2/5
I am a big fan of The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern's debut novel. She perfectly captured the magic of a moving circus and the desperate desire to be a part of one. I had high hopes for The Starless Sea and was looking forward to experiencing Morgenstern's magic on paper again.
Unfortunately, Morgenstern gets so caught up in trying to create something grand and magical that she completely forgets that a cohesive plot is necessary. Starless Sea starts off strong with Elliot finding himself pulled into a mysterious world. But as the novel continues, Morgenstern forces in so many cliche elements that the world become cluttered and absurd. Starless Sea involved the personification of both fate and time, moon and sun (at least I think it did?), along with talking bees and time travel. And of course, don't forget all of the star-crossed lovers those conditions make!
Yes, the magic of her writing is still there. Her description of painted doors coming alive is beautiful. I loved the little stories within stories, such as the vignette about the moon and the sun. But Morgenstern tries to tie together way too many stories, making metaphors literal and then metaphorical again, that at the end of the novel, I had no idea what had happened or what she was trying to say. I gave it two stars rather than one because I managed to finish it, so I guess that's good.
If you haven't read The Night Circus, I would highly recommend that. Afterwards, if you miss Morgenstern's magic, give The Starless Sea a try. Enjoy the writing, but don't bother searching for a plot.
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