Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier

2 reviews

not_another_ana's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.75

I don't look for frightening things anymore. Except somewhere, in the deepest recesses of my bones, I feel like they still look for me.

After the devastating death of her father seventeen year old Kit Starling is shocked to discover that her paternal grandmother is actually alive, unlike what she's been led to believe. Taking this as a chance to reconnect with her roots and deal with her grief Kit and her mother head off to Rosemont, a tiny perfect town where the roses bloom all year long. However, under that prosperity hides a sinister secret that binds the Starling women to the territory and its endless fortune.

I liked the idea of the plot, that's why my rating gets that extra 0.75. It gave me Midsommar with a little bit of The VVitch vibes, with the whole town being in on it and the mysterious dark presence in the woods. I would have gobbled up this narrative in a better author's hands, sadly it does not works in Amanda Linsmeier's writing. It read very flat, the prose was mid at best. So much tell not show in this, literally at 50% of the book we find out what's really going on by a character spitting it out for 6 or so pages.

Speaking of characters, Kit was so stupid. She's supposed to be 17 but she acts like she's a very uneducated 12 year old. I can understand her lack of agency but all the time? She never did anything to move the plot forward besides asking why, not having a single interesting thought and trusting everyone even after she'd been betrayed multiple times. Oh and making out with anybody who was remotely attractive to her. The adults in this book were all completely useless and stereotypical. Both love interests lacked personality and the author relayed on instalove.

And my God was the romantic subplot aggravating. Kit meets a boy on the first day and immediately is attracted to him.

Yeah sure he was actually the villain all along and maybe you can argue that the attraction has something to do with their connection, maybe, but the way Kit was swooning over him and already sad that she would have to leave him when she went back home?? Girly STAND UP.

Then at around 65% we're suddenly introduced to another love interest who we know even less about and has no real meaningful interactions with Kit.

Could we call what she has with Sabelle trauma bonding? They spend maybe a total of hmm 5 non consecutive hours together? She's not even human! Or nice! Or even that useful tbh. I want to say more about Sabelle but honestly I cannot name a single trait of hers.

This book did not need two love interests, like what was the reason.

Ok back to the plot. The town of Rosewood is prosperous due to some supernatural shenanigans that started with Kit's ancestor. Now the whole line of Starling women must continue with this ritual, that happens during a special festival, in order to secure the good life of the citizens. It was soooo boring. Nothing much happens, Kit mostly wanders around and important pieces of plot fall into her lap courtesy of other characters.

At first she notices the weird vibes the townspeople send her way and the way she's treated. Then her mom goes missing and she just walks around town being sad and looking for her. The plot has to be spelled out by the grandmother and, after realizing she's been bamboozled all along, she continues trusting people in town, even those who have betrayed her before (like the grandma) or those who very much seem to have drunk the koolaid (like Charlotte).

Not only was the plot boring, the big bad was such a caricature mustache twirling basic villain.

Of course it was Bear 🙄, zero surprises there. He was incredible suspicious, to the point I even second guessed myself. Anyway, turns out he's actually an ancient spirit that lives in the river and has been there before humans and his name is.... Jack. That's so unserious, be real. He somehow controls everything about the town and, when angry, he kills people and ruins the crops. What does he want with Kit you might ask? To have her as a bride and abuse her to sate his sadistic nature. It wasn't even that interesting. He also loses any appeal after the reveal. There's no attempt by the author to make him interesting, or perhaps even seductive.

The ending was completely anticlimactic. It started at NINETY PERCENT of the book, and the actual action was FIVE PERCENT. FIVE (5).

And how does Kit get free of this dark entity? She just tells him no. Turns out that for decades all the Starling women had to do was say no! The way it's portrayed in the book really rubbed me the wrong way, it was kinda victim blamey. Oh and then she stabs him once and that's it, the magic is gone. Which btw can we talk about the consequences of vanquishing Jack?? Sure, the town is economically fucked and devoid of supernatural luck but there's a more pressing matter. You see, the deal with Jack didn't only give them prosperity, it also kept them protected from these nebulous not really specified evil spirits/demons/entities that still very much live in the woods. In fact, Sabelle is one of those and she's explicitly said to be angry and ready to burn the town to the ground once she's truly free. We actually see her doing this as Kit and her mother leave Rosewood, and she's implied to be one of the less bad! So Kit basically doomed the entire town. Sure I wouldn't want to enter a weird abusive D/s arranged supernatural marriage but she never, not once, struggles with the potential consquences of her actions. And then she just skedaddles out of there.

I don't know what is it about badly written books that brings out the Bob the Builder in me. I could fix this! Besides the clear lack of writing skills, I think this was hurt by the constraints of the Young Adult genre. Just imagine this for the adult crowd, it could have been such a good idea. I keep telling myself to stay from YA (I've very much outgrown it), but every once in a while a book catches my eye only for it to either be a 5 star success or a complete waste of my time. I will say this, the illustrator ATE with this cover, zero notes there. What I'm trying to say is don't read this if you've grown to dislike the cliches of this genre.

PS: Whoever compared this to House of Hollow in the blurb? Is it crack? Is that what you smoke? You smoke crack?? I'm going to fight you in a parking lot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Cannibalism

ravyensbookera's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.75

I devoured this book!🖤 I love Kit and her determination even in her darkest moments. The beginning hooked me on how vividly the world is painted. I felt like I was in Rosemont, alongside Kit, going through all of the heartbreak, betrayals, and twisty turns with her. I never saw the twists that came towards the middle of the book, and it blew me away!! This is definitely a must read for someone who loves dark YA fantasy & paranormal🖤

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail