Book Review: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

The Gist: Starling House artfully employs dark academia and an enigmatic haunted house to delve into the racism, sexism and classism that plague a small town.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 3, 2023

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4.25-stars

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Starling House is marketed as a grim and gothic urban fantasy that uses elements of horror to bring a sentient haunted house to life. Since the Heroine, Opal, was young, her dreams have been haunted by the Starling House. She feels compelled to visit it, and one day, she comes across the young owner, our Hero, Arthur, who invites her to be the housekeeper in the hope of assuaging her interest without allowing the house to claim her. Both Opal and Arthur have their own priorities. Opal is taking care of her younger brother and scraping the barrel of her bank account to give her brother a better shot at life by saving to send him to a prestigious boarding school. Arthur is stuck with a family legacy he doesn’t want but is determined that the house and its secrets will not claim another life.

Dark Academia

Despite the fact that there’s no academic setting in Starling House, the author uses dark academia themes to navigate the history of a small Kentucky town and its paranormal implications on present-day life. While the social commentary in this book was subtle, the oppressive history of the town – the energy company’s history of using enslaved labour and relying on sexist laws to accumulate wealth – materializes in familiar ways in the present with corporate apathy and environmental degradation at the hands of the energy company.

The energy company – still owned by the family that founded it, the Gravelys – is the town’s main source of employment but is also the reason so many townspeople experience poor health. Starling House explores the town’s complicity in the abuse the Gravelys inflicted on the marginalized. Rather than standing up against them, the community chooses to vilify the victim, exposing the toxic and symbiotic relationship between the Gravelys and the town. At the forefront of the novel is the economic hardships Opal and many of the townspeople experience – Eden, Kentucky, is not a small town people stay in if they have the money to leave.

Furthermore, nothing is more “dark academia” than the fact that Starling House has footnotes throughout the narrative. These footnotes hint at an enigmatic author compiling various stories to uncover the true history of Starling House and the events of the book. The epilogue alludes to the identity of this mysterious author.

The Haunted House

The haunted house in Starling House is a standout element, keeping readers in suspense about its true intentions. The house blurs the line between sinister and sympathetic, with moments where it seems to lean towards malevolence. The reader discovers a mystery surrounding the house’s origins that Arthur wants to solve, which connects mythology and the child folktale written by the woman who built the house. The history of the house is skillfully woven into the story using multi-media – Wikipedia page excerpts, interview transcripts, and folktales – creating a richness to the Starling House and why people – including Opal – are so drawn to it.

Romance and Found Family

While there is a romance between Opal and Arthur, it very much takes a backseat in Starling House. At the forefront of the story is family, recognizing how those bonds don’t always have to be based on blood, and also the tension between being loyal to your family when it’s in conflict with being true to yourself.

Starling House offers causal bisexual representation through its Hero and explores a very quiet – but not in a bad way – romance between Arthur and Opal. The slow burn is primarily because both are so reluctant to be vulnerable, and neither wants to form attachments that will compromise their goals (Opal getting her brother out of their small town and Arthur continuing his parents’ legacy). This dynamic adds depth to the story, as both characters have secrets they’re unwilling to share. And, while this tension creates an authentic and emotional romance, the narrative – in my opinion – lacks significant romantic moments that would’ve developed their romance into a relationship.

In Conclusion

While Starling House excelled with its characterizations and eerie atmosphere, there were a few reasons why it didn’t quite reach a 5-star rating. First, one of the villains’ arcs went unresolved. Throughout the book, she is built up as a menacing force with a hidden agenda, but her true motives and why she’s so interested in Starling House remain shrouded in mystery. Her storyline lacked resolution, which was unsatisfactory.

Additionally, for romance readers, I thought the author’s portrayal of Arthur and Opal’s relationship leaves readers wanting more (and not in a good way). The push-and-pull between the characters, while adding depth, doesn’t provide a fully satisfying conclusion to their relationship or individual arcs.

That being said, Starling House is a great eerie read if you’re a lover of haunted houses and social commentary and want a book with the perfect fall atmosphere.

Buy Starling House

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