Reviews tagging 'Death'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

106 reviews

drolefille's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Alix Harrow has the ability to transport me to another place and time. In this case it's our time but it's a small coal mining town in Kentucky. Where nothing good happens and no one ever really makes it out. 

I was so into Opal's experience, I tasted the air, felt the motel bedspread, and joined her in her dreams of Underland and Starling House. This is a story about a family trying to survive after tragedy, about a House that's more alive than inert, about a man fighting monsters no one else believes in, and about the stories of what happened when the original owners of the mine died, one after the other. Who killed them? The daughter, the widow, the enslaved miners or something more mysterious; and who believes which story? 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident and Death

Minor: Physical abuse, Slavery, and Death of parent

story_goblin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious sad 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

5.0

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book, but can you really know what to expect out of any Alix E. Harrow book? I loved her first two novels, so I picked this up automatically. It’s difficult to describe Harrow’s writing… it’s dark and creepy and heavy and so full of love and hope at the same time. If you’re looking for something unique and complex, this is for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Car accident

Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Sexual content, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Incest, Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

doahdancer's review against another edition

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Car accident, Blood, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Incest, and Slavery

katievallin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Blood, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Violence, Racism, Stalking, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Slavery, and Vomit

Minor: Drug use, Murder, Outing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Body horror, Lesbophobia, and Incest

ilaxaria's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, and Child death

Minor: Alcohol

torturedreadersdept'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Violence, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, and Sexual content

bookswithbethx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death of parent, Body horror, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

dianaschmidty's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This story has the feeling of a retelling, but it’s also one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read. It feels like modern day folklore and I loved it! I think one of my favorite things about this book is the vibes, specifically the idea that the evil will get their justice, even in a supernatural matter.

I really liked both Opal and Arthur. I liked that neither of them were supposed to be seen as likable, which honestly made them more likable. I like how Opal was unapologetically a thief, doing whatever she needed to survive. Her story was really sad, but moving in how she dealt with her lot in life. I’m also a sucker for a grump, so that’s why I was going to love both of them, but especially Arthur. I think his use of being a grump to hide himself from the world and his pain made his journey throughout the book a lot sweeter.

I also really liked how the book was written in both first and third person, for Opal and Arthur respectively. I also liked how Arthur’s POVs, especially at the beginning, felt like he was representing the house in the narrative. I thought it was a creative way of capturing the story.

I think the only thing I didn’t totally love about the book was how the first half was really confusing, but I also think that that was on purpose, because Opal was just as confused as we were, so it made us closer to her as a character.

I also really liked the narrator! Her voice is one of the most soothing narrators I’ve listened to and I’d love to listen to another book narrated by her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alix E. Harrow for providing me access to this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Classism, Car accident, Blood, Abandonment, Violence, and Gore

Minor: Sexual content

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, Alcohol, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Body horror, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Vomit

craftysnailtail's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This isn't a genre I'd usually be interested in because it's rather spooky and I scare easily. But this was more atmospheric and gothic rather than gory or scary. The main characters felt refreshing and flawed in believable ways. This was my first time reading anything by Harrow, but needless to say, I'm completely hooked on her style of writing. I wish I had this novel in time for Halloween, but I'm still glad I finally got my hands on it at the tail end of autumn! It was a fun, dark, and adventurous read with a splash of romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

After I finished this book, I came across some reviews by people who hated the novel because they thought it was nothing but a Beauty and the Beast trope. This really surprised me because even though I understand why the comparison was made (despite neither of them being attractive), it didn't feel like a focus of the story at all. And it doesn't end in a way that's very Beauty and the Beast either. The fact a trope exists does not automatically discredit the entire book, in my opinion. I'm glad I didn't see these reviews before I read it, because it might have scared me away from what ended up being a great read!

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Mental illness, Violence, Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Slavery, and Religious bigotry