Summary

In Book 1, which begins with a section called “Sweet Sorrows: Once, very long ago…,” the narrator tells the story of a pirate who is locked in a basement. A girl visits him frequently to bring him food. On the night before his execution, the girl asks the pirate to tell her a story. In “Sweet Sorrows: There are three paths. This is one of them,” the narrator introduces the Starless Sea as a hidden, underground library (1). One of the paths for those who choose to devote themselves to the library is that of the acolytes. A prospective acolyte must spend a moon cycle in isolated contemplation before they become an acolyte. One woman chooses to sing during her contemplation. She accepts a metal bee from an acolyte. The metal bee is imprinted on her chest. The woman tastes a drop of honey...