Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

153 reviews

alexaperez's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Getting into this book initially was a challenge. There was a lot of world building and setup involved for the plot, which was necessary but a lot to absorb nonetheless. I was also lacking interest for the first 20% of the book due to so much of what I was digesting mainly being centered around the culture at Yale, which is mostly upper class white men. (Factor in the time jumping that occurs throughout this book along with ADHD and the next thing you know, I was lost.)

However, as I said, it is necessary for the plot. The author’s work on this book feels very much like a commentary on what institutions like Yale represent (for better or for worse) and she does it well. There is conversation as the book progresses about how these institutions choose to view women, people of color, and anyone deemed to be of lower class. Our main character carries all of these qualities that institutions look down upon. Despite her mistreatment and struggles, she fights tooth and nail to understand this world she was thrown into and to survive it. Her character was the reason I powered through and fought to understand all of the detail this book contained that I wasn’t grasping. She has grit and spark.

As a reader I’m personally not used to reading books that take extra work to keep up with, but I’m happy I took the time to do so. If someone else is struggling to read this one and retain everything, I highly suggest listening to the audiobook and looking at a synopsis. Once I understood all of the intricacies of these societies and the larger mystery at hand, I was all in to continue the ride. 

The mystery of this book tied together so well at the end, and I love how the author made everything connect. It didn’t feel forced. It really worked, and I felt SO satisfied when all of the complexities of this plot linked together. 

Only knocking a star off due to my personal struggle to get into this book at the start, but this was truly a great book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Classism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Violence

akirma's review

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Body horror, and Classism

Minor: Vomit

battysbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Sexual assault, Classism, Rape, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, and Blood

alexstartsthings's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Drug abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, Rape, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence, Excrement, Addiction, Classism, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, and Misogyny

_madelinemarie's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

READ THE TW FOR THIS BOOK!


This book was so slow at the beginning, and there is so much world building that I felt like I never had any idea what was going on. However, in true Bardugo fashion, once things started moving they did not stop! She does a great job of laying down the groundwork which makes it feel super slow, and then running on those rails at lightning speed.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the “gotcha!” villain switcheroo at the end (and honestly, all of the  Darlington bits about looking into the deaths of these girls could and in my opinion should have been stretched into its own novel, but we might get more of that in the second book so I’m not too hasty in my judgments) and I do think that’s a little bit overdone but there is nothing quite as beautifully written as the way she writes, and her growth is remarkable.

Alex is to me if you were to have the cunning-ness and tenacity of Kaz, but the kindness and humor of Nina. Darlington it so perfectly counterweighted to Alex that the story never seems uninteresting!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Medical content, Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, and Drug use

Moderate: Rape

aisling214's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Classism, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexism, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Body horror, and Mental illness

emilywemily6's review

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I’ve never read a book like this before, and it’s so refreshingly different than Bardugo’s YA novels (which I also loved!). I loved the sinister magic/dark academia vibes and how the multiple storylines unfold throughout the book. Lots of great plot twists I didn’t see coming and made me gasp out loud. I wish I understood more about the history of the houses/general world-building, but I think the book is written intentionally vague with a trickle of information as you are thrust into this world within our world, which adds to the mysterious, sinister feel. It kept me hooked and I can’t wait to read the next book. Apparently, lots of this book (not the magic lol) is true too, and now I want to go to New Haven.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Classism, Terminal illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Gore, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Grief, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, Racism, Addiction, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual violence, and Stalking

sashdb's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

a gruesome peek behind the veils of classism, prestige, and power. imagry was violent and vivid. the  twists and turns of a magical whodunnit kept me guessing til the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Gore, Rape, Violence, Murder, and Vomit

Moderate: Classism

itsheyfay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape

Minor: Vomit and Racism

stephliljazz's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad 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

4.75

This is a great book. I feel like the first chapter starts off a little slow but still good and then it just keeps picking up from there. Inside this world of dark magic controlled by students a lot can and will go sideways quick. The characters are built up perfectly and the plot was twisty just how I like it. To wrap up im really glad this is a series. Now on to book two!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury