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theotheleo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
aroberts's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
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? No
4.75
This book made me fall in love with reading again. A total escape, and actually a pretty cozy read. Every time I picked it up, I would get lost reading for multiple hours. I would highly recommend it!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Blood
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I will admit, I did space out during parts of this audiobook and I don't remember all of it, but I enjoyed the ride. There are so many reoccurring symbols and motifs, and trying to follow along and put the pieces together and catch the callbacks is fun. I loved the tone of the present-day chapters from Zachary's perspective, I got a chuckle out of those a few times. I loved the kitchen, and I loved the later chapters from Zachary's friend's perspective as she was trying to find him. I loved how many random cats there were. I do wish I had been able to pay more attention, but sometimes the more poetic/metaphorical parts would lose me and I'd drift for a while until I realized I was missing stuff. I basically blacked out for most of the ending, but I think I got the general idea? 😅 I probably would have enjoyed the story better if the book had been a bit more concise, but I think that might also be a detriment for other people who love it the way it is, and maybe wouldn't have fit with the tone the book was trying to convey.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kcarney86's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Blood
chelonie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror and Blood
There is one scene near the end where a character has to face a particular type of monster.the_reading_wren's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Writing a story about the power of stories is a brave thing for an author to take on, and Erin Morgenstern shows she’s a master storyteller in The Starless Sea.
I should have been prepared by reading The Night Circus, but I forgot how the author creates a world for the reader to fall in love with before breaking it apart… and resolving the story in the most beautiful and satisfying way. I enjoyed spending so much time at the beginning of the book getting to know the main character and the beginnings of the many threads that later weave into the narrative. Then the second half became an un-put-down-able roller-coater ride!
Morgenstern’s talent for world-building I think comes from the sensory descriptions - the texture of a jumper, the taste of a drink, the richness of a voice, the sense of a space and the smell of a perfume are all given importance. But things are rarely over-described, making it feel like the storytelling is working with the reader’s own imagination.
Overall I think the diversity of the cast of characters was well done, bar a few missed opportunities for trans/nonbinary and better disability representation. Something I particularly noticed was that the main character’s mother is given a significant voice in the narrative, which is unusual in stories like this, and I appreciated it.
I’m really glad I listened to the audiobook; the cast is brilliant, and having different voices read different sections helps follow the flicks between times, people, places and books within books.
I should have been prepared by reading The Night Circus, but I forgot how the author creates a world for the reader to fall in love with before breaking it apart… and resolving the story in the most beautiful and satisfying way. I enjoyed spending so much time at the beginning of the book getting to know the main character and the beginnings of the many threads that later weave into the narrative. Then the second half became an un-put-down-able roller-coater ride!
Morgenstern’s talent for world-building I think comes from the sensory descriptions - the texture of a jumper, the taste of a drink, the richness of a voice, the sense of a space and the smell of a perfume are all given importance. But things are rarely over-described, making it feel like the storytelling is working with the reader’s own imagination.
Overall I think the diversity of the cast of characters was well done, bar a few missed opportunities for trans/nonbinary and better disability representation. Something I particularly noticed was that the main character’s mother is given a significant voice in the narrative, which is unusual in stories like this, and I appreciated it.
I’m really glad I listened to the audiobook; the cast is brilliant, and having different voices read different sections helps follow the flicks between times, people, places and books within books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
legs_n_chins's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
The Night Circus is my favorite book, so sight unseen this was already an easy sell. I love Morgenstern’s writing style and the way she describes such vivid settings and crafts her world are things that really appeal to me.
That said, this book took a little longer to convince me than The Night Circus. I wasn’t absorbed quite as quickly and I’m still not entirely certain I loved Zachary as the main character. Maybe because the characters were a bit less central than the ones in The Night Circus. I went in expecting something more tied to characters but, understandably, this isn’t tied to the characters as much as the story and setting itself.
In the end, I still came away breathless and smiling. I was thoroughly absorbed once I came around to the halfway point and I definitely got properly emotional in multiple places. It was thrilling and wonderful to read. The world building was really gorgeous, and I think anywhere where I felt there might’ve been holes or incomplete thoughts, I was satisfied knowing that maybe there didn’t need to be answers to everything. The mystery of everything that was happing was really fun, too. I liked not even knowing if I was supposed to be searching for answers or clues and it certainly kept me turning the pages.
This was definitely more narrative-driven than The Night Circus (though I hesitate to call it plot-driven just because there’s not really an obvious plot to point to in the strictest of terms) and for me it really, really worked. I would’ve liked more depth in the characters, but I understand where it maybe isn’t entirely necessary since the point of the characters was only to play a role in the story if not have a story unto themselves.
I really loved the folding and combining of the different stories, how Morgenstern wove all the narratives together and broken them apart. I like how it was all entwined and linked, but also separate. I loved being able to discover who was who in the stories and put names to characters and characters to times and places. It was very satisfying to be able to link things myself and still have surprises along the way. And even still, I feel like I have to reread this a few more times to actually pick up on everything!
Understandably, not for everyone, but it hit all my buttons and I was utterly enamored by it.
Also it was trippy as fuck to see my name as one of these characters lmao.
That said, this book took a little longer to convince me than The Night Circus. I wasn’t absorbed quite as quickly and I’m still not entirely certain I loved Zachary as the main character. Maybe because the characters were a bit less central than the ones in The Night Circus. I went in expecting something more tied to characters but, understandably, this isn’t tied to the characters as much as the story and setting itself.
In the end, I still came away breathless and smiling. I was thoroughly absorbed once I came around to the halfway point and I definitely got properly emotional in multiple places. It was thrilling and wonderful to read. The world building was really gorgeous, and I think anywhere where I felt there might’ve been holes or incomplete thoughts, I was satisfied knowing that maybe there didn’t need to be answers to everything. The mystery of everything that was happing was really fun, too. I liked not even knowing if I was supposed to be searching for answers or clues and it certainly kept me turning the pages.
This was definitely more narrative-driven than The Night Circus (though I hesitate to call it plot-driven just because there’s not really an obvious plot to point to in the strictest of terms) and for me it really, really worked. I would’ve liked more depth in the characters, but I understand where it maybe isn’t entirely necessary since the point of the characters was only to play a role in the story if not have a story unto themselves.
I really loved the folding and combining of the different stories, how Morgenstern wove all the narratives together and broken them apart. I like how it was all entwined and linked, but also separate. I loved being able to discover who was who in the stories and put names to characters and characters to times and places. It was very satisfying to be able to link things myself and still have surprises along the way. And even still, I feel like I have to reread this a few more times to actually pick up on everything!
Understandably, not for everyone, but it hit all my buttons and I was utterly enamored by it.
Also it was trippy as fuck to see my name as one of these characters lmao.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Stalking
There’s some themes along the lines of questioning reality or there being multiple realities. Can be a bit mind-bendy.eleanora's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Torture, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
strawberrypinch's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
ye_li's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Stalking
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Fire/Fire injury