The Starless Sea

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What to expect

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

Critics Review

  • 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

    Guardian
  • 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

    Independent
  • A unique, mind-boggling fantasy

    The Times
  • A magical mix of quests and fables, it’s set in a secret world full of bees, keys, swords and secrets… beautifully written

    Heat
  • Enchanting…Myths and fairytales entwine with Zachary’s quest to discover his life’s purpose. Spellbinding.

    Daily Mirror

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