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aryexo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Car accident, Classism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
downtown_kb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“The house calls the homeless and hungry, the desperately brave, the fools who will fight to the very last.”
A southern gothic set in a coal mining town in Kentucky, this story is steeped in fictional history and lore and gives you a beautiful sense of place. The descriptions and imagery are wonderful. There's a degree of horror - think more fantastical Stephen King or T. Kingfisher dealing with eldritch horrors - and a little romance to round it all out. I found this to be less of a dark fairytale and more of what happens when you discover the fairytale is real.
There is a dark, spooky atmosphere in a town known for its bad luck, whispers of monsters, and hints that maybe greed led men to dig so deep for coal they perhaps found something darker.
While there is a lot going on, I think the pacing of this story is really good. It builds using footnotes and a change of POV which lends well to the suspense. There are stories told within the story as the protagonist, Opal, begins to discover the truth about Starling House.
Speaking of Opal, I loved her. She made for a fun narrator. She is plucky and sarcastic, cut-throat and clever. Imperfect, not beautiful - “sharp and a bit crooked”.
The love interest, Arthur, and only remaining Starling, is at first cold but through his POV you learn he is the classic tortured hero who is kind and so lonely underneath the hard shell. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the Starling House from his role. And while this romance is more of a subplot, it still has its cute moments as these two are drawn together.
This book was not what I expected, it was better and it set such a great atmosphere. I really enjoyed this read and I think it will stick with me for a while.
(This is very good on audio as well. Natalie Naudus did the mood and the characters justice.)
A southern gothic set in a coal mining town in Kentucky, this story is steeped in fictional history and lore and gives you a beautiful sense of place. The descriptions and imagery are wonderful. There's a degree of horror - think more fantastical Stephen King or T. Kingfisher dealing with eldritch horrors - and a little romance to round it all out. I found this to be less of a dark fairytale and more of what happens when you discover the fairytale is real.
There is a dark, spooky atmosphere in a town known for its bad luck, whispers of monsters, and hints that maybe greed led men to dig so deep for coal they perhaps found something darker.
While there is a lot going on, I think the pacing of this story is really good. It builds using footnotes and a change of POV which lends well to the suspense. There are stories told within the story as the protagonist, Opal, begins to discover the truth about Starling House.
Speaking of Opal, I loved her. She made for a fun narrator. She is plucky and sarcastic, cut-throat and clever. Imperfect, not beautiful - “sharp and a bit crooked”.
The love interest, Arthur, and only remaining Starling, is at first cold but through his POV you learn he is the classic tortured hero who is kind and so lonely underneath the hard shell. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the Starling House from his role. And while this romance is more of a subplot, it still has its cute moments as these two are drawn together.
This book was not what I expected, it was better and it set such a great atmosphere. I really enjoyed this read and I think it will stick with me for a while.
(This is very good on audio as well. Natalie Naudus did the mood and the characters justice.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content
chronicacademia's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, and Body horror
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