Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

This book was a interesting pick for me. I don't normally shop in this section of the bookstore (maybe I should though) and I was only there because I had asked for some good LGBTQIA+ rep (mainly wlw and bi rep but any will do). I had made a post on instagram where I asked anyone for some recommendations on books that had amazing rep like the kind I had read in Reign of the Fallen, and the author of ROTF, Sarah Glenn Marsh, mentioned this book along with The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

Needless to say I went to the bookstore a day or two later with my gift cards to search for those and other books on my list. Sadly I only left with Gideon the Ninth because ALL THE OTHER BOOKS WERE OUT OF STOCK OR ONLINE ONLY...which I took as a personal attack, as any sane person would do as well.

Upon seeing the cover art for this book I knew I would like it. The art and the blurb hooked me and I placed it into my basket with my Etta Candy funko pop. The way Gideon is positioned, as if coming through a battle she single-handedly won, and looking like a badass skeleton won me over.

I also liked how Gideon's attraction to women wasn't a discovery during the book or hinted at to the reader. It was obvious that she was attracted to the other women around her, and to me that was a wonderful thing. To make it just...there and not something that people comment on or question was nice and almost soothing.

Throughout the whole book, I moved back and forth from loving certain characters, so being weary of them, to hating them, and hoping right back to loving them, and I credit that to Tamsyn's wonderful writing. She was able to weave characters that had flaws and hidden motives. Crafting twists and show, after the dust cleared, that those you thought were evil may not have been all along (I mean...they were a little bit but that's how they stayed human).

I gave Gideon the Ninth 4.75 stars out of 5.

I have taken off the .25 due to the fact that at the beginning of the book it was jarring to read and I was confused on how the planet of the Ninth was set up. Certain questions about the world of the Locked Tomb trilogy were coming to mind, but I'm sure with how the next book is set up those will be answered for me.

(Now this next reason might just be me) While reading, I would forget that it was a sci-fi story and that they were on a planet and not just...another country. The shuttles and space travel happened little in the book, but granted it wasn't NEEDED so I understand (yea it's just me being a weirdo).

Now I will read the other books on my 2020 TBR and add Harrow the Ninth (which has an equally beautiful cover BTW, just look at it) and continue this journey and story. I just hope that Harrow pulls some great skeleton dance parties soon in the books. Just for the fun of it honestly. Just like this gif:

Have you read Gideon the Ninth yet? What did you think about it, and are you ready for Harrow the Ninth like me?

À bientôt!

Photo/Gif creds: my photo of book, Harrow the Ninth cover, dancing skeletons,