Reviews

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Only show reviews with written explanations

aneges's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

The second person narration took some time getting used to but it makes sense for the kind of story. The pacing is on the slower side but it still was able to keep an intriguing air of mistery till the end with slow reveals throughout.

It's strange that at the beginning we know more than the main character and their memories conflict with what happened before. It's an interesting narration

experiment and I kept theorizing for the reason.

Towards the end there were plenty of shocking reveals and it was even more surred than the previous one.

Some of the explanations towards the end could have been handled a bit better perhaps as they were not clear at first and needed to be explained too much. There were some clues along the way and the explanations made sense.

As usual the atmosphere and the writing are on point an unique. The world is also getting more complex and imaginative.

I don’t know what to expect from the next one seeing the ending but I am quite curious to see what’s coming our way.

philautia's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Holy shit, I'm obsessed.

Not to exaggerate, but when, all of a sudden, at the end of the chapter where Harrow meets Palamedes in his bubble, it was revealed that it was Gideon narrating all of the second-person chapters, I sucked up all the oxygen in my room. I gasped so hard, I inhaled some of the furniture.

I had noticed a little bit of Gideon in what, at the time, I assumed to be Harrow's narration. I thought that was the Lyctor bond working, or maybe Gideon's influence on Harrow over the years. I did not expect that all of a sudden, it would switch to first-person POV.

What a genius move. I'm still shocked.

And when, all of a sudden, Gideon takes over Harrow's body because she has shit to solve in her own bubble? Man, I died. We spent an entire book witnessing Harrow's utter disregard over her own safety. Her improvised lobotomy, her tendency to mold her own bones like clay; the woman is killing herself, day after day, lost in such a deep despair that she can't even begin to comprehend. And then Gideon comes along, and treats her body like it's holy. Like it's sacred.

Oh, Tamsyn Muir, we're really in it now...

This book balances its tone in a way I love. Case in point, Gideon's "I wanted you to use me, you malign, double-crossing, corpse-obsessed bag of bones, you broken, used-up shithead! I wanted you to live and not die, you imaginary-girlfriend-having asshole! Fuck one flesh, one end, Harrow. I already gave my flesh to you, and I already gave you my end. I gave you my sword. I gave you myself. I did it while knowing I'd do it all again, without hesitation, because all I ever wanted you to do was eat me.", expertly followed by, and I'm paraphrasing here, "which is also what ur mom told me last night lol".

Gideon is one of those people completely unable to say something vulnerable or serious without trying to take the edge off. And, like, same. The best part? She gets it from her daddy. "Hi, Not Fucking Dead. I'm Dad." Seriously? Really? You're just gonna do that to me? Okay, I see how it is, and I love it.

This book has everything in it that I never wanted to read in my life. Never in my life did I want to read a sex scene that involved amputation and no actual sex. Never in my life did I think about reading an improvised lobotomy. Or God having a threesome. Or ritualistic cannibalism. So why couldn't I stop reading?

Fuck The Locked Tomb, dude. How am I supposed to be a productive member of society when I can't think about anything but these messed up bitches?

princetore's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

*stepping out of my room covered in blood with my clothes ripped out looking like i just killed a man:* i finished harrow the ninth.

crockpot's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-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? Yes

4.0

timeiswasting's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious slow-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

bronwynmb's review

Go to review page

4.0

Hoo boy. This was a ride. I felt very confused a lot of the time, but it all came together really well. There’s so much going on, though, and it did take a little too long to come together, that it’s only four stars to Gideon’s five, but I’m still really enjoying these. I’m going to take a break before Nona, as this was very long.