Scan barcode
jimmyreadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Violence
ha1yan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, and Terminal illness
Minor: Ableism and Genocide
Hallucinations, manipulation and gaslighting, unrealitymarioncromb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Chronic illness, Confinement, Genocide, Sexual content, and Suicide
keen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Genocide
Minor: Child death and Kidnapping
notthatlibrarian's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Child death and Genocide
bi_blue's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Death, Blood, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Moderate: Genocide, Self harm, and Child abuse
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
eleanora's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Genocide, and Medical content
lotus's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Medical trauma, and Vomit
toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
This book deals with a lot of dark themes and death and body horror, due to the nature of its focus on necromancy. Lots of complicated and possibly manipulative and toxic relationshipsbooksthatburn's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First and foremost: If you made it to the end of Gideon The Ninth, and you liked it, you’ll like Harrow The Ninth. If you haven’t read Gideon The Ninth, go do that (or at least read our review) and then come back, this will be here when you return. If you have a phobia of skeletons, viscera, blood, gore, or the frequent removal and rebuilding of bodies... don't read it, it's really okay if this one isn't for you (but I hope for your sake it is, because it's fantastic). It would be deeply disturbing to anyone who has an abiding and genuine fear of such things, so please use your discretion.
Now that you’re here: Harrow The Ninth is perfect for anyone who read Gideon The Ninth and said to themselves, "I would like to spend longer not knowing what's happening but having a great time." Every phrase I want to use to describe this book reminds me of how people who have done drugs talk about how they feel. I was disconcerted frequently, confused generally, and loving every minute of it even though I didn't know what was going on (and clearly wasn't supposed to). It felt good to read, the prose had a visceral quality (both in terms of the syllabic density and its propensity to describe actual viscera). About halfway through I had a guess at what might be going on (and I was only partially right), it wasn't until 70%-80% of the way through that I reached the explanation and truly understood. But that turning point where I finally got what was happening, wow, I think it was an even greater emotional payoff for me than when I finally understood what was happening in Gideon.
As for my usual book two check for series of at least three books (as this is a trilogy): This wraps up several things from the previous book (but you don't really understand how until very far in). There is an entire storyline which only is within this book, in one way, but also transcends it and encompasses the first book in even more bizarre ways, so... I don't know whether this qualifies as having a storyline unique to this book, I really don't know. I think there is a major thing which is introduced and resolved wholly within this book, but with how trippy these books are it's totally possible that I'll re-read Gideon and realize it was actually begun there. This definitely leaves some major things to be addressed in the third book, which is good. The POV character did change, and the voice is very distinct from the previous narrator, oh yes. Lastly, this is a bizarre case where the first 60% of the book might actually be less confusing if the reader had not read the first book. I don't recommend picking up this one as your starting point, since the conclusion will make absolutely no sense without having read Harrow, but since this is a trilogy and not a long-running series this criterion isn't super important. TLDR: This book defies my usual book two checks and that feels appropriate. It's a great continuation while also having plenty to hold its own, and the narrator feels distinct from the first book's narrator. This makes me need the sequel as soon as I can get it.
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Vomit, Self harm, and Mental illness
Minor: Child death and Genocide
CW for vomit, self harm, mental illness, reference to child death, genocide (not depicted), necrophilia, violence, body horror, fratricide, major character death.