The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Rating: ★★✰✰✰

Dates Read: 5/13/23 - 5/13/23

    Zachary Ezra Rawlins stumbles upon a mysterious book at his Vermont university, only to find it contains a story from his own past. Desperate to unravel the book's connection to his life, he embarks on a journey filled with clues, secrets, and a hidden library beneath the earth's surface. Alongside captivating characters like Mirabel and Dorian, Zachary explores this magical realm of lost cities, lovers, and whispered tales from the dead. As he delves deeper into this world, he uncovers his purpose, both in the enigmatic book and his own existence. 

    "The Starless Sea" presents an enigmatic and poetic world that is both captivating and confusing. While the writing is undeniably beautiful, the lack of a coherent plot and underdeveloped characters hindered my enjoyment of the book. The main protagonist, Zachary, navigates through a magical library with no clear purpose, leaving readers feeling lost amidst endless descriptions and confusing narrative shifts. There was too much going on for me to even realize what had happened 15 pages back.

    There are numerous characters who are introduced with a purpose, and then their purpose is never fulfilled. The romance between Zachary and Dorian feels rushed and lacks believability due to the lack of meaningful interactions. Although the world-building is fascinating, the story becomes bogged down with unnecessary imagery and interruptions. 

    Overall, "The Starless Sea" had potential, but it didn't make any sense and had entirely too much going on. I cannot recommend this book, and I don't think Morgenstern is the author for me.