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adventurous
challenging
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:
Complicated
Okay, I really enjoyed The Starless Sea.
The characters were interesting and really diverse, and I loved the aspect of stories within stories that was so prevalent here. I loved the mystery of it, and piecing all the pieces together. The reading did slow down for me at times, because I had to be in a particular mood to continue; but I was also dealing with exams, so it was in part due to that. I know I will enjoy it even more, reading it a second time.
A quick side-note: While reading reviews for this book here, someone decided it was a brilliant idea to place a major end-of-book spoiler right there in their review with no warning. I was furious, and almost decided not to read the book at all because of it. For me (and I imagine many others), one’s first experience reading a good book is priceless. Don’t ruin that for us. Don’t include major spoilers in your review. Please and thank you.
The characters were interesting and really diverse, and I loved the aspect of stories within stories that was so prevalent here. I loved the mystery of it, and piecing all the pieces together. The reading did slow down for me at times, because I had to be in a particular mood to continue; but I was also dealing with exams, so it was in part due to that. I know I will enjoy it even more, reading it a second time.
A quick side-note: While reading reviews for this book here, someone decided it was a brilliant idea to place a major end-of-book spoiler right there in their review with no warning. I was furious, and almost decided not to read the book at all because of it. For me (and I imagine many others), one’s first experience reading a good book is priceless. Don’t ruin that for us. Don’t include major spoilers in your review. Please and thank you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
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
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: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Stalking
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Okay so I finished The Starless Sea.
I am in a loss for words. This does not happen often but I truly don't know what to say. I loved this book so much. But it was more than just me enjoying a fictional story. It resonated with me and it feels like it is now a part of me. I will have to take some time to think about this book before I can say anything more but this:
The Starless Sea is pure poetry. It takes you on a journey that feels like your own and so realistic even though it is very much a fantasy story. It confused me, made me happy and sad. I absolutely love the stories inside the story and the ending... I don't know what to think about it. It was good but also kind of unsatisfactory? I generally don't like open ended stories and even though this one isn't it still left many questions unanswered. Kind of in a good way though? It makes you think about your own life and you as a person.
This book did something to me. It changed me and now I will need to get to know the new me which is strange to say about a book.
Lastly: please read this. Saying the writing style is beautiful is a vast understatement. It is pure poetry.
I am in a loss for words. This does not happen often but I truly don't know what to say. I loved this book so much. But it was more than just me enjoying a fictional story. It resonated with me and it feels like it is now a part of me. I will have to take some time to think about this book before I can say anything more but this:
The Starless Sea is pure poetry. It takes you on a journey that feels like your own and so realistic even though it is very much a fantasy story. It confused me, made me happy and sad. I absolutely love the stories inside the story and the ending... I don't know what to think about it. It was good but also kind of unsatisfactory? I generally don't like open ended stories and even though this one isn't it still left many questions unanswered. Kind of in a good way though? It makes you think about your own life and you as a person.
This book did something to me. It changed me and now I will need to get to know the new me which is strange to say about a book.
Lastly: please read this. Saying the writing style is beautiful is a vast understatement. It is pure poetry.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
The Starless Sea is entrancing. It's easy to fall into and fall in love with the characters. The shifting settings and perspectives makes the story feel fluid and dreamlike and I look forward to reading the book again and finding the pop culture and mythology references that I missed the first read through. I like a book with a good ambiguous ending, and I really enjoyed how Morgenstern brought Zachary and Dorian safely together, brought the woman who is not and never will be Eleanor and Simon within sight of each other, brought Mirabel and the keeper together outside of the harbor, and gave Kat a family while allowing the opening of the door to be open ended. It's an end and a new beginning all in one, and I think that fits really well with the cyclical nature of the story.
The book is a coming of age story for a generation that grew up with their heads full of magic and had the traditional coming of age narrative delayed
The book is a coming of age story for a generation that grew up with their heads full of magic and had the traditional coming of age narrative delayed
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood
Minor: Violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Starless Sea is a beautiful book. At times, I found it confusing due to the multiple storylines. The storylines did all come together nicely. Another thing that was confusing at times was all the different characters and their stories. I did enjoy this book, and how much of a dark, mysterious adventure it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Stalking
Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
The plot of the book is not linear in the course of it, we have stories that involve folk tales, biographies, etc. In the end, all the stories come together to create the context and finish everything not in a perfect way in the way that it needs to end.
I read together with the Wilted Rose Book Clube (Instagram → @wiltedrosebookclub) for the January book pick.
The book had an interesting plot and execution, it beguine to be a fun reading when you start to get used to the strange way the author decided to structure it.
I’m used to reading fantasy with magic, this was in my ally and the author was capable to make me feel like I haven't read magic before.
I liked the writing, with the parts where the author described food and the use of doors being my favourite parts.
The writing was easy to read and consistent with the structure of the story.
The main protagonist's of the story were Zachary (or the fortune teller son) who is a grad student specialized in games that finds the book Sweet Sorrows that guides him into the fantastic, Mirabel a mysterious woman that Zachary meets at a party and helps him in his quest to understand the book and Dorian a former guardian that meets Zachary and has his journey entwined in the party and he is also Zachary soulmate.
The relationship between Zachary and Dorian is good and very raw to a point in that you just feel like it was always there.
The book is set in New England and a magical hotel in some parts with world-building being an important part of the construction of the book. I liked the way that the starless sea was described and was interesting to see when it was used.
I read together with the Wilted Rose Book Clube (Instagram → @wiltedrosebookclub) for the January book pick.
The book had an interesting plot and execution, it beguine to be a fun reading when you start to get used to the strange way the author decided to structure it.
I’m used to reading fantasy with magic, this was in my ally and the author was capable to make me feel like I haven't read magic before.
I liked the writing, with the parts where the author described food and the use of doors being my favourite parts.
The writing was easy to read and consistent with the structure of the story.
The main protagonist's of the story were Zachary (or the fortune teller son) who is a grad student specialized in games that finds the book Sweet Sorrows that guides him into the fantastic, Mirabel a mysterious woman that Zachary meets at a party and helps him in his quest to understand the book and Dorian a former guardian that meets Zachary and has his journey entwined in the party and he is also Zachary soulmate.
The relationship between Zachary and Dorian is good and very raw to a point in that you just feel like it was always there.
The book is set in New England and a magical hotel in some parts with world-building being an important part of the construction of the book. I liked the way that the starless sea was described and was interesting to see when it was used.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
actual story content is solidly a 5 star, but the way the book is structed is 4.25/4.5 out of personal preference. i highly recommend reading book 1-3 in the order of the short, abstract stories first in Whole, and then reading the rest of the book. i found the constant interrupting of events grating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
adventurous
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:
Complicated
Words can't describe the way I love this book. I don't think any book ever made me feel the way this book made me feel. The writing style of Erin Morgenstern is truly unique and captivating.
At the beginning its just an interesting story about Zachary who finds this book without an author on it and when he reads its he realizes that one of the short incompleted stories is about himself. He researchers and gets into a different world, an underground library, where he gets lost later and must find his way to end the story.
Every line in this book was perfect, it so beautifully written and I cried at the end cause I didn't want this book to end. Every other chapter is one of the stories from the book Zachary finds and they are all stories that play together in the end to and the story of Zachary. I loved that it had this beautiful slow burned romance between two men that wasn't about coming out and they just loved each other deeply.
I wish I could read this book for the first time again. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a dark academia, queer, fantasy book! I wish I could give it more that 5 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
At the beginning its just an interesting story about Zachary who finds this book without an author on it and when he reads its he realizes that one of the short incompleted stories is about himself. He researchers and gets into a different world, an underground library, where he gets lost later and must find his way to end the story.
Every line in this book was perfect, it so beautifully written and I cried at the end cause I didn't want this book to end. Every other chapter is one of the stories from the book Zachary finds and they are all stories that play together in the end to and the story of Zachary. I loved that it had this beautiful slow burned romance between two men that wasn't about coming out and they just loved each other deeply.
I wish I could read this book for the first time again. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a dark academia, queer, fantasy book! I wish I could give it more that 5 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue in terms of its beautiful prose. It reads like an anthology of stories that are loosely connected until all of it all comes together as you keep reading. The pacing is slow and I feel that this book is best enjoyed if it read slowly and patiently to really take in each part of the story like a piece of poetry. I read the book in chunks and found that helpful to stay focused on the overarching events as well as really enjoy the purple prose. Plot points eventually come together to form a more cohesive story, but the atmosphere is clearly the main focus.
This book seems like it would do well consumed as an audio book because there is such attention to detail to how the prose sounds. If plot focused stories with a lot of action tend to be your preference, I would not recommend this. However, if you want a break from plot or adventure heavy books and want to maybe try a portal fantasy that is different from what you usually read, this may be for you. I would say that if you enjoy books in the vein of Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman this is probably a good option. (If you have not read that one and enjoyed this one, I would recommend Einstein's Dreams because I think you will probably enjoy it.)
This book seems like it would do well consumed as an audio book because there is such attention to detail to how the prose sounds. If plot focused stories with a lot of action tend to be your preference, I would not recommend this. However, if you want a break from plot or adventure heavy books and want to maybe try a portal fantasy that is different from what you usually read, this may be for you. I would say that if you enjoy books in the vein of Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman this is probably a good option. (If you have not read that one and enjoyed this one, I would recommend Einstein's Dreams because I think you will probably enjoy it.)
Content Warnings
Minor: Death