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A review by eleanor_r
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
As an Alix E. Harrow fan I had high expectations for this release, and it still blew me away!
Built on the skeleton of Beauty and the Beast, but told slant, Starling House has everything I've loved in Harrow's past books: dark fairy tale power, rich resonant writing, and twists that feel both unexpected and inevitable. But Starling House also feels more taut and focused than 10K Doors of January or Once and Future Witches, with the plot centering on two main characters and one cursed house in a bad-luck town.
I really felt Opal's struggles to suppress her wants and dreams so she has a chance at what she needs, and how her drive for survival has blinded her to truths around her. The layers of story surrounding Starling House were so satisfying to peel away, like a folklorist comparing variants of an oft-told tale.
I also loved the slow-burn romancebetween Opal and Arthur, and how we get insight into Arthur's motivations and Opal's attraction drip by drip . This felt like a new element from Harrow, and I love what she did with it!
As a midwesterner, I appreciated the Kentucky history that peeked through the story at times, and the real sense of desperation in a town where all the jobs are precarious.
Built on the skeleton of Beauty and the Beast, but told slant, Starling House has everything I've loved in Harrow's past books: dark fairy tale power, rich resonant writing, and twists that feel both unexpected and inevitable. But Starling House also feels more taut and focused than 10K Doors of January or Once and Future Witches, with the plot centering on two main characters and one cursed house in a bad-luck town.
I really felt Opal's struggles to suppress her wants and dreams so she has a chance at what she needs, and how her drive for survival has blinded her to truths around her. The layers of story surrounding Starling House were so satisfying to peel away, like a folklorist comparing variants of an oft-told tale.
I also loved the slow-burn romance
As a midwesterner, I appreciated the Kentucky history that peeked through the story at times, and the real sense of desperation in a town where all the jobs are precarious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Slavery, Alcohol, Chronic illness, and Racism
Minor: Sexual content and Vomit