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amy_balletto's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
santtuleena's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
elenamulligan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hard to tell if it took me until 40% in to get invested because it was a fantasy and I had to go through the world building or if it was just not my speed. Really enjoyed the latter 2/3 of the book. I never knew what was coming next (but I’m also not someone who tries to predict). I had a hard time following the 8 houses and wish there had been a better explanation of what Lethe was initially. I think I’d continue reading but it’s not a high priority for me.
heyashes's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely fantastic book that kept me glued to it whenever I was reading it. I am a huge sucker for supernatural murder-mystery.
The characters were fascinating, the story was compelling, and overall it was an immensely enjoyable book. It does have it's flaws, and a conclusion that came about much too quickly... but despite all that it is a book I highly recommend. I am very much looking forward to the next one!
The characters were fascinating, the story was compelling, and overall it was an immensely enjoyable book. It does have it's flaws, and a conclusion that came about much too quickly... but despite all that it is a book I highly recommend. I am very much looking forward to the next one!
aimeemg155's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Addiction, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
catieanason's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
2.0
I wiiiiiiiish I liked it more than I did. Maybe it was the audiobook; but I was not invested. I understand it’s an amazing book with a great plot - but I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe book 2?
emmabaldeh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
One of the challenges with Ninth House is the volume of characters, places, and historical details introduced. Many of these elements are presented as if they hold great significance, only to be dropped or barely referenced again. This not only made it difficult to keep track of important details but also detracted from the main storyline. The extensive pages dedicated to the history and alumni of each of Yale’s secret societies felt excessive, as they didn’t contribute much to advancing the plot.
Darlington is one of my favorite characters from this book!!! I love his backstory, and his infatuation with magic. It was a pleasant surprise to see that he had a lot more depth than I initially anticipated. However, his point of view primarily serves as exposition, and his sudden disappearance halfway through the book is jarring. So for this reason, I really don’t think his POV was necessary (although I loved his POV chapters).
The novel’s magic system feels loosely defined. I thought the mixture of magic/ghosts/rituals was a super cool idea that I haven’t seen before, but it just needed more structure for my personal taste. The abundance of magical terms and rituals can be overwhelming and sometimes irrelevant to the core plot.
I think the concept of different timelines can be done well, but in this case, it was just ok 🤷♀️. The frequent time jumps were sometimes disorienting and seemed to disrupt the flow of the story rather than enhance it.
Some graphic scenes feel gratuitous, seemingly included for shock value rather than narrative necessity. For one example, when Darlington gets drugged at the manuscript party. I honestly think that whole ordeal was insane and we passed by it to quickly. There are other ways Bardugo could have introduced us to merity without that uncomfortable encounter.
One significant drawback is the lack of interaction between Alex and key suspects like Kate and Colin, which feels like a missed opportunity in the unfolding mystery. I feel like I hardly even knew either of the suspects and was confused.
Despite these issues, Ninth House excels in building suspense and maintaining a gripping narrative that’s hard to put down.
I LOVEREEE the characters of Alex, Dawes, and Darlington. It’s disappointing that Darlington’s arc is abruptly cut short and that Dawes doesn’t receive more exploration. Hopefully in book two 🤞