only for the characters' lives but for the novel itself.
The apparent sense of confusion due to intertwining voices and POVs is slowly reorganised and explained as the story progresses and I was constantly left wondering about what would come next, what certain details or words would mean within the overall structure of the novel.
Murmuration is challenging, romantic, melancholic and hopeful. Read it!
November 6, 2016
I don't know what it is about TJ's writing, regardless of genre and or subject matter, the majority of his work resonates with me and Murmuration was no exception. I did find the initial stilted and rapidly changing dialogue very annoying until I understood why, and that changed my entire perspective of this novel as I thought it was actually going to be my first TJ novel to receive a very low rating. Despite that I was still fascinated by the storyline and in the end everything came together.
This is not a light read, what I mean by this is that you really need to give it 100% of your attention. It's not one of those books where you can multi-task while reading at the same time. Well I couldn't anyway, which is no great shock for anyone who knows me ;)
A very touching and heartfelt story with a rather dark edge to it.
This is not a light read, what I mean by this is that you really need to give it 100% of your attention. It's not one of those books where you can multi-task while reading at the same time. Well I couldn't anyway, which is no great shock for anyone who knows me ;)
A very touching and heartfelt story with a rather dark edge to it.
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