Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

84 reviews

_david_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense 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

4.0

This book reminds me of Life is Strange 3: True Colors. If you enjoyed either, you will also enjoy the other.

I thoroughly enjoyed the logic used by the characters in the book. If they're acting irrational or making assumptions, they're aware of it and/or it's challenged later on. For a second I thought a cliché (key location hidden in plain sight) would be dragged out, but then a main character just plainly said "of course I already looked there, duh" a few pages later.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the house. It reminded me of Encanto's house but in a horror setting. You'll probably enjoy the characters if you like YA's. They have a lot of growth to do with big impacts of their lives. At certain moments, the main character's self-pity annoyed me and

she never seemed to get that it was selfish to push so much of her own identity and values onto her brother

. Some of the antagonists are just almost pure evil without nuance, so you'll have to be okay with that.

The big lessons are a bit obvious in the book, but the main character actually points it out and sounds like she needs it, so I don't mind it as much.

A warning to people with trauma related to drowning or corruption (e.g. being blackmailed). Both are big themes in the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, and Slavery

Drowning, water Mines, claustrophobia Corruption: blackmailing, bribing, rich people fucking over local area/nature/people for the sake of earning more money

teajay_'s review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Body horror, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Classism

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

Holy shit. Harrow is a magician with words and I am legit blown away every-time I read a book of hers. This is a (very) slow burn but it's worth it. Opal works in a small town trying to support her little brother but she keeps having these dreams about the local historical house. As Opal tries to work out the history of the house she meets Arthur Starling, owner of the house, who offers her a job. It's too good for Opal to pass up, but as thing's grow stranger Opal struggles to determine truth from fiction. Alix E. Harrow is one of those storytellers who surprises you with every book. This book make me laugh, cry, and love. It was twisty, fun, and beautiful. Another Harrow banger! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

larareads's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Death of parent

Moderate: Police brutality, Car accident, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Suicide, and Classism

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I actually really fucking enjoyed this???? Funny, sad, tense, mystical, with a smigde of vengefulness… delicious book 

Opal was a funny as shit protagonist, and Arthur was so sad and pathetic in a very cute way. I love when men are described as ugly and annoying at first sight but by the end of the book your heart is like vVvVvV. do you get me 

I also loved the narrative style; things were kept from Opal, but not from the reader; Arthur’s chapters were deliciously revealing while Opal still went 100mph towards answers. Loved it.

Jasper was sweet and made my older sister heart grow 3 sizes. your baby brother that you spent so long protecting becoming a protector in his own right is so !!! the sibling relationship was everything 

Eleanor… my unhinged queen and ally white woman… incredible work 

the funky little lesbians also made my day, Opal being the most oblivious straight to ever het only added to her charm lmao

10/10 read, buying this is print but thank you to BCPL for the ebook <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Car accident, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Xenophobia

annamorgan27's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content

szuum's review

dark mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Incest, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts

lue_moon's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

I didn't quite know what to expect going into this book, but ended up really loving it (I'm a sucker for semi-sentient houses that can't help but meddle). It had many elements I really enjoyed: Fantasy and (sort of) mythology slipping it's way into modern day. Aformentioned semi-sentient house and a hellcat who bites as much as it purrs. Grumpy × grumpier relationship. Queerness as a normal part of existence (always lovely to discover as part of a book). Stories that intertwine and overlap until you find out which one is true. Dreams, found family, and figuring out what home actually means.

It also is not a perfect book and I'm sure not for everyone. It does have a slow build, some characters that I viciously hated (rightfully so), some potential plot holes, and a couple things left unanswered or that I wish got to be expanded upon. And still something about it struck a chord with me.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racism and Classism

Minor: Incest and Slavery

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.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Blood, Car accident, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

gardens_and_dragons'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts

Very brief mention of incest by way of marriage in 1800s. Nothing graphic.