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A review by not_another_ana
Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier
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.
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.
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??
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Cannibalism