Gideon the Ninth’s worldbuilding paints a goth aesthetic on the bones of a dying universe. The writing is mostly quite good but there are also some oddly phrased sentences and arcane word choices which made the sentences flow awkwardly at times. This might be a generational issue, I’m an old fucking man I can admit that, but for me there are a couple of moments where it jarred my suspension of disbelief. Sometimes it just sounds weird to hear a space necromancer say a sentence that would more likely come out of a zoomer‘s mouth. Overall, I’d tally this as a strength, but there were times when the jokes didn’t land or the parlance was so… youthful, contemporary? That it felt out of place.
It is present not just in the dialogue but in the author’s narrative. Eventually the more important secondary characters crystallized into clearer portraits as the chaff were killed off, but it took a minute, and it was distracting.
Even with an appendix to reference knowing who was “the uncle“ was sometimes unclear, and who was “the third cavalier” required a trip to the appendix. Keeping track of who is who and what house they are and who’s whose necromancer or cavalier was all a bit confusing. Each of them has a house name, a number name, a first name, a sobriquet, sometimes a nickname, sometimes a rank. When the houses come together, we are essentially introduced to 15 new characters at the same time.
On the subject of characters, while the main characters are very clear and fleshed out, the same is not true of the rest. These two are sassy as fuck, and their banter and wit is what brings these pages to life. When these two are forced to team up to participate in a necromantic hunger games, with immortality as the prize, they’ll be forced to rely on each other and overcome the toxic dynamic they’ve established. Meanwhile, Harrow is dark, harsh, and brimming with secrets. Only, it’s a little more complicated than that. These two young women hail from a backwater planet where they’ve grown up as enemies. The story’s strength lies in the relationship between Gideon and Harrow. Gideon the Ninth is all about characters. So, naturally, just as you’re about to make your escape, she foils your plans and makes you an offer you can’t refuse. And the only kid around your age is the heir to the Ninth, a girl you’ve spent your life hating, the creepiest necromancer of them all. Imagine growing up in the depths of space surrounded by a bunch of creepy necromancer cultists. All Gideon wants is to get the hell away from the Ninth House.
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