Why is it always the hardest to review a book you love? The words are swirling around in my head but they just won’t come out in the way I need them to! So sorry if this is a ‘mid’ slightly nonsensical ramble of a review.

TL;DR: Starling House is a hauntingly beautiful Southern Gothic with a rich fairytale-esque atmosphere. It doesn’t matter that I’ve probably read something similar-ish before because the combination of the author’s lush prose, relatable characters, and well-loved tropes mixed with the creepy foreboding vibe felt unique. I fell in love with Opal, Arthur, and the sentient House with its oddly endearing personality. I loved where Harrow took this story and what it turned into—from a slow beginning that steadily builds to an utterly explosive and ultimately satisfying ending.

This was a buddy read with Leslie and Julie and we had so much to gush about! It was a great group read and I’m so happy to say that all of us really loved it! 😍

There’s so much to love about this book. For starters, the quality of the writing was ✨immaculate!✨ It’s deeply atmospheric and emotionally taut and I loved how this small town and its characters were brought to life. Harrow perfectly captures the vibe where you know something doesn’t feel right but you can’t exactly pinpoint what it is that’s wrong. She did that beautifully with Eden, Kentucky, an isolated small town with small-minded individuals, a sordid history that’s not quite history, and the many terrifying and inexplicable events that make this middle-of-nowhere town feel irredeemably cursed. There’s magic and madness alongside a bone-deep feeling of wrongness that seems to revolve around Starling House and sets the perfect tone for this story!

The story is told through Opal’s and Arthur’s POVs. Both are outcasts and the concept of what it means to love a place that doesn’t love you back or that tries to kill you is perfectly captured in the relationship both have with Eden and the House. I was surprised by how much I came to love these two, although considering my penchant for loving the underdogs, it shouldn’t have been shocking. It would be easy to sum up their characters as Opal being a liar and a thief, and Arthur being the recluse and Waren of Starling House but they are so much more than what society perceives them as.

Opal is tough, quick-witted, sharp-tongued, more than a little mean, and secretly dreams of being loved and comforted. Despite having developed a reputation for being a troublemaker, she does everything in her power to ensure her baby brother Jasper can leave and make a life for himself outside of this cursed town. She was such a complex and multi-layered character and that was true of her relationships with Jasper, Bev and Charlotte too—all of whom I came to love and care for! Similarly, Arthur is a wounded man who is 100% more bark than bite and is achingly desperately lonely. Underneath that sullen exterior is a soft-hearted man who is desperate to do right by the House and his family. He’s a fighter and a bit of a masochist but ugh, how my heart ached for Arthur! Both are haunted by their pasts and survivor’s guilt and both carry immeasurable anger for the losses they’ve endured. They aren’t your typical easy-to-like main characters with flawless personalities featuring a quirk or two. They are made of sharp and jagged edges, don’t hesitate to strike or bite back (literally and figuratively) if cornered, and wear their tragedies and guilt like a veil dogging their every step. I loved them and their romance 100% gave me LIFE!

I also loved how the House was a character in this story. Harrow’s writing perfectly conveys the beauty and the horror in the physical structure but also the history of the House. I loved how it’s initially portrayed as a haunted home (which is very much true) and yet by the end, your perception of the House changes completely. It’s a home, a place of belonging, comfort and peace. My heart was so full! Through the characters and what the House represents, Harrow examines themes of inequality, social class, bigotry, grief, forgiveness, and belonging through the existence of Starling House and our main characters who are seemingly stuck in this small town. I especially came to appreciate what the House, Underland and the Beasts represented. This is a story about confronting the past, embracing your fears, and accepting your hopes and dreams. I found the representations oddly beautiful and moving and perhaps shed a tear or two by the end. 🫣

Overall, an incredible read that I was not expecting to love as much as I did. Highly recommended for those who love lushly told stories, gothic tales of revenge and redemption, strong elements of family and belonging, and an achingly beautiful romance! 🥰

Have you read Starling House or is it on your TBR?

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