Review: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if an echo of Alice in Wonderland was set in West Virginia? If so, then this is the book for you.

Southern Gothic: 40%

How Southern Gothic you consider this book will come down largely on how much you consider Appalachian culture part of the Southern Gothic milieu. This is a book of the mountains, not the fields and swamps, and it mines that rich vein skillfully. It's the little details where this really shines, such as having references to railroad bridges being paved over, but the ties being visible in places.

State aside, it has everything you're looking for: small town isolation, ruin and decay, ancestral secrets, the effect of poverty, outcasts, the works. The setting isn't just dressing, it's at the very root of things.

Fantasy: 55%

There are obvious echoes of Alice In Wonderland, which the book makes a point of noting. However it takes it in a very different direction, one that is just as magical, but far darker. The magic here is the point, and it pervades the whole book. This is a fantasy book first and foremost, and while the Southern Gothic trappings are excellent, it's the Fantasy that is the reason for the season.

Horror: 5%

I may be jaded, because I watch and read a lot of horror, but the horror elements here are almost non-existent. Are there monsters? Yes. Is there creepy mist? Sure. But these things added delicious tension, but never left me scared. So if you are leery of horror, I wouldn't worry that this one is going to leave you sleepless.

Other Notes

• If you enjoy romance, this has a strong throughline of it. It's not overwhelming for you romance haters, but it is a major plot point.

• There are several plot points that deftly dive into racial and environmental issues.

• Bonus points for a Waffle House reference.

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