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adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Suicide
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
This book would make it onto my top 5 best books I’ve ever read. It’s so lyrical and complex, the writing style is something I’ve never come across before and loved it so much! I would say the first 2/3 of the book is what made me fall completely in love - the last 1/3 does change pace a little, could be a bit jarring for some readers but if you stick with it it has a very impactful and interesting ending. I would say this book is a love letter to story’s and video games.
Highly recommend tho it is a complicated / difficult read.
Highly recommend tho it is a complicated / difficult read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Pregnancy, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
slow-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
This is definitely a modern epic! It is slow to start and picks up at the middle of the book…it took me three weeks to read 50% and then three days to finish it. It is a winding adventure that centers around the concepts of storytelling, reality, destiny, and companionship. Now that I’m done I find myself wanting to go back to read parts again. A sign of a compelling and well written novel!
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
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
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
sad
tense
slow-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:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Blood
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
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
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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:
No
So I know people have mixed opinions on this book. On the one hand I did like her writing style and the sheer amount of stories mixed together so that it actually makes sense. On the other hand I didn't feel many emotions, I felt that the plot was more background while the prose was in the focus. And I like prose in books, but a moment when everything comes together or when I couldn't put the book down because it was so exciting never came. Some things were introduced and never talked about again although it could have been interesting Like the fact that Dorian speaks so many languages. I wasn't really investigated in the characters' stories as I was with other books. e. g. When Zachary died I didn't cry, I was just wondering what was going to happen next, especially since it was already said that he and Dorian would visit his mother one day.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes long books, with many many details, and doesn't need to feel all the feels to like a book. Anyone who doesn't like lingering pieces or is interested in action should probably try something different.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes long books, with many many details, and doesn't need to feel all the feels to like a book. Anyone who doesn't like lingering pieces or is interested in action should probably try something different.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, Stalking, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail