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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I wanted to love this book. For the strong majority of it, I did. Drawing the connections between the main plot and the stories intermixed within kept me engaged and wanting more. But Morgenstern lost me in the last quarter or so. The story almost got too far outside of itself and I kept hoping I’d get drawn back in but I never did. Maybe it just got too metaphorical for my more practical brain to follow, but as a whole I ended this book feeling rather disappointed.
Erin Morgenstern has to be one of the most beautifully talented writers alive (and possibly ever). I waited for seven years for another chance to enter in Erin's brain and she did not disappoint. This book is a love story for stories and story-telling, for libraries and for readers, for writers and dreamers. I loved the slow unfolding of the story and the bits and pieces you experience with Zachary. The side characters become protagonists in their own tales and each is woven together into a beautiful tapestry. No sophomore slump here! More book please, Erin!!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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:
No
Wow! What a trippy, magical ride… oops I used the m-word ;-)
The novel follows Zachary Ezra Rawlins as he discovers a fantastical underground library, which is the simplest and most boring way to describe it, but no spoilers! My favorite thing about The Starless Sea is that it is peppered with tales and fables that are mentioned throughout the main storyline. These little vignettes push the main character’s story forward, while being great pieces of fiction in their own right. It has been 8 long years since Morgenstern debuted with The Night Circus and I can safely say that The Starless Sea was worth the wait!
Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s edition in exchange for an honest review.
Read-A-Likes: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.
The novel follows Zachary Ezra Rawlins as he discovers a fantastical underground library, which is the simplest and most boring way to describe it, but no spoilers! My favorite thing about The Starless Sea is that it is peppered with tales and fables that are mentioned throughout the main storyline. These little vignettes push the main character’s story forward, while being great pieces of fiction in their own right. It has been 8 long years since Morgenstern debuted with The Night Circus and I can safely say that The Starless Sea was worth the wait!
Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s edition in exchange for an honest review.
Read-A-Likes: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.
Dropped because the characters were paper thin and the story was disjointed. I just wasn't drawn in. For immersion I think it would be better to try a Miéville or a Murakami or a Dickens or anything else really..
The Starless Sea has several good qualities, but by the end, I was just skimming to find out what happens. I felt the book took forever to reconcile the major tension of the story, which may be due to the extensive meta quality of the book (one of the most fascinating features). Since I almost never skim to the end, I had to give the book three stars to balance the good with my impatience with the pace of the story. Perhaps I’m about to misfire a metaphor, but Erin Morgenstern is the Neal Stephenson of mystical storytelling—ie, info dump or exploration on a chosen topic paired with some evidence of a plot line.
(I thought The Night Circus much more enchanting).
(I thought The Night Circus much more enchanting).
Really good, I loved the prose, 20% too inception-y to follow.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved this book until the very end.
It was disappointed how a book about stories, that so intricately intertwines so many different stories, leaves you hanging with an unfinished story. Other than that I absolutely loved it
It was disappointed how a book about stories, that so intricately intertwines so many different stories, leaves you hanging with an unfinished story. Other than that I absolutely loved it