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chloe5454's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Suicide, Violence, Abandonment, Classism, Body horror, Child abuse, Blood, Cursing, Cancer, Confinement, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Cannibalism, Genocide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Infertility
sunshinemoth's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I am very easy to please when it comes to fiction; give me loveable characters and an easy to follow narrative and I'll be perfectly content. However with sci-fi and fantasy it's not so for me. I get bored easily, or the sheer amount of worldbuilding confuses and baffles me to the point I spend half of my time reading flipping back through the pages to remind myself of who a character is or what the hell is going on. I am, admittedly, not very smart when it comes to these things.
This is not the case with Gideon The Ninth. I followed everything that was going on for the most part, was able to keep track of characters easily (their numbered names did help), and was given just enough information as the story went along to understand twists and connections in the story without feeling like I was being handheld by the author. Just mysterious enough to have me excitedly developing theories, but not so vague that dramatic twists in the story were lost on me because all I could think was "hah?"
And though the plot was as compelling, action-filled, and suspenseful as I was hoping—as I said I almost always go in for the characters, and Muir delivered. Gideon Nav is as tragic as she is hilarious. The lush, atmospheric narration interspersed with her blunt colloquial way of speaking was incredibly refreshing and amusing for a novel of this genre, but was also careful to never overstep into Joss Wheadon territory where I ever felt like it was ruining the tone of the story. Gideon is as charming and gutsy and sarcastic as she is caring and genuinely decent in a way that isn't so much shiningly heroic as it is warmly down-to-earth. Another refreshing aspect of this story: a character that felt real but still undeniably fit into their world.
Harrowhark is a perfect, perfect secondary character. You understand from the start why Gideon hates her so much, but when her character begins to unfurl like the most jagged and severe rose bud you've ever seen you are just as intrigued by and softened to her as Gideon becomes over the course of the story. Also, I love women who are macabre little freaks with immense issues, so she's easily a new all-time favourite character for me.
I won't go into my feelings on each and every one of the side characters we get to see over this story, specifically each necromancer/cavalier pair we meet, because this review would go on for pages. But rest assured I smiled and cheered and sobbed disgustingly over some of them just as much as I did for Gideon and Harrow. Each were distinct and memorable in their own right, which is difficult with fifteen unique characters, but it was executed quite well for the most part. I could nitpick if I wanted to (like the Second House feeling a little bit hollow compared to the rest), but this review is long enough.
All-in-all, Gideon The Ninth was a complete ride in the best way possible, and I CONSUMED all near-500 pages of it in just under five days. Up until the end I was gasping and urgently flipping each page, eager to find out what would happen next. Again, a massive feat for me, as with books of this length and density I tend to lose steam easily. I also spent the last 150 pages pausing frequently to put my hands over my face and scream bloody murder. I cannot wait to start Harrow the Ninth.
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Violence, Body horror, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Cancer
Minor: Cannibalism, War, Infertility, and Religious bigotry
sigrids's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Also I love how useless the main character is in face of any women she sees. Very relatable.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Violence, Death, Toxic friendship, Blood, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery, Suicide, Child abuse, Death of parent, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Genocide, Infertility, and Emotional abuse
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Muir’s character dynamics and character multidimensional and the way she writes women so central though is incredible.
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Infertility, Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Death of parent, Cannibalism, Bullying, Suicide, War, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Child death, Death, Blood, Cancer, and Body shaming
azureandroid'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: Toxic friendship, Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Blood, Suicide, Vomit, Genocide, Infertility, and Miscarriage
It seems like I've listed a lot I will say this is a book about necromancers and knights, and the two main characters have a very complicated relationshipbohboh's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Cursing, Death, Infertility, Gore, Grief, Child death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, and Vomit
Minor: War
nefariousbee's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Cancer, Gore, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Vomit, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Cancer, Cursing, Murder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Infertility, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Emotional abuse
lisztaffe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Cancer, Gore, and Suicide
Minor: Infertility, Child death, and Genocide
immovabletype's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Violence
Moderate: Infertility, Medical content, and Child death
Minor: War
hayleyvem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Chronic illness, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Body horror, Cancer, and Child abuse
Moderate: War
Minor: Infertility