Hello! I run a Book Club called the Book Detectives , we meet weekly on discord to discuss books together. The Plot Police, Officer Dorker has chosen Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. I create weekly questions for us to discuss so please feel free to use some of these questions for your own bookclub. I hope all the work I put into creating questions helps other groups. Please know that these questions will contain spoilers!!
Chapters 1 thru 4
1. What do you think of Gideon? Why do you think she wants to runaway and join the cohort so badly?
2. What did you think of Gideon's encounter with Crux?
3. What did you think of Gideon's discussion with Aiglamene when she came to tell her the muster call was real?
4. What did you think of how Gideon came to be in the Ninth House? Why do you think out of 200 babies in the Ninth house upon her arrival only 3 survived?
5. What did you think of Gideon's and Harrowhark's fight?
6. What did you think of Harrowharks necromancy abilities?
7. What did you think of the rest of the inhabitants of the Ninth House that we met when Gideon was taken to the church?
8.What did you think of the letter from the Necrolord himself that Harrowhark reads to her people?
9. What did you think when Harrowhark reveals she knew of Gideon's plan to leave all along?
10. Harrowhark informs Gideon that she will be her cavalier and will leave the Ninth house with her on her path to become a Lyctor. Do you think this is a good plan?
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Chapters 5 thru 9
1. Why do you think Harrow is so obsessed with keeping so many secrets from all the other houses?
2. Do you think Harrow is making a good decision by keeping Gideon in the dark about what they are getting into?
3. Were you as surprised as Gideon was that Harrow was emotional upon leaving her home?
4. What did you think of their journey to this new planet and of their landing process?
5. Two of the houses arrive late, the 3rd house because they actually have 3 people aboard. The 7th house when they land end up having a scene which involved Gideon having to catch the unconscious necromancer of the 7th house. What did you think of all this?
6. Gideon discovers that the religion that the 9th house practices is foreign to the other houses. What did you think of this?
7. Teacher only gives one instruction that they may not open any doors that are locked that they don't have permission to enter. Do you think this is a strange rule?
8. Gideon witnesses the shuttles being pushed into the ocean at the end of act one. Why do you think they secretly destroyed the only way to get off this planet?
9. Gideon accidently spy's on the 3rd house as they discuss the challenges they might face on their path to becoming a Lyctor. The more sullen twin notices Gideon and even take the time to threaten her, why do you think she did that?
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Chapters 10 thru 14
1. Gideon has an encounter with Dulcinea who seems to be sharper than we first were lead to believe. What did you think about their discussion.
2. Gideon interacts with some the cavaliers of the houses, in her first match she goes up against Magnus who she beats in three moves. What did you think of their fight?
3. Naberius and Gideon go up against each other next. Gideon is disarmed during this fight but she doesn't stop fighting going as far as punching him in the face. What do you think this fight reveals about both these cavaliers?
4. At the end of Chapter 11 we find out that Harrow was watching Gideon fight. Do you think Harrow only watched the last fight or saw everything?
5. When Gideon notices that Harrow hasn't been back to their rooms in over 24 hours she goes to find her. Upon looking for her, she ends up meeting the 6th house. What did you think of their encounter?
6. The 6th house reveals that the ring the cavaliers received is a keyring. The 6th has two keys so far. When they use one key to unlock the underground lab they find an unconscious Harrow is a kind of cocoon. What did you think of all these discoveries?
7. Gideon finally gets Harrow to share what she has been up to this whole time. They end up agreeing to work together from now on, what did you think of their conversation and agreement?
8. Harrow has Gideon just watching as she attempts the exercise with the bone construct. Gideon ends up sneaking in to fight it, what do you think this means for future trials?
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Chapters 15 thru 19
1.What did you think of the invitation and the party that was thrown for Magnus and Abigail's anniversary?
2. This is the first time we really get to see Abigail, what did we think of her?
3. We learn that the 5th house seems to mentor the 4th house on a regular basis what did you think of this?
4. Gideon and Harrow work together to defeat the bone construct, they end up with another key as their reward. Gideon mentions that there were lights in the bone construct to which Harrow replies that shouldn't be possible. Do you think Harrow meant it shouldn't be possible for Gideon to see them or for them to be there in bone construct in the first place?
5. As Harrow and Gideon are leaving they come across two dead bodies, Magnus and Abigail. What did you think of the timing of this discovery?
6. Palamedes seems to have a soft spot for Dulcinea do you think she is aware of it or choosing to ignore his special attentions?
7. All the houses work together throughout the night to try to discover what happened to the 5th house. Some of the houses use questionable methods of keeping their strength up, the 3rd eats some of her cavalier while the 8th practices soul siphoning. What did you think of these methods?
8. Teacher comes to get everyone out of the underground lab telling them to bring the bodies as well since something might decide to take up residence in their bodies if they are left down there. Teacher also cannot guarantee the safety of anyone else while they are down there. What do you think the danger is that Teacher is afraid of?
9. The 2nd house is insisting that Teacher and outside forces be involved now that two people have died. Teacher however informs them that its impossible and also says that its probably not necessary. What did you think of this exchange?
10. Do you think Magnus and Abigail were murdered or killed? And by what or who?
11. They key that Harrow and Gideon just acquired opens the hidden door that Gideon found on her first day in Canaan House. Its a small space they find where two people appeared to be living a very long time ago. What do you think this place was used for? Who do you think was living here before?
12. Harrow tells Gideon that they can't be stranger anymore since things are starting to get dangerous. Gideon responds by telling Harrow she needs to be worthy of her trust. Do you think these two will be able to get to a point where they can trust or be friends with each other?
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Chapters 20 thru 24
1. What did you think of Dulcinea approaching the Ninth house to get the next key?
2. Why do you think the Sixth House was Dulcinea's first choice? Does it make sense to you that Sextus would refuse to drain Camilla?
3. How did you feel while Gideon was being drained by Harrow? Were you happy that Dulcinea was there for Gideon while this was happening?
4. Harrow asks at the end of Chapter 20 what was the point of that exercise. What do you think they gain/learn from it?
5. Camilla knocks on the door of Gideon's room after she wakes up, do you think its odd that Harrow asked the Sixth house to look after her cavalier?
6. Camilla and Gideon walk in on Coronabeth asking Teacher for her own key, Teacher tells her this is impossible. When Coronabeth asks Palamedes about teaming up he reveals that there's probably only one or two more keys left anyways. This convinces Coronabeth that the exercises are communal, do you agree with her? In general what did you think about this encounter?
7. After a meal Gideon goes with the Sixth house to the morgue to do some tests on Magnus's body. Palamedes revels that it wasn't just a fall that killed the 5th house, there were also tiny bones found in their bodies from different sources, who does this point to as the likely killer?
8. After a brief respite Gideon is approached by Issac who tells her that Jeannemary wants her to come with him. They end up getting a few more people tagging along while Issac gets Coronabeth the other person that Jeannemary requested Issac find. When they all meet up with Jeannemary its reveled that there's remains in the incinerator what did you think of this series of events?
9. Dulcinea is found passed out without her cavalier, its also reveled that they have missed their duel with the 8th house. What do you think happened?
10. The necromancers discover that the remains in the incinerator are over 5 months old, which means they aren't the 7th cavalier. Do you think they made a mistake?
11. The 2nd house targets the 6th house because they see an easy target. What did you think of the fight between Camilla and Marta?
12. Ianthe tries to take advantage of Camilla being injured to get keys for Coronabeth. Palamedes is right about how that challenge from the 2nd opened a free for all on those who have keys. However when Harrow says that Gideon will proxy for Camilla the other houses back off. What did you think of how this all played out?
13. They end up leaving Harrow, with the 6th house to guard Dulcinea, did you agree the fact that a guard is needed?
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Chapters 25 through 29
1. Being in the same situation after the Sanitation room, do you think you would have had the same reaction as Issac when the Bone construct showed up? Assuming you are a necromancer or cavalier.
2. We do learn a bit more about the Fourth House, big families, yet still orphans. What did you think of these discoveries?
3. Gideon tried so hard to keep Jeannemary safe and let her rest, how did you feel about what happened to Jeannemary?
4. We learn that the Seventh House is not only obsessed with sick people but they even encourage them to pass on their genes since the resulting thanergy makes them very strong necromancers. What did you think of this?
5. Gideon reveals to Dulcinea that she is not a proper cavalier, that the words "One Flesh, One End" were not a vow she had said. What do you think those words mean? What do you think will happen now that Gideon's secret is out?
6. Silas seems to know a bit about Gideon's past, claiming he talked to a Ninth house nun named Glaurica. What do you think Silas meant when he said that Gideon was a victim of the Ninth house, a house of murderers?
7. The Ninth and Sixth house agree to a trade, which seems like they will be working together for a bit. Did you think the trade was fair?
8. Gideon guesses that Camilla actually uses two blades of equal length, were you surprised that another house had their cavalier train mainly in a different weapon?
9. Gideon and Harrow get into a fight when Harrow bans Gideon from seeing Dulcinea. Who do you think was right? Or do you think they were both wrong?
10. In anger Gideon goes to meet with the 8th house. Colum takes her weapons. Silas then tells her that he had talked to Glaurica's ghost. He was interested in who Gideon's mother was who had the same hair color. He also asks about why Gideon and Harrow are the only ones from their generation. What did you think of Gideon's answer?
11. Silas and Colum get into an argument when Silas is willing to hurt Gideon to get her keys, Colum who values his honor is outraged at this even going as far as letting Gideon go. What did you think of what we learn of the 8th house here?
12. Coronabeth and Gideon start sparring but Naberius comes in and forcibly stops Coronabeth. Why do you think he did this?
13. Chpater 29 leaves with a big cliffhanger, how do you think Harrow is going to explain the fact that Protesilaus head is in her possession?
12. We see the evidence of why soul siphoning is so dangerous, how shocked were you that this was a risk that Column was willingly taking for years and years?
13. We discover that Coronabeth is not a necromancer, their whole lives Ianthe has been doing enough necromancy for both twins. Were you surprised by this? Why do you think Coronabeth wanted to be the one that Ianthe consumed?
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Chapters 35 thru Epilogue
1. We find out that Palamedes and Dulcinea have been penpals for 12 years! What did you think of this revelation? How do you think this made Camilla feel over the years?
2. Palamedes interrogates who we thought was Dulcinea. What did you think when you found out she was actually a Lyctor? Why isn't she with the Emperor?
3. We find out why the Fifth House was targeted first, were you surprised by this? We find out that the originals from the Seventh House have been dead even before getting the Canaan House. How did this make you feel?
4. Palamedes self destructs to weaken the Lyctor, why do you think he was willing to make such a scarifice?
5. Did you think is was a really big advantage that all the battles that Gideon and Harrow have helped them work together?
6. Why do you think Gideon told Camilla at first that Palamedes said " I love you" What do you think it says about their relationship that Camilla knew he hadn't said that?
7. Were you surprised that Ianthe decided to help in the fight against Cytherea? Or would help be a too strong a word?
8. Were you surprised with the level of affection both cavalier and necromancer of the Ninth House reach at the end? Were you surprised that Gideon decided to sacrifice herself?
9. Did you think it was really a hallucination when Gideon was teaching Harrow to use her sword when she became a Lyctor?
10. We meet the Emperor Undying, what did you think of John?
11. Harrow begs the Emperor to undo her Lyctorhood and bring back Gideon the Ninth but he says its impossible that he would destroy both their souls in the process. What did you think of this? Do you think he's telling the truth?
12. The Emperor seems to praise Cytherea, what did you think this? How can he forgive her easily when she wanted to kill him and destroy the world he had resurrected?
13. The Emperor tells Harrow that they could not find traces/bodies of Camilla, Judith, Coronabeth or Gideon. Isn't that odd? What do you think happened to them?
14. Overall what did you think of the book? Will you be reading the rest of the series? Why or why not?
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