Starling House
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars
Title: Starling House
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Tor
Format: ARC, ebook
Publication: 31st of October 2023
In Eden, a dying little town in Kentucky, Opal struggles to keep herself and her younger brother afloat. Living permanently in a cheap motel room and working dead-end jobs, she lost all hope for a better life. Her only goal is to send her brother to a good college and get him out of Eden forever. So when she receives an unexpected job offer from the reclusive Arthur Starling, the last heir of the presumably haunted Starling House, she accepts it without delay. She has always been fascinated by The Underland, a rather grim tale written by E. Starling, and the mysterious house. Soon, she discovers more about Eden’s dark history and the role of Starling House and its guardians…
I recently listened to the audiobook of this novel and absolutely loved it. It is a gothic tale where past and present intertwine. I enjoyed the fact that despite the haunted house theme, the author did not rely on the standard scary scenes. The narrative instead builds a mysterious and gothic atmosphere, where you are not sure anymore if there is anything supernatural about the house or not. Especially considering the small town setting, with a cast of gossipy and prejudiced locals. The characters in this novel are delightfully imperfect and hard to like, which I found refreshing. Opal’s rough life left a mark on her, and Arthur’s loneliness made him secretive and untrusting. The relationship that developed between them felt natural, even though it wasn’t incredibly romantic or ideal.
To summarise, this is a gothic, haunted house tale that focuses on the characters rather than giving the reader a heart attack. Perfect for the spooky season.
Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for providing the arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A bookish daydream 