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A review by jefferz
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Immersive, atmospheric, imaginative and of course gothic, Alix E. Harrow is an amazing storyteller and it's immediately clear to me why The Starling House has its following. The estate's vivid descriptions and Eden's somber setting set a distinctive scene that envelopes the reader in its quiet and character-focused narrative. The book's is also full of elements that feels specially catered towards millennial/gen z contemporary readers; excessive footnotes (this one peeved me though), heavy emphasis and themes on mental health, stigmatism and judgement against those who are different, cynicism of the American dream/working economy), and several LGBTQ+ characters (though one character's bi/pansexuality feel randomly tossed it and has nothing to do with anything apart from checking genre/bookTok boxes). Despite the cover and synopsis heavily focusing on the title house, the story is mostly a character-driven one focused on the world and people seen through Opal’s eyes as she struggles to make ends meets for her brother Jasper's sake. Unfortunately, this novel lives and dies by Opal's character and both her character and the tone of the story were not for me (subjective opinions, objectively this book is well-written).
The majority of the book heavily hinges on Opal's feeling of being judged, neglected, and a "it's the whole world against me" mentality. At first I found this to be an interesting character read which was enhanced by Harrow's detailed internal character voice and monologues. A good chunk of the story revolves around past memories/events that are triggered by sights or people Opal experiences. There’s countless details of her upbringing, the community, past residents, the world in the Starling House was so well constructed and thought out. Unfortunately, as someone who is not emotionally focused, Opal's character started to try my patience (or perhaps the female-focused rage and petty angst against everyone around her was too much). Written in a first-person present tense, the entire narrative was shaped by her perspective which I wasn’t very fond of, heavily affecting the overall reading experience for me.
Ordinarily it takes more than an abrasive main character to drop a book for me, however Starling House's plot moved very slowly, and I found the core content to be lacking for me. Despite having an imaginative fantasy plot, the actual fantasy elements don't show up until over 2/3 of the way through and nearly the entire first half is completely Opal-focused. Once the actual magical elements and mechanisms of the Starling House/estate are explored, it felt a bit too whimsical and seemingly random. Details involving the mine, the rivers of Eden, the strange supernatural occurrences are explored, but the "why" is mostly left to "it is because it is so". A lot of early details are introduced and hinge on Opal’s favorite childhood book Underland written by Eleanor Starling, however the plot reveals started to feel progressively more out of left field without the proper setup compared to previous clues like the Arthur’s Mom’s letters or the receipts in the library archives. The villains' motives and interest in the Starling House itself are also never fully explained beyond a basic monetary interest which I found to not match the sheer desire and intensity they have for the property (or perhaps these characters were just thinly constructed compared to Opal/Arthur). Upon finishing the book, I felt as if the book's priority was setting/ambiance > character voice > contemporary/bookTok appeal > romance > plot and mystery, in that specific order.
What kept me from DNFing however was Harrow's vivid descriptions of Eden. From the mist to the sepia-stained colors, the town of Eden and the Starling House themselves could be considered characters in and of themselves for how distinctive they feel. The iconic bridge overlooking the river and the smoke-covered sunset skies are visuals that are so dramatic, placing you right in the rural Kentucky forest. I read Starling House via an ebook copy but I would imagine this would make a fantastic audiobook or old-school adapted radioplay. The house is also described in so many more ways than just being eerie or spooky. Harrow’s portrayal of the house is nuanced and varied and the way she describes the house as being alive was great. I recently read Keeper of Enchanted Rooms which was a novel that featured a similar unusual/sentient house; it made me appreciate how skillful and well-executed Starling House was written after seeing how lackluster the concept can potentially be.
Ultimately there were aspects of Starling House that I loved (unfortunately despite Opal rather than because of her) apart from elements that didn’t work for me like they were clearly intended for a contemporary reading audience. In hindsight I feel like this novel perhaps could've worked better as a YA book rather than an adult novel due to the lack of details in the back half of the book and the sparse plot. The romance does have a certain scene that goes a bit beyond the YA but if you swap out two paragraphs, it makes no difference. However, regardless of my distaste for the tone, it's clear that Harrow is an excellent and imaginative writer and the book is objectively well-done. If you're looking for a slow, mildly haunting read with an angsty and abrasive lead (I will say, at least she’s not a boring meek female protag in a weird house), Starling House is a great choice!
The majority of the book heavily hinges on Opal's feeling of being judged, neglected, and a "it's the whole world against me" mentality. At first I found this to be an interesting character read which was enhanced by Harrow's detailed internal character voice and monologues. A good chunk of the story revolves around past memories/events that are triggered by sights or people Opal experiences. There’s countless details of her upbringing, the community, past residents, the world in the Starling House was so well constructed and thought out. Unfortunately, as someone who is not emotionally focused, Opal's character started to try my patience (or perhaps the female-focused rage and petty angst against everyone around her was too much). Written in a first-person present tense, the entire narrative was shaped by her perspective which I wasn’t very fond of, heavily affecting the overall reading experience for me.
Ordinarily it takes more than an abrasive main character to drop a book for me, however Starling House's plot moved very slowly, and I found the core content to be lacking for me. Despite having an imaginative fantasy plot, the actual fantasy elements don't show up until over 2/3 of the way through and nearly the entire first half is completely Opal-focused. Once the actual magical elements and mechanisms of the Starling House/estate are explored, it felt a bit too whimsical and seemingly random. Details involving the mine, the rivers of Eden, the strange supernatural occurrences are explored, but the "why" is mostly left to "it is because it is so". A lot of early details are introduced and hinge on Opal’s favorite childhood book Underland written by Eleanor Starling, however the plot reveals started to feel progressively more out of left field without the proper setup compared to previous clues like the Arthur’s Mom’s letters or the receipts in the library archives. The villains' motives and interest in the Starling House itself are also never fully explained beyond a basic monetary interest which I found to not match the sheer desire and intensity they have for the property (or perhaps these characters were just thinly constructed compared to Opal/Arthur). Upon finishing the book, I felt as if the book's priority was setting/ambiance > character voice > contemporary/bookTok appeal > romance > plot and mystery, in that specific order.
What kept me from DNFing however was Harrow's vivid descriptions of Eden. From the mist to the sepia-stained colors, the town of Eden and the Starling House themselves could be considered characters in and of themselves for how distinctive they feel. The iconic bridge overlooking the river and the smoke-covered sunset skies are visuals that are so dramatic, placing you right in the rural Kentucky forest. I read Starling House via an ebook copy but I would imagine this would make a fantastic audiobook or old-school adapted radioplay. The house is also described in so many more ways than just being eerie or spooky. Harrow’s portrayal of the house is nuanced and varied and the way she describes the house as being alive was great. I recently read Keeper of Enchanted Rooms which was a novel that featured a similar unusual/sentient house; it made me appreciate how skillful and well-executed Starling House was written after seeing how lackluster the concept can potentially be.
Ultimately there were aspects of Starling House that I loved (unfortunately despite Opal rather than because of her) apart from elements that didn’t work for me like they were clearly intended for a contemporary reading audience. In hindsight I feel like this novel perhaps could've worked better as a YA book rather than an adult novel due to the lack of details in the back half of the book and the sparse plot. The romance does have a certain scene that goes a bit beyond the YA but if you swap out two paragraphs, it makes no difference. However, regardless of my distaste for the tone, it's clear that Harrow is an excellent and imaginative writer and the book is objectively well-done. If you're looking for a slow, mildly haunting read with an angsty and abrasive lead (I will say, at least she’s not a boring meek female protag in a weird house), Starling House is a great choice!
Content Warnings
Minor: Classism