Reviews

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

heej's review against another edition

5.0

i AM sitting here kind of dazed and confused and furiously typing question marks into the notes app but im enjoying it!!! i picked up the book and didn’t stop this time so now my brain is soup (oh god not that soup) and i may immediately embark on a reread of the first

WHEN IS THE NEXT COMING

shadoweyes26's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

livschuett's review against another edition

4.0

i feel like i have too many thoughts to condense into one review but Harrow was just as twisty and turny and gory as Gideon AND Harrow had a lot more sadness from her perspective than Gideon did (which makes sense but i missed Gideon's snark initially). i felt a lot more confused about what was happening in this book but, again, Harrow was tampering with her own memories so i feel like that also actually ended up working for me. i realllyyyyy wanna read the next one and find out what happens because i felt like there was a lot information thrown at me in the last few chapters, plus at this point i'm very invested in these characters and i'd like to know once and for all who to trust!! anyway! this series is really scratching my epic fantasy/sci-fi itch

ljcarey011's review against another edition

5.0

Listen, I've pretty much quit Goodreads because A.M.A.Z.O.N., but I am coming back to tell you this is the WEIRDEST book I have ever read in my life and I say that with such love and joy. This is the book my rotting 2020 brain needed. My number one recommendation? Just read it. Just let it unfold over you. Don't try to solve it. Don't try to absorb it. Let the memes and the jokes and the truly terrifyingly rich world building and magic system wash over you. Then read it again and cackle at all the little stitched in hints that hide among the literal fan fiction AUs. Is that spoilery? No, because even in context this book is so weird I'm not sure I can give anything away.

I mean soup. I saw soup jokes for days before I could get around to reading this book. Major turning point for the book. F***ing soup.

peterrileyosborne's review against another edition

5.0

This book was so intriguing and difficult to follow at times, but well worth it when all was said and done. It definitely felt like a weird follow-up to Gideon the Ninth, but all of the oddness added to its charm and the author did a masterful job of pulling all the pieces together.

I am a huge fan of Tamsyn Muir's writing and found this book to be in line with her other works in terms of creativity, storytelling, and creating a series that has not disappointed me yet!

glaistigsgarden's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 stars

Spoiler

needs more Griddle

dockbbrooks's review against another edition

5.0

I really really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would since it is predominately in 2nd person POV.

vaxildidi's review against another edition

4.0

3.5/4 stars

Some bold narrative choices, working with an unrealiable narrator in the flashback narrative and 2nd Person POV in the "live" narrative, and it made for an engaging story, but at the same time I think it did hurt Harrow's character a little bit.

My favorite thing about Harrow in Gideon The Ninth was her "take no shit" personality, but by putting us in her shoes combined with her Really Going Through Some Shit and suffering from a fractured psyche really muted that in this one.

Thankfully, Jod and his Lyctors were great characters, and all of the writing was very funny.

The worldbuilding and magic in this series is so wonderfully weird. The River and The Tomb and just everything is so DIFFERENT.

I do think the mystery angle and the Inceptionyness nature was a bit over egged, but it wasn't bad by any stretch, not gonna get into to too many details because its a Very Mystery Heavy book, but strong recommend. Some reveals where VERY EXCITING

strawberrycandy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

bluemoon25's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0