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aurabora's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-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
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, so when it started with the list of dramatis personae, I immediately had to stop and look up a written version to follow along and figure out what I was in for! (Luckily there are many wiki-type pages out there.) Once I did that, I had no issue delving into the world and its story.
It doesn't really take off until all the houses have arrived at Canaan House, but then the story morphs into an interesting puzzle box/locked room mystery. I was not expecting an "And Then There Were None" type of intrigue in this fantasy novel, but it was a pleasant surprise! I'm not sure I 100% followed all of the logical jumps the characters made as they figured out the puzzles, but I was able to follow all of the plot points no problem. There's a lot of intrigue and unanswered questions about the world that I'm itching to learn more about, so I will absolutely be continuing on with the series.
Surprisingly, I found the book to be a joyful reading experience, so that's primarily why I'm rating it 5 stars. Horror and necromancers are not normally my thing, and I've read plenty of grimdark novels that, while good, were harder to get through. However, this does not qualify as horror at all, so I was safe there. There were just a few more mentions of skeletal features and viscera than I would normally seek out, but not so many as to put me off. After each listening session, I found myself in a better mood and eager to find more time to continue on!
Gideon's voice was so strong throughout, and I thought that the audiobook narrator did an excellent job in capturing it while differentiating all the other characters' voices. It first caught me off guard that Gideon does use so much "modern" language (like "that's what she said" jokes), but I guess who's to say that language doesn't belong in this world? Once I got over that initial anachronistic feeling, I thoroughly enjoyed the humor.
It doesn't really take off until all the houses have arrived at Canaan House, but then the story morphs into an interesting puzzle box/locked room mystery. I was not expecting an "And Then There Were None" type of intrigue in this fantasy novel, but it was a pleasant surprise! I'm not sure I 100% followed all of the logical jumps the characters made as they figured out the puzzles, but I was able to follow all of the plot points no problem. There's a lot of intrigue and unanswered questions about the world that I'm itching to learn more about, so I will absolutely be continuing on with the series.
Surprisingly, I found the book to be a joyful reading experience, so that's primarily why I'm rating it 5 stars. Horror and necromancers are not normally my thing, and I've read plenty of grimdark novels that, while good, were harder to get through. However, this does not qualify as horror at all, so I was safe there. There were just a few more mentions of skeletal features and viscera than I would normally seek out, but not so many as to put me off. After each listening session, I found myself in a better mood and eager to find more time to continue on!
Gideon's voice was so strong throughout, and I thought that the audiobook narrator did an excellent job in capturing it while differentiating all the other characters' voices. It first caught me off guard that Gideon does use so much "modern" language (like "that's what she said" jokes), but I guess who's to say that language doesn't belong in this world? Once I got over that initial anachronistic feeling, I thoroughly enjoyed the humor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
angorarabbit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
4.25
TLDR: Confusing at first the end pays off your hard work.
I was totally confused by the time I was 30% in so I went back to the dramatic personae at the beginning of the book and wrote brief descriptions which helped a lot. Ms Muir has taken the rule to tell not show so what you know about this world is what Gideon knows and deems worthy to think about. Which makes sense, I wouldn’t bother describing how trees grow in my everyday life. There are several appendices that would have been very helpful to read before instead of after. They do not contain any spoilers so perhaps they are in the front in other editions.
Besides my confusion this was a well written book. The world is intriguing and the characters are interesting and for the most part developed. Gideon is a fresh voice in a fantasy world full of heroes saving damsels. Harrowhawk has surprising depth that doesn’t appear until you are past the 50% mark. The plot is complex with surprising twists, the ending is satisfying. I do think the final boss fight was a little to long, but the action was well described. I am looking forward to reading Harrow the Ninth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Sexual content
sourcherrysyrup's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Hilarious and heartbreaking. Love it love it love it. Gideon!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Child death
booktamerghc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer and Grief
bwoo's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror and Suicide
Minor: Cancer
toastyghosty13's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Absolute chaos. Lesbian necromancers in space exploring a haunted gothic mansion is the quote on the front and it is correct and yet it is so much more. Think Agatha Christie "And Then There Were None". The humor is unexpected and unprecedented (I implore you to read the naming choice section at the end of the book too) and the characters are unique and psychotic.
The beginning is super confusing with all of the names of people and places thrown at you very quickly, but it is worth it! About 20%-30% of the way through it clicked for me.
I immediately bought the other books in both ebook and physical copy format as soon as I finished. The ending was givingBloodborne ascending and fear the old gods and I am OBSESSED .
For the Ninth.
The beginning is super confusing with all of the names of people and places thrown at you very quickly, but it is worth it! About 20%-30% of the way through it clicked for me.
I immediately bought the other books in both ebook and physical copy format as soon as I finished. The ending was giving
For the Ninth.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
keiwald's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Sloooow start, but picks up to the point where it's a sprint to the finish line.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Death of parent
It is a book about necromancy, lots of bones, lots of death, lots of blood.bootrat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
You have to go into this book knowing that a lot of it will not make sense to you until near the end of the book, and just enjoy the ride. Unlike a lot of fantasy or sci-fi books the world isn't explained to you early on, but it doesn't take away from how good this book is! You just accept that you don't know what necromancers really do (or how), or why they exist, or what a cavalier is, or what a lyctor is, and just go on a journey with the characters.
I absolutely adored Gideon, and just want to look after her forever, and the way her relationship with Harrow is developed and revealed is so good. You often forget that they are 18 and 17, because they largely don't act like teenagers, but you get glimpses of it here and there. All the supporting characters are great too, and the world and idea behind this book is just so good. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
I absolutely adored Gideon, and just want to look after her forever, and the way her relationship with Harrow is developed and revealed is so good. You often forget that they are 18 and 17, because they largely don't act like teenagers, but you get glimpses of it here and there. All the supporting characters are great too, and the world and idea behind this book is just so good. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Terminal illness, War, and Injury/Injury detail
kerrythefire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This was a little slow to start, but once things got going it was really entertaining! This is prob more like a 4.15 ⭐️ rating or something but I'm rounding up because of the high of how it finished - the climax kept climaxing. This was a pretty character driven story and plot, so I think the end felt extra energized because it basically said "you know the characters now, now this is just going to be all action-packed plot for a few chapters". It maybe could have used a little more drawing out in the resolution to give it a more satisfying emotional punch, because it feel like it got wrapped up fairly quickly.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, which can be made even harder when listening vs. reading, but I thought the narrator did a good job using different voices and Tamsyn Muir did enough to define each of their personalities and alignments that it made for a richer story. It was also fun seeing all the different kinds of necromancers, and I honestly could have gone even deeper there to satisfy the lore need in me.
From the beginning you could tell that there was a different connection between Gideon and Harrow other than just pure hate, and it was nice to see that relationship evolve while at the same time not have the book focus solely on that relationship. Their banter was always fun though. It was nice to see each of their relationships (mostly Gideon because this was her book) with other characters too.
I do feel like we still have some unanswered questions about Gideon's history and who she is, so hopefully more is revealed in the subsequent books. Will be interesting to see this next chapter of Harrow!
Also, the cover art is epic!
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, which can be made even harder when listening vs. reading, but I thought the narrator did a good job using different voices and Tamsyn Muir did enough to define each of their personalities and alignments that it made for a richer story. It was also fun seeing all the different kinds of necromancers, and I honestly could have gone even deeper there to satisfy the lore need in me.
From the beginning you could tell that there was a different connection between Gideon and Harrow other than just pure hate, and it was nice to see that relationship evolve while at the same time not have the book focus solely on that relationship. Their banter was always fun though. It was nice to see each of their relationships (mostly Gideon because this was her book) with other characters too.
I do feel like we still have some unanswered questions about Gideon's history and who she is, so hopefully more is revealed in the subsequent books. Will be interesting to see this next chapter of Harrow!
Also, the cover art is epic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child death
krisalexcole's review
adventurous
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Gore, Terminal illness, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Murder