Harrow the Ninth is a fitting sequel to Gideon the Ninth, upping the ante and filling more of the space of this gothic universe. The first third or so is a bit of a workout to get through as you’re left scratching your head as to what the heck is going on. The eventual payoffs to this challenging setup start coming and when they do they hit over and over culminating in a climactic set of scenes worthy of this series. In other words, stick with it. It’s worth it.

There is a time before you read Harrow the Ninth, and a time after you read Harrow the Ninth. Still figuring out how to process a number of emotions- can’t recommend enough! This book touched my very bones and I’m glad for it.

“Harrow the Ninth” was a harrowing read! It is not an easy book to understand, but I think the effort is worth it. One must just accept what is thrown out there, and make the best sense of it. Some of it will become clear later... It picks up shortly after the events of the first volume in the Locked Tomb Trilogy, “Gideon the Ninth.” As the title would suggest, our main character this time is Harrow, the Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House. She’s a Necromancer, and has just become a Lyctor. She is now a Necrosaint, and is in service to the Necrolord Prime. This God Emperor is also known as John, and enjoys having tea and biscuits with his immortal servants. Harrow gets to interact with her fellow Lyctors, one of which regularly tries to kill her as a matter of principle. There seem to be two narratives at play during most of the book. The first is the actual events occurring in real time, and the other are what appear to be a recollection of past events as Harrow imagines them to have occurred. Herein lies some of the difficultly in comprehending the novel, because Harrow is a most unreliable narrator. Granted, she has been through some severely traumatic events, and events that are pretty objectively horrible continue to happen to her. We later learn why she seems so completely broken, and it explains much but not all. The ending is quite unclear to me, but I assume that more will be explained in the third volume of the Locked Tomb Trilogy: “Alecto the Ninth.” More of the history and lore of the universe of the Locked Tomb are revealed, but much of it one must just accept and go with. The levels of necromancy involved go exponential, as might be expected from a group of Lyctors working together against a a greater threat. The God Emperor is sometimes amazing, and sometimes makes dad-jokes. It is very different from “Gideon the Ninth” but one thing that is the same is the incredible characters do incredible things that sweep you up in to the tale.

Unreal through every page, quite unlike anything I’ve ever read and deeply satisfying for it. A peculiarity that will stick out for it’s mastery of plot, point of view, twists and inner dialogue. No doubt one of my favorites to read if not THE favorite. Amazing, inspiring work Tamsyn thank you for writing it.