The Starless Sea (book)

**The Starless Sea** is a fantasy novel written by Erin Morgenstern that was published on November 5th, 2019. The story revolves around an ancient underground library and follows several storylines, as well as intermittent fairytale-esque stories. Morgenstern has stated that it is not a young adult novel, though it has been recommended for and enjoyed by teens.

*Proceed at your own risk if you have not yet finished the Starless Sea.*

## Plot Summary

Zachary Ezra Rawlins finds a mysterious book named *Sweet Sorrow*s in his university library. In contains a number of short stories, many featuring a place called "The Starless Sea". One of stories, to Zachary surprise, describes an event that happened to him as a child, in which he could have gone to the Starless Sea through a painted door.

Zachary's search for clues about the book leads him to a party in Manhattan, where he meets pink-haired Mirabel and a handsome storyteller named Dorian. Dorian tells him a story about the love between Fate and Time, but how the stars feared this and destroyed Fate. Zachary also meets Allegra Cavallo who, unbeknownst to Zachary, leads an organization dedicated to protecting the Starless Sea by closing off access to it for good.

Dorian requests Zachary's help to retrieve *Fortunes and Fables*, a book held by Allegra's organization. Zachary succeeds, but he is discovered. He and Dorian flee to Central Park, where Zachary escapes through a painted door, but Dorian is captured.

Now in a Harbor of the Starless Sea, Zachary meets the Keeper, who initially tries to get him to leave, but eventually relents and allows him to stay. Mirabel arrives and brings Zachary with her on a mission to rescue Dorian. Zachary is captured, but both he and Dorian are rescued by Mirabel. They return to the Harbor, where both Zachary and Dorian's injuries are treated.

Zachary explores the Harbor and meets Rhyme, an acolyte. She gives him a book called *The Ballad of Simon and Eleanor*, through which he learns of Simon and Eleanor, two earlier visitors from different time periods. They met in a room outside of time and conceived a child, named Mirabel. Following clues, Zachary is given a task to assemble three objects which had been lost in time: a book, a sword, and a man. Meanwhile, Zachary's college friend Kat Hawkins investigates Zachary's disappearance.

In the midst of his explorations, the Harbor is attacked by Allegra, who has come to the Harbor to close it off once and for all. The floor opens, and both she and Dorian fall deep into the earth. Zachary learns that Mirabel is Fate, and the Keeper is Time, and that Mirabel's conception was arranged to make her immortal, so that she and Time could finally be together.

Allegra dies in the fall. Mirabel leads Zachary into the depths, through old Harbors, but they are separated during and attack by the Owls. Dorian is rescued by Eleanor, while Zachary finds Simon. Zachary and Dorian try to find each other, but thanks to the illusions of malevolent spirits, Dorian accidentally stabs Zachary, who dies. His death triggers the end of the "story," and the Starless Sea begins to rise and flood the old Harbors.

Zachary is brought back to life by Fate's heart. He and Dorian are rescued from the flood by Eleanor. The Harbor floods, releasing the Keeper and allowing him and Mirabel to finally be together. Meanwhile, Kat discovers a door leading to a new Harbor on the Starless Sea, and the beginning of a new story.

### Main

* **Zachary Ezra Rawlins** - The son of a fortune teller, a graduate student, and the primary protagonist of *The Starless Sea*. When he is 11 years old, he finds a door to the Starless Sea, but does not enter it, not yet. He enjoys reading, gaming, and letting his (only) friend Kat coax him out of his room for cocktails or dancing.

### Secondary

* **Dorian** - He named himself for *Dorian Gray*, and he is the mysterious, barefoot man who leads Zachary Ezra Rawlins to the Harbor on the Starless Sea. His interests include hating shoes, tipping well,  and getting drunk to tell stories.
* **Mirabel** - She is the fierce, pink-haired painter who teaches Zachary Ezra Rawlins about the world of the Harbor and the Starless Sea as a whole. She enjoys drinking champagne in fancy dresses, and she is the current incarnation of Fate.
* **Kat Hawkins** - She is a school friend of Zachary's who investigates his disappearance, and she enjoys Harry Potter, knitting, baking, gaming, and every combination of those things.
* **The Keeper** - He is the master of The Harbor on the Starless Sea, a presumed lover of cats, and the current incarnation of Time.

## Structure

*The Starless Sea* is composed of six books and a coda.

* Book I: Sweet Sorrows
* Book II: Fortunes and Fables
* Book III: The Ballad of Simon and Eleanor
* Book IV: Written in the Stars
* Book V: The Owl King
* Book VI: The Secret Diary of Katrina Hawkins
* Afterward: Something New and Something Next

Books I, II, III, and VI each feature a specific in-universe book, which alternates with the main narrative in Zachary's point of view (and in Book VI, Dorian's point of view). Book IV has the same structure, except that it features text written onto folded paper stars, rather than a book. Book V lacks an in-universe book, and alternates between Zachary and Dorian's point of view. Books I through V each end with an interlude, in a different point of view and out of chronological sequence with the main narrative.

## Themes

A number of themes run through the novel (to be expanded).

* Fate versus Freedom of Choice
* The Nature of Story
* Creation versus Destruction

### The Hero's Journey

Zachary's story closely follows the steps of the Hero's Journey.

1. **The Call to Adventure**: Zachary finds the painted door.
2. **Refusal of the call**: Zachary chooses not to open the door.
3. **Supernatural Aid:** Dorian brings Zachary to the door in Central Park.
4. **The Crossing of the First Threshold:** Dorian goes through the door.
5. **Belly of the Whale:** Zachary rolls the dice and drinks from the glass.
6. **The Road of Trials**: Zachary goes with Mirabel to save Dorian. Zachary explores the Harbor.
7. **The Meeting with the Goddess**: Mirabel gives Zachary the key from her necklace
8. **Woman as the Temptress**: Zachary is tempted to simply stay with Dorian.
9. **Atonement with the Father/Abyss**: Zachary goes with Mirabel into the depths of the Starless Sea.
10. **Apotheosis**: Zachary destroys the paper that tells his future and makes his own choices.
11. **The Ultimate Boon**: Zachary dies and visits the Bees.
12. **Refusal of the Return**: Zachary requests his last dance with Mirabel and acknowledges that his own choices led him to the end of the story.
13. **The Magic Flight**: Zachary attempts to flee the rising honey.
14. **Rescue from Without**: Dorian uses Fate's Heart to bring Zachary back to life.

The story ends before the subsequent steps of the Hero's Journey (**the crossing of the return threshold**, **master of the two worlds**, and **freedom to live**), but these are implied or at least possible.

## Reception & Awards

* Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2020)
* Locus Award nominee for Best Fantasy Novel (2020)
* Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Fantasy (2019)

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Book I, "To deceive the eye"