mngwa's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
This book took me a while to get into. I knew the writing was good but it didn't click. I got myself to a place where I just sat down and finished it and I'm really happy I did. The ending was so lovely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Dysphoria, Bullying, Death of parent, Suicide, Confinement, Child death, Grief, Murder, and Body horror
bean_7088's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Less space, and gay than anticipated, lots of necromancy.
Was a hard one on audio, there were so many names and people and it was hard to keep track when I couldn't see the names.
I'll probably re-read it to get a better grip on the whole story since I stopped and started a lot, but I really enjoyed the mystery and intensity of the story.
Edit: well, I'm glad I re read it right aways 😅 much easier knowing who everyone is also before I had missed the part where they become friends and actually care about each other, so I had been confused.
It was still good. I still loved all the casual gay, and Gideon being a shit.
Was a hard one on audio, there were so many names and people and it was hard to keep track when I couldn't see the names.
I'll probably re-read it to get a better grip on the whole story since I stopped and started a lot, but I really enjoyed the mystery and intensity of the story.
Edit: well, I'm glad I re read it right aways 😅 much easier knowing who everyone is also before I had missed the part where they become friends and actually care about each other, so I had been confused.
It was still good. I still loved all the casual gay, and Gideon being a shit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Terminal illness, Body horror, Violence, Death, and Gore
Minor: Cannibalism
It's necromancy. It's a little grosssharron_joy_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
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
5.0
Gideon is ready to escape but her lifelong enemy, Harrowhark, the Reverend Daughter and Necromancer of the Ninth House requires one final service, she needs a swordswoman. The Emperor orders the heirs of the eight houses and their cavaliers to travel to the First House and undertake a trial of skill and power. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an all powerful immortal but she cannot succeed without Gideon. The trials begin and the first house becomes a death trap.
This is a techno gothic sci-fi murder mystery horror story and it is incredible. It is fantasy but the world building is shared as the story is told, it leaves the intricacies of this world to the reader to decipher, this is quite common in sci-fi , not so much in fantasy. I loved this as it enabled me to construct the world bit by bit in my head like a puzzle and I love puzzles! There are a lot of characters but they are all listed at the front if you get lost and after a while they are easy to remember.
The magic systems in this are gloriously gothic, living skeletons from fragments of dust, constructs of bone, flesh and sinew, it is so visceral! The solar system they are in is fuelled by the power of death and the energy of life.
Gideon is a hell of a woman, acerbic and irreverent, her contemptuous relationship with Harrow, who has tormented her since they were children, is vicious from both sides but with a rich vein of dark humour. I loved them both!
It is a murder mystery in a crumbling gothic mansion. It is Medieval knights on a quest, loyalty and fealty to one’s House, duty and honour. It is powerful sorcery using blood, bones and magic. It is trials to the death and solving the clues to find the key. It is a remarkable read and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
This is a techno gothic sci-fi murder mystery horror story and it is incredible. It is fantasy but the world building is shared as the story is told, it leaves the intricacies of this world to the reader to decipher, this is quite common in sci-fi , not so much in fantasy. I loved this as it enabled me to construct the world bit by bit in my head like a puzzle and I love puzzles! There are a lot of characters but they are all listed at the front if you get lost and after a while they are easy to remember.
The magic systems in this are gloriously gothic, living skeletons from fragments of dust, constructs of bone, flesh and sinew, it is so visceral! The solar system they are in is fuelled by the power of death and the energy of life.
Gideon is a hell of a woman, acerbic and irreverent, her contemptuous relationship with Harrow, who has tormented her since they were children, is vicious from both sides but with a rich vein of dark humour. I loved them both!
It is a murder mystery in a crumbling gothic mansion. It is Medieval knights on a quest, loyalty and fealty to one’s House, duty and honour. It is powerful sorcery using blood, bones and magic. It is trials to the death and solving the clues to find the key. It is a remarkable read and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
kkirsch118's review
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cursing, Chronic illness, Bullying, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Blood, Gore, Body horror, and Murder
komiification's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
I literally had no idea what was going on for the first half of this book (I typically don’t read such high sci-fi/fantasy stuff), but once I let myself just read through it SLOWLY, I really enjoyed it, especially after the first 200 pages. Pretty fun stuff, excited to check out the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Terminal illness, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Slavery and Fire/Fire injury
jillian8's review
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
Love love love. Gets even better after you read the second one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Gore, Toxic friendship, Violence, Body horror, Child death, and Suicide
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Minor: Genocide, Cannibalism, and Child abuse
shawnali's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Body horror
katee17's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Suicide
tylercrow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Murder, and Blood
bezarue's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.75
No one is surprised that I loved this. The tagline says lesbian necromancers in space exploring a gothic castle. Ofc this was right up my street.
Spoiler
Genuinely shocked by just how many people died. Like christ on a bike I was expecting one more death after the kids not like ten. Also Gideon better not actually be dead or I am going to lose my shit. She's gotta keep being reincarnated right? RIGHT?!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Child death, Death, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Violence, and Gore