Book Review: Gideon the Ninth
I decided to read Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir after watching several of my favorite BookTube creators singing its praises.
First, please keep in mind how bad I am at remembering the details of books once I’ve finished reading them. I’m not a book reviewer; I’m just a reader and writer who loves books and thinks it’s fun to share when I find something I think will resonate with readers like me. Or, in the case of this one, when I think it’s worth spending time and energy sharing it, even with those who may not have picked it up otherwise. I mean, I heard necromancers in space and admittedly did NOT immediately think “Oh, I need to read that!” As intriguing as that concept might sound to others, I tend to prefer my fantasy more grounded in reality. So, that’s worth considering as I share my thoughts.
A BRIEF SUMMARY
Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House (and exceptionally talented necromancer) has enlisted Gideon to represent the Ninth House as their sword when summoned to a battle of wits, strength, and skill by the Emporer. The winner of the contest earns immortality, which Harrowhark wants desperately for her own reasons. But in order to win, she must rely on Gideon, and in exchange for her service, Gideon will earn her freedom from serving the Ninth House. The lone survivor of a horrific tragedy which resulted in the death of every child, Gideon has known nothing outside her life as a servant to the Ninth House. The entire story kicks off when she attempts to flee aboard a ship. When her escape is thwarted by Harrowhark, she must agree to continue her service for this one, final time. She’ll probably die, but if she doesn’t, Harrowhark promises her freedom, and it’s too tempting an offer to pass up. The trials are insane, and the characters even more so, but the two nemeses (Harrowhark and Gideon) must come together if they hope to win.
WHAT I LOVED
Gideon the Ninth is unlike anything I have ever read, and that always earns a book points for me. The entire premise is wild… lesbian necromancers in space with skeletons, ghosts, immortal godlike beings, and all sorts of treacherous tasks they must complete. Despite having no clue what the hell I was reading for the majority of the book, it was somehow gripping and kept me turning pages. Then, out of nowhere towards the end, I found myself entirely connected with the characters and crying real tears over their fates. I still don’t know how Muir managed to pull that off, but she did.
Perhaps this is a prime example of all the times I’ve said that I care about the characters far more than any other element of the story. Yes, this book has epic, atmopsheric settings, and the plot was non-stop, raising endless questions from chapter one until the end, but it was the characters that kept me going when I had absolutely no idea what was happening in the actual plot. I want to be clear: the plot was intricate and left me with so many questions throughout, but it was all obviously intentional and made total sense in the end. The back 1/4 of the book had me going “Oooooh, that’s what that was about” on several occasions. And yet, despite all the questions, I didn’t get that dreaded confusion that often comes with complicated, twisty plotlines. I credit Tamsyn Muir with that, and it speaks to her ability as an author.
But the characters. Oh, the characters! I didn’t like either of the main characters overall… as in, I wouldn’t want to be friends with them in the real world. But, they were incredibly crafted and fully-fleshed out, and I truly felt like I knew these people. I could tell who was talking before I saw a dialogue tag because their voices were so rich and distinct and consistent. I truly believe Gideon the Ninth should be required reading for anyone trying to understand character writing.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
I really want to give this book 5 stars, for the sheer brilliance of Tamsyn Muir and her writing, but I have to take off 0.5-star for the simple fact that it’s really not my vibe overall. If this had been written by a less skilled author, I truly believe this would have been a horrible story. I don’t think most people could have pulled it off. I still prefer my fantasy to be more grounded in reality, so it is really just a personal preference thing. I rate books on two different scales and then average them out… was it a well-written book, and was it a book I liked? So, for this one I’d give it a 4/5 for just the overall vibes and reading experience (how much I liked it) and a 5/5 for the book’s execution in a more objective sense. It is objectively a great book.
All that to say, if you like more epic science fantasy, or if you like off the wall concepts with expert character exploration, this is absolutely your book and you’ll have a hard time finding one so impressive. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Gideon the Ninth.
Happy reading!
