Reviews with content warning for Death - Nona the Ninth

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

166 reviews

fin_pilot's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0

Content Warnings

bluestjuice's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

Oh my goodness. Sometimes a book just crawls inside your consciousness in the best way, you know? This is like that - this isn't the book I was expecting, and I had no idea what was going on through the first third and even less idea through the second third - but godsdamn, I was unquestioningly committed and on board for the entire ride.

Nona is so, incredibly, real. This is one of Muir's great talents - despite writing a series that is utterly over-the-top space melodrama with gothic elements and skeletons and necromantic flourishes all over everything, they nevertheless create people that feel and act utterly peopley. Many authors can't convincingly write youthful characters even in ordinary circumstances; Muir portrays Nona's uncomprehending childishness in a way that is genuine and feels both true to the experience of the young without being the least bit saccharine. I loved Nona, entirely, and her protagonism resonated with me vigorously despite the twisty, adult, machination-y web of deceit and plotting that surrounded her nearly every step of the way.

This is the third book in the series, which I have waited for a long time, and which I should clearly have bothered to do a re-read of previous to this because the lore here is deep and the references are layered in as thickly as Griddle's skull makeup back in Gideon the Ninth. On the other hand, having now skidded out the other side (I'm not kidding: I read the last 100 pages in a rare frenzy of you don't understand I cannot put this down until I know what happens), I have a burning desire to go re-read everything through again, to line up pieces and notice all the many things I'm sure I missed or didn't realize the significance of at the moment they were deployed.

Anyway, I don't even feel qualified to review this really because my emotions are leaking out all over the place and I don't know what to say to explain how enjoyable I find this series and this installment. In all its infuriating circuitous mystery. I can't believe I have to keep waiting to find out what happens next.

Content Warnings

rory_o_rama's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny 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? No

5.0

Content Warnings

lujisa's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Content Warnings

iane_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective tense 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

4.75

Content Warnings

balina_elah's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

5.0

Content Warnings

yosta56's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Subjectively, asking me if I liked this book is like asking me if I like having fun, yes, yes I do, I love having fun. Objectively I think this is the worst book in the series, for two brief but pervasive reasons:
1. Very little actually happens
A lot of the book's plot and development is either retrospective or inconsequential. The few things that do happen are marvelous but it's never a big enough payoff to justify everything else
2. The Main Character and Muir's style don't quite mix
Gideon was irreverent and crude, Harrow was eloquent and angsty, both work with Muir's potent prose but I found the eponymous Nona and her childlike wonder and innocence to actually be in conflict with Nona's perspective. This is somewhat assuaged by the third person perspective but there are downright jarring passages that feel way off base for how most of the narration reads.

There are probably more reasons but these are the two I noticed the most. So, objective 3.5/5, leaning closer to 3, I'd say maybe skip this one but it does have some really relevant information to the story. Subjectively, I'm a complete sucker, 5/5, I loved Nona and the Hot Sauce Gang.

Content Warnings