Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Dziewiąty dom by Leigh Bardugo

976 reviews

mollymoll44's review against another edition

4.0

Trigger Warning: Ninth House has a fair amount of sexual assault. It’s not glorified at all, but it is pretty graphic at times. The plot and character development are pretty wrapped into it. It wasn’t bad, but very startling coming from Leigh Bardugo’s ‘Shadow and Bone’ and ‘Six of Crows’ series. It has thought and intention behind it from her and her peers experiences, especially from within an institution. But parts were very tough to read.  

Overall I really enjoyed the dark academia investigation,  but was a bit disappointed by the conclusion.  The author attended Yale and it's all based off of real secret societies there, minus the magic and ghosts (maybe), which is pretty neat. It makes me want to explore around Yale and visit these giant tombs. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, and Suicide

charlottesreadingweb's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I thought this book was fun! Fresh story in a market crowded with dark academia content. I would have preferred less emphasis on Alex's past, and more details about the eight houses, but that's just me. Worth a read if you're looking for an elevated adult fantasy that is still rooted in reality, the occult, and myth. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Murder, Drug use, and Physical abuse

em_1920's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Rape, Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Grief, Vomit, Body horror, Violence, Alcohol, and Sexual assault

merbears's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use and Sexual assault

Minor: Excrement, Rape, Vomit, Addiction, and Racism

jeggert10's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Gore, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual violence, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Vomit, Sexual content, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Misogyny

chamaeleontis's review against another edition

dark 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

Pretty slow start, but when it gets going, it gets GOING.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Child death, Cursing, Sexism, Violence, Rape, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Excrement, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

jenmtnbike's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Sexual harassment, Murder, Blood, Sexual assault, and Drug use

cre8withcait'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual assault, Body horror, Rape, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Excrement, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Violence

emptzuu's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

Leigh Bardugo exhibits exceptional skill as a writer, even managing to captivate someone like me who typically isn't drawn to young adult fiction. Her Grishaverse characters won me over and secured her a place among my favorite fantasy authors.

Her transition to adult fiction with "Ninth House" was unexpected yet vital to my reading repertoire. From the outset, I found myself utterly engrossed in its dark academia setting, rich with murder, mystery, and ghosts—a perfect match for my literary tastes. The complexity of protagonist Alex, with her facade of being a good girl, added depth and intrigue to the narrative.

However, "Ninth House" isn't flawless. The book faces pacing issues, possibly stemming from the challenge of transitioning to adult fiction. The non-linear storytelling, while attempting to weave past and present together, occasionally becomes convoluted, especially with the addition of flashbacks. It feels as though Bardugo, unbound by the constraints of YA, attempted to incorporate a wide range of themes and elements, resulting in an experimental narrative that occasionally feels overstuffed. The ambitious scope of the series, initially planned as a 12-book saga, may have contributed to rushed sections, attempting to cover too much within a 500-page novel and overwhelming readers with information. 

The perspective shifts, particularly to Darlington, occasionally feel redundant and slow the pacing, detracting from the narrative flow. While Bardugo handled multiple perspectives adeptly in "Six of Crows," the limited dual perspectives in "Ninth House" struggle to effectively advance the story.

Certain aspects of the narrative feel forced, particularly in the realm of horror and drama. It prompts questions about the authenticity of certain scenes—are they crafted for shock value or integral to the plot's development? The crime mystery plotline, especially in the final 150 pages, felt predictable and clichéd, lacking the satisfaction of a well-crafted conclusion. 

Nevertheless, Bardugo effectively builds the world and its mechanisms. Her storytelling prowess shines through, leaving readers with a thought-provoking and immersive experience. The book may require slower reading to fully appreciate, but its depth and detail ultimately pay off. The extensive thought, detail, and research invested in crafting this story and its world are impossible to overlook. It's been a while since a book has left me feeling this way. Bring on the journey to hell!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Murder, Death, Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual content

bellepierson's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Drug use, Gore, Addiction, Death, Murder, Sexual violence, and Violence