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geilie's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
strawberrypinch's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Murder, Animal death, Body horror, Torture, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Dementia, Death, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Stalking
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
mxbluet18's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? No
4.0
Trigger warnings for The Starless Sea include: Anxiety, panic attacks; multiple deaths; themes of death; Suicidal ideation mentioned; Forced drug use; Removal of a tongue mentioned; Branding, Kidnapping, Drowning and Animal death mentioned.
☆
☆
It's safe to say that was one of the wildest rides I've ever had with a book. Usually I'm not a fan of multiple points of view in the books I read because I find it easy to get things mixed up. But with this one each story within a story was individual and easy to distinguish from one another.
~
I loved the simple gay representation you find in the main character Zachary, as well as Dorian, and in Kat (though in passing mention). The fact that there are queer characters doesn't have any bearing on the story, which I find is actually quite nice. Having a story that doesn't revolve around one or more of the characters being some flavour or LGBTQ+.
~
Reading some other reviews online when I'm writing this I have found some useful explanations as to how the characters fit into the fairytale being woven from the beginning. Who each character is, whether that's the Pirate, Fate, the acolyte, Allegra and the Guardian. Characters are mentioned and talked about in different books within the books. It has multiple stories within it, and eventually they all fit together and interweave, but I appreciate it might be a little more challenging for some to piece together who's who.
☆
☆
It's safe to say that was one of the wildest rides I've ever had with a book. Usually I'm not a fan of multiple points of view in the books I read because I find it easy to get things mixed up. But with this one each story within a story was individual and easy to distinguish from one another.
~
I loved the simple gay representation you find in the main character Zachary, as well as Dorian, and in Kat (though in passing mention). The fact that there are queer characters doesn't have any bearing on the story, which I find is actually quite nice. Having a story that doesn't revolve around one or more of the characters being some flavour or LGBTQ+.
~
Reading some other reviews online when I'm writing this I have found some useful explanations as to how the characters fit into the fairytale being woven from the beginning. Who each character is, whether that's the Pirate, Fate, the acolyte, Allegra and the Guardian. Characters are mentioned and talked about in different books within the books. It has multiple stories within it, and eventually they all fit together and interweave, but I appreciate it might be a little more challenging for some to piece together who's who.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Drug use
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Stalking
jelliestars's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A slow but enjoyable read. Lots of mysteriousness where I would get one answer and be given like 15 more questions.
The writing is beautiful and very detailed and descriptive. But can be overly descriptive and slows down the story quite a bit for me. I know it's to give the reader a lot of vivid imagery and create a certain atmosphere, but if you are like me and suspect you might have a level of aphantasia, it doesn't add to the story and kind of hinders/slows your reading progress if you read every word. I can't picture what is being described so I would've just preferred some of the minor details that were just to describe rooms or scenery taken out.
Lots of switching perspectives and little stories intermixed with the "main" story so if that's not your jam, this might not be it for you.
I feel like this is the sort of book you would reread to pick up on little things (hints or details that apply to something further along in the story) that you might miss like how you might rewatch certain shows to find easter eggs or when you realize an anime opening/ending was telling you everything before you got far enough along in the anime.
I think this book is for a certain aesthetic of reader so it's not as good as the people who hyped it up said it is. But it was still a worthwhile, enjoyable read. I can get the hype and would recommend it to one of my friends who fits into a part of that certain aesthetic, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
The writing is beautiful and very detailed and descriptive. But can be overly descriptive and slows down the story quite a bit for me. I know it's to give the reader a lot of vivid imagery and create a certain atmosphere, but if you are like me and suspect you might have a level of aphantasia, it doesn't add to the story and kind of hinders/slows your reading progress if you read every word. I can't picture what is being described so I would've just preferred some of the minor details that were just to describe rooms or scenery taken out.
Lots of switching perspectives and little stories intermixed with the "main" story so if that's not your jam, this might not be it for you.
I feel like this is the sort of book you would reread to pick up on little things (hints or details that apply to something further along in the story) that you might miss like how you might rewatch certain shows to find easter eggs or when you realize an anime opening/ending was telling you everything before you got far enough along in the anime.
I think this book is for a certain aesthetic of reader so it's not as good as the people who hyped it up said it is. But it was still a worthwhile, enjoyable read. I can get the hype and would recommend it to one of my friends who fits into a part of that certain aesthetic, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol
gisblanketfort's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
I knew this book deserved five stars before I even finished. The writing was so beautiful and whimsical and ethereal and poetic! The stories within the story were so interested and it was SO cool that they contributed something to the plot and were not just random stories (I would not mind if it was the latter tho). Zachary was really relatable and funny and it was nice to see him being more independent from Sweet Sorrows as the story goes, following his own path. I wish his relationship with Dorian was more developed but, again, I don't mind at all they were still cute and ofc they made me cry! I was so happy to see a specific side character(iykyk) have the spotlight towards the end I love them so much!! ALSO the aesthetic of this book!!! It's not exactly dark academia but kinda close I don't know really xD But what I kniw is that I want to go there SO BADLY!! An underground library, full of ballrooms mysteries and CATS?? SIGN ME UP RIGHT NOW!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Kidnapping, and Death
Moderate: Blood and Fire/Fire injury
spookily's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Biphobia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
li_reading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Death
Minor: Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, and Blood
lilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
14.07.2022 (Reread)
I'm still loving it with all my heart.
What an amazing feeling to be back in this world with these characters. I enjoyed it very much to discover all the small details and references I missed the first time. I will definitely have to return to the Starless Sea at some point.
16.06.2020
I love these characters SO SO SO SO much! They feel so real, like actual friends. They've become so dear to me and will always have a special place in my heart.
I'm in love with the setting, I'm sad I have to leave it behind. My heart breaks when I think about it.
I have so much to say but I can't find the words.
This was just perfect for me. All the details, all the wibbly wobbly stuff, all the fairy tales, all the puzzles, all the different parts of the story coming together in such a chaotic, weird but also satisfying way, all the references, all the meta about story telling, all the scenes that read like point and click adventures or pen and paper RPGs, all the epic locations, all the beautiful writing, the meaningful quotes and the humour. All the love!
I'm still loving it with all my heart.
What an amazing feeling to be back in this world with these characters. I enjoyed it very much to discover all the small details and references I missed the first time. I will definitely have to return to the Starless Sea at some point.
16.06.2020
I love these characters SO SO SO SO much! They feel so real, like actual friends. They've become so dear to me and will always have a special place in my heart.
I'm in love with the setting, I'm sad I have to leave it behind. My heart breaks when I think about it.
I have so much to say but I can't find the words.
This was just perfect for me. All the details, all the wibbly wobbly stuff, all the fairy tales, all the puzzles, all the different parts of the story coming together in such a chaotic, weird but also satisfying way, all the references, all the meta about story telling, all the scenes that read like point and click adventures or pen and paper RPGs, all the epic locations, all the beautiful writing, the meaningful quotes and the humour. All the love!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Stalking, Violence, and Grief
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