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Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

 


"To every child who needs a way into Underland. Befriend the Beasts, children, and follow them down." 


    One of the better books that I have read so far in 2024, it was a hit among the entire group! Set in the small dying town of Eden, Kentucky, which is only known for its reclusive authose from the nineteenth century who left behind a single novel and a gothic estate called Starling House. The story follows a young orphaned woman who has been given the shit end of the stick from the beginning. She forgoes any further personal advancement in order to take care of her younger brother. Giving him the life that she never recieved herself. 

    Through a series of strange events and literal nightmares, Opal finds herself accepting a job at Starling House that seems to good to be true. It's also the perfect opportunity to hawk some antique items that get to know the owner of the estate, Arthur Starling. He's prickly, isolated, and trying his absolute best to get rid of Opal and to disenchant her from the magical estate. Through a series of events, fog filled nights, and terrible nightmares there was a connection and an unlikely family formed. 

"It occurs to me that this lonely, beastly, bleeding boy is the only person who has ever fought for me, ever stood between me and the dark and told me to save myself" 

    Every aspect of this book was what I wanted it to be, except it was hard to connect to Opal in the beginning. She is a rough character and can be immature, so it's hard to related to her at first. Wish there was more about what Jasper, Opal's younger brother, was doing throughout the book and I would love a standalone that explained his and Arthurs side of the story. Okay maybe I actually just want more in this universe in general! If Underland was released as a book I'd read it soooo quick. Bev and Charlotte were the cutest couple in the book, the entire revelation of their relationship was the best surprise. Something I did not like was how they always described Arthur as being ugly and grotesque. Even at the end when everything is solved and they emerge from the estate, they still manage to call him names and bring down his looks. 

"Arthur went down, and I know him too well to imagine he's coming back up unless I drag him behind me, a sullen Eurydice. I know the hard set of his jaw and the soft slide of his lips, I know the terrible guilt that drives him and the scars it left behind. I know he is the thing I have been chasing and craving, searching and waiting and hoping for my entire life: home" 

    Some fun things to mention: I did not expect or see the Gravely connection happening! I love how Arthurs tattoos were wards for when he went into Underland. It's ingenious that Nora Lee is an anagram for Nora Lee, and Hellcat is such a baby!!

    

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