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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
I found this book so refreshing. It was just different from your standard fantasy/science fiction. The plot is well-designed and entertaining, keeping you reading at every turn. The different commentaries on topics like trauma, social/familial pressure, and queerness are perfectly subtle throughout the story. I also appreciated the characters throughout the book. Not only is the MC done well, but each supporting character is well crafted with complexities and intrigue.
Oh, so good! I don't know why I didn't read this sooner.
In a universe where necromancy is a regular thing, Gideon lives in the ninth house. She is a foundling raised by them, sometimes tortured by them. Harrow is of the same age but a true child of the house. Gideon yearns for freedom, but her last chance is a meeting of all nine houses to have the heads become the servants of the emperor. Harrow as necromancer, Gideon as caviler/protector. But this is no normal meeting and as danger rears its ugly head both will have to come into their own to survive...if they can.
Pulse pounding read that was unputdownable. Shockers galore keep you from sussing out the next thing all the time. Can't wait to get to the second title.
In a universe where necromancy is a regular thing, Gideon lives in the ninth house. She is a foundling raised by them, sometimes tortured by them. Harrow is of the same age but a true child of the house. Gideon yearns for freedom, but her last chance is a meeting of all nine houses to have the heads become the servants of the emperor. Harrow as necromancer, Gideon as caviler/protector. But this is no normal meeting and as danger rears its ugly head both will have to come into their own to survive...if they can.
Pulse pounding read that was unputdownable. Shockers galore keep you from sussing out the next thing all the time. Can't wait to get to the second title.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There were a few things about this novel that I did like, namely Gideon's personality and the dark and immature humor that permeated the story, but good grief, this story was a slog to get through. Gideon was a shockingly passive protagonist for much of the novel and spent a truly inordinate amount of time lounging in solitude while people dropped like flies around her. Gideon is kept so far in the dark for so much of the novel, I could hardly bring myself to care about anything that was happening.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i really found gideon quite insufferable not gonna say im glad shes dead buuuuuuuuut
i feel like the first section on the new planet was just very slow cause gideon doesnt know whats happening so it was a bit dead ngl wish that part had been shorter, also i thought it was like ninth was necromancers but everyone else had there own like fun skill, but then... they were just all necromancers... so like not really that special ig...
i feel like the first section on the new planet was just very slow cause gideon doesnt know whats happening so it was a bit dead ngl wish that part had been shorter, also i thought it was like ninth was necromancers but everyone else had there own like fun skill, but then... they were just all necromancers... so like not really that special ig...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death
Main character is insanely annoying and wears sunglasses inside like an asshole.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
i didn’t really know what to expect from this book but i really enjoyed it! the magic system was really cool and you really felt like you were in an escape room, slowly learning more and more. i liked the building up of the characters relationships and the way that it really captured gideon and harrow together. overall a really fun read!
I have to say I’m kind of close to rating this even lower. I really wanted to like it but it has a lot of problems.
1) please please please explain your worldbuilding. I didn’t understand anything pretty much the whole time. Too much jargon, too confusing, the book is slow as hell so why not start with explaining some stuff? It was so confusing and I didn’t care about anything because I didn’t understand shit
2) pacing is wack. The plot seems to begin around 50-60% which is way too late and then things feel rushed. If the first half was worldbuilding, etc, this might not feel so lopsided. It was weird
3) I would hesitate to really call this a book about space or lesbians. Both concepts are there but dont really stand out. Gideon and Harrowhark definitely have a complicated relationship and are written as sapphic but it’s not… confirmed or really anything more than hinted at which was disappointing. The end would have hit much harder if there had been more of a relationship between them.
1) please please please explain your worldbuilding. I didn’t understand anything pretty much the whole time. Too much jargon, too confusing, the book is slow as hell so why not start with explaining some stuff? It was so confusing and I didn’t care about anything because I didn’t understand shit
2) pacing is wack. The plot seems to begin around 50-60% which is way too late and then things feel rushed. If the first half was worldbuilding, etc, this might not feel so lopsided. It was weird
3) I would hesitate to really call this a book about space or lesbians. Both concepts are there but dont really stand out. Gideon and Harrowhark definitely have a complicated relationship and are written as sapphic but it’s not… confirmed or really anything more than hinted at which was disappointing. The end would have hit much harder if there had been more of a relationship between them.