Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

118 reviews

kelsea_mori's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Blood and Fire/Fire injury

ladyflash's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Incest

Minor: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts

ghostingarden's review against another edition

5.0

this is actually my books, sorry guys. Like Harrow actually specifically wrote this for me. This book changed my life so badly I made playlists for it... it was that serious. I spent weeks thinking about Opal and Arthur. It has everything I love: sentient house, small southern town with ~~secrets~~, gothic atmosphere; all cultivating to create my perfect book. I have no notes. I knew this was going to be my favorite book of the year 50 pages in. And I get it might not be for everyone, but it's absolutely for me and I can't praise it enough. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Death of parent, Classism, Slavery, Cursing, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

acethirtynine's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

This book grew on me - it took me a minute to really get into it, but once the story picks up it really gets going. I found Opal both challenging and sympathetic in a good balance based on her life and experiences. Not my favorite of Alix. E. Harrow's but still very enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Vomit

Minor: Slavery, Child death, Murder, Incest, and Racism

bethfern04's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

Starling House was a great way to start the year. With its dark and Gothic setting and loveable and complex characters it really draws you into the story almost immediately. 

Opal is a great main character who isn't obviously a good or bad person. She suffers from some serious unresolved trauma and has become skilled at pushing everyone away. She's jaded, cynical and a thief. She's far from perfect, but watching her grow as a character was one of the best parts of the book. Her realization that she had so many people who truly loved and cared about her all along was incredibly touching. 

I think the side characters were well flushed out and felt like whole people, especially Jasper her brother, her landlord, and her librarian friend.

I loved Arthur and Opal together. It was so fascinating watching these two people who had both worked so hard to stay isolated and emotionally distant, get under each other's skin!

The fantasy plot of the story was pretty strong as well. I especially liked the reveal of Eleanor Starlings true life story at the end. The themes of justice versus revenge, and the ripple effect of one family's cruelty over several generations were very well done. 

4.0 ⭐ is my final rating.
As always, reviews are subjective, and love what you love. XOXO 😘

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Car accident

Minor: Chronic illness, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

katielouisef's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse

micaelamariem's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really really enjoyed this Southern Gothic horror. I’ll try to write a full review on my blog tomorrow but for now..wow!
The descriptions were vivid and beautiful in a haunting kind of way. The characters were uniquely flawed to the point where you couldn’t help but empathize with their pain. The sins in the book were atrocious, and the themes of identity, belonging, and mercy crawled across the pages, igniting the words into some higher morals. And of course, who doesn’t love a sentient house? 
I also thought it was super unique to include footnotes and a fictional bibliography! What a way to add voice. 
The only reason it’s not five stars is because there are parts of the ending I wasn’t thoroughly satisfied with. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Racism, Slavery, Grief, Sexual content, Car accident, Child death, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Death of parent, Addiction, Death, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit

machenn's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Cursing, and Death of parent

jerseynoonatic's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

What a disappointing book. The idea could have been good, but the characters were so awful and the story fell sort of flat. The romance was poorly done, and the smut was unwa.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Deportation, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, Vomit, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Police brutality, Violence, Cursing, Drug use, and Death of parent

judassilver's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Slavery, Violence, Car accident, Racism, and Grief

Moderate: Xenophobia, Death, Vomit, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Incest and Child death