Published: November 2019
Pages: 498
Summary
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.
My thoughts
I have had a fantastic 2024 reading year. I feel most books I’ve been reviewing lately are 4 or 5 stars and this is another to add to the pile.
I’m making a bold claim – especially for a book with such mixed reviews – but Erin Morgenstern’s “The Starless Sea” is a breathtaking literary masterpiece that transports readers to a realm woven with magic, myth, and the power of stories. This novel follows Zachary Ezra Roth, a graduate student who discovers a mysterious book that tells the story of one of his own memories when he was younger. A memory that nobody else could possibly know. This book leads him down a rabbit hole of hidden libraries behind mysterious doors, secret societies, and a captivating underwater world.
“These doors will sing. Silent siren songs for those who seek what lies behind them. For those who feel homesick for a place they’ve never been to. Those who seek even if they do not know what (or where) it is that they are seeking. Those who seek will find. Their doors have been waiting for them.”
I really loved Morgenstern’s writing and I’ve made a note to try her other novel, The Night Circus. Her prose is lyrical and evocative, and the story itself is a love letter to books, libraries, and the power of storytelling, celebrating the magic that can be found within the pages of a good book.
This story is driven by stories upon stories of characters that weave together with mystery and puzzles. The guts of this book are the characters and their growth. I’ve seen many negative reviews that rate this book poorly because they claim that there is no plot. I feel so strongly that there is absolutely a plot here, but it doesn’t look the same as many other books. There is no clearly defined exposition, journey, climax or resolution that many fantasy books are accustomed to. But that is okay, not every book needs that. What this book delivers is a fantastic magical world, complex characters, mystery, and the beauty of storytelling.
She is young enough to carry fear with her without letting it into her heart. Without being scared. She wears her fear lightly, like a veil, aware that there are dangers but letting the crackling awareness hover around her. It does not sink in, it buzzes in excitement like a swarm of invisible bees.
What I love the most about this story is that it will look different depending on the readers interpretation. I found this to be full of magic and wonder. This story navigates love, loss and fate on the deepest, purest level. I was truly rooting for every character, even the ones that don’t always act as expected. There are twists and turns as we see the multitude of stories come together and answer many of our questions.
I was intrigued and captivated through the whole thing, which really highlights the skill of Morgenstern’s writing. Throughout this story I continuously thought, ‘what is the point? What is the purpose?’ and for some they may find that frustrating to never get clear cut answers, but I love that in a book. This book allows you freedom to think and imagine, readers come to their own conclusions and I felt incredible sadness when I finished this book.
But the world is strange and endings are not truly endings no matter how the stars might wish it so.
Would I recommend?
For me, the answer is yes, even if you get a couple of chapters in and you’re finding it really isn’t for you, that’s okay. But give it a try. I truly found this story beautiful and I love it when I find a book that makes me think beyond my own four walls. I definitely need to check out more form this author!