Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Opal Gravely has spent her life obsessed with the mysterious Starling House – but when its reclusive heir offers her a job, she discovers there may be monsters lurking within.
This is a sweeping, Gothic fairytale from Hugo, Nebula and Locus Award-shortlisted Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January.
By IrisW
Of all the books from this author that I’ve read so far – which is, in fact, all of them – this one is definitely my favourite.
Main character Opal, a young woman from an underprivileged background who is fighting tooth and nail to eke out a better life for her younger brother, is exactly the type of tough, no-nonsense heroine that I like (see also my review of Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education for more smart-mouthed heroine vibes). She has a recurring dream about an old mansion in her town, once the home of a reclusive writer who disappeared a century ago, and more or less accidentally ends up with a job cleaning said house. The young man who lives there – moody, broody, misanthropic Arthur – is clearly up to mysterious stuff, and Opal can’t seem to prevent herself from getting involved.
Starling House is the perfect read for the more somber months of the year. It’s gloomy and gritty, with a lot of darkness – the literal kind, the fantasy kind, and also the real-world kind of children falling through the cracks of a system that is supposed to take care of them. There’s a bit of gore, so be warned if that is not your thing, but there’s also so much heart and plenty of wholesome moments to keep you going back for more. Oh, and there’s a cat.
If you like your heroines sassy, your heroes Byronic, and your family history troubled, you should definitely give this book a try.
