Dudaba mucho si 3 o 4 estrellas pero el final me ha compensado mucho la lectura.

No es mal libro pero todo el hype a su alrededor no le ayuda. Eso no quita que adore el lenguaje que usa el narrador y como cambia de estilo cada vez que habla Gideon (que no siempre es algo tan marcado a novelas de este estilo). La ambientación me parece bastante original con esa mezcla de fantasia oscura y trama espacial.

Aunque tiene puntos previsibles, porque todo detalle tiene un fin, no se me ha hecho aburrida al lectura y sabe mantener bien el ritmo a pesar de toda la exposición para que vayas familiarizandote con el universo de la saga.

Tengo curiosidad por sus continuaciones aunque no tengo la ansiedad de seguirla ya, como si me sucede con otras novelas y sagas del estilo. ( )

Closer to 4/4.5 but I'm rounding up because it was a genuinely wild and fun story! "Gideon the Ninth" is like Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" but set in space and the characters are all necromancers and cavaliers, so that really just set the stage for a good time. I grew to love multiple characters, especially Gideon and Harrowhawk, who steal the show. Seriously, the relationship between Gideon and Harrow just GUTTED me at points and I was losing my mind during certain scenes. Also, I really liked the setting: I'm a sucker for an abandoned palace/house plot point and I think this one was well executed.

On the flip side, the cast of characters is HUGE and they aren't introduced in a very easy to follow way. I kept having to flip back to the character list (thank goodness there was one) and remember who was who. Also, some characters are referred to by multiple names; Gideon alone is call Gideon, Griddle, Nav, Cav, etc. and it's even more difficult when this happens with side characters the reader doesn't know very well yet. There are two characters whose names start with "P" and I constantly mixed them up until about 3/4 into the book.
The other main thing I think needed revision were the descriptions/explanations of certain magical things. There is a necromancy science that seems to underlie the magic system, which is cool, but there is so much talk of it that just went right over my head. I couldn't even begin to comprehend what they MIGHT be talking about. I just felt lost when the characters were trying to figure out the Big Mystery because I didn't (and kind of still don't?) understand what was at stake.
Finally, the worldbuilding is very thin and needs work, BUT because the novel was so contained to really one area this didn't bother me too much. The first 30 or so pages of the novel I struggled with because a lot was thrown in my face at once, but as the plot settled down it was okay.

On the whole: a super fun read that was never what I thought it was going to be, and I was downright shocked at times. I hope the sequel goes through some better revision, and Muir is able to smooth over some clunkier bits of writing, but I'm definitely planning on reading it. ( )

I love complex, intricate, thought provoking stories/novels, and this delivers. I got intensely detailed necromancy, murder mystery and really fun fight scenes, all with the faintest air of romance somewhere near the outer layers.
I would get really intensely drawn in to a situation and start a concerned dialogue, and in the next breath I’m laughing at a very well placed comedic break. I’ve waited a long time to get my hands on this book, and now it’s mine! There’s nothing remotely like it that I’ve yet to find.
If you are intimidated by lengthy discovery discussions, full world immersion and lots of new words, this book has naming system explanations, cohort intelligence files (yes, you read that right), a glossary and an excerpt on necromancers and cavaliers. See, there’s aids, no fear.
My ooooonly hold on a full 5 stars was the slight fading of the dominant character into the background towards the end. ( )

Some five star books are near perfect, all of the themes and foreshadowing from the beginning folding expertly onto the ending in a satisfying lattice - unimpeachable, a Gordian knot.

Gideon the Ninth is a messy five.

Not all of the sarcastic quips landed with me, there are several big moments that end up going unexplained/"rule of scary", and there are several characters that don't get enough time on the page. Plus these kids receive injuries and lose amounts of blood that feel pretty unsustainable. And yet, it's full of creepy fun and bombastic horror. Gideon and Harrow are a blast to get to know, both how they jostle and snarl at each other and how they peel back those layers of animosity to try to figure out a way to work together. The puzzle of the First House is engaging and wondrous, and its dark corners will raise the hairs on the back of your neck. The last third of the book drops bombshell reveals and ratchets the stakes sky high. It's an absolute romp, and I can already tell it'll be rattling around in my head for a long while. ( )

Read with a friend who had it recommended. Representatives from 8 houses gather to undergo a mysterious trial to become prestigious servants of the emperor undying. I'd like to say it was an interesting premise but it took a bit to get around to it. While I see the appeal of the characters and story, I did feel like it was lacking in execution. The world details we get are very sparse and there were several points that I felt were missed opportunities on the part of the author. I also felt the narrative itself was choppy and with inconsistencies in language style. Much of the time, I found myself more interested in the other characters rather than in Gideon herself. Muir has good ideas, but there is not enough substance to support them. ( )