Reviews with content warning for Death - Harrow the Ninth

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

315 reviews

snackattackisback69's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

I am obsessed with this series. Just like Gideon the Ninth, this book has a slow start but the payoff in the last third of the book is more than worth it. I wasn't too keen on the second person narration when I began the book but I got used to it after a few chapters. I was pretty confused for the first third of the book but I had fun picking apart the mystery. I feel the author does an amazing job of hiding hints or meaning in even the simpliest of interactions so I was gripped even before the big reveals began. I did find the vaguenes of the end of the novel a bit unsatisfactory but I am excited to see where it leads in Nona and Alecto.

Content Warnings

divine529's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

Don't let the amount of time it took me to get through this book fool you. I really enjoyed it. The thing about this book though, is it can be really difficult to read because of what the main character (Harrow) is going through for the vast majority of the book.

This book takes place after Gideon, but it's told in two timelines (second person and third person). Harrow has just become a Lyctor and is adjusting to and learning all about the inner workings of what that means all the while she's struggling to adjust to that. It's hard to say more than that due to spoilers, but let's just say, it's a wild ride and it's best read right after Gideon (trust me on this). It's a fantastic book and very well written and done in a very unusual style (two timelines isn't unusual, but out of order, fragmented, multiple voices like this is - if you've read it, you know what I mean). The character relationships are complex and messy and so good. One thing I will say is the vast majority of the time I forget we're in space and on a ship. It just doesn't feel like it and when I'm reminded of that fact it takes me a minute to re-calibrate my thoughts (I felt the same way about the first book). All in all a fantastic book, albeit a rough one to read at times (please heed the content warnings).

I can't wait to read "Nona" and continue with the series!

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peppypenguin's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I was a bit nervous after the first book's ending, but the author knew exactly what she was doing. This book explores the universe more and gives the reader an understanding of the bigger picture. Action-packed but veeeery slow with the reveals so that when something does come to light it makes a big impact. Most are teased until the final quarter or so of the book, like a mystery novel where in the end you can see if any of your suspicions were right. The characters are fun and have a variety of shades of grey in terms of morality and relatability which keeps things unpredictable and interesting. I can't wait to continue reading.

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