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lyall_reads 's review for:
Starling House
by Alix E. Harrow
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
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
Great book to read while in line waiting to vote lol.
Really enjoyed the themes of home, family, and belonging as well as the device of repeating the same story multiple times from different storytellers as the narrative progressed. I'm a sucker for fake wikipedia pages and faux primary sources in a horror-adjacent story. The romance element was eh for me-it made sense, but I cared way more about Opal's relationships with her mother and brother as well as the mystery of the house. Really loved Opal's younger brother, Jasper, and how their bond was written- loving but messy and complicated in a way that felt real for a teen. An ending I'm going to let sit with me for a while, but I think will resonate with anyone with a complex relationship with the place they're from.
Apparently I'm just a fan of haunted house stories (Mexican Gothic, Gallant, A Study in Drowning, Crimson Peak, The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor). I think I enjoy how storytellers use them to play with themes of belonging and what a safe place truly means.
Really enjoyed the themes of home, family, and belonging as well as the device of repeating the same story multiple times from different storytellers as the narrative progressed. I'm a sucker for fake wikipedia pages and faux primary sources in a horror-adjacent story. The romance element was eh for me-it made sense, but I cared way more about Opal's relationships with her mother and brother as well as the mystery of the house. Really loved Opal's younger brother, Jasper, and how their bond was written- loving but messy and complicated in a way that felt real for a teen. An ending I'm going to let sit with me for a while, but I think will resonate with anyone with a complex relationship with the place they're from.
Apparently I'm just a fan of haunted house stories (Mexican Gothic, Gallant, A Study in Drowning, Crimson Peak, The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor). I think I enjoy how storytellers use them to play with themes of belonging and what a safe place truly means.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Car accident, Classism
Moderate: Gore, Incest, Racism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia