Baba Yaga Reads's Reviews > Gideon the Ninth

“Gideon, don’t be sorry for the dead. I think death must be an absolute triumph.”

The first thing you need to know about this book is that a lot of people are going to hate it.
I’ve already seen several reviewers complain about how weird, confusing, and slow it is. I’ve heard people rant about the protagonist’s smartassery and complete inability to refrain from cracking jokes at the most inconvenient times. Believe me, I get it.
This book is unlike anything you’ve ever read. It’s more or less a gritty fantasy story made out of memes, except the memes in question are set in a crumbling palace in space complete with an aggressively goth aesthetic, some creepy mysteries, and a slow burn enemies-to-lovers lesbian romance. Does that sound appealing to you? If the answer is yes, you’ll probably enjoy Gideon the Ninth as much as I did.
In case you’re still not convinced (again, I get it) be aware that the first eight chapters are available for free on Tor.com: it’s probably a good idea to read them before buying the book. You’ll get a good grasp of the author’s writing style and sense of humor, which I would tentatively describe as “Terry Pratchett meets Jay Kristoff meets Urban Dictionary” — something I personally love, but other readers may find aggravating.

As for the story itself...let’s just say it’s not your typical good-versus-evil epic fantasy adventure. There’s certainly some good, some more evil, and a shit ton of creepy-borderline-horror stuff. Apparently Muir started her career as a horror writer and likes to mingle different genres in her works, so don’t expect Gideon the Ninth to strictly adhere to sci-fi conventions: sure, it’s set in space, but characters use magic and fight with swords. And if you’re wondering why the people in this book know how to fly spaceships but not how to use guns, well...that’s kind of the Big Mystery of the series. Or at least, I think it is: the author confirmed that the world building will be revealed as the story progresses and that the origin of the Houses is a crucial plot point, so I can only assume every seemingly incoherent detail has a logical explanation behind it. In any case, I had the impression that the narrative was giving me exactly the amount of information I needed to understand what was going on at any given point — no more, no less.

I should also mention that this is a very slow story filled with mysteries and obscure details, so the pacing can sometimes lag. There’s actually quite a lot of action too, just it’s diluted throughout the novel (much to Gideon’s chagrin) and interspersed with magical/scientific challenges and murder mysteries. Speaking of which, I loved the magic system in this world. All magicians are necromancers, but there are so many different types of necromancy that you never know what they’re going to pull out of their hat. Muir decided to approach magic from a scientific perspective and basically turn necromancers into death scientists, which...if that doesn’t sound awesome to you, don’t get anywhere close to this book (and also, what are you doing on my profile?).

Another element I really enjoyed were the characters. Gideon is a ridiculously endearing protagonist with a big heart and an irresistible sense of humor, and Harrow...well, Harrow has more or less become my new role model. I mean, just look at how she’s introduced into the story:

“The Lady of the Ninth House stood before the drillshaft, wearing black and sneering. Reverend Daughter Harrowhark Nonagesimus had pretty much cornered the market on wearing black and sneering. It comprised 100 percent of her personality.”
How could you possibly not love her?

To be honest, I think the single biggest strength of this book — besides its originality — is the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously: the tone is intentionally irreverent and tongue-in-cheek, balancing what would otherwise be a very dark and grim story. Ultimately, I think your enjoyment of Gideon the Ninth will vary based on whether or not you like the writing style and whimsical setting.
As for me, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment of this fresh, innovative, and deeply emotional series...especially after that ending nearly broke my heart!