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When We Were Monsters

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When We Were Monsters

By: Jennifer Niven
Narrated by: Elena Rey, Saskia Maarleveld, Briggon Snow
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The compulsive new thriller from multimillion-copy bestselling author Jennifer Niven.

Eight students walk into an exclusive writers’ retreat, but only one will walk out with a life-changing opportunity to realize their creative dreams.

Effy is piecing together a story about the tragic betrayal that led to her mother’s death. Arlo hopes to publish a novel – but he’s also trying to start a new chapter with Effy after he broke her heart and ghosted her three years earlier.

Their mentor is Meredith Graffam, enigmatic writer, director and actress, whose compelling accounts of her own near-death experience on the same retreat decades before continue to spark controversy.

But this celebrated teacher is not all she seems, and her students gradually realize they are fighting for something much more primal than academic advantage. As Graffam’s unorthodox teaching methods push them past breaking point, they reveal their darkest secrets, take unthinkable risks and slowly start to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .

The Secret History meets One of Us is Lying in the most gripping thriller of the year.

© Jennifer Niven 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

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I enjoyed the premise of When We Were Monsters, I felt it was new and a refreshing take on a mystery. I did think the narration was a bit slow at times (even when speeded up), I guess this was due to the intensive description given in the written form, the only downside to this for me was that it impacted the pacing. it felt like we got to an exciting part then it slowed down. The pacing for me was like this throughout, I was gripped then I was a little bored and repeat.
I did however enjoy the storyline, the developments and the characters. I did feel like these were all created really well. The characters and their struggles were relatable to an extent, I loved how they all were suspicious of each other and how easily manipulated they were. Graffam was a great character, her mystery and cunning really made for the thriller part of the novel.
Niven's writing style is definitely immersive, she grabs your attention and gives you in-depth detailing throughout. The twists and turns made for an enjoyable read/listen.

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