A review by roseleebooks
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I liked this book overall, and enjoyed the writing. The narration took me out of the story a couple of times so might have preferred reading more than listening to audiobook.

The story was atmospheric and had an interesting take on how stories change and evolve depending on the teller. I especially enjoyed the way the ending was handled.

I did find that the story dragged a little in the middle and the romance felt rushed. However, the house as a character and the side characters made up for this in a lot of ways. Their influence and contribution helps to keep the slower middle portion interesting, as well as providing some counter to Opal's viewpoint and narrative.

The main character, Opal, is flawed but in a way that allows us to sympathize. She makes many mistakes and while she doesn't face any truly dire consequences, she does have to reconcile the outcome of her actions.

I keep thinking about her and her actions and the way she approaches life. I can't fully decide if I like her as a character or not. I suppose that's a comment on Harrow's effectiveness as a writer. I will definitely be rereading this at some point.
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