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adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The overall plot had some interesting story lines and was descriptive, but there wasn't much emotional depth and the characters really didn't seem to grow or develop at all. The main character really didn't progress on his own things just seemed to happen to him after the first few chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Stalking, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Strange, isn’t it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are. It’s nice to finally have someone read stories I know so intimately.”
I absolutely adored this book. I have sat with it for two days trying to find a way to talk about how much I loved it. The quote I have chosen is a perfect representation of the book I think. This story captured me in ways that only a couple of books have done. I loved the writing and the way the book was set up. Erin Morgenstern has such beautiful writing and prose. This book tells the story of Zachary Ezra Rawlins and his journey to the Starless Sea. It is a novel about books, literature, and stories. I know that this book is definitely a niche type of writing, based off of some reviews I have seen, and if you don't like flowery prose then maybe skip this one. I also really enjoyed listening to the full cast audiobook. I listened and also read the book together and it was wonderful and just sit and have a story read to me. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves books and stories.
“Strange, isn’t it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are. It’s nice to finally have someone read stories I know so intimately.”
I absolutely adored this book. I have sat with it for two days trying to find a way to talk about how much I loved it. The quote I have chosen is a perfect representation of the book I think. This story captured me in ways that only a couple of books have done. I loved the writing and the way the book was set up. Erin Morgenstern has such beautiful writing and prose. This book tells the story of Zachary Ezra Rawlins and his journey to the Starless Sea. It is a novel about books, literature, and stories. I know that this book is definitely a niche type of writing, based off of some reviews I have seen, and if you don't like flowery prose then maybe skip this one. I also really enjoyed listening to the full cast audiobook. I listened and also read the book together and it was wonderful and just sit and have a story read to me. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves books and stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicide
Moderate: Death, Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
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:
Complicated
I feel like this was written for me. I loved the themes and the mechanics. I even liked the story structural aspects, and I normally hate jumping perspectives and settings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Starless Sea is a novel of grandeur; it is brimming with magic and fable. Morgenstern has an incredible ability to create a fantasy world hidden among reality, and the descriptions of this world throughout the book are absolutely stunning. The number of stories she tells while still focusing on one central idea threatened to be overwhelming at times, but they were also filled with so much wonder and beauty.
At first I found a lot of similarities to The Binding, with the idea of protecting a story being central to the plot. But while The Binding is about protecting or keeping individuals' memories or secrets, The Starless Sea goes to a much broader place where the importance of the story itself outweighs that of the characters. It's hard to elaborate without giving too much away, but the plot is really driven by inevitability.
In a book filled with fantastical characters, Zachary feels like the grounding force we need to draw together the whole plot - he is our conduit inside the story whose confusion and exploration mirrors our own. It makes it easier to digest when there are multiple stories layering on top of each other and it becomes hard to keep track. I chose to trust Zachary's path and it felt easier to keep hold of the narrative as a result.
I started to feel like the end was dragging a little, and I wouldn't say that I finished the book with all my confusion cleared up, but it's so worth reading for the sheer beauty and ambitious storytelling.
At first I found a lot of similarities to The Binding, with the idea of protecting a story being central to the plot. But while The Binding is about protecting or keeping individuals' memories or secrets, The Starless Sea goes to a much broader place where the importance of the story itself outweighs that of the characters. It's hard to elaborate without giving too much away, but the plot is really driven by inevitability.
In a book filled with fantastical characters, Zachary feels like the grounding force we need to draw together the whole plot - he is our conduit inside the story whose confusion and exploration mirrors our own. It makes it easier to digest when there are multiple stories layering on top of each other and it becomes hard to keep track. I chose to trust Zachary's path and it felt easier to keep hold of the narrative as a result.
I started to feel like the end was dragging a little, and I wouldn't say that I finished the book with all my confusion cleared up, but it's so worth reading for the sheer beauty and ambitious storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
medium-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
This is a book about stories with a story itself. It’s beautifully written, with wonderful imagery and symbols that appear throughout the whole thing. Really feels like a fairytale.
It may seem confusing in the beginning, but give it time. It’ll all make sense.
It may seem confusing in the beginning, but give it time. It’ll all make sense.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Absolutely brilliant.
There's a bit where it starts to feel long, but stick with it! It's worth it!
There's a bit where it starts to feel long, but stick with it! It's worth it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Stalking
Minor: Violence, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
Writing a story about the power of stories is a brave thing for an author to take on, and Erin Morgenstern shows she’s a master storyteller in The Starless Sea.
I should have been prepared by reading The Night Circus, but I forgot how the author creates a world for the reader to fall in love with before breaking it apart… and resolving the story in the most beautiful and satisfying way. I enjoyed spending so much time at the beginning of the book getting to know the main character and the beginnings of the many threads that later weave into the narrative. Then the second half became an un-put-down-able roller-coater ride!
Morgenstern’s talent for world-building I think comes from the sensory descriptions - the texture of a jumper, the taste of a drink, the richness of a voice, the sense of a space and the smell of a perfume are all given importance. But things are rarely over-described, making it feel like the storytelling is working with the reader’s own imagination.
Overall I think the diversity of the cast of characters was well done, bar a few missed opportunities for trans/nonbinary and better disability representation. Something I particularly noticed was that the main character’s mother is given a significant voice in the narrative, which is unusual in stories like this, and I appreciated it.
I’m really glad I listened to the audiobook; the cast is brilliant, and having different voices read different sections helps follow the flicks between times, people, places and books within books.
I should have been prepared by reading The Night Circus, but I forgot how the author creates a world for the reader to fall in love with before breaking it apart… and resolving the story in the most beautiful and satisfying way. I enjoyed spending so much time at the beginning of the book getting to know the main character and the beginnings of the many threads that later weave into the narrative. Then the second half became an un-put-down-able roller-coater ride!
Morgenstern’s talent for world-building I think comes from the sensory descriptions - the texture of a jumper, the taste of a drink, the richness of a voice, the sense of a space and the smell of a perfume are all given importance. But things are rarely over-described, making it feel like the storytelling is working with the reader’s own imagination.
Overall I think the diversity of the cast of characters was well done, bar a few missed opportunities for trans/nonbinary and better disability representation. Something I particularly noticed was that the main character’s mother is given a significant voice in the narrative, which is unusual in stories like this, and I appreciated it.
I’m really glad I listened to the audiobook; the cast is brilliant, and having different voices read different sections helps follow the flicks between times, people, places and books within books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail