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Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body shaming, Slavery, Police brutality
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Slavery, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Excrement, Police brutality
The sequel to Ninth House, Hell Bent continues the story of Alex Stern and Lethe, the Ninth House of Yale.
Hell Bent has been one of my most anticipated books for YEARS now, and I am so excited to report the wait was WORTH IT. The sheer brilliance of Leigh Bardugo’s mind astounds me—this book is impeccably researched and flawlessly believable even while describing an actual journey to hell. The story has multiple disparate threads, but they all weave back together seamlessly in the end (even picking up on things left over from the first book). And the action and excitement is pretty much nonstop, leaving you on the edge of your seat for the majority of a nearly-500 book (not an easy feat).
There isn’t a ton more I can say without spoilers—there remains one plot thread I really want to finally see expanded in book three (“I have appetites…” …IYKYK) but the deliciously slow unraveling of the story is part of the charm of this series, and of Bardugo’s writing, so I can’t be too upset.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: dark academia; fantasy series; found family vibes
CW: Death/murder/violence/blood; animal death/cruelty; mention of a suicide attempt (off-page)
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Grief
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Classism
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Vomit, Murder
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Their powers were connected now. Bound by hellfire.
Whatever survived in hell wouldn’t be the Darlington you know.
Demons aren’t smart, Dawes had once told her, they’re cunning. Alex had to wonder how many people had said the same thing about her.
This book!! This author!! What the HELL!! Leigh Bardugo, please never stop writing. This was a masterpiece. It was everything. It is everything.
The character development we see in all of these side characters, Dawes, Tripp, Mercy, Turner… it just makes me so proud of them. They all have such interesting arcs and it’s incredible to see them grow and see how far they’re all willing to go for one another.
The storytelling was phenomenal as usual. I have read all of the Grishaverse and have fallen in love with so many of Ms. Bardugo’s characters and storytelling, and I was not disappointed this time. Yet another amazing cast, yet another amazing way of storytelling. She is such a talented writer- the prose is witty, smart, and sharp. I admit at the start of Ninth House I felt a bit lost, but with Hell Bent I was ready to hit the ground running, and boy did Leigh Bardugo make me sprint! Also, I am lucky to have been to Yale before on a brief visit, and she really captured the town and it’s essence so well. I felt like I could picture where everything was going down and I adored the world building that she did for this story. There were so many little details that I was enamored by.
Okay, this next section I’m spoilering the whole thing, but I will say it’s about Darlingstern, so read at your own risk.
Lastly I will just say, the ending??? Are we getting book 3?? Has she said anything about this?? I want more, immediately.
Five huge gorgeous beautiful shining stars to Ms. Bardugo & Hell Bent.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Racism, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide attempt