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semprenalua's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
books_and_cream_cheese's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-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
3.0
Wunderschön geschrieben, aber vom Konzept her leider einfach nichts für mich. Im Wesentlichen ist dieses Buch ein Netz aus unterschiedlichen Geschichten, die mit der Haupthandlung verwoben sind - die Verbindungen werden erst Schritt für Schritt offenbart. Ich persönlich fand die Nebengeschichten oft eher störend oder verwirrend, aber das liegt auch einfach daran, dass ich stringentere Erzählungen bevorzuge. Leider bin ich auch eher ein Fan von abgeschlossenen Enden und klar aufgebauten Magiesystemen - hier geht Morgebstern aber eher in eine andere Richtung. Dennoch verstehe ich die große Fanbase, die dieses Buch hat. Für den richtigen Leser, der atmosphärische, langsamere Geschichten und verstrickte Rätsel mag, ist „Das sternenlose Meer“ eine klare Empfehlung.
the_sunken_library's review against another edition
3.0
A beautiful fustration. I have incredibly mixed feelings about this but cannot deny that I found it less than compelling.
This is a beautifully constructed book - physically in terms of its apperence but also the poetical style of the author Erin Morgenstern. I have never read 'The Night Circus' - it just didn't appeal - but when I saw the marbled cover, the picture embosed pages and gilded decoration on the hardcover of this particularly weighty book, I knew I had to have it.
Initially I was intrigued by the fantastical detail Morgenstern went in to when constructing this world - its utterly admirable. Yes, you can see its heavily influenced by Alice in Wonderland and more ancient fables and myths, but she really does make this her own with regards to the construction and shaping of the world beneath the world and those characters that inhabit it. However, due to the meandering nature of the prose, I found some of it dificult to grasp and never really understood quite a few of the 'main players' - specifically the bees and the owls. As they seemed quite important to not only the construction of this novel but the world this novel (and the other stories that perpetually interrupt the narration) inhabits, I felt I was missing out on something quite important. Why do bees create, why do owls destroy - so many questions and almost no answers.
The first 100 pages of this novel sets-up what should have been an absolutely fascinating storyline - the son of a fortune-teller stumbles across an authorless book narrating an event that happened to him when he was just a child. It reveals he was at a crossroads but was not ready to a follow a path that would eventually lead him in to a world of mystery and magic. Eager to understand what he has discovered and deperate for a second-chance to enter this hidden world, he goes on a journey of discovery where he meets Time & Fate, trapped in a circle of love and death after the universe conspired and succeeded in separating them, the Moon and her husband, a subterranean library with every story ever told, being told and yet to be told sometimes presented as books but more often than not as something other, the world beneath this world where some stories have escaped their shackles and stalk the shadows desperate to consume anyone who comes near, the eccentric and violent leader of a cult devoted to protecting this hidden place that is bent on destroying itself so it can begin a new story, for all more stories must end and so much more.
Alas, it rang a bit hollow for me. I didn't find Zachary and his reaction to the situation he found himself in believable. He very passively accepted all that happens to him no matter how unfair or cruel some of it was. He persistently questions the reality of his situaion - seemingly quite happy to believe he 'dreamed it all up' or is having a breakdown. Again, this doesn't seem to bother him, the possibility he is going mad. The other characters we come across seem cold - Mirabel feels like a poor put together drawing of what a human should be (which she is really but as there is no proper, emotionally driven human to contrast her too this is just unsettling), Dorian is just selfish and banal, The Keeper weak, Rhyme - who knows! - and all the others meh. I think my issue is I saw no passion, love, excitement or anything from these characetrs that they lived somewhere utterly fantastical and impossible. Everyone was just very passive. I felt no sense of danger, trepidation or dread. This had all the elements but felt devoid of meaning.
This is a love letter to story-telling. Those who are more insteretsed in style and construction will love this 8 year whimsical creation but for me it fell a bit flat. It was a slog toward the end and I felt the final few chapters were reasonably limp.
This is a beautifully constructed book - physically in terms of its apperence but also the poetical style of the author Erin Morgenstern. I have never read 'The Night Circus' - it just didn't appeal - but when I saw the marbled cover, the picture embosed pages and gilded decoration on the hardcover of this particularly weighty book, I knew I had to have it.
Initially I was intrigued by the fantastical detail Morgenstern went in to when constructing this world - its utterly admirable. Yes, you can see its heavily influenced by Alice in Wonderland and more ancient fables and myths, but she really does make this her own with regards to the construction and shaping of the world beneath the world and those characters that inhabit it. However, due to the meandering nature of the prose, I found some of it dificult to grasp and never really understood quite a few of the 'main players' - specifically the bees and the owls. As they seemed quite important to not only the construction of this novel but the world this novel (and the other stories that perpetually interrupt the narration) inhabits, I felt I was missing out on something quite important. Why do bees create, why do owls destroy - so many questions and almost no answers.
The first 100 pages of this novel sets-up what should have been an absolutely fascinating storyline - the son of a fortune-teller stumbles across an authorless book narrating an event that happened to him when he was just a child. It reveals he was at a crossroads but was not ready to a follow a path that would eventually lead him in to a world of mystery and magic. Eager to understand what he has discovered and deperate for a second-chance to enter this hidden world, he goes on a journey of discovery where he meets Time & Fate, trapped in a circle of love and death after the universe conspired and succeeded in separating them, the Moon and her husband, a subterranean library with every story ever told, being told and yet to be told sometimes presented as books but more often than not as something other, the world beneath this world where some stories have escaped their shackles and stalk the shadows desperate to consume anyone who comes near, the eccentric and violent leader of a cult devoted to protecting this hidden place that is bent on destroying itself so it can begin a new story, for all more stories must end and so much more.
Alas, it rang a bit hollow for me. I didn't find Zachary and his reaction to the situation he found himself in believable. He very passively accepted all that happens to him no matter how unfair or cruel some of it was. He persistently questions the reality of his situaion - seemingly quite happy to believe he 'dreamed it all up' or is having a breakdown. Again, this doesn't seem to bother him, the possibility he is going mad. The other characters we come across seem cold - Mirabel feels like a poor put together drawing of what a human should be (which she is really but as there is no proper, emotionally driven human to contrast her too this is just unsettling), Dorian is just selfish and banal, The Keeper weak, Rhyme - who knows! - and all the others meh. I think my issue is I saw no passion, love, excitement or anything from these characetrs that they lived somewhere utterly fantastical and impossible. Everyone was just very passive. I felt no sense of danger, trepidation or dread. This had all the elements but felt devoid of meaning.
This is a love letter to story-telling. Those who are more insteretsed in style and construction will love this 8 year whimsical creation but for me it fell a bit flat. It was a slog toward the end and I felt the final few chapters were reasonably limp.
amberflo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
Do not let some of these moderately tacky covers of the book fool you. This is such a top tier book for me 😭❤️
I haven’t wanted to be in a book’s world this badly in so long
I haven’t wanted to be in a book’s world this badly in so long
alisa_starkova's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
lgaddy's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my, I have been looking forward to this moment. To review this dreamiest of dreamy books.
This was not the easiest read for me. My usual is young teens going on Heroes Journeys. You must be fully conscious to read Starless Sea or I guarantee you will miss something, even if it's just a gorgeous little bit of description.
If you want to get lost, escape, sink deeply into a story, then this is it. It overflows with imagery and scent. And the characters, oh, the people! Where is Kat Hawkins now? I need to be her best friend asap.
Sigh. I'm sad it's over. And I'm proud I made it through. Thank you, divine writer, for this story.
This was not the easiest read for me. My usual is young teens going on Heroes Journeys. You must be fully conscious to read Starless Sea or I guarantee you will miss something, even if it's just a gorgeous little bit of description.
If you want to get lost, escape, sink deeply into a story, then this is it. It overflows with imagery and scent. And the characters, oh, the people! Where is Kat Hawkins now? I need to be her best friend asap.
Sigh. I'm sad it's over. And I'm proud I made it through. Thank you, divine writer, for this story.