Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Tor (2023), 321 pages
Description
"Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it's best to let the uncanny house--and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling--go to rot. Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she's never had: a home. As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice: to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares. If Opal wants a home, she'll have to fight for it."--… (more)
Media reviews
Harrow has a gift for turning settings into characters, as she does with both the strangely alive Starling House and the working-class town of Eden. Carefully unpacking the institutionalized power dynamics of class and race, Harrow untangles the many mysteries of Starling House, revealing how
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powerful people and groups will twist the truth until the story suits their purposes.
A spooky story about how hidden truths always come back to haunt you. Show Less
Hugo Award winner Harrow (The Ten Thousand Doors of January) does it again in this tender and triumphant haunted house story....Harrow’s prose cuts straight to the heart as she melds a story of family legacy and historical oppression with a stirring call to speak the truth. Readers will be left
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chewing on this tale long after the last page, and Starling House will no doubt take its place alongside fiction’s most memorable haunted houses. Show Less
Harrow’s captivating prose centers her flawed, cynical protagonists in a haunting plot of horrible actions, fog-hidden beasts, and moving connections between family, friends, and lovers. Fans of Shirley Jackson and Catriona Ward should pick this up. VERDICT Harrow’s (A Mirror Mended) mash-up of
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twisted fairy tales and Southern gothic fiction is a haunting story of longing, lies, and generational curses. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member walterqchocobo
I really enjoy Alix E. Harrow's books and this one was great. To start with, the cover is gorgeous and the illustrations scattered throughout were excellent. I will admit that it took me a little bit to get into this book but once it got its hooks into me, I loved it. I have seen some reviews
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calling this a gothic horror book but I would call it a dark fairy tale set in Kentucky. The characters are interesting and the mixed media setup worked well here. I have had read a string of disappointing books lately and was really pleased to pick this one up and thoroughly enjoy it. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Starling House is Alix E. Harrow's fifth novel. With it, she solidifies her status as one of my favorite fantasy authors. Her writing is so evocative. Plus, she excels at establishing a novel's tone, balancing the eerie otherworldliness that is the hallmark of her novels against the mundanity of
Set in a forgotten, southern, blink-and-you-miss-it town, Starling House follows the travails of Opal as she attempts to pull her little brother out of their go-nowhere situation.
Opal is not your stereotypical heroine. She is unapproachable, secretive, and very, very angry. Her anger permeates her entire being, affecting every interaction and her decision-making. As prickly as she is, however, she is the type of character you can't help but love. You love her not just because she is the ultimate underdog but also because everything she does is for her brother. Her unselfishness is her most redeeming quality, and you want her to obtain some semblance of a happy ending to reward her for all her sacrifices.
In Opal's world, vulnerability is a liability, a lesson she repeatedly learned in the school of hard knocks that became her life after the death of her mother. Starling House is as much about watching Opal learn to accept this part of being human as it is about the mystery of Arthur Starling and the Starling House. It may be the heart of the story because battling everyday monsters is something everyone can learn to do.
As in her previous novels, Ms. Harrow fills Starling House with weighty themes. With its mix of human and otherworldly monsters and Opal's extreme emotions, it is not an easy novel to read. She puts Opal through the proverbial wringer, but it makes the conclusion so satisfying. Starling House is a fantastic Gothic mystery and the perfect read for October and the spooky season.
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the small towns where she sets her stories. Set in a forgotten, southern, blink-and-you-miss-it town, Starling House follows the travails of Opal as she attempts to pull her little brother out of their go-nowhere situation.
Opal is not your stereotypical heroine. She is unapproachable, secretive, and very, very angry. Her anger permeates her entire being, affecting every interaction and her decision-making. As prickly as she is, however, she is the type of character you can't help but love. You love her not just because she is the ultimate underdog but also because everything she does is for her brother. Her unselfishness is her most redeeming quality, and you want her to obtain some semblance of a happy ending to reward her for all her sacrifices.
In Opal's world, vulnerability is a liability, a lesson she repeatedly learned in the school of hard knocks that became her life after the death of her mother. Starling House is as much about watching Opal learn to accept this part of being human as it is about the mystery of Arthur Starling and the Starling House. It may be the heart of the story because battling everyday monsters is something everyone can learn to do.
As in her previous novels, Ms. Harrow fills Starling House with weighty themes. With its mix of human and otherworldly monsters and Opal's extreme emotions, it is not an easy novel to read. She puts Opal through the proverbial wringer, but it makes the conclusion so satisfying. Starling House is a fantastic Gothic mystery and the perfect read for October and the spooky season.
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LibraryThing member KallieGrace
Such a satisfying mix of fairy tale, horror, systemic injustices righted, and happily ever after. Is it a haunted house story? Is it a Beauty and the Best twist? Is it a frightening Wonderland tale? The sibling relationship at the heart of the story is lovely and gives this good bones to build on.
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Just enough unexplainable hand-wavery to make this magical. Show Less
LibraryThing member jo_lafaith
Starling House by Alex E Harrow was such a delight to read! Eerie, a bit gothic at times, unsettling and — for sure — a dark fairytale. I especially loved that it was set in a small town, Eden Kentucky, which is a part of Muhlenberg County. As soon as I heard Muhlenberg mentioned my interest
The story has kind of rhythm to it, which can be a bit familiar. But I find that this works really well in establishing that fairytale quality. I really enjoyed the research aspects of the book, including some footnotes. Our main character, Opal, sends a lot of time trying to uncover secrets around the most powerful families in the town, the disappearance of a famous author, and the history of Starling House itself. There’s been strange happenings and, as you’d imagine, there are a lot of negative connotations surrounding the Starling House and the author and it’s interesting to see news documentation come together with legend. It’s something quite recognizable to me, growing up in a small rural town… people talk. Often times there are outdated ideas about women and complexities surrounding power and also the fear of it. Small towns end up with their own kind of folklore. They often have witches and haunted houses, even legends. So this is wonderful, in that regard.
The atmosphere is completely delicious. In so many of the scenes, specifically inside Starling House is very much it’s own character. I would’ve loved even more of them.
At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked the audiobook narrator, but she really grew on me, and I think she accomplished an embodiment of the vulnerability, and the grit in Opal. Her voice had a kind of depth to it that added to the story.
I’d like to take just a moment to say that I really appreciated the way the PTSD was touched on in this book. As someone who has suffered significantly with PTSD it’s nice to see it on page is the kind of a logical change difficult thing that it is . People go through life all the time with this kind of pain laying dormant and when it comes out to be unpredictable but it doesn’t have to be a huge display. I thought it was very well done and I really appreciate it that was included and it added to my appreciation of us character.
My mild criticisms are all in preference; at times I thought the action was a little too action-y, and I would have preferred a more historical setting and for the gothic atmosphere to be present consistently.
Thank you so much to Netgalley for early access to this title. It was such a great way to start September! It’s out October 3, from Tor!
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was piqued. I grew up, listening to my parents singing Paradise by John Prine, which is about Muhlenberg and eventually, that song itself is even mentioned in the novel. Alex E Harrow blends upsetting elements of the real world as well as the supernatural to unpack scenes of lineage, poverty, trauma like survivors guilt and PTSD, and the obligations we feel to those we love or those we feel we have made even a burden to.The story has kind of rhythm to it, which can be a bit familiar. But I find that this works really well in establishing that fairytale quality. I really enjoyed the research aspects of the book, including some footnotes. Our main character, Opal, sends a lot of time trying to uncover secrets around the most powerful families in the town, the disappearance of a famous author, and the history of Starling House itself. There’s been strange happenings and, as you’d imagine, there are a lot of negative connotations surrounding the Starling House and the author and it’s interesting to see news documentation come together with legend. It’s something quite recognizable to me, growing up in a small rural town… people talk. Often times there are outdated ideas about women and complexities surrounding power and also the fear of it. Small towns end up with their own kind of folklore. They often have witches and haunted houses, even legends. So this is wonderful, in that regard.
The atmosphere is completely delicious. In so many of the scenes, specifically inside Starling House is very much it’s own character. I would’ve loved even more of them.
At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked the audiobook narrator, but she really grew on me, and I think she accomplished an embodiment of the vulnerability, and the grit in Opal. Her voice had a kind of depth to it that added to the story.
I’d like to take just a moment to say that I really appreciated the way the PTSD was touched on in this book. As someone who has suffered significantly with PTSD it’s nice to see it on page is the kind of a logical change difficult thing that it is . People go through life all the time with this kind of pain laying dormant and when it comes out to be unpredictable but it doesn’t have to be a huge display. I thought it was very well done and I really appreciate it that was included and it added to my appreciation of us character.
My mild criticisms are all in preference; at times I thought the action was a little too action-y, and I would have preferred a more historical setting and for the gothic atmosphere to be present consistently.
Thank you so much to Netgalley for early access to this title. It was such a great way to start September! It’s out October 3, from Tor!
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LibraryThing member AmyM3317
Starling House has permeated Opal's dreams for as long as she can remember. Not just of the mysterious E. Starling - the author who wrote one classic of gothic children's fiction and then mysteriously disappeared - but Opal dreams of herself walking the halls and the grounds. She's always been able
Unbeknownst to Opal, Arthur Starling has come home to live out the family legacy and protect Eden, Kentucky from the evils waiting to be unleashed. He's promised himself he'll be the last Starling. But Opal throws his plans awry. Together they'll have to untangle a mystery that has everyone telling a different version of the story which, giving weight to the fantastical, also drives toward an unavoidable conclusion.
Listening to this book on audio really brought the gothic feel of the story to life. There's just this sense of tiredness in Opal's narration which is felt because Opal herself is kind of in a listless spiral. That is, until she makes that decision to go to Starling House.
I like that the book is kind of presented as a history. Opal's history, Starling history, kind of intertwined. It is the first time I've listened to a book with footnotes. Overall I think the narrator handles these little side-sections very well within the overall narrative changing the cadence of their voice enough that you understand you're being taken out of the main narrative of the story.
I think my favorite part of the story was how Alix E Harrow presents the ideas of mythology. The idea that myths, or legends, change with culture, they change depending on who is telling the story. They often change to suit a certain narrative or ideology like a cautionary tale. We get the "true" story of the Starlings and Starling House told various times throughout and it's interesting seeing the ways they line up and the ways they deviate. You start seeing a pattern of the truth lying somewhere in-between.
The story itself unravels in a very methodical way. I was never quite sure what would be thrown at us next or how things were going to end up, but as I look back, I cannot imagine a different way for things to go.
Overall, this story is exactly what I expect from Alix E Harrow: a sprawling, winding, gothic fairy-tale with mysterious elements that pull me in and refuse to let me go until the very last page.
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to avoid the glow of the window in the night. But one night it calls to her stronger than before and she finds herself at the gate. Unbeknownst to Opal, Arthur Starling has come home to live out the family legacy and protect Eden, Kentucky from the evils waiting to be unleashed. He's promised himself he'll be the last Starling. But Opal throws his plans awry. Together they'll have to untangle a mystery that has everyone telling a different version of the story which, giving weight to the fantastical, also drives toward an unavoidable conclusion.
Listening to this book on audio really brought the gothic feel of the story to life. There's just this sense of tiredness in Opal's narration which is felt because Opal herself is kind of in a listless spiral. That is, until she makes that decision to go to Starling House.
I like that the book is kind of presented as a history. Opal's history, Starling history, kind of intertwined. It is the first time I've listened to a book with footnotes. Overall I think the narrator handles these little side-sections very well within the overall narrative changing the cadence of their voice enough that you understand you're being taken out of the main narrative of the story.
I think my favorite part of the story was how Alix E Harrow presents the ideas of mythology. The idea that myths, or legends, change with culture, they change depending on who is telling the story. They often change to suit a certain narrative or ideology like a cautionary tale. We get the "true" story of the Starlings and Starling House told various times throughout and it's interesting seeing the ways they line up and the ways they deviate. You start seeing a pattern of the truth lying somewhere in-between.
The story itself unravels in a very methodical way. I was never quite sure what would be thrown at us next or how things were going to end up, but as I look back, I cannot imagine a different way for things to go.
Overall, this story is exactly what I expect from Alix E Harrow: a sprawling, winding, gothic fairy-tale with mysterious elements that pull me in and refuse to let me go until the very last page.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
Okay, I am convinced that Alix E. Harrow can do no wrong. I have loved all of the books that I have read written by this amazingly talented author so far (I still need to read The Once and Future Witches and I promise to get to it sometime soon.). This story grabbed me from the very start, and I
Opal was a wonderful character, and I wanted to see things work out for her and her brother. She has faced a lot of challenges in her life and does what needs to be done to care for both herself and her brother. She can’t turn down the job at Starling House that she is offered. Arthur was equally amazing. He is doing the best that he can with the situation that he has found himself in. I loved the gothic vibe of the story and thought that it was just creepy enough to really pull me in.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Natalie Naudus did a wonderful job with the story. I loved the voices that she used that helped bring the characters and story to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and am certain that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I will definitely be recommending this one to others. I found this story to be a wonderful tale filled with characters that were easy to fall for. I cannot wait to read more of Alix E. Harrow’s writing.
I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and Tor Books.
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didn’t want to stop listening. I had a fantastic time with this entertaining novel that I found almost impossible to put down.Opal was a wonderful character, and I wanted to see things work out for her and her brother. She has faced a lot of challenges in her life and does what needs to be done to care for both herself and her brother. She can’t turn down the job at Starling House that she is offered. Arthur was equally amazing. He is doing the best that he can with the situation that he has found himself in. I loved the gothic vibe of the story and thought that it was just creepy enough to really pull me in.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Natalie Naudus did a wonderful job with the story. I loved the voices that she used that helped bring the characters and story to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and am certain that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I will definitely be recommending this one to others. I found this story to be a wonderful tale filled with characters that were easy to fall for. I cannot wait to read more of Alix E. Harrow’s writing.
I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and Tor Books.
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LibraryThing member TiffanyCutshall
Interesting story.
This is a very different twist to your average haunted house story. While some parts were slow, the story became more interesting.
There is a lot of backstory that yes, does bog the flow down, it all makes sense in the end. I did like the originality of adding footnotes
Overall I enjoyed this read.
This is a very different twist to your average haunted house story. While some parts were slow, the story became more interesting.
There is a lot of backstory that yes, does bog the flow down, it all makes sense in the end. I did like the originality of adding footnotes
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throughout, giving an authentic feel.Overall I enjoyed this read.
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LibraryThing member sennebec
High creep content, very interesting characters, and a house that has its own personality. Opal is gutsy, even though her self-esteem is sometimes fragile. Ever since her bigger than life mother drowned in an auto accident, she's done her best to care for her super smart brother, eking out a bare
Like everyone else in town, Opal's fascinated by what might be going on in Starling House. One night on her way home from work, she does more than wonder, and that sets in motion a most readable tale.
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living as a cashier while the two of them try to survive in a decrepit motel room.Like everyone else in town, Opal's fascinated by what might be going on in Starling House. One night on her way home from work, she does more than wonder, and that sets in motion a most readable tale.
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LibraryThing member clrichm
Alix Harrow is a fantastic writer, and this book had me rapt from nearly the beginning. I wasn't entirely sure about Opal, the main character, as she seemed a little too mercurial at times, though much of that was explained to be masking of her true feelings. It was far easier to identify with
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Arthur, though, and perhaps that's because Opal was so good at seeing through the masks he tried to wear. Their separate journeys were so intertwined that the whole story felt completely organic; seeing both Opal and Arthur come to terms with not having to sacrifice themselves for others (figuratively for Opal; literally for Arthur) was fascinating and moving. Loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
Finally I read a book that kept me up all night because I couldn't put it down. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow is kind of horror, but not too horrible. The heroine lives life with rules of her own. She's raising her younger brother on a diet guaranteed to kill off brain cells - ramen, hot
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chocolate, gas station doughnuts. She steals whatever she wants from whoever she wants, friend or not. And she is, as all heroines seem to be, a very hard worker. There's a maybe haunted house that she's maybe been dreaming about, maybe monsters, rich exploiters of the land and the population, and the usual closed-minded small-town population. I couldn't get enough of it. I guess the fact that it's a Reese Witherspoon book club read shows just how much of a low-brow I am. Show Less
LibraryThing member soelo
Thanks to Netgalley for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review. Opal and Jasper are named for precious materials but as the story starts, they are barely holding on to a room in a hotel in a depressed small town in Kentucky. Opal is the big sister trying to feed and protect her brother and
The story is really compelling and the mystery is not the whole story here. Starling House takes you back in time to find out what happened to previous people who lived there and why the entire town of Eden is in danger if the energy company owner gets his way. Opal's journey is frustrating and familiar, but also gives you hope and courage.
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she takes a job cleaning the spooky Starling House. Arthur lives there and warns her away, but she ignores him because she needs to pay tuition for Jasper to go to private school. Spooky things happen, there are greedy rich villains, Opal and Jasper find out more about where they came from and why the spooky stuff seems to be happening more often now.The story is really compelling and the mystery is not the whole story here. Starling House takes you back in time to find out what happened to previous people who lived there and why the entire town of Eden is in danger if the energy company owner gets his way. Opal's journey is frustrating and familiar, but also gives you hope and courage.
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
Can I gush for a minute? I am such a huge fan of gothic novels but it’s rare to find one that stacks up to the hype. My favs are Rebecca, The Thirteenth Tale, and The Forgotten Garden. This one was excellent. No horror and just eerie enough. Driven by mystery but not murder. I loved reading it
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and I could already tell I’d want to return to it again. The beautiful description reminded me quite a bit of The Starless Sea. Not for everyone, but definitely for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
The plot is thin and drawn out; the writing style is overly elaborate.
LibraryThing member MM_Jones
Venture into small town Kentucky. The story starts with a book received as a gift and a protagonist that calls attention to horror cliches as they appear...STARLING HOUSE by Alix E. Harrow. A beautifully written and delightfully creepy tale of a haunting house in small town Kentucky. Magical,
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mystical story of good & evil. Show Less
LibraryThing member mojomomma
Entirely too long. Opal figures out at age 26 and hundreds of pages after I figure it out that she is a member of the richest family in town, although they don't claim her. She is drawn to a strange man in a strange house that the local mining company is attempting to control to get at the mineral
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rights. Meanwhile, she is paying for her brother's private school tuition with housekeeping money while he plots to attend University of Louisville as a 15 year-old--and he gets accepted. Even the realistic parts cause eye-rolling. Show Less
LibraryThing member LiteraryFeline
I immensely enjoyed every page of this book. Opal and her brother have had a rough life, living in poverty and just trying to get by as best they can. Opal has been raising her brother since the death of their mother. She's a high school dropout who only wants to see her brother have a brighter
Atmospheric with a touch of horror, this Gothic novel is everything I hoped it would be. I love it when I come across a book where the house is a character in its own right, and I felt that way about Starling House. It had a life of its own. I found Opal to be a relatable character. She has had to fight for everything she has and does not have much faith in humanity--and with good reason given the hand she's been dealt. Arthur's initial broodiness falls away the more he begins to trust Opal. The growth of the characters over the course of the novel is one of the aspects I liked most as they and their relationship evolved. I confess my initial impressions of Opal and Arthur was of her being barely an adult and of Arthur as much older which wasn't quite on the mark.
While the novel centers around Starling House, the small dying town of Eden in Kentucky, also has a big presence. The author does a good job of weaving the history of the town into the story and the impact of past events on the people and the town of today, including how how Starling House came to be what it is. I found the world building to be intriguing and well done. I only wish there had been more. I would like to have gotten deeper into the house's mysteries and previous occupants. My favorite of Alix E. Harrow's continues to be The Ten Thousand Doors of January, but this was another winner for me.
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future than she ever will. Opal has long been haunted by dreams of the Starling House. She's always been fascinated by the house and the reclusive nineteenth century author who mysteriously disappeared. E. Starling is quite the legend and her children's book, The Underland, haunts Opal. A not so pleasant encounter with the house's current curmudgeonly owner, Arthur Starling, leads to an unexpected job opportunity and an unlikely friendship. Opal soon learns that nothing is quite as it seems. The pull of the house is strong, and the more she learns its secrets, the more she becomes entangled in the mystery and history of the house and of the town. Opal's nightmares become a reality and she has to decide whether to stay and fight or try to move on.Atmospheric with a touch of horror, this Gothic novel is everything I hoped it would be. I love it when I come across a book where the house is a character in its own right, and I felt that way about Starling House. It had a life of its own. I found Opal to be a relatable character. She has had to fight for everything she has and does not have much faith in humanity--and with good reason given the hand she's been dealt. Arthur's initial broodiness falls away the more he begins to trust Opal. The growth of the characters over the course of the novel is one of the aspects I liked most as they and their relationship evolved. I confess my initial impressions of Opal and Arthur was of her being barely an adult and of Arthur as much older which wasn't quite on the mark.
While the novel centers around Starling House, the small dying town of Eden in Kentucky, also has a big presence. The author does a good job of weaving the history of the town into the story and the impact of past events on the people and the town of today, including how how Starling House came to be what it is. I found the world building to be intriguing and well done. I only wish there had been more. I would like to have gotten deeper into the house's mysteries and previous occupants. My favorite of Alix E. Harrow's continues to be The Ten Thousand Doors of January, but this was another winner for me.
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LibraryThing member Corinne-pixel
DNF, I can see a lot of people loving this book but for me it was just frustrating. The main character is in some very sticky situations and instead of telling the people around her, who are directly effected by said situations and the choices she makes in response to them, she keeps everything to
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herself. The book could of been 75 pages if she just communicated. Show Less
LibraryThing member JBD1
Harrow goes Southern Gothic for this one, and mostly successfully, too - I was definitely on the edge of my seat waiting to see where this one was going.
LibraryThing member Carol420
Opal is broke, so she takes a job as a house cleaner in the creepiest, scariest house in the entire town of Eden, maybe in the whole state of Kentucky. She's never had an easy life. Her mother died, when she was a teenager and to keep the only family, she has together together...she fakes her way
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into gaining custody of her younger brother, Jasper. Years later we find Opal and Jasper still struggling to make ends meet. Jasper is an exceptionally bright and creative boy, and Opal desperately wants to get enough money together to get him out of Eden and maybe to a private school that will offer him all the resources he needs and deserves. Opal has always been mysteriously drawn to the Starling House. It's a huge old mansion shrouded in rumors and local legends. When she meets the reclusive owner of the house, Arthur Starling, she convinces him to give her the opportunity of a lifetime....to let her work in the house as a cleaner. He doesn't take much convincing, and soon Arthur is offering to pay Opal enough money to send Jasper to school...and in return, she gets to explore the house to her hearts content...the house she’s been dying to see for as long as she can remember. When a woman claiming to be working on behalf of the local power plant offers Opal even more money for information about Arthur Starling and about his house, Opal then begins to think that she must first discover something for herself. She has started to feel that Starling House must have a mind and a will of its own...otherwise why would such powerful people want so desperately to get inside? Author, Alex Harrow has magnificently turned Starling House into a character in itself with a mind of its own and a deeply horrifying plan. The house is strangely ALIVE...but how can that be? Page by page, line by line, word by word, the reader watches as Opal tries to untangle the many mysteries of Starling House, revealing how powerful people will twist the truth until the story suits their purposes, and sometimes gives life to what should never been alive to start with. A delightfully chilling and spooky story about how hidden truths usually always come back to haunt you. Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
Starling House has long been part of Opal's dreams, and when the reclusive owner offers her a job after a chance meeting, she decides to take it in the hope that she can use the money to better the life of her teenage brother, Jasper. But as she experiences the quirks of the house and starts to
A beautifully told modern Gothic tale that is set in the author's own home state of Kentucky. I enjoyed the ride, trying to figure out the mystery of the house, and rooting for Opal every step of the way. Possibly my favorite of Harrow's books so far.
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learn the history, Opal isn't sure who - or what - she can trust.A beautifully told modern Gothic tale that is set in the author's own home state of Kentucky. I enjoyed the ride, trying to figure out the mystery of the house, and rooting for Opal every step of the way. Possibly my favorite of Harrow's books so far.
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LibraryThing member jillrhudy
Thanks to Tor/Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
STARLING HOUSE flips the Girl-Meets-House trope. The novel does have a male heir, brooding appropriately, in the haunted house. Best to set aside your expectations where he is concerned.
The fictional small town of Eden, Kentucky
I was breathless as I approached the denouement of this novel. My heart was pounding. The ending was brilliant and a total surprise. Starling House is indeed haunted, but every time you think you know precisely how the house is haunted, Harrow throws you another curve ball. Only scrappy Opal can decipher the many tales that swirl around Starling House just like its flock of starlings.
STARLING HOUSE flips the Girl-Meets-House trope. The novel does have a male heir, brooding appropriately, in the haunted house. Best to set aside your expectations where he is concerned.
The fictional small town of Eden, Kentucky
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is instantly familiar to native Appalachians like me. A few wealthy families who’ve long been in charge of exploiting natural resources and labor for generations have all the money, and the rest of the population is barely scraping by. Opal has tenuous custody of her intelligent teenage brother, and she has big dreams on his behalf. Change the Darrell Scott song “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” to “You’ll Never Leave Eden Alive” and that is the destiny for her brother that Opal will risk everything to prevent.I was breathless as I approached the denouement of this novel. My heart was pounding. The ending was brilliant and a total surprise. Starling House is indeed haunted, but every time you think you know precisely how the house is haunted, Harrow throws you another curve ball. Only scrappy Opal can decipher the many tales that swirl around Starling House just like its flock of starlings.
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LibraryThing member nadia.masood
Starling House is a spooky old house with a personality of its own, brimming with dark shadows and ominous vibes (but also with an attitude, complete with moody shadows and vibes so ominous they're practically rolling their eyes).
How do I classify this book? A haunted house saga? Contemporary
And it's written so beautifully! I find the prose captivating, evoking an almost fairy tale ambiance. I also loved the charming, understated romance, and the extraordinary Starling House that is a character on its own!
If, like me, you've grown tired of characters who are perfectly attractive and flawless, Opal and Arthur offer a delightful change. The way they describe each other had me in stitches:
Opal on Arthur: “His face is all hard angles and sullen bones split by a beak of a nose, and his hair is a tattered wing an inch shy of becoming a mullet.”
Arthur on Opal: “a freckled scarecrow of a girl with crooked teeth and holes in the knees of her jeans, utterly unremarkable except for the steel in her eyes.”
I think adding Arthur's POV is clever! It tells the reader that this mysterious, brooding character has feelings and emotions.
As someone who doesn't read much horror novels because I scare pretty easily, I've discovered that Starling House doesn't fit the typical horror narrative that induces nightmares. There's a subtle infusion of horror, but even the descriptions of the eerie are rendered so beautifully that it softens the impact. Additionally, it unfolds as a mystery, featuring a house that resembles a puzzle box, concealing secrets both outside and beneath its structure.
I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy gothic fantasy novels with haunted houses and dark secrets. It's also an excellent choice if you're drawn to characters who are misfits, outcasts, and dreamers, discovering love and a sense of home in unexpected places. Furthermore, if you enjoy atmospheric, vividly descriptive writing that transports you to a different world, this book is sure to captivate your imagination.
How do I classify this book? A haunted house saga? Contemporary
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gothic fairy tale, perhaps? Cozy horror? But what's clear is that this book is an exploration of dreams, rage, exploitation, of love, and the profound longing for a sense of belonging. It delves into into the realm of monsters, whether they lurk in imagined places or exist in the harsh light of the real world. And it's written so beautifully! I find the prose captivating, evoking an almost fairy tale ambiance. I also loved the charming, understated romance, and the extraordinary Starling House that is a character on its own!
If, like me, you've grown tired of characters who are perfectly attractive and flawless, Opal and Arthur offer a delightful change. The way they describe each other had me in stitches:
Opal on Arthur: “His face is all hard angles and sullen bones split by a beak of a nose, and his hair is a tattered wing an inch shy of becoming a mullet.”
Arthur on Opal: “a freckled scarecrow of a girl with crooked teeth and holes in the knees of her jeans, utterly unremarkable except for the steel in her eyes.”
I think adding Arthur's POV is clever! It tells the reader that this mysterious, brooding character has feelings and emotions.
As someone who doesn't read much horror novels because I scare pretty easily, I've discovered that Starling House doesn't fit the typical horror narrative that induces nightmares. There's a subtle infusion of horror, but even the descriptions of the eerie are rendered so beautifully that it softens the impact. Additionally, it unfolds as a mystery, featuring a house that resembles a puzzle box, concealing secrets both outside and beneath its structure.
I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy gothic fantasy novels with haunted houses and dark secrets. It's also an excellent choice if you're drawn to characters who are misfits, outcasts, and dreamers, discovering love and a sense of home in unexpected places. Furthermore, if you enjoy atmospheric, vividly descriptive writing that transports you to a different world, this book is sure to captivate your imagination.
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Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Fantasy — 2024)
Locus Award (Finalist — 2024)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2024)
Southern Book Prize (Finalist — Fiction — 2024)
NPR: Books We Love (2023)
Locus Recommended Reading (2023)
Reese's Book Club (2023-10 — 2023)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — October 2023)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2024)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2023)
Language
Original publication date
2023
Local notes
Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot. And Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden.