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lianaet's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The genre of this book isn't something I'd normally pick up, but something about this book just drew me to it.
And weirdly in the nature of this book, that just makes sense.
The unsettling vibes of the writing were amazing and just sucked me right in all the way through. It felt slow to progress but never in a bad way. And Opal as a flawed woman protagonist was an amazing character.
And weirdly in the nature of this book, that just makes sense.
The unsettling vibes of the writing were amazing and just sucked me right in all the way through. It felt slow to progress but never in a bad way. And Opal as a flawed woman protagonist was an amazing character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Death, and Slavery
Minor: Vomit and Incest
nclausel25's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
aseel_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This was very fun, gothic, spooky, and just a great read overall. I loved having a semi sentient house, and the kind of beauty and the beast points. The ending was actually really good, sometimes these southern gothic novels can't hit the final notes of the story, but this one did
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Police brutality
Minor: Homophobia, Incest, and Racism
kaylokay_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I didn’t get *much* of a fairy tale vibe from this like many reviewers have said but it did hit all the gothic vibes I was looking for. I love how Alix Harrow writes and even at parts where the story dragged a bit, I was drawn to keep reading. One aspect that I LOVED was the different depictions of the lore of the Starling House Story and I really enjoyed how it all came together at the end. Harrow remains an autobuy for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
asoldenburg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I felt the story was very captivating from the start, even if the excitement level was slow to build. Some of the story is predictable but in a way that is endearing. I like a twist on a classic bad power family tale and the whimsy of the house. It was well written and easy to get sucked into.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content and Violence
greatgreyowl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was great up until the last chapter. It really disappointed at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Violence
jowiththetbrshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A welcome addition to the gothic haunted house trope, it reminded me of if Alice in Wonderland blended with Starless Sea. Utilizes the gothic trope to delve deeper into themes including class in rural Kentucky, inheritance both fantastical and literal, and family. Creepy and funny and satisfying.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Classism, and Car accident
Minor: Vomit, Grief, Sexual content, Car accident, Alcohol, and Death of parent
livlamentloathe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think both the beginning and ending of Starling House were strong, but the middle really dragged along. There was a lot of back-and-forth between Arthur and Opal that could've been pared down. Of the 2 weeks I spent reading this, the first 65% I read in a couple days. Then the remaining 35% took a week and a half. I do think the narrator was part of my issue though. I just wasn't engaged by her reading.
I also wanted more of the book to touch on the racism Jasper faced in Eden. I wanted Jasper to better scold Opal for the way she ignored about that part of him. She made a comment later on that alluded to her getting it in part. But she also definitely was very forgetful of his race. The book itself barely even acknowledged his race. It took until the middle of the book for me to determine his ethnicity - maybe that's my bad and I missed an early tell. But I think overall, this book wanted to hide details and it didn't always handle that well. It would be evasive and add extra page time instead of being a bit more upfront about things. Maybe that was purposeful too with Opal's personality. But it felt like it was just trying too hard.
The premise felt like a cross between The Hazel Wood and Book of Night. I thought it was meant to be horror, but it wasn't horror so much as gothic. More of a magical realism/low fantasy romance. This book could've been great but I think it needed further editing and less evasive plot points. I get it. Most details were meant for "reveals" later but it became excessive when I got lost wondering what the point of the book was. Or what was going on period.
P.S. I'd have loved more of a violent ending for the Gravely family and Elizabeth Bane.
I also wanted more of the book to touch on the racism Jasper faced in Eden. I wanted Jasper to better scold Opal for the way she ignored about that part of him. She made a comment later on that alluded to her getting it in part. But she also definitely was very forgetful of his race. The book itself barely even acknowledged his race. It took until the middle of the book for me to determine his ethnicity - maybe that's my bad and I missed an early tell. But I think overall, this book wanted to hide details and it didn't always handle that well. It would be evasive and add extra page time instead of being a bit more upfront about things. Maybe that was purposeful too with Opal's personality. But it felt like it was just trying too hard.
The premise felt like a cross between The Hazel Wood and Book of Night. I thought it was meant to be horror, but it wasn't horror so much as gothic. More of a magical realism/low fantasy romance. This book could've been great but I think it needed further editing and less evasive plot points. I get it. Most details were meant for "reveals" later but it became excessive when I got lost wondering what the point of the book was. Or what was going on period.
P.S. I'd have loved more of a violent ending for the Gravely family and Elizabeth Bane.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Blood, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Car accident, Stalking, Slavery, Racism, Sexism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Violence, Grief, and Police brutality
Minor: Homophobia, Hate crime, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Incest, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Animal death
aharrison_33's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse
moniquewrites's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This booked sucked me in and I stayed for the vibes. I was really intrigued by the mystery of the house and the writing was really beautiful (although at times it broke the fourth wall). It had an unconventional structure, and I liked the interspersing of stories about the house and Eleanor Starling throughout, that got you closer and closer to the “truth.” The characters are not overly likeable but they all kept telling you that until you saw their soft spots and stopped believing them. The mythology was interesting, and brought history into it in a way that I felt honoured a truth about how people from a place would tell their story, but then showed you the layers underneath the fresh paint. I also appreciated that the Gravely’s past involving slave ownership and the reason for their success in the mines was named, and done in a way that came from the voice of a descendent (although fictionalized still felt like a thoughtful way to tell it). I also loved how the book felt like a fairy tale I wasn’t expecting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, Violence, Slavery, and Death
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Homophobia and Child abuse