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Starling
Starling can trap a rabbit, cook a meal from a hedge and hear a bailiff coming from a mile off. All she has ever known is a nomadic existence, traveling in a camper van with Mar, her strong-willed mother. But Mar has cut them off from their community, and this winter they’re stuck in deep mud in a wood, with no fuel, no money and no friends.
One morning, without explanation, Mar leaves and doesn’t come back. Utterly alone, Starling must learn to survive without her mother and build a life on her own terms.
An offer to stay with an old friend draws her into a more conventional way of living – but can rootless Starling ever find a place where she truly belongs?
One morning, without explanation, Mar leaves and doesn’t come back. Utterly alone, Starling must learn to survive without her mother and build a life on her own terms.
An offer to stay with an old friend draws her into a more conventional way of living – but can rootless Starling ever find a place where she truly belongs?
- GenresFiction
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2022
3 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
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August 21, 2022
My Rating : 4.5⭐
“We are women who live needing nothing, needing no one. We are women who live in full connection with our mother earth. We will never betray her.”
Nineteen-year-old Starling has spent her life living off the grid with her mother traveling across the country in their camper van. Once part of a community of travelers, it has been a while that she and her mother have been on their own. As the story begins, we find them living in their van parked deep in the woods. Starling’s mother, Mar, is an artist whose paintings and artwork are often bartered for necessities. Though they have a few friends in the outside world and a community of fellow travelers that they have left behind, Mar is unwilling to be a part of any community - her fierce independence, preference for isolation and need for personal space override her social needs.
“This was Mar’s idea of heaven, a space under the trees with no one else for miles.”
Starling misses the friends she made in her “tribe” and is often tempted to contact them, (with a cell phone her mother does not know she possesses) but her love and loyalty toward her mother keep her from doing so.
“Starling had been leaving places all her life. Still, though, every time she arrived somewhere new she was like a sprig of mint in water–she couldn’t help but put out hopeful roots.”
Starling’s life changes when, after a morning of foraging, she returns to their van only to find her mother gone. From what she can make out, her mother left with a packed bag and deliberately left her behind. After waiting for a few days only to be disappointed when her mother fails to return to the van, Starling ventures out on her own, braving the elements, walking and hitchhiking, initially hoping to find her mother in any of the few familiar places she could be in the outside world but is unsuccessful in her search. She realizes, that for the first time in her life, she is completely alone and must find a way to support herself. What follows is the story of a brave young girl, attempting to walk her own path and find her place in the world.
“Was she free now? Free to make her own life and find her own way? The world beyond the van was dirty and corrupt. It rejected her, as she rejected it.”
It took a while (almost the 30% mark) for me to adjust to the pace and structure of the narrative but after that point , I was absorbed in the story as it progressed and felt invested in Starling’s journey as she tries to make sense of her situation. The author eloquently describes Starling's thoughts, memories and her struggle to come to terms with her mother’s abandonment. We can feel how conflicted she is when she experiences moments of happiness in a life that she has been conditioned to judge as wrong. At each point in her journey, we see Starling’s thoughts drift back to memories of life with her mother, and she is reminded constantly of the principles and convictions her mother has ingrained in her. (“People do not live in towns. They cling together, existing and no more, because they are afraid to live fully and freely as we do.”) The cynicism, distrust and commercialism she associates with life as a “townie” often holds her back from fully opening up to new experiences. She finds kindness but also experiences disillusionment, loss and disappointment – not knowing quite how to navigate her way around new people, places and emotions. In a corner of her heart, she harbors hope that her mother will return and they will be reunited. For the first time in her life,she is alone and missing her mother, longing for friendship and a sense of belongingness on the one hand but also feeling suffocated and craving the solitude and sense of freedom living in the heart of nature afforded her.
“Starling wondered where she belonged now. Could she be woven into this place of streets and bricks and orange light, and people who let their plants die of thirst?”
Sarah Jane Butler’s prose is exquisite and her descriptions of nature are vivid and captivating. The author balances the poetic, descriptive writing in these segments with a retrained, often factual, style of storytelling (which, for some, might result in difficulty to connect with the character emotionally) when describing Starling’s thoughts and behavior. I found the narrative, which is presented to us from Starling’s perspective commensurate with the character and how she evolves through the course of the story. Given how Starling has been brought up in survival mode, its suits her character that her actions would be governed by her thoughts and convictions and lesser by her emotions, at least initially. Her emotional side comes into play gradually as she acclimatizes to her new circumstances. I also like that the author gives readers the space to figure out how they relate to the character and the story without overdoing it in terms of over-the-top sentimentalism or melodrama. In doing so , each of the characters comes across as well fleshed out and believable. Overall, I enjoyed “Starling “ by Sarah Jane Butler and would definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.
Thank you, Sarah Jane Butler, Fairlight Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this beautifully –written novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on September 29, 2022.
“We are women who live needing nothing, needing no one. We are women who live in full connection with our mother earth. We will never betray her.”
Nineteen-year-old Starling has spent her life living off the grid with her mother traveling across the country in their camper van. Once part of a community of travelers, it has been a while that she and her mother have been on their own. As the story begins, we find them living in their van parked deep in the woods. Starling’s mother, Mar, is an artist whose paintings and artwork are often bartered for necessities. Though they have a few friends in the outside world and a community of fellow travelers that they have left behind, Mar is unwilling to be a part of any community - her fierce independence, preference for isolation and need for personal space override her social needs.
“This was Mar’s idea of heaven, a space under the trees with no one else for miles.”
Starling misses the friends she made in her “tribe” and is often tempted to contact them, (with a cell phone her mother does not know she possesses) but her love and loyalty toward her mother keep her from doing so.
“Starling had been leaving places all her life. Still, though, every time she arrived somewhere new she was like a sprig of mint in water–she couldn’t help but put out hopeful roots.”
Starling’s life changes when, after a morning of foraging, she returns to their van only to find her mother gone. From what she can make out, her mother left with a packed bag and deliberately left her behind. After waiting for a few days only to be disappointed when her mother fails to return to the van, Starling ventures out on her own, braving the elements, walking and hitchhiking, initially hoping to find her mother in any of the few familiar places she could be in the outside world but is unsuccessful in her search. She realizes, that for the first time in her life, she is completely alone and must find a way to support herself. What follows is the story of a brave young girl, attempting to walk her own path and find her place in the world.
“Was she free now? Free to make her own life and find her own way? The world beyond the van was dirty and corrupt. It rejected her, as she rejected it.”
It took a while (almost the 30% mark) for me to adjust to the pace and structure of the narrative but after that point , I was absorbed in the story as it progressed and felt invested in Starling’s journey as she tries to make sense of her situation. The author eloquently describes Starling's thoughts, memories and her struggle to come to terms with her mother’s abandonment. We can feel how conflicted she is when she experiences moments of happiness in a life that she has been conditioned to judge as wrong. At each point in her journey, we see Starling’s thoughts drift back to memories of life with her mother, and she is reminded constantly of the principles and convictions her mother has ingrained in her. (“People do not live in towns. They cling together, existing and no more, because they are afraid to live fully and freely as we do.”) The cynicism, distrust and commercialism she associates with life as a “townie” often holds her back from fully opening up to new experiences. She finds kindness but also experiences disillusionment, loss and disappointment – not knowing quite how to navigate her way around new people, places and emotions. In a corner of her heart, she harbors hope that her mother will return and they will be reunited. For the first time in her life,she is alone and missing her mother, longing for friendship and a sense of belongingness on the one hand but also feeling suffocated and craving the solitude and sense of freedom living in the heart of nature afforded her.
“Starling wondered where she belonged now. Could she be woven into this place of streets and bricks and orange light, and people who let their plants die of thirst?”
Sarah Jane Butler’s prose is exquisite and her descriptions of nature are vivid and captivating. The author balances the poetic, descriptive writing in these segments with a retrained, often factual, style of storytelling (which, for some, might result in difficulty to connect with the character emotionally) when describing Starling’s thoughts and behavior. I found the narrative, which is presented to us from Starling’s perspective commensurate with the character and how she evolves through the course of the story. Given how Starling has been brought up in survival mode, its suits her character that her actions would be governed by her thoughts and convictions and lesser by her emotions, at least initially. Her emotional side comes into play gradually as she acclimatizes to her new circumstances. I also like that the author gives readers the space to figure out how they relate to the character and the story without overdoing it in terms of over-the-top sentimentalism or melodrama. In doing so , each of the characters comes across as well fleshed out and believable. Overall, I enjoyed “Starling “ by Sarah Jane Butler and would definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.
Thank you, Sarah Jane Butler, Fairlight Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this beautifully –written novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on September 29, 2022.
June 22, 2023
19 year old Starling is raised off-the-grid by her unconventional mother, Mar, traveling the English countryside and never setting down roots. One day, Starling returns to their camper van to find Mar gone. With their camper van stuck in the mud in the woods and no money, Starling begins her journey of survival and making her way on her own. Along the way she must decide if she is going to continue living the live of a traveler or move towards a more conventional way of life.
The author uses beautiful imagery which made me feel like I was immersed in nature with Starling. I'll admit, it took me a little bit to warm up to her, but eventually she won me over. I loved the descriptions of Starling foraging for food and the different meals made with the items found in the woods. Despite Mar being absent from the book physically, she plays a huge role in the story having raised Starling into who she is, so I would have liked to learn a little more about her beyond the glimpses we were given.
This a a slower paced, character-driven, coming-of-age novel. The book didn't grab my attention initially, but around the 25% mark I fell into a groove and became more invested in the story. It is quite sad in parts while also being quietly uplifting in others. A good debut novel overall. 3.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
The author uses beautiful imagery which made me feel like I was immersed in nature with Starling. I'll admit, it took me a little bit to warm up to her, but eventually she won me over. I loved the descriptions of Starling foraging for food and the different meals made with the items found in the woods. Despite Mar being absent from the book physically, she plays a huge role in the story having raised Starling into who she is, so I would have liked to learn a little more about her beyond the glimpses we were given.
This a a slower paced, character-driven, coming-of-age novel. The book didn't grab my attention initially, but around the 25% mark I fell into a groove and became more invested in the story. It is quite sad in parts while also being quietly uplifting in others. A good debut novel overall. 3.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 28, 2022
i have been thoroughly enjoying the new wave of contemporary, eco-critical literature that has started slowly easing itself into the publishing world. as we face a catastrophic, ecological crisis across the surface of an ever-changing planet, authors like sarah jane butler are here to remind us of the splendour of our everyday world. parochial, beautiful and totally charming, starling is a universal reminder that we are in control of our future. amidst the rich, quaint imagery of the natural world, unfurls a tale of motherhood and friendship as butler allows us to peek behind the curtain at the secret lives of the nomadic community.
raised entirely off-grid by her eccentric, strong-willed mother, all starling knows is survival. she has largely spent life inside the comfort of their van, constantly mobilising across the english countryside where they rely on nothing, no-one except the earth and each other. after severing ties with the self-reliant community to which their friends belong, mar and starling have been utterly alone. one morning, starling wakes up to find her mother has left without a trace and shows no sign of returning. faced with the prospect of spending a harsh, brutal winter alone, starling decide whether to embark on a journey towards society and self-discovery, or stay true to the values of independence and strength her mother has instilled within.
butler's admiration for the natural world presents itself wonderfully in the luscious, atmospheric imagery and language of the novel. you can hear every woodland creature and man-made noise juxtaposed against one another, just as you can smell, see and practically taste every environment starling finds herself in. despite her initial aloofness and quiet disposition, starling is a dynamite protagonist. her anger, anxiety and quest to do what is right for her own path in life shows butler's strength of characterisation - there are moments where it is easy to empathise with her, yet entirely loathe her at the same time. despite her mother's physical absence, her influence is felt on every page, through her wise ruminations on everything from conventionality, women in society and our relationship to the natural world. the plot of the novel is easy enough to follow, but at times the pacing felt disjointed and awkward, as starling moves from place to place with very little resolution - particularly in the later pages of the novel.
in starling, butler has created coming-of-age story that feels both whimsical and completely modern. our awareness of the world around us and our impact on the earth is heightened by climate change, and butler lifts the lid on those who rely on what is around us to survive. wickedly original, charming and paramount reading.
a huge thank you to fairlight for my gifted copy!
raised entirely off-grid by her eccentric, strong-willed mother, all starling knows is survival. she has largely spent life inside the comfort of their van, constantly mobilising across the english countryside where they rely on nothing, no-one except the earth and each other. after severing ties with the self-reliant community to which their friends belong, mar and starling have been utterly alone. one morning, starling wakes up to find her mother has left without a trace and shows no sign of returning. faced with the prospect of spending a harsh, brutal winter alone, starling decide whether to embark on a journey towards society and self-discovery, or stay true to the values of independence and strength her mother has instilled within.
butler's admiration for the natural world presents itself wonderfully in the luscious, atmospheric imagery and language of the novel. you can hear every woodland creature and man-made noise juxtaposed against one another, just as you can smell, see and practically taste every environment starling finds herself in. despite her initial aloofness and quiet disposition, starling is a dynamite protagonist. her anger, anxiety and quest to do what is right for her own path in life shows butler's strength of characterisation - there are moments where it is easy to empathise with her, yet entirely loathe her at the same time. despite her mother's physical absence, her influence is felt on every page, through her wise ruminations on everything from conventionality, women in society and our relationship to the natural world. the plot of the novel is easy enough to follow, but at times the pacing felt disjointed and awkward, as starling moves from place to place with very little resolution - particularly in the later pages of the novel.
in starling, butler has created coming-of-age story that feels both whimsical and completely modern. our awareness of the world around us and our impact on the earth is heightened by climate change, and butler lifts the lid on those who rely on what is around us to survive. wickedly original, charming and paramount reading.
a huge thank you to fairlight for my gifted copy!
October 19, 2022
Starling by Sarah Jane Butler is a slow-burner about Starling - a girl growing up whilst travelling around the English countryside, living in a camper van with her mum, Mar. As the reader follows Starling, there are flashbacks to her childhood and the tribe who surrounded her and nurtured her. When she is forced to fend for herself, her solitary journey sees her seeking people from her past. This is a welcome distraction from life's current struggles full of descriptions of nature and it contains heartbreaking moments though chunks are also uplifting. It is character-driven and it touches on family, fear friendship, loss, disappointment, survival, life's decisions and creativity. Captivating and vividly written.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Fairlight Books via NetGalley.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Fairlight Books via NetGalley.
July 21, 2022
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Starling, a nineteen year old raised on the road and in the forests of England, suddenly finds herself alone after her mother, Mar, leaves without a word. Left by herself, Starling embarks on a journey of self-discovery and truth as she tries to find where she belongs, and with whom.
This book is beautiful, it almost reads more like poetry than prose. Butler is a lyrical writer, and Starling's journey is a long and winding journey. This is not a tale of a survivalist living off the land, but instead of a woman (who feels more like a girl) thrust into the world with no pretense or guide. There are those who care for her, despite her mother's cruel goodbyes, and Starling's story is one of accepting a home.
Starling, a nineteen year old raised on the road and in the forests of England, suddenly finds herself alone after her mother, Mar, leaves without a word. Left by herself, Starling embarks on a journey of self-discovery and truth as she tries to find where she belongs, and with whom.
This book is beautiful, it almost reads more like poetry than prose. Butler is a lyrical writer, and Starling's journey is a long and winding journey. This is not a tale of a survivalist living off the land, but instead of a woman (who feels more like a girl) thrust into the world with no pretense or guide. There are those who care for her, despite her mother's cruel goodbyes, and Starling's story is one of accepting a home.
October 10, 2022
via my blog:https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙠𝙚.
What is beautiful about this story is the ideal of living outside the margins of what others deem as worthy of a life. With young adult Starling fending for herself, it brings into question her deep rooted beliefs, molded very much by her mother’s ideas of how human beings should live in the world, in touch with the earth, shirking the ease and comfort of society. There is a superiority and anger that arises, a sort of us against the world mentality. Starling finds that unlike Mar, she may need people and words. Mar is famous for her silence, her inability to remain in one place for long. “Life was in the traveling, in the music, in the joining of journeys one after the other to make something whole, but never finished.” Mar’s leaving is the norm, ever since Starling was a child Mar would head off, but she left maps of where she’d be and Starling had Em (Mar’s former best friend, until a falling out), whose van she would stay in until Mar’s return. But they are alone now, without a community, and Starling is left waiting, working jobs, finding scraps to eat and puzzled over where Mar could be. Mar has always needed to feel the soil on her feet, but this time is different, is it some sort of test? Mar has never been steady with others, preferring instead to hit the road in their camper, unchained from the demands anchoring in place forces on people. The only relationship she has remained steady is with Starling, but something has changed.
Who is Starling without the force of her mother, her strength and guidance? Mar is the one who has always decided the direction their lives have taken. A life that respects the earth, leaves nary a trace, does no harm to the land, takes only what is needed, and disgusted by the destruction human beings leave in their wake. If she never returns, will Starling still be a solid person? So much of who she is has been tied into Mar’s molding but Starling loves being a woman of the earth, her mother has taught her how to live off the land, find food, get water, gather firewood. Starling isn’t a helpless child, she is more than capable, a survivor who doesn’t need much money based on Mar’s teachings. Their van is her home, always has been, but without Mar’s presence, there is a shift, and she must decide whether or not to remain alone or put her toe back in the world, a place of nothing but greed and corruption. Mar is out there, somewhere, so are people Starling was once close to, Luc and others from their tribe (family of friends).
Mar may not have always been straight with her, a woman who decides how she is going to live in the world also chooses who to cut out. There are many truths Starling will need to learn about Mar and about herself. She is free now to make her own decisions about her future, but she is terrified, overwhelmed. Will she muster enough strength to leave the van, the land they’ve been living on? What about their way of life, solitude?
I really enjoyed this, Starling is a well written character, believable in her interactions, her needs, her fears and her struggles. She gets confrontational, like most of us, her criticism of certain people is colored by past hurts, and as open to the earth as she and Mar are, when it comes to people, they can be quite closed minded, making fast judgements and assumptions. Of course, it’s not out of ugliness, but their impassioned belief system, born out of Mar’s soul. Mar, though physically absent, is solidly present in how Starling makes decisions for herself based on what Mar would do. But Mar and Starling aren’t the same person, don’t necessarily need the same things, Starling is finally forced to stand on her own two feet fully, decide her own way of life. I think, living off the land or smack dab in the middle of society, most young adults must search their souls and figure out who they are as a separate individual. Weed out what fits and give birth to what burns within them. Other people are always a challenge, with their own views and decisions, it is something that we cannot control. Mar needs her absences, but it is Starling who benefits from the distance between them. It’s a transformative experience, learning who you are without another making all the big decisions for you.
Yes, read it.
Publication Date: October 1, 2022 Available Now
Fairlight Books
𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙠𝙚.
What is beautiful about this story is the ideal of living outside the margins of what others deem as worthy of a life. With young adult Starling fending for herself, it brings into question her deep rooted beliefs, molded very much by her mother’s ideas of how human beings should live in the world, in touch with the earth, shirking the ease and comfort of society. There is a superiority and anger that arises, a sort of us against the world mentality. Starling finds that unlike Mar, she may need people and words. Mar is famous for her silence, her inability to remain in one place for long. “Life was in the traveling, in the music, in the joining of journeys one after the other to make something whole, but never finished.” Mar’s leaving is the norm, ever since Starling was a child Mar would head off, but she left maps of where she’d be and Starling had Em (Mar’s former best friend, until a falling out), whose van she would stay in until Mar’s return. But they are alone now, without a community, and Starling is left waiting, working jobs, finding scraps to eat and puzzled over where Mar could be. Mar has always needed to feel the soil on her feet, but this time is different, is it some sort of test? Mar has never been steady with others, preferring instead to hit the road in their camper, unchained from the demands anchoring in place forces on people. The only relationship she has remained steady is with Starling, but something has changed.
Who is Starling without the force of her mother, her strength and guidance? Mar is the one who has always decided the direction their lives have taken. A life that respects the earth, leaves nary a trace, does no harm to the land, takes only what is needed, and disgusted by the destruction human beings leave in their wake. If she never returns, will Starling still be a solid person? So much of who she is has been tied into Mar’s molding but Starling loves being a woman of the earth, her mother has taught her how to live off the land, find food, get water, gather firewood. Starling isn’t a helpless child, she is more than capable, a survivor who doesn’t need much money based on Mar’s teachings. Their van is her home, always has been, but without Mar’s presence, there is a shift, and she must decide whether or not to remain alone or put her toe back in the world, a place of nothing but greed and corruption. Mar is out there, somewhere, so are people Starling was once close to, Luc and others from their tribe (family of friends).
Mar may not have always been straight with her, a woman who decides how she is going to live in the world also chooses who to cut out. There are many truths Starling will need to learn about Mar and about herself. She is free now to make her own decisions about her future, but she is terrified, overwhelmed. Will she muster enough strength to leave the van, the land they’ve been living on? What about their way of life, solitude?
I really enjoyed this, Starling is a well written character, believable in her interactions, her needs, her fears and her struggles. She gets confrontational, like most of us, her criticism of certain people is colored by past hurts, and as open to the earth as she and Mar are, when it comes to people, they can be quite closed minded, making fast judgements and assumptions. Of course, it’s not out of ugliness, but their impassioned belief system, born out of Mar’s soul. Mar, though physically absent, is solidly present in how Starling makes decisions for herself based on what Mar would do. But Mar and Starling aren’t the same person, don’t necessarily need the same things, Starling is finally forced to stand on her own two feet fully, decide her own way of life. I think, living off the land or smack dab in the middle of society, most young adults must search their souls and figure out who they are as a separate individual. Weed out what fits and give birth to what burns within them. Other people are always a challenge, with their own views and decisions, it is something that we cannot control. Mar needs her absences, but it is Starling who benefits from the distance between them. It’s a transformative experience, learning who you are without another making all the big decisions for you.
Yes, read it.
Publication Date: October 1, 2022 Available Now
Fairlight Books
August 14, 2022
I loved this book.
Its about Starling who wakes up one morning in a van in a field, and her mother, Mar, is gone.
Starling who has always lived with Mar, is sure that Mar will come back and waits for her in the van.
Mar doesn't come back.
The story unfolds to reveal that Mar and Starling were living off the land and taking care of the earth.
With Mar out of the way Starling must find her own way and path in the world.
The book is gorgeously written about Starlings thoughts, feelings, memories.
The author took her time to describe all of the animals and plants along the way, I Truly felt that I was walking the same earthen paths that Starling was.
This book is all about finding one's own path in life, while trying to discover the truth. Not everything you are told is true.
I would highly recommend reading this coming of age novel to everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Its about Starling who wakes up one morning in a van in a field, and her mother, Mar, is gone.
Starling who has always lived with Mar, is sure that Mar will come back and waits for her in the van.
Mar doesn't come back.
The story unfolds to reveal that Mar and Starling were living off the land and taking care of the earth.
With Mar out of the way Starling must find her own way and path in the world.
The book is gorgeously written about Starlings thoughts, feelings, memories.
The author took her time to describe all of the animals and plants along the way, I Truly felt that I was walking the same earthen paths that Starling was.
This book is all about finding one's own path in life, while trying to discover the truth. Not everything you are told is true.
I would highly recommend reading this coming of age novel to everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
August 2, 2022
Starling has been raised and lives off grid with Mar, righteous and angry at the world. That is, until Starling wakes to find Mar gone, without a word, one day. We travel with Starling as she finds her own way in the world, reconnects with old friends and figures out who she is without the overbearing presence of Mar. I found this a perfect summer read. A love of nature and the ebbs and flows of the seasons were beautifully interwoven into the narrative. Full of interesting characters and just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning without detracting from the emotional nuances of this tender coming of age tale.
July 26, 2022
A beautiful, powerful story of life, loss and journeying. I loved Starling and read it over two greedy days. The author writes with such simple elegance and attention to detail, that I had to stop countless times to reread the beautiful language – ‘the high sky held a handful of light’, ‘she measured out words carefully as though she and Starling were running out of sounds’. This, on almost every page.
I was beckoned into the woods and fields of the story with the opening lines and held there until I put the book down. The plot unfolded at just the right pace, allowing me to hope that things would turn out for the better, but surprising me, for good and ill, when I least expected it. The story is one of loneliness, fear and uncertainty but also of friendship, hope and longing. It gave me a strong sense of the power of the land; of the strength of community; of both the ingenuity and hardships of a nomadic life.
Out at the end of September, Starling is the perfect, atmospheric read for the last quarter of the year. I loved it and would highly recommend it as a deeply thought provoking, beautifully written and satisfying story.
I was beckoned into the woods and fields of the story with the opening lines and held there until I put the book down. The plot unfolded at just the right pace, allowing me to hope that things would turn out for the better, but surprising me, for good and ill, when I least expected it. The story is one of loneliness, fear and uncertainty but also of friendship, hope and longing. It gave me a strong sense of the power of the land; of the strength of community; of both the ingenuity and hardships of a nomadic life.
Out at the end of September, Starling is the perfect, atmospheric read for the last quarter of the year. I loved it and would highly recommend it as a deeply thought provoking, beautifully written and satisfying story.
September 3, 2022
To begin with, while the book description is accurate, it is deceptively simple. Starling is a complex character, raised wild and semi-feral in her thought processes. This is a result of having been brought up by Mar, someone who is an incredibly strong presence in the book. Mar's deep mistrust and avoidance of humans has rubbed off on Starling to the point where Starling also trusts no one. So when Mar abandons Starling without warning Starling is completely adrift and with nowhere to go and no one to turn to except for the childhood friend she hasn't seen for many years and whom she also feels abandoned by.
Starling is not always an easy person to like. Even knowing why she does the things she does it is hard to see her hurt others, sometimes unknowingly and other times intentionally. Being forced to live fully with other people for the first time in her life without Mar's judgemental presence helps Starling to see, for the first time, that perhaps Mar's perception of the wider world and those who live in it might not be entirely reliable.
#Netgalley #Starling #SarahJaneButler
This is a very insightful book with characters that get under your skin. One part of me hopes for a sequel, but the larger part wants to leave the story exactly where it ended and let my imagination continue to fire.
Starling is not always an easy person to like. Even knowing why she does the things she does it is hard to see her hurt others, sometimes unknowingly and other times intentionally. Being forced to live fully with other people for the first time in her life without Mar's judgemental presence helps Starling to see, for the first time, that perhaps Mar's perception of the wider world and those who live in it might not be entirely reliable.
#Netgalley #Starling #SarahJaneButler
This is a very insightful book with characters that get under your skin. One part of me hopes for a sequel, but the larger part wants to leave the story exactly where it ended and let my imagination continue to fire.
July 24, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Jane Butler and Fairlight Books for the ARC.
Every once in a while, I find a book I know is going to get 5 stars from me within the first few chapters. Starling is one of them.
The detailed descriptions of the countryside made me feel like I was out walking past battered hedgerows and over streams. Food descriptions had me salivating and now I must find a recipe for raspberry flapjacks. I could smell woodsmoke, grass and foxes.
Starling is one of my new favourite fictional people. I want to be her friend. The storytelling is clever and the characters are all strong and well developed. Butler makes her novel so visually descriptive, it's almost like watching something on the screen.
I'm honoured to have had an ARC but will be buying a copy when it gets published It is, to put it simply, exquisite. I would 100% recommend that you get yourself a copy.
Every once in a while, I find a book I know is going to get 5 stars from me within the first few chapters. Starling is one of them.
The detailed descriptions of the countryside made me feel like I was out walking past battered hedgerows and over streams. Food descriptions had me salivating and now I must find a recipe for raspberry flapjacks. I could smell woodsmoke, grass and foxes.
Starling is one of my new favourite fictional people. I want to be her friend. The storytelling is clever and the characters are all strong and well developed. Butler makes her novel so visually descriptive, it's almost like watching something on the screen.
I'm honoured to have had an ARC but will be buying a copy when it gets published It is, to put it simply, exquisite. I would 100% recommend that you get yourself a copy.
August 11, 2022
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
I so wanted to love this book, based as it is in the deep countryside, a setting that appeals to me deeply. The novel tells the story of Starling, a marginalised young woman who lives by her wits, immersed in the natural world of a Traveller. Starling has to work out what to do when Mar, her unconventional mother, leaves her without warning. The novel describes the journey and the choices Star has to make.
The descriptions and detail are lovely and reminiscent of the best bits of 'Where The Crawdads Sing''. But it took me a long time to get to know the main character and be really inside her head., which is exactly how I felt about 'Crawdads'. Unlike 'Crawdads', the characters are not stereotypical and 'Starling' does not descend into melodrama. But there seemed to be a lot of telling and not enough showing and I felt strangely detached from much of the action. I would have liked more dialogue early on to overcome the distance I felt between myself as the reader and the protagonist.
I so wanted to love this book, based as it is in the deep countryside, a setting that appeals to me deeply. The novel tells the story of Starling, a marginalised young woman who lives by her wits, immersed in the natural world of a Traveller. Starling has to work out what to do when Mar, her unconventional mother, leaves her without warning. The novel describes the journey and the choices Star has to make.
The descriptions and detail are lovely and reminiscent of the best bits of 'Where The Crawdads Sing''. But it took me a long time to get to know the main character and be really inside her head., which is exactly how I felt about 'Crawdads'. Unlike 'Crawdads', the characters are not stereotypical and 'Starling' does not descend into melodrama. But there seemed to be a lot of telling and not enough showing and I felt strangely detached from much of the action. I would have liked more dialogue early on to overcome the distance I felt between myself as the reader and the protagonist.
July 3, 2022
'She had to find her own song, her own way of being'
Mar and Starling - mother and daughter, live off the land, travelling to wherever feels right but never putting down roots. When Mar leaves, Starling has to make her own way with what she has been taught. Can she be tempted into a more conventional life? Will she finally find where she belongs?
Reminiscent of Where the Crawdad Sings, I thoroughly enjoyed this debut book. I felt engaged with the main character from the very beginning, feeling frustration, adoration and hope in equal measures.
Mar and Starling - mother and daughter, live off the land, travelling to wherever feels right but never putting down roots. When Mar leaves, Starling has to make her own way with what she has been taught. Can she be tempted into a more conventional life? Will she finally find where she belongs?
Reminiscent of Where the Crawdad Sings, I thoroughly enjoyed this debut book. I felt engaged with the main character from the very beginning, feeling frustration, adoration and hope in equal measures.
dnf
October 25, 2022This cover is stunning. It beautifully portrays the calming, homely feel of nature for Starling but also the bleak loss that this book explores. A magnificent cover that sets up such heights that, unsurprisingly, the story cannot reach them.
To label the writing as prosaic is accurate but also does it a disservice. It is reasonably easy to follow, uses some nice descriptive language and, fundamentally, there's nothing wrong with it. However, the writing is methodical- it has a repeating pattern or a plan that will not be deviated from. It's like the ticking of a clock; once one has realised something, it's impossible to forget about it. For this book, it's that the structure is as follows:
She did this.
She did this.
*paragraph describing the natural surroundings*
She did this.
Nevertheless, the setting descriptions are good. They utilise all the senses, building a rich portrait of Starling and Mar's home that's easy to visualise. There is then some development from this as to why they have chosen this way of life:
'It would be easy to walk away, get a job, a floor, a room, always have a meal that filled you on the table, and more in the cupboard where it came from. But such a life held no meaning- what was the point of living as if you were not part of the land? Of buying a sauce in a jar that tasted of chemicals? Of never smelling the cold jade of midnight in February or the feel of a pike nudging your leg in the river in June? You might as well not live. The real world was here.' 5%
These moments are glorious but they are so few and far between; there is so little character feeling in the story. If, put simply, the choice is a plot or character-focused story, this hasn't got enough of either.
As a symbolical approach to representing, in particular, Mar's view of life (namely the fleeting quality of human life, that people should not leave a mark on the Earth as it will continue long after you have gone), it makes sense that the focus should be on the natural elements. By skimming through human actions, it allows for the emphasis to remain on the world around them. For anyone captivated by this lifestyle, this will be fascinating to explore, but it does little to engage anyone who isn't.
'She had to go and find the world again.' 12%
To label the writing as prosaic is accurate but also does it a disservice. It is reasonably easy to follow, uses some nice descriptive language and, fundamentally, there's nothing wrong with it. However, the writing is methodical- it has a repeating pattern or a plan that will not be deviated from. It's like the ticking of a clock; once one has realised something, it's impossible to forget about it. For this book, it's that the structure is as follows:
She did this.
She did this.
*paragraph describing the natural surroundings*
She did this.
Nevertheless, the setting descriptions are good. They utilise all the senses, building a rich portrait of Starling and Mar's home that's easy to visualise. There is then some development from this as to why they have chosen this way of life:
'It would be easy to walk away, get a job, a floor, a room, always have a meal that filled you on the table, and more in the cupboard where it came from. But such a life held no meaning- what was the point of living as if you were not part of the land? Of buying a sauce in a jar that tasted of chemicals? Of never smelling the cold jade of midnight in February or the feel of a pike nudging your leg in the river in June? You might as well not live. The real world was here.' 5%
These moments are glorious but they are so few and far between; there is so little character feeling in the story. If, put simply, the choice is a plot or character-focused story, this hasn't got enough of either.
As a symbolical approach to representing, in particular, Mar's view of life (namely the fleeting quality of human life, that people should not leave a mark on the Earth as it will continue long after you have gone), it makes sense that the focus should be on the natural elements. By skimming through human actions, it allows for the emphasis to remain on the world around them. For anyone captivated by this lifestyle, this will be fascinating to explore, but it does little to engage anyone who isn't.
'She had to go and find the world again.' 12%
February 17, 2023
At nineteen, Starling has always lived her life on the road with her mother Mar, steadfastly sticking to the 'old ways': living off the land, rejecting consumerism and shunning the trappings of modern convenience in order to stay close to nature, remaining true to themselves. But when Mar leaves Starling alone in their camper van home with no warning and no trace, Starling has to figure out where to go and how to survive. This expertly-plotted, beautifully-woven tale is a coming-of-age story with a real difference: it explores, in an exquisitely visceral way, the challenges of coming to terms with loss and displacement. The prose is richly lyrical, evoking every sense of being immersed in nature, and you really get a strong sense of Starling's character and voice as the novel is peppered with her own, idiosyncratic metaphor and emotional responses to the new territory she is exploring, the tentative relationships she forges with others. Without giving anything away, regarding plot development, there are twists and turns of events I was not necessarily expecting and there is ambiguity for the reader to muse over long after finishing the book. It also has that unputdownable, 'just one more chapter before bed' factor which shows that Butler has really nailed it with this stunning debut. Above all, Starling is a salutation to and celebration of the natural world and wildlife around us and it encourages us to walk with Starling in the wild landscape and immerse yourself in the ungovernable force of nature. In short, I absolutely loved this book. Highly recommended.
October 28, 2024
This is a book which, having finished, I immediately want to share. It is truthful, balanced, filled with beauty and creativity, and finely detailed in its depiction of our relationship with nature and the ways in which the modern world makes it harder to connect. Yet it is also beautifully plotted and nuanced, delivering both an intimate insight into the characters' inner worlds and how these shift and change, and a wider insight into the rules, constructs and developments which reveal how progress can confine us all. And yet, this last is done with a light touch, Butler's research is held lightly, the flow of the story is engaging, satisfying, and hopeful, and she is more intent on observing and on asking questions than on delivering up one specific answer, understanding that for each individual that answer will be different.
Starling touches a chord deep inside - finding words and expression for my own and others conflicts and frustrations. Like Francesco del Cossa, transported through time into a modern world where everything has turned grey (in Ali Smith's How to Be Both), Starling's oddessy shows how the tarmac and concrete under our feet nudges us away from what is vital and alive, and asks of each of us: how do you still find ways to connect?
Starling touches a chord deep inside - finding words and expression for my own and others conflicts and frustrations. Like Francesco del Cossa, transported through time into a modern world where everything has turned grey (in Ali Smith's How to Be Both), Starling's oddessy shows how the tarmac and concrete under our feet nudges us away from what is vital and alive, and asks of each of us: how do you still find ways to connect?
May 7, 2023
This is a tough book to review. I will begin with the most obvious point, the cover provides no inkling of the tone and content of the book. The beautiful watercolour-like picture of a camper in the woods does not talk of the sorrow Starling feels when her mother leaves her alone in that camper with no reasons or information. Mar is one of those people who is anti-system to the extent that she hides out from the law and lives off the land (not exactly her own lands). She refuses to be part of a bigger community of people who might want to live exactly the way she does. They have had friends over the years, and it is one such person that Starling turns to.
Our lead protagonist has been brought up to think a certain way, and it is so ingrained in her to make quick calls that she comes across as a brat. I kept wanting there to be a reformation arc, and there was one. It just was not exactly the happily ever after I would have wanted. This last part is mostly why I do not think that this book fits any particular genre very well. There are some hard-hitting introspective questions hidden away amongst the struggle for Starling to be okay with the life she is leading.
It was an interesting book and one that I am glad I stumbled upon. There will be people out there who might even get more out of this book than I did.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
Our lead protagonist has been brought up to think a certain way, and it is so ingrained in her to make quick calls that she comes across as a brat. I kept wanting there to be a reformation arc, and there was one. It just was not exactly the happily ever after I would have wanted. This last part is mostly why I do not think that this book fits any particular genre very well. There are some hard-hitting introspective questions hidden away amongst the struggle for Starling to be okay with the life she is leading.
It was an interesting book and one that I am glad I stumbled upon. There will be people out there who might even get more out of this book than I did.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
February 12, 2023
Starling' as a novel is beautifully written; it is refreshing in that it offers a different 'take' on life, in how to make the most of very little. Rather than the grinding poverty of the town, it absorbs you into the isolation of the natural world, of a rural existence in a van. The adolescent Starling finds even this security is taken away when her 'Mar' disappears and Starling has to take off on her own.
Starling develops into a convincing character as bits about her mysterious past are gradually revealed. This phase of the story provides amusing interactions with a motley peer group, as she tries to fit in, and her knowledge of plants and their culinary uses are put to glorious effect in a wholefood cafe, as the village community is vividly brought to life. This story has an upbeat ending that has qualities of the fairy-tale, but this seems not unfitting for a narrative about the healing power of nature and the need for resilience in dark times. I found this a worthwhile and memorable read.
Starling develops into a convincing character as bits about her mysterious past are gradually revealed. This phase of the story provides amusing interactions with a motley peer group, as she tries to fit in, and her knowledge of plants and their culinary uses are put to glorious effect in a wholefood cafe, as the village community is vividly brought to life. This story has an upbeat ending that has qualities of the fairy-tale, but this seems not unfitting for a narrative about the healing power of nature and the need for resilience in dark times. I found this a worthwhile and memorable read.
June 7, 2025
I loved this book. The characters were well developed and apart from Mar, acted from a place of love that is rare to find in any fiction. It explored the complex relationship between mother and daughter in a single parent relationship with no other siblings, and the need for the daughter to break free from the powerful influence of a mother, who did not always have the best interest of her daughter at heart. With unexplored trauma, absent fathers, being an outsider and ultimately self acceptance and love, this book was carefully crafted to explore all these themes in a way which rang true.
It was also fascinating to read about the lives of New Age travellers, and how they changed after Thatcher’s legislation. Sarah Jane Butler’s ability to step into the lives of these people was remarkable and it felt very much that she had been one herself, although I don’t think she was.
Similarities to Crawdad or Salt Path, with the strong force of nature guiding the lives of the main characters.
I’d love a sequel!
It was also fascinating to read about the lives of New Age travellers, and how they changed after Thatcher’s legislation. Sarah Jane Butler’s ability to step into the lives of these people was remarkable and it felt very much that she had been one herself, although I don’t think she was.
Similarities to Crawdad or Salt Path, with the strong force of nature guiding the lives of the main characters.
I’d love a sequel!
October 15, 2022
This story is about a self-sufficient nineteen year old woman who has lived a nomadic existence with her headstrong mother Mar. In deep winter, Mar suddenly leaves and doesn’t return, and Starling is left bereft and must find ways to survive utterly alone.
What works really well in this book is the vivid, lyrical writing and Starling’s deep reverence for the natural world. I also like how this explores the experience of the Travelling Community, and the barriers and they face in everyday life. There are also interesting underlying themes such as anti-consumerism, community and free will. Whilst I would have liked to feel a little more connected to Starling and the other characters, this is an interesting, mostly gentle read.
Thanks for the review copy Fairlight Books
What works really well in this book is the vivid, lyrical writing and Starling’s deep reverence for the natural world. I also like how this explores the experience of the Travelling Community, and the barriers and they face in everyday life. There are also interesting underlying themes such as anti-consumerism, community and free will. Whilst I would have liked to feel a little more connected to Starling and the other characters, this is an interesting, mostly gentle read.
Thanks for the review copy Fairlight Books
September 16, 2022
Starling by Sarah Jane Butler
Nineteen year old Starling has had a different childhood to most, growing up with her Mother called Mar, travelling from place to place with The Tribe in their van, living a nomadic life until now, for reasons we don't find out till later in the book, Mar and Starling are now living alone, off grid, deep in a forest in their beloved van.
Until one morning when Starling comes back to the van after collecting wood to find the Mar has gone, when she doesn't return and with Winter fast approaching Starling has to decide whether to stay or leave her beloved van behind and find her own way in the world.
The descriptions of nature in this book are wonderful, so well described you can almost feel the dew in the air and taste the foraged treasures.
This is a beautifully written debut novel, about love, loss, acceptance and finding your own place in the world.
If you enjoyed Where The Crawdads Sing and Unsettled Ground you'll enjoy this one.
This title will be released on 29th September 2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Fairlight books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Nineteen year old Starling has had a different childhood to most, growing up with her Mother called Mar, travelling from place to place with The Tribe in their van, living a nomadic life until now, for reasons we don't find out till later in the book, Mar and Starling are now living alone, off grid, deep in a forest in their beloved van.
Until one morning when Starling comes back to the van after collecting wood to find the Mar has gone, when she doesn't return and with Winter fast approaching Starling has to decide whether to stay or leave her beloved van behind and find her own way in the world.
The descriptions of nature in this book are wonderful, so well described you can almost feel the dew in the air and taste the foraged treasures.
This is a beautifully written debut novel, about love, loss, acceptance and finding your own place in the world.
If you enjoyed Where The Crawdads Sing and Unsettled Ground you'll enjoy this one.
This title will be released on 29th September 2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Fairlight books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2022
Starling is a short novel centred on the relationship between nature and humanity. The main character, Starling, was raised off-grid and, after her mother abandons her, finds herself caught between continuing life as she knows it or reintegrating into her local community.
I adore novels in which nature is a key component, especially those focusing on off-grid living - I recently read and loved Elmet and Our Endless Numbered Days - so went into this with high expectations.
Unfortunately I have to say that I was underwhelmed by this novel; what started as seemingly a 4-star read soon deteriorated. It is plainly written and, at points, cheesy and almost trite. I was too distracted by the writing to connect to the characters, and found myself struggling to engage as the plot developed.
At parts the potential of the novel shone through, with some beautiful descriptions of nature and community, but these were few and far between.
Thank you to Fairlight Books for an ARC via NetGalley
I adore novels in which nature is a key component, especially those focusing on off-grid living - I recently read and loved Elmet and Our Endless Numbered Days - so went into this with high expectations.
Unfortunately I have to say that I was underwhelmed by this novel; what started as seemingly a 4-star read soon deteriorated. It is plainly written and, at points, cheesy and almost trite. I was too distracted by the writing to connect to the characters, and found myself struggling to engage as the plot developed.
At parts the potential of the novel shone through, with some beautiful descriptions of nature and community, but these were few and far between.
Thank you to Fairlight Books for an ARC via NetGalley
December 3, 2022
The first 2/3 of this book was superb and I couldn't put it down; I felt the ending let itself down a bit, just fizzled out.
Survivalist-parents-and-how-they-affect-their-children seems to be one of my favorite new genres, as I've loved all I've read in the last couple of years; "Our Endless Numbered Days" by Claire Fuller, "The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah, "The Marshking's Daughter" by Karen Dionne.
Survivalist-parents-and-how-they-affect-their-children seems to be one of my favorite new genres, as I've loved all I've read in the last couple of years; "Our Endless Numbered Days" by Claire Fuller, "The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah, "The Marshking's Daughter" by Karen Dionne.
December 20, 2022
One summer day, 19-year-old Starling wakes up in the camper van she calls home to discover that her mother has disappeared. With few resources, few friends, and no place to call home, Starling is forced to figure out the world of people and community. Set in England and beautifully written, this is a novel about finding one's own strength and learning how to trust the people you love.
I was honored to interview the author for a New Books Network podcast: https://newbooksnetwork.com/starling
I was honored to interview the author for a New Books Network podcast: https://newbooksnetwork.com/starling
November 13, 2022
Oh dear, it's as f I was reading a different book to most of the reviewers. I felt no connection with the characters in this book, especially Starling who I felt was needlessly judgemental. Yes there were some interesting descriptions of life on the road and of communal living but they just didn't have enough depth.
December 29, 2022
This book made me hungry for fresh produce. Other than that, it was a tad repetitive and irritating. The main character was unlikeable, despite all the unconditional love surrounding her. Way too much time spent with the wandering about…I get the concept of “wandering lost to find yourself” but it was way overdone.
April 25, 2024
Starling is both a hymn to the English landscape and an exploration of what it takes to live together and apart. Sarah Jane Butler writes with a visceral lyricism; she doesn’t so much observe the natural world as plunge us into its ditches, woods and rivers. A profound, gripping and deeply humane story about the choices we make in relation to the land and each other.
November 9, 2025
As much as I enjoyed sinking into the English countryside reading this one, I felt oddly detached from the characters and the story for a lot of the time. Lots of beautiful prose and I still enjoyed reading it, however meandering the plot sometimes became. Having the presence of a parent throughout the whole book while never meeting the character was done really really well.
August 3, 2022
The writing was just a little too "precious" for me - it felt like the author was just trying too hard to be "poetic." I was so distracted by the way this was written that I could not connect with the story or the characters.
January 28, 2023
Beautifully written. Following starling as she sets out on her own journey of loss, heart ache and discovery. A storey of love and hope wrapped up in the natural world. Starling inadvertently pulls us into her nature allowing us to see the world through her eyes.
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