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athenian_frog's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
“Harrow was sprawled on a sofa spread with tattered brocade, robes abandoned, scrawny black clad legs crossed at the ankles. In Gideon’s mind she looked like an evil stick”(56).
The experience was DEFINITELY made better by putting on the YouTube audiobook as I read (at around 1.75-2x speed). Moira Quirk gave everyone pretty distinct voices, and writing is casual enough to lend itself better to someone reading it/enunciating conversations.
If you have the means I recommend annotating and/or maintaining post-it’s with your predictions. I found it pretty fun, since the lore and the plot itself were ensconced in mystery ★彡
POSITIVES:
+ Main characters have distinct personalities and voices. Supports and side characters feel interesting in their own respects
+ character exchanges are pretty fun to read. Gideon and her necromancer did a good job of this overall, especially.
—-> it’s made extra impactful because you get a taste of their intense relationship dynamic in a strong way by ch 3.
+ Gideon herself comes off very strongly off the page. Doesn’t feel like she’s just being shuffled by the plot without a say which can be an issue sometimes
+ the entire cast, in some way contributed to the plot and they felt very much present through the story.
+ really cool applications of necromancy, necromantic magic, spirit manipulation etc.
+ thoughtful construction of a necromantic religion, varied forms of cavalry-necromancer relationship
+ you need more interesting women characters in your life? Here take several
+ lesbians being cool! I mean there’s no mystery to Gideon being wlw but don’t expect people to start pairing up in this book at least.
+ it seems like this necromantic society is queernormative, even the house the other necromantic houses deem “most religious” which is always nice to see
+ mysterious elements of the plot done pretty well. Highlights the world/relationships between necromancer houses. You have a lot of fun theorizing.
NEGATIVES:
- the lore is interesting but you have to do some mental floundering at the beginning. I felt like I was tossed into the metaphorical ocean for the first chapter or two.
- (minor) Yes, Gideon and her cavalier have really solid relationship development but it did feel a tad bit rushed towards the end. I think it’s still pretty good overall though.
-some repetitive writing towards the beginning. If you’re familiar with the sentence subject repetition you find often in fanfiction:
“One day, (statement A). One day, (statement B). One day, (statement C)”
“Act accordingly meant (A). Act accordingly meant (B). Act accordingly meant (C)”
Once, this kind of repetition happened like twice on the same page. Personally, this got pretty annoying. Thankfully it only happens around 4 times within the first 60pgs, and very, very sparingly throughout the rest of the book (around 7 times total for the whole book).
- some characters die, and while they have distinctive personalities and issues going on I felt like they died too quick to really get that punch in the gut. A bit of missed potential there.
—-> some of this is improved by book 2 but I think book 1 still could’ve done better here, for the standalone reading experience.
- some really corny humor that might work or might not. It usually landed for me but sometimes it didn’t.
-the epilogue felt a little weak, especially when the climax was actually pretty good
Overall a fun read. It made me continue the rest of the series which I am enjoying so far!
———————————————————
“When [Harrowhark] spoke again, she made her voice quite calm and normal: ‘Why?’
‘Probably because you asked.’
The heavy eyelids shuttered open, revealing baleful black irises. ‘That’s all it takes, Griddle? That’s all you demand? This is the complex mystery that lies in the pit of your psyche?’
Gideon slid her glasses back onto her face, obscuring feelings with tint. She found herself saying, ‘That’s all I ever demanded,’ and to maintain face suffixed it with, ‘asswipe.’(224)”
The experience was DEFINITELY made better by putting on the YouTube audiobook as I read (at around 1.75-2x speed). Moira Quirk gave everyone pretty distinct voices, and writing is casual enough to lend itself better to someone reading it/enunciating conversations.
If you have the means I recommend annotating and/or maintaining post-it’s with your predictions. I found it pretty fun, since the lore and the plot itself were ensconced in mystery ★彡
POSITIVES:
+ Main characters have distinct personalities and voices. Supports and side characters feel interesting in their own respects
+ character exchanges are pretty fun to read. Gideon and her necromancer did a good job of this overall, especially.
—-> it’s made extra impactful because you get a taste of their intense relationship dynamic in a strong way by ch 3.
+ Gideon herself comes off very strongly off the page. Doesn’t feel like she’s just being shuffled by the plot without a say which can be an issue sometimes
+ the entire cast, in some way contributed to the plot and they felt very much present through the story.
+ really cool applications of necromancy, necromantic magic, spirit manipulation etc.
+ thoughtful construction of a necromantic religion, varied forms of cavalry-necromancer relationship
+ you need more interesting women characters in your life? Here take several
+ lesbians being cool! I mean there’s no mystery to Gideon being wlw but don’t expect people to start pairing up in this book at least.
+ it seems like this necromantic society is queernormative, even the house the other necromantic houses deem “most religious” which is always nice to see
+ mysterious elements of the plot done pretty well. Highlights the world/relationships between necromancer houses. You have a lot of fun theorizing.
NEGATIVES:
- the lore is interesting but you have to do some mental floundering at the beginning. I felt like I was tossed into the metaphorical ocean for the first chapter or two.
- (minor) Yes, Gideon and her cavalier have really solid relationship development but it did feel a tad bit rushed towards the end. I think it’s still pretty good overall though.
-some repetitive writing towards the beginning. If you’re familiar with the sentence subject repetition you find often in fanfiction:
“One day, (statement A). One day, (statement B). One day, (statement C)”
“Act accordingly meant (A). Act accordingly meant (B). Act accordingly meant (C)”
Once, this kind of repetition happened like twice on the same page. Personally, this got pretty annoying. Thankfully it only happens around 4 times within the first 60pgs, and very, very sparingly throughout the rest of the book (around 7 times total for the whole book).
- some characters die, and while they have distinctive personalities and issues going on I felt like they died too quick to really get that punch in the gut. A bit of missed potential there.
—-> some of this is improved by book 2 but I think book 1 still could’ve done better here, for the standalone reading experience.
- some really corny humor that might work or might not. It usually landed for me but sometimes it didn’t.
-the epilogue felt a little weak, especially when the climax was actually pretty good
Overall a fun read. It made me continue the rest of the series which I am enjoying so far!
———————————————————
“When [Harrowhark] spoke again, she made her voice quite calm and normal: ‘Why?’
‘Probably because you asked.’
The heavy eyelids shuttered open, revealing baleful black irises. ‘That’s all it takes, Griddle? That’s all you demand? This is the complex mystery that lies in the pit of your psyche?’
Gideon slid her glasses back onto her face, obscuring feelings with tint. She found herself saying, ‘That’s all I ever demanded,’ and to maintain face suffixed it with, ‘asswipe.’(224)”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
(Straightforward statement, little to Jo description) Several children die by poisoning en masse before the story takes place. Detailed descriptions of wounds, flesh and bone crafting (in part due to necromancy focus) (Descriptive) More than one child character is killed. (Semi-Described) A character kills themself by throwing themself upon an iron spike. It is pretty brief. Two parents and another character kill themselves by hanging, and pre-arrange for their child to do the same. The child does not. (Described) A reoccurring character suffers from a terminal illness that is associated with their necromantic house. They often cough up blood or appear very sickly.nie_fertig's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I've heard a LOT of good things about the Locked Tomb series and I can see why it's so popular! I mean who doesn't love lesbian necromancers with swords, plus a pinch of a good murder mystery?! :D
However, as amazing as these concepts are, I just couldn't get super invested into the worldbuilding and characters?? I think it's because I was always exhausted when I read it (thank you two part-time jobs,,,), but it was just too much for me and I lost track of a LOT of the many incredible characters
I think I'll try to read the next book after I quit one of my jobs, cause then I'll have more time to invest in the worldbuilding and characters, but for now, I'm going to hold off
I will admit though, the ending FLOORED me even though I was lost most of the time, so it's absolutely worth the read whenever you get the chance!!
However, as amazing as these concepts are, I just couldn't get super invested into the worldbuilding and characters?? I think it's because I was always exhausted when I read it (thank you two part-time jobs,,,), but it was just too much for me and I lost track of a LOT of the many incredible characters
I think I'll try to read the next book after I quit one of my jobs, cause then I'll have more time to invest in the worldbuilding and characters, but for now, I'm going to hold off
I will admit though, the ending FLOORED me even though I was lost most of the time, so it's absolutely worth the read whenever you get the chance!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
wogslandwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Sexual content
unboxedjack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness
lizziaha's review against another edition
dark
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Y’all I did NOT see that end coming. But I had a good time on the journey. The relationship dynamic between Gideon and Harrow is just gorgeous and hilarious, and I loved Gideon as a narrator. The vibes were immaculate, right down to the skeleton housekeepers and Gideon’s faked aesthetic, and I’m scared that the sequels won’t measure up to this one.
Reread: The details only make this book MORE devastating. The foreshadowing that went completely over my head on my first read now cut DEEP. Also, i had my suspicions upon my first read with all the “one flesh, one end” talk, but Muir does in fact quote the book of Ruth in this book and it was so detrimental to my mental health that I think I’m going to have to take legal action. Also having read all 3 released books, I can still say that GtN is my fave, but the sequels do measure up (though not in the way I expected them to).
Reread: The details only make this book MORE devastating. The foreshadowing that went completely over my head on my first read now cut DEEP. Also, i had my suspicions upon my first read with all the “one flesh, one end” talk, but Muir does in fact quote the book of Ruth in this book and it was so detrimental to my mental health that I think I’m going to have to take legal action. Also having read all 3 released books, I can still say that GtN is my fave, but the sequels do measure up (though not in the way I expected them to).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Grief
tobibi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
This really reinvigorated my reading mood. It took a bit to build up, but the world building is presented very well (little to no infodumps) and the characters are introduced slowly, so you get a general feel for them throughout the book. The horror elements are good, though a bit less striking than I thought they would be, but that's likely due to our POV (Gideon). I enjoyed seeing the back and forth in Griddlehawk's relationship progression, and the ending was heartbreakingly good. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
favorite lines
"... Where I'm going, I promise to piss fidelity all the livelong day. I have lots of fealty in me. I fealt the Emperor with every bone in my body. I fealt *hard*." (p. 43)
"With the proper motivation, Griddle could wield two swords in each hand and one in her mouth. While we were developing common sense, she studied the blade." (p. 53)
"Harrow said, "No."
"I want to go," said Gideon.
"This sounds impossibly vapid."
"I want to eat a dessert."" (p. 167)
Harrow's voice, almost a whisper: "A light, Nav."
"What?"
"You *did* bring a torch."
"This is a service I was unaware I was meant to provide," said Gideon. (p. 204)
... "Thoughts?"
Gideon said, "Did you know that if you put the first three letters of your last name with the first three letters of your first name, you get 'Sex Pal'?" (p. 274)
"Ask me how I am and I'll scream," she said.
"How are you," said Camilla, who was a pill.
"I see you calling my bluff and I resent it," said Gideon... (p. 305)
Once Gideon would have loved to hear Corona talk to her with that low, breathy intensity, maybe saying "Your biceps... they're eleven out of ten," but right now she did not want anyone to talk to her at all. (p. 327)
"... Look, Nav. You ratted out your childhood nemesis to get her in trouble. You didn't kill her parents, and she shouldn't hate you like you did, and *you* shouldn't hate you like you did."
He was peering at her through his spectacles. "Hey," she objected lamely, "I never said I hated myself."
"Evidence," he said, "outweighs testimony." (p. 336)
... "I'm an abomination. The whole universe ought to scream whenever my feet touch the ground. My parents committed a necromantic sin that we ought to have been torpedoed into hte centre of Dominicus for. If any of the other Houses knew of what we'd done they would destroy us from orbit without a second's thought. i am a *war crime*." (p. 353)
"... I made myself watch, when my parents -- I could not do the slightest thing my House expected of me. Not even then. You're not the only one who couldn't die." (p. 355)
... "You apologize to me now? You say that you're sorry when I have spent my life destroying you? You are my whipping girl! I hurt you because it was a relief! I exist because my parents killed everyone and relegated you to a life of abject misery, and they would have killed you too and not given a second's goddamned thought! I have spent your life trying to make you regret that you weren't dead, all because -- I regretted I wasn't! I ate you alive, and you have the temerity to tell me that *you're sorry*?" (p. 356)
"Hm," said Camilla neutrally, and Gideon knew immediately that she organized Palamedes's and her socks by color and genre. (p. 365)
... She didn't need a very long look to tell that Dyas was dead. For one thing, her skeleton and her body had apparently tried to divorce. (p. 372)
"She took Babs," she said, which seemed fair enough.
But then Corona started crying again, big tears leaking out of her eyes, her voice thick with misery and self-pity. "And who even cares about Babs? Babs! She could have taken *me*." (p. 394)
Harrow said, with some difficulty. "I cannot conceive of a universe without you in it."
"Yes, you can, it's just less great and less hot," said Gideon." (p. 437)
favorite lines
"I want to go," said Gideon.
"This sounds impossibly vapid."
"I want to eat a dessert."" (p. 167)
"What?"
"You *did* bring a torch."
"This is a service I was unaware I was meant to provide," said Gideon. (p. 204)
Gideon said, "Did you know that if you put the first three letters of your last name with the first three letters of your first name, you get 'Sex Pal'?" (p. 274)
"How are you," said Camilla, who was a pill.
"I see you calling my bluff and I resent it," said Gideon... (p. 305)
He was peering at her through his spectacles. "Hey," she objected lamely, "I never said I hated myself."
"Evidence," he said, "outweighs testimony." (p. 336)
But then Corona started crying again, big tears leaking out of her eyes, her voice thick with misery and self-pity. "And who even cares about Babs? Babs! She could have taken *me*." (p. 394)
"Yes, you can, it's just less great and less hot," said Gideon." (p. 437)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
mossybean's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
I loved this book, despite it being far outside my usual wheelhouse. It was gripping, I wanted to read it all in one day once I got about halfway, but it’s obviously too long to do that. The writing is quite beautiful, the description passages lyrical. The banter between the main characters is funny. The only thing I wasn’t sure about was the ending… it’ll take a while to process.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Suicide
language_loving_amateur's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is pure Gold!
It is epic and heart-wrenching and post-apocalyptic. It blends fantasy and science fiction, leaning more towards fantasy. The 9 Houses each occupy a planet, and there are spaceships, but the technology is in the background and the necromantic magic is what is crucial to the story. There are some locked room mystery aspects and you really have to pay attention.
The narrative voice is beautifully sarcastic and I love Gideon with all my heart. Be warned, this is violent and gory, which Gideon once described as "untidy death."
The one drawback that bothered me was that each character has 3-4 names and 2-3 titles, and will be referred to with any combination thereof. There is a character list in the beginning, but I was listening to the audio-book so it was not easy for me to go back and reference it.
It is epic and heart-wrenching and post-apocalyptic. It blends fantasy and science fiction, leaning more towards fantasy. The 9 Houses each occupy a planet, and there are spaceships, but the technology is in the background and the necromantic magic is what is crucial to the story. There are some locked room mystery aspects and you really have to pay attention.
The narrative voice is beautifully sarcastic and I love Gideon with all my heart. Be warned, this is violent and gory, which Gideon once described as "untidy death."
The one drawback that bothered me was that each character has 3-4 names and 2-3 titles, and will be referred to with any combination thereof. There is a character list in the beginning, but I was listening to the audio-book so it was not easy for me to go back and reference it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Murder
jodean's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kelsey has been trying to get me to read this for a while. Glad I finally listened.
I will say the audio book specifically is done very well. I switched to it from the paper version and was able to follow much better
I will say the audio book specifically is done very well. I switched to it from the paper version and was able to follow much better
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Murder
Minor: Self harm, Slavery, and War
divine529's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
This book is billed as lesbian necromancers in space, but that's the bare minimum of what this book is about.
This book follows Gideon the Ninth, an orphan who has been indentured to serve the House of the Ninth, a cultist group of necromancers who are sworn to protect a tomb which holds the Emperor's worst enemy, and ultimately Harrow the Ninth, the leader/queen/head of Ninth House. Harrow and Gideon despise each other, but get thrust together to become a team to serve Ninth House in their quest to become Lyctor and all kinds of political intrigue and chaos ensues.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this coming in and wasn't even sure this was something I would like, but friends convinced me and I'm so glad they did because I thoroughly enjoyed this. If I were to describe this as anything it's basically "And Then There Were None" meets "The Hunger Games". And I understand the comparison to RotE.
I live and breathe for certain relationship dynamics in this book - Harrow and Gideon at the end is everything and I adore Cam and Pal more than anything (they're my faves). I found all of the characters interesting, even if I didn't like them, the plot took all kinds of interesting twists and turns, a lot I figured out, but some came out of nowhere. The writing was pretty good overall, but at times had some awkward phrasing that pulled me out of the story a bit and some pacing issues. Also PLEASE heed the CW/TW, it's possible I missed some, so look at the general community ones to make sure you're covered before you read because it's full of them at every turn.
All in all, a solid start to this series and I'm very interested to see what's going to happen next in Harrow!
This book follows Gideon the Ninth, an orphan who has been indentured to serve the House of the Ninth, a cultist group of necromancers who are sworn to protect a tomb which holds the Emperor's worst enemy, and ultimately Harrow the Ninth, the leader/queen/head of Ninth House. Harrow and Gideon despise each other, but get thrust together to become a team to serve Ninth House in their quest to become Lyctor and all kinds of political intrigue and chaos ensues.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this coming in and wasn't even sure this was something I would like, but friends convinced me and I'm so glad they did because I thoroughly enjoyed this. If I were to describe this as anything it's basically "And Then There Were None" meets "The Hunger Games". And I understand the comparison to RotE.
I live and breathe for certain relationship dynamics in this book - Harrow and Gideon at the end is everything and I adore Cam and Pal more than anything (they're my faves). I found all of the characters interesting, even if I didn't like them, the plot took all kinds of interesting twists and turns, a lot I figured out, but some came out of nowhere. The writing was pretty good overall, but at times had some awkward phrasing that pulled me out of the story a bit and some pacing issues. Also PLEASE heed the CW/TW, it's possible I missed some, so look at the general community ones to make sure you're covered before you read because it's full of them at every turn.
All in all, a solid start to this series and I'm very interested to see what's going to happen next in Harrow!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Genocide, Vomit, and War