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sunshinemoth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am very easy to please when it comes to fiction; give me loveable characters and an easy to follow narrative and I'll be perfectly content. However with sci-fi and fantasy it's not so for me. I get bored easily, or the sheer amount of worldbuilding confuses and baffles me to the point I spend half of my time reading flipping back through the pages to remind myself of who a character is or what the hell is going on. I am, admittedly, not very smart when it comes to these things.
This is not the case with Gideon The Ninth. I followed everything that was going on for the most part, was able to keep track of characters easily (their numbered names did help), and was given just enough information as the story went along to understand twists and connections in the story without feeling like I was being handheld by the author. Just mysterious enough to have me excitedly developing theories, but not so vague that dramatic twists in the story were lost on me because all I could think was "hah?"
And though the plot was as compelling, action-filled, and suspenseful as I was hoping—as I said I almost always go in for the characters, and Muir delivered. Gideon Nav is as tragic as she is hilarious. The lush, atmospheric narration interspersed with her blunt colloquial way of speaking was incredibly refreshing and amusing for a novel of this genre, but was also careful to never overstep into Joss Wheadon territory where I ever felt like it was ruining the tone of the story. Gideon is as charming and gutsy and sarcastic as she is caring and genuinely decent in a way that isn't so much shiningly heroic as it is warmly down-to-earth. Another refreshing aspect of this story: a character that felt real but still undeniably fit into their world.
Harrowhark is a perfect, perfect secondary character. You understand from the start why Gideon hates her so much, but when her character begins to unfurl like the most jagged and severe rose bud you've ever seen you are just as intrigued by and softened to her as Gideon becomes over the course of the story. Also, I love women who are macabre little freaks with immense issues, so she's easily a new all-time favourite character for me.
I won't go into my feelings on each and every one of the side characters we get to see over this story, specifically each necromancer/cavalier pair we meet, because this review would go on for pages. But rest assured I smiled and cheered and sobbed disgustingly over some of them just as much as I did for Gideon and Harrow. Each were distinct and memorable in their own right, which is difficult with fifteen unique characters, but it was executed quite well for the most part. I could nitpick if I wanted to (like the Second House feeling a little bit hollow compared to the rest), but this review is long enough.
All-in-all, Gideon The Ninth was a complete ride in the best way possible, and I CONSUMED all near-500 pages of it in just under five days. Up until the end I was gasping and urgently flipping each page, eager to find out what would happen next. Again, a massive feat for me, as with books of this length and density I tend to lose steam easily. I also spent the last 150 pages pausing frequently to put my hands over my face and scream bloody murder. I cannot wait to start Harrow the Ninth.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, and War
h0neywings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Murder, and Toxic friendship
mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The world and magic system built here is really clever and extremely vivid. I'm not sure if I've ever read a book that described fighting and body horror in so much detail. It was a fun change of pace!
The "whodunit" portion of the plot kept me guessing too! I love a book that can do that.
And who can't love Gideon as a character??? She was easy to root for. Her jokes, especially in comparison to the sometimes dense text, really moved the story in an enjoyable way.
Misses four stars for me because I couldn't get hooked at first. I wasn't able to really sink my teeth in until around the 4th try picking it up. Once I was hooked though, it had me! (Also side picky note - the naming schema for the adepts mirroring their house number was a bit on the nose for me.)
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent
I didn't think cannibalism was explicit enough in this to add that as a trigger warning. But if that is a big no for you, I maybe wouldn't go for this.msawyer77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
rshenk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Terminal illness, Vomit, and Murder
Minor: Suicide
beemovingcastle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
bree_h_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Death of parent
c_dmckinney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
anjasshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
alainral's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail