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I was so excited to be brought back into the spooky world Ninth House let me explore and I wanted to explore it more. I almost wish there was a book written by Darlington or something to talk to me about the secret societies of Yale to give me extra context, lol.
Alex and Dawes are determined to get Darlington back from hell, and despite their setbacks are more determined than ever. Its easy to get caught up in Bardugo's writing, she writes in a way that incites staying up till 2AM trying to read just one more chapter.
There are certain plot points surrounding Eitan that I didn't really feel like were necessary for most of the book till the end, where things came full circle. There were also some gruesome moments my Lagomorph loving self didn't enjoy but!! I think the found-family and the character growth you could see in not just Alex, but in Dawes and many others as well made the book for me.
(Darlington fans be warned though,
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, Death of parent
Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Suicide
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Violence, Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Forced institutionalization
Minor: Suicide attempt
I have to amend some things I've said in the past about Ninth House - because for me now, the best thing about Ninth House is that it was just good enough to make me pick up Hell Bent. If you were middling on Ninth House, it's worth giving this sequel a shot. The pacing is better, the plot moves a lot more quickly now that we've established the rules and the world, Alex's powers are more impressive, and I wasn't as frustrated at how Bardugo treats her characters (I had some real problems with how easily sexual assault was used as a plot point in Ninth House. Fortunately, that is not the case here).
My biggest gripe is that I had no idea this would be (at least) a trilogy, and we were left on another cliffhanger. But the journey is worth it, and I can't wait to see these characters again in a couple of years when the next installment releases.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Vomit, Abandonment
Minor: Slavery
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Murder, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail