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just_one_more_paige'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Ever since Gideon the Ninth was published with the description "sapphic necromancers in space," I have been hardcore sold on this series. It didn't hurt that Gideon was also great. And then Harrow the Ninth, which...I've never in my life been more lost while reading a book, and yet I loved it too? So of course I bought Nona as soon as it came out. I'd heard it was a bit different, vibes-wise, from the first two, but people seemed to be enjoying it and were happy with the set-up it gave for the fourth installation. And I'm here to throw my agreement in with that crowd - very different, still great, and oh my goodness am I ready for the "all hell" set to be unleashed in Alecto the Ninth.
Nona woke up in a body that isn't hers only six months ago. She's still working on the finer points of motor control and learning the world around her. A world that is kind of falling apart. The city she's in is under siege - there's a dangerous blue sphere hanging in the sky, daily violence everywhere, the threat of zombies, and the conflict between Blood of Eden and the Emperor Undying always present. But Nona is pretty happy with the life she has. She loves living with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes (the latter two on and off, as they're sharing a body right now), even if they force her to eat breakfast every morning. She loves being a teacher's assistant and spending time with her friends in school. And she is really looking forward to her upcoming birthday, the guests and the presents and all the things a "normal" kid wants. However, Nona's potential as a weapon means that many forces are coming for her (to use or destroy her, depending) and the past she cannot remember is starting to catch back up. Plus, there's the nightly dreams she has about a red-headed woman with a skull-painted face.
Y'all I started reading this one and for perhaps the first time in this series I thought: I'm following this! I actually wrote "I might have a grasp on what’s happening...we'll see if it holds." Spoiler alert: it did not hold. Haha. But as with the rest of this series, that did not in any way stop me from enjoying the ride. From what I can tell, this story picks up after the events of the first two, as certain characters who had died are currently still dead, or reanimated (that necromancy stuff really puts a wrench in the permanence of dead), or sharing bodies, or in some other state of "not normal life." I've basically decided that the theoretical necromancy aspects of this series are beyond what my brain feel comfortable processing and I'm going to stick "I just trust that necromancy is complicated and I don’t get it but people keep…being rebirthed?…and that’s just what it is." It's allowing me to enjoy the story without getting mired down in the details.
So in the "present-day" part of the story, we get Nona. And oh my goodness, I really did love her. She is so appealingly genuine, in a sweet naive way but not cloyingly so, which is honestly a super-fine line to walk. Her interactions with her friends at school, as well as Pyrrha and Camilla/Palamedes, are weird enough to fit the series' vibe, but provide some dark levity to the otherwise really intense and, frankly, confusing story.
And then there are Nona's dreams. In these dreams, that she mostly doesn't remember, the reader gets their first glimpses into "the world before the Locked Tomb and the Nine Houses." These are sort of like flashbacks, where John Gaius (the person who became the first necromancer and Emperor Undying) basically narrates how he got to where he is currently (where the reader was introduced to the story with Gideon and Harrow). I was very excited to finally get some world-building backstory, whic did help me solidify (a bit) my understanding of the saga overall. I also definitely enjoyed reading John's voice, self-centered and condescending though it may be, for its sarcastic and satirical commentary on the (for us readers, actual current-day) social/political/environmental climate of the world. A note here: whoa, this aspect of the novel took a turn that I know is some kind of commentary on or blasphemy against or sacrilege of the Catholic Church, and I recognize it, but I just can’t pinpoint exactly how. It was so clear, and yet so opaque, simultaneously and all I can say is that the feeling that that's what Nuir was doing was strong, but exactly how she was accomplishing it was beyond me.
As the flashback narrative unfolds to where it meets Nona's story in the "present," we are brought back to the physical Ninth House, cold and dreary and death-and-bone-filled, and the literal locked tomb...which (not really a spoiler because the countdown to this happening is in every chapter title throughout the rest of the novel), said tomb is unlocked!! And now that I have a *smidge* of understanding on who is in that tomb and how it got to that state, I am super excited for the next book, Alecto the Ninth, to find out more about how they're (clearly, deeply) tied into the origin story of this series, as well as to experience to promised "all hell" that they're be bringing now that they're awakened. Plus, of course, I am hoping for the Nona/Harrow and Gideon/"redacted body sharing persona" relationship to rekindle with all the snarky, gothic, sapphic vibes they started with. That's just for personal enjoyment honestly, and not at all related to the unraveling plot-based drama.
So, while I thought for a second I was finally getting my head around this series, I have finished in the same "this story is amazing, but metaphorical/ephemeral beyond my grasp" place that I started. I honestly do not understand how something feels so just-out-of-reach, (which should be frustrating) and yet I love it so much! What a fantastic otherworldly continuation of this super dark, super mystifying, series. Very hype for Alecto!
“I could never stop you from loving anything. I don't have the right. Nobody has the right to tell you who to love or who not to love, and equally nobody's obliged to love you. If you were forced into loving them, it wouldn’t be love…”
“It felt so easy to be good when you were happy.”
“…I still can’t believe they wouldn’t give me the time of day and they were scared of me. It's not fair. Either you're the evil wizard and everyone wants to know what you think, or you're the good wizard and nobody cares. It wasn't fair. That wasn't how it was meant to work.”
“Nona fell with hers and suffered the incredibly disagreeable experience of two big, dead people landing very hard on top of her, and in no way becoming less heavy or less dead.” (I mean that is quality writing - and a great example of the overall tone.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement
kers_tin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug use
vercopaanir's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, and Blood
Minor: Cannibalism
mossgoblins's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
theoldestbennetsister's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and Cursing
vaxis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
4.75
Normally I dislike naive characters, but it was brilliantly executed here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and War
Minor: Torture
Memory lossfraxisle's review against another edition
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Medical content, and War
lisa_m's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was so good! I loved Gideon the Ninth and I wasn't completely happy with Harrow the Ninth. Nona blew me away! I was extremely confused in the beginning but I just loved Nona's POV. It was same world we kind of knew already but from such a different and unique child like perspective which was super interesting to read about.
I need the next book soo badly!!! The ending just confused me but also I feel like this is the first time I kind of understand what is happening. I feel like every new book in this series is so unique and you're going to be confused in the beginning no matter what. So I definitely need to reread the first three books before reading Alecto. I do hope we get some final answers in that book though.
Since the first book Palamedes and Camilla have been my favourite characters. I obviously loved Gideon and the others as well but Camilla and Palamedes just have a truly special place in my heart. I am so happy that we got to know a bit more in this book. All of their emotional moments in this book just ruined me! I was so close to crying multiple times because of them. I just want to have a relationship like theirs someday. It is so beautiful. I'm really interested to learn more about Paul. I don't think I could ever like him as much as P&C but who knows.
I also really enjoyed Johns backstory. It was so interesting to read about. I still don't like him but it gave me so much more information about him and his story and motifs. Also it made me even more excited for Alecto.
What I did not understand though was Nonas 'death'? Was she Harrow + the Body in a weird mix that got a new consciousness? That was at least the way I explained it to myself. Maybe we will get more information about that in the next book as well :)
The Locked Tomb series is definitely one of my all time favourite series and I'm pretty sure I will have to reread it at some point just to fully appreciate it and understand what is going on. :)
I need the next book soo badly!!! The ending just confused me but also I feel like this is the first time I kind of understand what is happening. I feel like every new book in this series is so unique and you're going to be confused in the beginning no matter what. So I definitely need to reread the first three books before reading Alecto. I do hope we get some final answers in that book though.
I also really enjoyed Johns backstory. It was so interesting to read about. I still don't like him but it gave me so much more information about him and his story and motifs. Also it made me even more excited for Alecto.
The Locked Tomb series is definitely one of my all time favourite series and I'm pretty sure I will have to reread it at some point just to fully appreciate it and understand what is going on. :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Dementia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
theirgracegrace's review against another edition
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
Nona the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir's third book of four in the Locked Tomb series, is a sudden but welcome shift from the previous two books. Nona is just a nineteen year old relearning how to interact with society with the help of her three parental figures. But it is later discovered that the three parents are necromancers from the Nine Houses and that Nona herself is piloting the body of someone named Harrowhark Nonagesimus, and the Nine Houses want them back . An astounding dual point-of-view familiar to readers of Harrow the Ninth and a cast of loveable characters familiar of the same. The explosive ending leaves me wanting more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Excrement, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Colonisation
The Blood of Eden's attack on necromancers comes with a lot of slur-like terms and bigotry that is reminiscent of (but not a direct copy of) religious bigotry in real life.