Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

12 reviews

steph_weigle's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child death and Self harm

Minor: Racism, Car accident, and Death of parent

maresuju's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Violence, Blood, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Slavery

otakatoe3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Hate crime, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical content, Stalking, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Cultural appropriation

kelisabeth's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Holy shit. Harrow is a magician with words and I am legit blown away every-time I read a book of hers. This is a (very) slow burn but it's worth it. Opal works in a small town trying to support her little brother but she keeps having these dreams about the local historical house. As Opal tries to work out the history of the house she meets Arthur Starling, owner of the house, who offers her a job. It's too good for Opal to pass up, but as thing's grow stranger Opal struggles to determine truth from fiction. Alix E. Harrow is one of those storytellers who surprises you with every book. This book make me laugh, cry, and love. It was twisty, fun, and beautiful. Another Harrow banger! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

megnut's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I was wondering how a dark story with a living house, nightmares and a love story would weave together... but I love the way it did. And at the same time didn't? Because it's not really about any of that at all. It's about finding a home and the power of dreams. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Blood, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Thank you to Black Crow PR for granting me a physical copy of this title and to join in on the book tour. All opinions remain 100% genuine.

This oozed rich, gothic atmosphere from the start. It felt like a dark and twisty fairytale, with fantastic similies that brought the writing ever more to life.

I was pleasantly surprised to see some illustrations were included, especially when learning about E. Starlings uncomfortable and eery art.

I like that when reading from Arthur's perspective, it switches from first person narrative to third person, which I found greatly emphasised this detached, recluse lifestyle he had.

This was reminiscent of Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, with the theme of a reclusive author, that wrote one book, mysteriously disappeared and has sinister fairytale that may be steeped in truth. There were moments between Opal and Arthur that reminded me also of The Secret Society for Irregular Witches. 

It was quite nice to read this alongside Heroes by Stephen Fry, as Starling House has some beauty symmetry and mention to the Greek myths.

The character growth of Opal, Jasper and Arthur was beautifully depicted as were the details on their desires and nightmares and how trapped they felt in Eden. You really got a strong sense of how deep the rot of the town was; despite the citizens believing they were good in every way that counted, they were often complicit in so much corruption, cruelty and neglect of those vulnerable.

The mirroring and rewriting of stories, lonliness, homelessness and desperation for vengence were such strong themes in this. They were so harrowing and devastating, but it swept me away perfectly into another world whenever I picked Starling House back up.

This was such a moving tale, of lies woven into truth and truth woven into lies and begs you to ask yourself what your story will be. Where will you choose to burrow your roots down and make a home? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

dani_reis's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Incest, Vomit, Police brutality, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Homophobia, Slavery, and Abandonment