The Starless Sea Review

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern tells the story of Zachary Ezra Rawlins, a graduate student in Vermont, who discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks of a library. This mysterious book is filled with tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, nameless acolytes, and a story from his own childhood. Zachary uncovers a series of clues—a bee, a key, and a sword—that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose—in both the mysterious book and in his own life. (official synopsis edited for length and clarity).

I have stated on my Instagram that The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is one of my favorite books. In a way, her books feel like hidden gems in the online reading community with some of the most beautiful writing I have read in a published work. Her descriptions, much like in V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, dramatically shift my writing style every time I read them. So when Morgenstern came out with her sophomore release I really ran to pick it up. Three years later, I finally picked it up to read this book with an audiobook while I was in Italy.

Now, I understand that this book does have a nonlinear narrative but I think because of the way I went through this book (more from the audiobook on the train than reading the pages) I left thinking what the hell just happened? I didn’t fully expect the nonlinear approach, but I think I should have known because of Morgenstern’s previous work. So, I’m truly Boo-Boo The Fool. I’ve let the story marinate after reading it which has given me a greater appreciation of the book as a whole and I am left with a greater understanding of the narrative. However I understand that I will need to reread this book, so this will be a mostly spoiler-free review and will be on the shorter side. There is a longer-running narrative that covers Zachary Ezra Rawlins with other shorter stories that connect to the main story and the central mystery of the story. Overall, I found myself absolutely in love with the shorter stories and was always excited to read/hear them. I personally find them to be the star of the show. The shorter stories are beautifully written, are genius elements of worldbuilding, and perfectly contribute to the main narrative. This could either be adding to the lore, showing the dangers of this world, or adding to the mystery of what the Starless Sea is. Basically, if Morgenstern comes out with a collection of short stories I will run to buy it.

Of course, Morgenstern’s language is absolutely beautiful and this paragraph will literally just be me gushing. Morgenstern is a master of words and language. Another author who changes the way I write, her imagery is lush and vivid, and crafts unforgettable scenery. I’m serious. The image of a sea made of honey will stick with me. This also seeps into her more whimsical characters that almost remind me of a dark academia Studio Ghibli if I had to describe it as anything.

Speaking of her characters, let’s discuss them! Her characters are very distinct and there’s never one character who feels identical or too similar. The characters in her shorter stories are also masterfully crafted and fully fleshed out, in the same way, as our major characters (Zachary Ezra Rawlins, Mirabel, and Dorian). In addition, there is no relationship that is black and white (hello The Night Circus reference) and there’s always a complexity behind each of them. Out of the main trio, I find Zachary to be the most memorable. Zachary, to put it simply, read to me as a useless gay which easily makes him the most relatable character in my eyes. His goals fluctuate as the story continues, as more of the world is explored, and his character grows. I think his growth throughout the story was masterfully displayed and never felt ingenuine.

This may be a bit of a shorter review because this is a book I want to read again in order to achieve a fuller understanding. I’m a sucker for books with rereadability so I personally find it adds to the appeal. Overall, if you love books that are fueled by vibes, dark academia, non-linear stories, and whimsical worlds check out The Starless Sea!

I cannot wait to reread this book and dive into the world of Erin Morgenstern once more. I will give this book four out of five stars upon first reading and processing.