The Starless Sea

Author: Erin Morgenstern
Published: 2019
Target Audience: Adults (appropriate ages 15+)

Once, very long ago, Time fell in love with Fate.

This tale begins when Zachary Ezra Rawlins, collage student and son of a fortune teller, stumbles across a curious book lost in the library stacks. Among stories of lovelorn pirates and solitary key collectors, he is dumbfounded to read something inexplicable: a moment from his own childhood, written in a book far older than him.

Anxious to discover where this book comes from, Zachary follows a strange motif of symbols - a bee, a key, and a sword - which lead him on a trail of rumours, threats, and abductions to a place hidden far beneath the earth, on the shores of the Starless Sea. In this labyrinth of rooms, tunnels, and stories, he learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this place, and those who seek to end it.

Excerpt:

"Why do you remain?" Zachary asks.

"I remain because it is my job, Mister Rawlins. My calling, my duty, my raison d'etre. Why are you here?"

Because a book said I was supposed to be, Zachary thinks. Because I'm worried about going back because of crazy ladies in fur coats who keep hands in jars. Because I haven't figured out the puzzle yet even though I don't know what the puzzle is.

Because I feel more alive down here than I did up there.

"I'm here to sail the Starless Sea and breath the haunted air," he says

Review:

Erin Morgenstern's 'The Starless Sea' is a masterfully written story of Time and Fate. Of beginnings and endings. Of honey and ash. It evokes nostalgia for places the reader has never been, for times and festivities long past. 'The Starless Sea' is a love letter to books, storytelling, and the transportive power of reading. First published in 2019, it is characterised by a fragmented approach to storytelling, where the linear plot of Zachary's search for answers is enhanced by interludes of other characters' moments in time and short stories from in-world books that function as self-contained fables and fairytales. These snippets of tales simultaneously allude to the history of the Starless Sea, and provide piecemeal allegorical explanations of the hidden secrets at work. This fragmented approach creates a captivating sense of mystery and wonder, and invites readers to revisit the story time and time again.

'The Starless Sea' is American author Erin Morgenstern's second novel since the debut of her award-winning, cult-favourite novel 'The Night Circus' in 2011. In contrast to the ahistorical Victorian setting of 'The Night Circus', 'The Starless Sea' starts in the modern era, beginning in 2015 in a university in Vermont, USA, where Zachary is a postgraduate student working on a thesis centered around modern gaming. The story reflects this time period through a mixture of storytelling references, combining classic literary references such as 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Narnia', 'The Princess Bride', and 'A Wrinkle in Time' with more recent pop culture touchstones such as 'Harry Potter', 'Adventure Time', 'Skyrim', and 'The Legend of Zelda' franchise. By evoking the millennial zeitgeist, 'The Starless Sea' feels like a story that was written for those grew up with 'Harry Potter', 'Pokemon', 'Twilight', and the rise of narrative-driven video games, and who are now adults navigating the intricacies and demands of modern society. Like many others, Zachary searched for Narnia in his wardrobe and was disappointed when a letter to Hogwarts did not arrive, so when he is drawn in the mysteries of the Starless Sea, his circumstances are reflected in that of adult readers. Zachary's journey is comprised of the anxiety attacks, autonomy, and trips through bars that would not be experienced by child protagonists on their adventures. This makes for a refreshing, relatable read, one where adult readers can imagine themselves treading the same steps, in a way they may not have been able to since aging out of children's fables and teen fantasy adventures.

Morgenstern has taken a very soft approach to world-building, neither providing any direct explanation as to how the underground world of the Starless Sea works, nor establishing in-story rules for audiences to predict how the fantastical elements may effect the tale and characters next. This endows the book with a mystical, dreamlike quality, and mirrors Zachary's experience in searching for clues, being more akin to following a string through the darkness than following a clear directive. This storytelling style is captivating and enthralling, but some readers may also find it frustrating. For large parts of the book, both Zachary and readers do not truly know what is going on, relying more on metaphorical explanations than knowledge discovered through plot progression. This results in Zachary occasionally being more passive and reactive in his search and, coupled with a lack of a prominent character arc to drive the story forward, this may lead some readers dismiss the story as directionless. Some readers may also find the interspacing stories intrusive and disruptive, providing no clear answers and potentially only creating more questions. 'The Starless Sea' is a beautifully written novel and spellbinding tale, but the storytelling style will not suit all readers.

If this sounds like the style of story you might enjoy, then I cannot recommend it highly enough. Erin Morgenstern's 'The Starless Sea' is a truly unique story, and one that stays with you long after finishing.