The Starless Sea

By: Erin Morgenstern

Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman, Dion Graham, Bahni Turpin, Allan Corduner, Fiona Hardingham, Jorjeana Marie

Brought to you by Penguin.

The magical new novel from the best-selling author of The Night Circus.

Are you lost or are you exploring?

When Zachary Rawlins stumbles across a strange book hidden in his university library it leads him on a quest unlike any other. Its pages entrance him with their tales of lovelorn prisoners, lost cities and nameless acolytes, but they also contain something impossible: a recollection from his own childhood.

Determined to solve the puzzle of the book, Zachary follows the clues he finds on the cover - a bee, a key and a sword. They guide him to a masquerade ball, to a dangerous secret club, and finally through a magical doorway created by the fierce and mysterious Mirabel. This door leads to a subterranean labyrinth filled with stories, hidden far beneath the surface of the earth.

When the labyrinth is threatened, Zachary must race with Mirabel, and Dorian, a handsome barefoot man with shifting alliances, through its twisting tunnels and crowded ballrooms, searching for the end of his story.
You are invited to join Zachary on the starless sea: the home of storytellers, story-lovers and those who will protect our stories at all costs.

© Erin Morgenstern 2018 (P) Penguin Audio 2018

Critic reviews

The Starless Sea rejects older stories: it makes its own... Rather than a traditional fantasy novel, this is an artificial myth in its own right... the novel's scope and ambition are undeniable (Natasha Pulley)

Erin Morgenstern’s fiction radiates with the excitement of someone discovering a magical world within the pages of a book. The Starless Sea…[is an] enchanting read… an ode to stories and storytelling itself, and the joy of reading (Martin Chilton)

A unique, mind-boggling fantasy (Kate Saunders)

A magical mix of quests and fables, it's set in a secret world full of bees, keys, swords and secrets... beautifully written (Deborah Hughes)

A book to get lost in…Morgenstern’s second novel boasts winding tunnels lined with packed bookshelves and cosy alcoves containing just enough light to read by… funny and…thought-provoking… [The Starless Sea] an intricate exploration of the stories we tell ourselves and others (Paloma Van Tol)

Poetry in prose

This book is convoluted, confusing, mysterious and phenomenally beautiful. I couldn’t stop listening/reading (I have the hard copy too so switched between the 2). Just an amazing magical life altering book

Great for sleeping

I have different reasons for listening to books. One is to go to sleep. The narration was good at 70%. The story isn’t very exciting so it was easy to fall asleep. The writing is poetic and beautiful. The storyline is not very interesting and could be improved upon. I was left with a definite feeling of “what was the point?” Overall it served its purpose so I’m content, but I wouldn’t pick another book by the same author.

A Love Letter to Storytelling

This book is stunning. It is beautiful, lyrical and so atmospheric. It pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It makes you believe in fairytales again.

Imagery

Superb story of love, loss, mystery, fantasy and magic. wonderful. loved from start to finish and would love for it to have not ended 😉

Into the world of the Starless Sea

Like The Night Circus, Erin once again paints and creates worlds with words, making it easy for readers to open the doors 😉 and step inside.

This novel is intricate, with several stories interwoven, developing throughout the book and progressively merging.
It is certainly one to read a second time.

Well done Erin. We hope you are working on your third book!