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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
First book I’ve Read of Tamsyn Muir.
I will say the world building for the book was really cool. This futuristic, necromantic, murder mystery romance-ish novel was a cool read but my issue… is that it’s too much at once.
I genuinely was interested in the beginning and thought it was a cool premise for Gideon. Like being thrust to become a cavalier for Harrowhawk and how she was just wanting to find a way to get out and this was her way. I did lose concentration and connection with the book due some of the language used as well as trying to keep track of names. (Even with the small guide at the beginning of the book). I had issues with how everyone did speak in similar ways except for Gideon who spoke quite “modern”. I do think it helped show how a bit of an outsider she was in this world, and how she wasn’t this noble person along with everyone else however it did prove distracting for me.
I do think overall now having read the book if I returned to read this book once more i think i would be able to enjoy it more since i have a better grip on the world and the people and things that go on. But i will say i need to brush up on some of the words cause i was lost thanks to more SAT words lol.
The ending of the book though was actually a bigger shock than the surprise twist of Cytherea the first, an ancient lyctor, prepending to be Dulcinea. Like having Gideon sacrificing herself and both becoming one with Harrow as well as upgrading her to a Lyctor herself to defeat Cytherea was a dope moment. I just kind of wish there was more of a build up or room for them becoming closer friends / lovers towards this climactic moment. I do however think that a second read through may help since i won’t be too distracted by things
I will say the world building for the book was really cool. This futuristic, necromantic, murder mystery romance-ish novel was a cool read but my issue… is that it’s too much at once.
I do think overall now having read the book if I returned to read this book once more i think i would be able to enjoy it more since i have a better grip on the world and the people and things that go on. But i will say i need to brush up on some of the words cause i was lost thanks to more SAT words lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5
will be ruminating on this and very eagerly starting the next book asap
will be ruminating on this and very eagerly starting the next book asap
I really wanted to like this book. I really did. The setting was interesting and different, but the plot was just disjointed to the extent that I ended it feeling really unsatisfied. I think there was a good story in there, but it really needed more development. The jumps between plot points just kind of felt like a video game rather than a book.
adventurous
dark
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood
adventurous
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:
Yes
Okay, I have some criticisms (which have mostly been covered by the other reviewers) but hear me out: the worldbuilding could have been better flushed out. We are plopped into this world with no understanding of how or why it works the way it does and us readers just kind of have to figure it out. There are even some- as far as I could tell- made up terminology for the various necromancers that was vague and undefined. I also struggled with the pacing because the action was almost too fast and the non-action was a bit too slow for me. I went back and forth between ebook and audio and several passages had to be re-read or re-hear so I could figure out what was taking place, which was compounded by the fact that the characters were called by their first, or last name, or a nickname, or a title at any given moment, and with so many characters, it is a bit overwhelming.
But I also have some praises- clearly with my designating it 4 stars, it deserves them! The characters were all well developed which was impressive for the amount of them. I loved the necromantic puzzles (I wish there had been more) and exploration of the house. The depth of storytelling was great and you could tell that the universe in this novel was very well thought out. The twists were delightful and a lot of the plots tied up quite nicely. I laughed out loud a few times, and teared up a little here and there. I was genuinely invested in Gideon. Also, this is random, the line "show them what the ninth house does."... "We do bones, motherfucker" was absolutely brilliant and perfect for the moment- so shout out there, I am still smiling just thinking about it.
If the pacing, terminology, and the worldbuilding had been better established it would have been a solid 5 star read for me.
Clearly if you have issues with cursing, or gore for that matter, this may not be the book for you. Alos, the tagline "Lesbian necromancers explore a gothic palace in space" is niggling at me. Yes, Gideon is a lesbian BUT there are no real romantic elements. I don't know if simply knowing she is attracted to females would put off some readers, but it wasn't a major plot point. I know representation is important, but I feel like if you were talking about Hitchhikers Guide for example you would label it as "Hetero man adventures through space after Earth is destroyed" because the sexuality isn't really important to the story. Thanks for bearing with me there.
Excited to get the other books in the series after I get my library checkouts under control again!
But I also have some praises- clearly with my designating it 4 stars, it deserves them! The characters were all well developed which was impressive for the amount of them. I loved the necromantic puzzles (I wish there had been more) and exploration of the house. The depth of storytelling was great and you could tell that the universe in this novel was very well thought out. The twists were delightful and a lot of the plots tied up quite nicely. I laughed out loud a few times, and teared up a little here and there. I was genuinely invested in Gideon. Also, this is random, the line "show them what the ninth house does."... "We do bones, motherfucker" was absolutely brilliant and perfect for the moment- so shout out there, I am still smiling just thinking about it.
If the pacing, terminology, and the worldbuilding had been better established it would have been a solid 5 star read for me.
Clearly if you have issues with cursing, or gore for that matter, this may not be the book for you. Alos, the tagline "Lesbian necromancers explore a gothic palace in space" is niggling at me. Yes, Gideon is a lesbian BUT there are no real romantic elements. I don't know if simply knowing she is attracted to females would put off some readers, but it wasn't a major plot point. I know representation is important, but I feel like if you were talking about Hitchhikers Guide for example you would label it as "Hetero man adventures through space after Earth is destroyed" because the sexuality isn't really important to the story. Thanks for bearing with me there.
Excited to get the other books in the series after I get my library checkouts under control again!
Remarkable book in its way. There is some effective writing, particularly the less drawn out action scenes. The point of view of the immature warrior who doesn’t know much about what’s going on is an interesting choice. The situation is overwhelmingly weird, and I appreciated the humour and apparent originality. However the physical setting of a large part of the story seemed unimaginative. I also found distasteful the way a certain character’s self-sacrifice was presented. So I probably won’t be reading sequels.