Nona the Ninth

I really don't know how to feel about this book. On one hand, I enjoyed the reading experience throughout and I fully plan on reading Alecto the ninth when it's released. On the other hand, this entire book functions like a filler episode in a tv series. Background information and side stories play out throughout the novel and that information is interesting and entertaining; however, we were dancing around continuing the main storyline the entire time. Almost nothing that happened in book 2 was expanded upon, explained, or resolved in this novel. All the buildup to what I thought was going to be an epic reveal and climax to the novel fizzled out in the last chapter and the epilogue was clearly just getting us excited for what's coming in the next book. Much like a post credit sequence at the end of a marvel movie would.

So if you're really into the book lore and what to know exactly how John became a god then pick this up. But if you want to dive right back in Harrowhark and Gideon's story after the events of book 2 then this book will very much be lacking for you. As a side note, I greatly enjoyed seeing more of Camilla and Palamedes' relationship so maybe it gets an extra half star for that.

Yes, yes this is more accessible in terms of how it was written and the nature of the story. That does not mean it was easy to understand what was happening. What is going on this one? I felt like this was a lot background with minimal driving of the overall story until the final third and the ending. Then the story really took off. Very enjoyable edition to the series.

Once again, I admire Tamsyn Muir's ability to completely change the game with every book in this series. I felt this one was a lot more straightforward than the previous two, which is probably by design as you have this whole new character to learn to love in addition to familiar faces. I appreciated the more grounded look at the world away from Lyctors and Gods and necromancy and also loved Nona's friends and all of the good dog content.

I will say, this has been my least favorite of the series, but my least favorite Locked Tomb book is still lightyears away from being bad by any means. It just felt like it could have potentially been condensed into a shorter novel, though I understand that could have sacrificed some of the character work. And, although I completely get it from a storytelling POV, seeing Gideon so hopelessly broken - whether it is from missing a fragment of her soul, dealing with an eternal life without Harrow, or a combination of everything - it just destroyed me. I liked that we got glimpses of the Gideon we know and love, but it still felt so bleak.

Overall, I still thought this was an exceptional book and I can't wait to see how everything comes together in the grand finale. 4 of Noodle's little shoes out of 5 (he refused to put the last two on).

4.5 muir what happens in your brain that makes these books go galaxy-shaped. muir please tell me. in short nona does love me and i DO love nona. you only get a semi-coherent review from me upon reread i???m afraid, after the last quarter of this book i need to go chew on some sand (like nona??????)

To say it's difficult to nail down exactly what a Locked Tomb book actually is would be an understatement.

For a series that I actively avoided, it's become something I very much enjoy. Being an artist and answering to yourself in the face of a passionate fanbase is bold. Gideon the Ninth was a fun book that had a lot going on for it and nobody would have blamed Muir for merely recreating it with the same cast of characters and continuing on with a linear story. Instead, Harrow the Ninth happened, which veered so far off course that you were either there for the ride or ejected, dejected that someone who wrote one of your favorite books isn't playing the greatest hits.

Nona is another very different book.

I'm gonna write stuff and it'll potentially be spoilers.

After the ending of Harrow, there were expectations of what we were getting. We were getting Harrowhawk coming to her senses, Gideon was indeed going to play a part, now we know more about Lyctors and John Gaius's bonkers empire. Hell, we've fought resurrection beasts and heralds. We've got our world-building down pat, but then again, who the hell is Blood of Eden that Camilla is hanging out with?

It turns out, none of this is very easy and this series explores love, trauma and the impact both have on individuals, groups and the greater community. Nona is, in a lot of ways, a shell. Nona is someone we care deeply about and want to be doing cool, kickass things, but in the wake of nonstop trauma, Nona is also Nona. There are locals kids she hangs out with, she's not very smart but she's a teacher's assistant to keep her busy and she's got her found family of Camilla and Palamedes sharing a body and Pyrrha Dve holding things down for everyone. They're in a bombed-out city on the verge of awful things and there are a lot of potentially familiar faces being referred to by different names.

Witnessing this through Nona's eyes is something that would only work via prose, as readers are familiar with a lot of the characters. Nona is, after all, only six-months-old in a nineteen-year-old body. It's complicated. This means even when we're familiar with characters, like Gideon, either Gideon has massively changed by all the events she's suffered through, or Nona feels intimidated by Gideon and sees her as a cold, impassive person, which is in contrast to how Harrow would see Gideon.

The biblical tract-style chapters of John's origin story punctuate all of this. These chapters break up the narrative while providing valuable context how this all began. We get to see how John was working on a cryo project as a part of the greater FTL escape plan to get as many people as possible off of Earth. Somewhere along the way, John discovers he's able to reanimate dead bodies, amasses a literal death cult, becomes a global figure that's helping keep a powerful president looking like he's alive and starts committing atrocities with a downright laissez-faire attitude. Somehow, this results in John and his cohort getting access to a suitcase nuke, John discovering the wealthy were planning to abscond while leaving 99% of humanity behind and that old softie John ends up starting an end-game style nuclear war, his powers reaching an apex where he single-handedly reaches out and slaughters every last person he can reach.

These chapters, especially in the context of where this book sits in the series where the emperor was slain, Gideon returned in Harrowhawk's body to fight, we discover Gideon's parentage and all of this other stuff, helps to frame exactly what this series is and who these people are. So much of what we experienced prior in the series was dream-like, odd and detached. Nona's reality, in contrast, is grounded and post-apocalyptic. Nona is living in the wake of the destruction, with the battered remains of the people who mattered to her. So, is Nona an awakening from a fairy tale, or a reprieve from the surreal reality of the nine houses, the river, the resurrection beasts and the heralds?

... does it even matter?

Incredible.

But also wtf happened ?

Y'all. This book. My mind is reeling, and this is my second time reading it. I need Alecto like I need air to breathe.

AHHHHHHHHHHH

I love everything Muir does, so this is of course incredible to me. Much more readable than Harrow, Nona introduces us into how the world outside the Nine Houses live. While still delaying the answers we've been craving, I loved how well Nona fits into the story arc of the Locked Tomb series. I fell deeply in love with her, adored the everyday perspective on Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes, and thoroughly enjoyed not just the absolute hijinks but also the contemplations of the friends Nona finds. This book had me screaming, grabbing my girlfriend's thigh, crying on my floor, and feeling like my body did a hard reset. Delightful. I'll be tearing my hair out for another year until Alecto graces our world.

still thinking abt the book bit nona was so sincere i loved reading her POV although plot felt a bit filler overall

For more of my reviews, check out my blog.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tordotcom for providing an ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Woof.

I'd wax poetic some more about how hard The Locked Tomb series is to review, but I fear that you're probably tired of hearing that. (Once you pick these books up, you'll see what I mean. I PROMISE.) So, we continue onwards. I had the profound luck to be granted access to an e-ARC of Nona the Ninth — Thank you, Tor.com. I love you forever. I had absolutely no idea what or where we were headed in this book. Way back when, Muir had announced (between Harrow and Nona) that The Locked Tomb was moving from a trilogy to a four book series. No one knew why, but I figured she had her reasons and I trusted her (and still do) to do what she needed to do to make this series as phenomenal as possible.

In terms of the series as a whole, Nona the Ninth is a bit of a side-quest, if you will. The main plot is present in this book, but it's told in backflashes, dreams, and hinted at in whispers and behind closed doors by side characters. I have to be so careful about what I say as I do not and absolutely refuse to spoil what happens in this book. Muir once again knocks it out of the park with Nona the Ninth. You'll be confused, but you'll like it. And you will love Nona herself. She is an enormous cinnamon roll of a sweetheart wrapped up in innocence itself. As for characters from past books — they're still present here, but a lot of them are presented in new ways. That's all I can say there.

Nona the Ninth is a lot easier to follow than Harrow, but it's not simple. Nothing about The Locked Tomb is simple, and I hope it never will be. This is a series you dive into and swim around in for awhile. This is a series that you'll look up theories for online, and hope that maybe you've figured it out. This is a series that you'll maybe need notes for, or a wiki up on another tab. It's complicated, delicious, and so satisfying. Yes, you'll have even more questions at the end of Nona, but oh what questions they'll be. And, don't worry, you'll get answers. So, so many answers for the questions asked in Harrow and Gideon.

The ending of Nona is like if there was a train carrying fireworks going super super fast, and then it crashed in this huge spectacular crash, and absolutely none of the fireworks went off. (You'll be standing there, watching the burning wreck, wondering shouldn't they go off? Should I intervene, maybe? Should I call someone?) The ending of Nona will leave you questioning everything. Muir is a genius. A master at her craft. An author that will probably forever be an auto-buy author for me.

Discovering your new favorite series is going from a trilogy to a tetralogy is always good news. Nona the Ninth picks up seemingly where Harrow left off, but I honestly wish I had reread Harrow another time before starting this one. I loved the story, and yet I found myself constantly wondering if I remembered where all the characters fit in with one another – this could be because Harrow the Ninth left me with so many questions about who is alive, who is dead, and who is somewhere in-between.

All I can hope for is that Alecto will give us more answers, but I'm happy to have met Nona along the way!