arobear'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
5.0
Spoiler
(but honestly the ending killed me and I want to yell for a long time.... I'm not sure I'm going to be ok anytime soon...)Worldbuilding and character development are excellent; the setting feels mysterious throughout and (for better or worse) I love the characters. They're my shitty little children now!
Be ready for strong emotions though, fair warning.
Spoiler
I want to see where it goes with the necromancers in space thread next. Not sure it will be for a while though.... just ugh my heart, I have so many feelings...Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Abandonment, Slavery, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Self harm
Minor: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement
possibilityleft'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gore, Child abuse, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Body horror, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Murder, Medical content, Genocide, Death, Cannibalism, Blood, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Injury/injury detail, Death of parent, Child death, Abandonment, and Physical abuse
eatingbrains's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I went into this book knowing almost nothing beyond the tag line of Lesbian Necromancers in Space and that it was genre-bending for sci-fi and fantasy. That was enough to sell me on reading it, even though I heard mixed things.
Did it deliver on those premises? Mostly. There are characters that identified as women and showed attraction/flirted with others that also identified as women, some of those characters were also necromancers. With regards to being in space, there is very limited space shuttle travel, so I don't know that I would really quantify it that way, though there is ample room for that to change for the future in the series.
This book was indeed a crossover between sci-fi and fantasy in that it involved a technologically advanced civilization (space travel, and such) but with the deep roots of necromancy that almost took it into dark academia territory. The necromancers are all obsessed in learning new theorems/spells and figuring out things in their specializations, and there are also trials they have to pass and mysteries to solve before they can advance.
There's a lot of tension because it is a competition and you don't really begin to understand the stakes until Act II and then the full whammy hits you near the end.
Also, I feel like I have a conspiracy theory based on the epilogue/info peppered throughout the book so click for spoilers, I guess:
Spoiler
Okay, so Gideon did not die with all the other children even though she was close to the vents for 10 minutes and her parents were hella scared about that. In the epilogue, the Emperor says they couldn't retrieve Camilla (who was last seen alive) or Gideon's bodies so what if Harrow has Gideon's soul, but like, the body/vessel is still alive? And Camilla managed to be resourceful because she definitely is wicked smart and they escaped the First planet...? Or hid until they left? I dunno. Maybe I just don't want Gideon to be dead because her gay panic was so relatable. And everyone else. I loved the Fourth teens with their perpetual embarrassment and the Fifth cav Magnus was so sweet...Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, Cursing, Suicide, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Injury/injury detail, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Cancer, Death, Slavery, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Terminal illness, Bullying, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Child death, Stalking, and War
psitstorrie'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? It's complicated
4.0
This book, as well as the next two in the series, share a problem of pacing though. They end in cliffhangers, and the resolution to said cliffhangers is not provided for a very long time. I won’t say the payoff isn’t worth it, bc for me it is, but for some it may not be. Also word of warning, the second book is mostly written in a second person point of view, which is extremely difficult to adjust to, so keep that in mind if you are considering starting this series. There’s reason for it, but it can get frustrating.
That being said, this book (and series) makes me foam at the mouth and makes me want to run through the streets screaming (\pos) and the characters are so complex and interesting and I love them dearly.
Graphic: Abandonment, Murder, Violence, Gore, Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Body horror
thewickedbookworm'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: Violence, Suicide, Murder, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child death, Injury/injury detail, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Torture
Minor: Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Abandonment, Blood, Grief, Self harm, Cancer, and Medical content
Spoiler
Mass child murder/sacrifice is a major plot device. Two teenagers are murdered in violent ways. Suicide is a major plot device, including parental suicide.horriblehorrid'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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
elizmoe'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? It's complicated
4.75
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actual review:
half the time i had no idea what was going on, but i didn’t care because i was having an incredible time. i wish more books were this unapologetically ambitious with genre, plot, and world building. i’m absolutely feral to start harrow the ninth!!
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Vomit, Child death, Body horror, Grief, Suicide, Murder, Violence, Gore, and Cursing
Moderate: Abandonment and War
_teoeo'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
4.0
It took me so freaking long to finish this!! Also, it was the wrong decision to read the book in English instead of my native language because ngl there was a lot that I didn't understand (even though 90% of the books I read are in English). The final fight was too long for my liking, but all in all it was a good book. I enjoyed it (at least the parts I understood :')) and already bought the second book. Also, I really liked gideon
Spoiler
and I'm really shocked that she died!!Graphic: Blood, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Body horror, Injury/injury detail, and Bullying
Moderate: Child death and Abandonment
tigerproofrock's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, Gore, Blood, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Bullying
Moderate: Abandonment and Emotional abuse
ljausten05'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Moderate: Colonisation, War, Abandonment, and Confinement