Starling House was a solid introduction to the gothic genre for me. The haunted-house premise and the underlying mystery surrounding the town’s past were what pulled me in most. 

I loved how the truth was hidden in all the different versions of the tale, and how it quietly touched on deeper social themes.

 

Arthur was your classic broody, burdened MMC with a soft side, and I enjoyed his dynamic with the FMC, though I wish the romance had been developed a bit more for the payoff to really land. 
The FMC herself felt a bit repetitive at times, her internal monologue circled around the same ideas (mainly about her being selfish, even while constantly proving otherwise), which slowed the pacing for me. 

The writing was rich and immersive, though occasionally too descriptive — I felt like the story of the house, which was my favorite part, got a bit lost in all the atmospheric detail. I would have loved more time spent exploring its origins and magic. 

In the end, it had all the right ingredients - a brooding house, morally gray characters, mystery, and romance — but it just didn’t fully stick the landing for me. Still, a unique read that I’m glad I picked up!