The Starless Sea

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (2019)

(Read: October 29th, 2022)

I feel like I have been reading a lot of stories about stories lately.

The main story is about Zachary, a loner studying video games in grad school, who finds a strange book in the university library. This book is full of fantastic and strange stories but perhaps the strangest of all is that this old book has a story about Zachary.

Zachary finds himself drawn into the mystery of the book, determined to find out its origins. All he has to go on are 3 symbols: a bed, a sword, and a key. He is soon embroiled in a story that has been happening for a very long time, the story of the Starless Sea, a secret place full of books and mysteries, a place that someone has been trying very hard to keep hidden.

Interspersed with Zachary’s journey are chapters from the books he finds, which tell more and more stories, some obviously related to his quest, some whose connection only becomes clear over time.

Overall, I enjoyed most of this. After a certain point I started skimming it though. There are only so many descriptions of chandeliers and random-object-filled rooms that I really care to read. I did like the ending!