The Starless Sea: A Novel

by Erin Morgenstern

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world—a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood.

Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, 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. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians—it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction.

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.

• ISBN10: 110197138X
• ISBN13: 9781101971383
• Publish Date: 4 August 2020 (first published 5 November 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Vintage Books
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 592
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781101971383

Reviews

[leahrosereads]

"I think the best stories feel like they’re still going, somewhere, out in story space."

Erin Morgenstern has done it again. She's written a story where I've fallen completely in love with everything about it - the characters, the atmospheric setting, the intrigue, the world - all of it came together in a book that's pure perfection to me.

I've read where other people have mentioned that this feels like a love letter to stories (it does) and that Erin Morgenstern makes the reader work here (we do). And I've read where others who found this story is confusing (it is at times). But still, even when I was confused, or had to work out the mysteries of the all the clues (I was not able to figure out the answer to everything), I was so enthralled by every line of this book.

It was another absolutely beautiful, fantastical, unique story. And I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!

[dragononabook]

This book felt like a library itself. Everything was so woven together, like a scavenger hunt, and it was such a satisfying book to read.

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

The Starless Sea was a book worth waiting for.

The beautiful worldbuilding made me fall in love with The Night Circus despite the slow pacing because it was a world I wanted to be pulled into, to exist within the book’s pages because it is a beautiful place, if somewhat tragic at times. The Starless Sea has that same magical aesthetic. Even after having read it, I feel as though there are so many mor doors to open, so many more paths to walk. It is ripe for a retread, because the Harbor is not a place that can be experienced in one visit. It’s layered and complicated and I love love love it.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a likable enough character, his passion is subtle and confusion is sweet. There’s not a lot of fire to the character, but that’s okay, because not all characters can be fiery and dangerous. Sometimes it is the quiet introverts who need an adventure, and they are uncommon protagonists in a book this sized so… I liked it. I liked Zachary and I liked all the small details about him like that his default cocktail is a sidecar and that “It’s dangerous to go alone” from The Legend of Zelda pops in his head every time the next leg of his adventure is about to begin.

Erin Morgenstern’s characters are so bright and perfect that I was just disappointed I couldn’t learn more of all of them. I want the pirate’s story, and more of Eleanor, and where has Simon been all these years? And more than everyone else combine, I wanted to follow Kat and learn the rest of her story, because it seemed to be just beginning.

I think that’s a lot of what I loved about The Starless Sea, and about The Night Circus too… they leave me bubbly and happy and wanting more.

Also? I absolutely adored all the pop culture and video game references. I’m not a proper gamer, but I do indulge and I caught quite a few gaming references as well as various other pop culture references and they’re peppered in perfectly. Pop culture can accent a book, but shouldn’t be too garish or it will date the book. I don’t think that will happen in this case. I admire Erin Morgenstern’s craft – I really do. She’s subtle and clever and every word feels so deliberate. I’m in constant awe.

While it is not problematic for me, I do feel responsible to talk about the pacing. The Starless Sea is very slow paced. For those who delight in breathing in the characters and the setting and honey-dipped aesthetics, the pace is perfectly fine. If you’re looking for something more along the lines of traditional rising action, peak, falling action, and tidy resolution… you won’t find it here. Many things are interpretive and this novel delights in metaphor. It is the type of book that is meant to be read slowly and enjoyed but if that isn’t your thing, I’m afraid that you will be a bit bored.

All in all I am so happy with this long awaited second novel from Erin Morgenstern and I am very much looking forward to digging back in someday and delving deeper into the world and analyzing the details and losing myself in her beautiful writing. I respect that The Starless Sea will not work for everyone, but this book is very much my aesthetic and I through enjoyed the journey.

[littleread1]

... what ...

I was only half done with this book before I ordered the UK copy with the secret cover, and plan to get the US hardcover this week. I am in love. This story is just so damn beautiful and I need to read it again to catch ALL the things. So many hints in what seem like meaningless comments.

Beautiful. This is everything I want in literary fiction. Everything.

[Brittany]

This book took me by surprise. I thought I had been reading good books, now I feel as if I have to re-evaluate my whole book rating system because a 6 star rating is not a thing and this book deserves more than 5 stars.

This book is different. It is unique in so many ways. It’s depth filled to the brim between the character building and world building. I don’t know how the author so intricately weaved all of the main story and back stories together in such an amazing way but let me tell you, she deserves a something for that. I don’t know. A reward, an award, A SOMETHING.

You have to pay attention while reading this. Things you don’t think are important are. Everything is important. Every single little thing that could mean something, does. That is what makes it so great. It’s like solving a puzzle you didn’t know you were solving.

I can honestly say this book is in my top 5 favorite books - of all time. (That never happens with single books for me) I’m honestly so sad that this isn’t already a 3 book series that I stumbled across because then at least I would get more. I want more. I NEED MORE! I don’t want to leave this amazing universe that was created or the characters I’ve grown to love.

If you’re wondering if you should read this, you should.

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

The word “exquisite” doesn’t begin to describe the beauty of this book. This book is the sweet melancholy of virgin snow, soon to be stepped in. It is the delight of a surprise package, the excitement of a first kiss, the mysterious possibility of change. It is perfection on pages.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is an excellent protagonist, sweet and a little unsure of himself. The story begins with a book found in a library, one that contains a tale about Zachary’s childhood. It’s a memory of something that really happened, something that no-one has been told about. Zachary’s need to know more about the origin of the book leads him into labyrinthine tunnels, and the even more difficult -to- navigate maze of self-discovery.

The prose is gorgeous and the nonlinear way that the story unfolds is perfect. I love how Erin Morgenstern evokes not just sight and sound, but smell and taste with her writing. This book made me sad in that beautiful way that is so close to happiness that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Maybe I’ll do both. That will really freak my husband out.

The Night Circus, which is Erin Morgenstern’s first book, is on my “top five favorite books of all time” list. I have officially made it my “top six favorites” because this has found a place in my heart. Read this book.

https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2019/11/15/the-starless-sea-by-erin-morgenstern/

[Laurie]

Review posted on https://lauriesbookshelf.com
For many people, The starless sea by Erin Morgenstern is their most anticipated book of 2019. I haven't read The night circus before, so I was a little hesitant about this book I have to admit. Is Morgenstern's writing for me? However, I saw many positive ARC reviews of The starless sea, so I decided to dive right into it.











I pre-ordered the audiobook on Audible, mainly because it was a full cast audiobook. That part was great, or so I thought, so why not? When I started listening, I had difficulties getting used to the main narrator, Dominic Hoffman. I pushed the speed up to 2.5 at first, but I had to adjust it to 3.0. And I still couldn't get used to his narration. So, I decided to switch over to the ebook. This read much easier for me.



The starless sea started out strong and interesting. The story parts at the beginning of each chapter left me intrigued and I wanted to know how this piece of the puzzle fits into the book. Furthermore, Zachary - I keep calling him Ezra in my mind - had an interesting storyline. However, I kept falling asleep whilst reading. I thought this was the issue with the audiobook, but I had the same problems after switching to the ebook. The starless sea is divided into six books (parts) and all stories of these parts (except for the main storyline of Zachary) were narrated by someone else and not all narrators were that likeable.



On 2/3 of the book, I lost all connections to the plot. I was getting tired of it, a litle bit slumping even. I got confused and didn't know how all the pieces were connected anymore. The major letdown were the final 120 pages or so, because what was actually happening there? For me, The starless sea is two-faced. We have this beautiful, magical, whymsical writing style of Erin Morgenstern - which is amazing and boosted up my rating with at least one star -, but on the other hand we have a story that started out strong but lost all connections for me at the fourth book. I wanted to get this book done with and move on. Not a good sign.



In December I will do a group readalong of The night circus and I really hope I will like that book better. However, if you are a massive fan of Laini Taylor's writing style, you really should give books by Erin Morgenstern a try. Whenever you decide on reading The starless sea, I strongly recommend a physical book or ebook over the audiobook.
This review was originally posted on Laurie's Bookshelf

[Quirky Cat]

The Starless Sea is Erin Morgenstern’s highly anticipated latest novel, and it is one that is going to blow you away. Fans of The Night Circus are not going to want to miss out on this one, as Morgenstern has proved that her latest novel was well worth the long wait.
The Night Circus is a complex, deeply moving, and beautiful novel. It shows how far an intricate series of plots can go, and how far Morgenstern has come as a writer.
A tale within a tale, with other tales revolving around them. That is what The Starless Sea felt like. It’s a series of stories, but they’re all related to one another – though this might not always be clear at first sight.
Zachary Ezra Rawlins is the son of a fortune-teller. He didn’t open his door when he first had the opportunity, but you better believe he isn’t going to miss out the second time around. He’s a game design major, but one who is exceptionally fond of books.
And it’s a book that brought him the biggest mystery of all. Or perhaps we should say, it brought him his biggest obsession. For how can one ever get over a book, when they find themselves tucked neatly within the pages?

“The boy is the son of the fortune-teller. He has reached an age that brings an uncertainty as to whether this is something to be proud of, or even a detail to be divulged, but it remains true.”

The Starless Sea is a novel that completely and utterly blew me away. As a fan of The Night Circus, I had fairly high expectations for this novel. And apparently I could have afforded to raise them even higher!
There was so much to love about this novel. Let’s start with the themes and symbols within. There was something about the imagery that Morgenstern ran with here that truly resonated with me. And I honestly believe that many other readers will find themselves feeling the same way. It was eerie and beautiful, yet sophisticated and enthralling.
Then there was the whole element surrounding the multiple layers of stories. What isn’t there to love about that? It’s been so long since I read something quite as complex as this. It was so satisfying to see something so deep and be able to dive right in. Morgenstern has truly outdone herself with this tale.
The writing for The Starless Sea was flawless and beautiful. In many ways it felt more like prose, it flowed that smoothly. A part of me wishes that it had never ended. But all things have to have an end, right?
On a slightly more personal note (read: crazy cat lady note), I adored that there were cats snuck into this novel. They may not have played a major role, but they felt important at times. And my heart just adored those moments. And cat lovers will be happy to hear that Morgenstern didn’t fail to remember them, towards the end.
I know that the wait for The Starless Sea was a bit longer than fans expected. But I’ve got to tell you, it was completely worth the wait. I can’t imagine that this piece would have ever come into being had it been rushed.
But that does mean that we’re in for another long wait, because once again our expectations for Morgenstern’s works have been raised. And that means the wait will probably be similar for the next one – and I imagine it’ll be just as worth it.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[lauriesbookshelf]

Review posted on https://lauriesbookshelf.com
For many people, The starless sea by Erin Morgenstern is their most anticipated book of 2019. I haven't read The night circus before, so I was a little hesitant about this book I have to admit. Is Morgenstern's writing for me? However, I saw many positive ARC reviews of The starless sea, so I decided to dive right into it.











I pre-ordered the audiobook on Audible, mainly because it was a full cast audiobook. That part was great, or so I thought, so why not? When I started listening, I had difficulties getting used to the main narrator, Dominic Hoffman. I pushed the speed up to 2.5 at first, but I had to adjust it to 3.0. And I still couldn't get used to his narration. So, I decided to switch over to the ebook. This read much easier for me.



The starless sea started out strong and interesting. The story parts at the beginning of each chapter left me intrigued and I wanted to know how this piece of the puzzle fits into the book. Furthermore, Zachary - I keep calling him Ezra in my mind - had an interesting storyline. However, I kept falling asleep whilst reading. I thought this was the issue with the audiobook, but I had the same problems after switching to the ebook. The starless sea is divided into six books (parts) and all stories of these parts (except for the main storyline of Zachary) were narrated by someone else and not all narrators were that likeable.



On 2/3 of the book, I lost all connections to the plot. I was getting tired of it, a litle bit slumping even. I got confused and didn't know how all the pieces were connected anymore. The major letdown were the final 120 pages or so, because what was actually happening there? For me, The starless sea is two-faced. We have this beautiful, magical, whymsical writing style of Erin Morgenstern - which is amazing and boosted up my rating with at least one star -, but on the other hand we have a story that started out strong but lost all connections for me at the fourth book. I wanted to get this book done with and move on. Not a good sign.



In December I will do a group readalong of The night circus and I really hope I will like that book better. However, if you are a massive fan of Laini Taylor's writing style, you really should give books by Erin Morgenstern a try. Whenever you decide on reading The starless sea, I strongly recommend a physical book or ebook over the audiobook.
This review was originally posted on Laurie's Bookshelf

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Another magical book about books!

Erin writing style drew me in once again. The world she created was clearly rendered. The secrets closely guarded. The tension wrought. I loved almost every minute reading The Starless Sea until I got to the ending. I'm not quite sure I captured the gist of what happened. That is the downfall of a magical realism story sometimes the ending seems unfulfilling or incomplete because the fictional world feels so real. So when the ending arrives and it evaporates into thin air with the final turn of the page, you are left to wonder what it all meant.