“Strange, isn’t it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are…”
The Starless Sea follows Zachary Ezra Rawlins.
He is a student at a college / university when he stumbles across a book in the university library.
Upon reading the first few pages he realises the story in the book is about him. Or, at least, one of the many stories within those pages is about him. Some of the pages are torn out, and he doesn’t know how the story ends.
Mystified and curious he investigates the strange, unique book. He can’t help but wonder, if his story is true then perhaps all the stories contained within the pages are true as well.
My Thoughts
I’ve just finished this book and already I want to re-read it.
Partly because, although there are a lot of pieces the author lets you put together, I feel like there’s so much more you could pick up on during a second read through. I feel like this is definitely one of those stories you could read again and again and find something new and magical you didn’t pick up on before.
Also because, it’s beautiful.
This did and did not remind me of The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern’s first book.
Both have become favourites, in different ways.
This is a story filled with numerous other stories. You read about the lives of other people, all of them almost unfinished because, while the story might end, their life goes on. It’s so easy to get lost within the pages of this book.
Everything about The Starless Sea is deliberate. From the stories told, to the words chosen to tell the stories. Everything in this book has a purpose, even if you don’t see it right away.
This book talks about time and fate. Which was interesting, because throughout I thought a lot about the Fates in Greek Mythology. The three women – goddesses – who weave individual destinies to mortals at birth.
Only, these were many mortals. Across varying lengths of time and yet each story served a purpose and was just as important in telling this story.
This book is also about choices.
In my personal life I spend way too much time thinking about the paths I’ve chosen, as well as the paths my parents chose, and their parents chose, and their parents – all chances which means I get to exist. Everyone’s lives are like that. This book had me thinking about that too.
Conclusion
This book is stunningly written and breathtaking.
I can imagine there will be people who perhaps won’t enjoy this. Although I loved it, it’s definitely character driven and there isn’t much in the way of ‘action’. You get an adventure of sorts. You get a romance of sorts, many in fact, of beautiful longing.
This book is totally unique. It follows it’s own path and isn’t bound by normal rules of storytelling.
I stand by my assessment that this is a book you will either love or you won’t. Personally, I adored it.
“Be brave,” she says. “Be bold. Be loud. Never change for anyone but yourself. Any soul worth their star-stuff will take the whole package as is and however it grows. Don’t waste your time on anyone who doesn’t believe you when you tell them how you feel.”
