A review by nmcannon
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

dark emotional 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

5.0

What kind of primordial queer scream can I emit that hasn’t already been echoed across the cavernous chambers of the Locked Tomb fans’ hearts? 

Sadly, I didn’t write a proper review of Gideon the Ninth. Without that book as a base, it’s impossible to describe Harrow the Ninth. Both books are intricate, multi-layered masterworks. I can’t describe the plot because the plot is a spoiler. One character is Find + Replaced. The soup scene was hysterical. Vast sections of Harrow are in the second person, and it’s a unique, effective use of the second person. I liked how the Lyctors acted as futures and foils to Harrow and Ianthe. It’s been a thousand pages and I’m not over the juxtaposition of butt jokes and florid descriptions of Gothic Catholic architecture. Overall, I feel so lucky to be alive in the time of Muir. We are so lucky to read these books. They’re beautifully wrought, watery as bones.