Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I would like to rate is 3.5⭐️ I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was more focused on it so that’s on me. But LOVED the detail and suspense, I’ll reread soon and I hope to finish the series :)
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It really bothers me that something so basic can get you a six/seven/eight figure deal
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ninth House is gritty, gruesome, and honestly a bit gross. And it was an absolutely grand experience. Alex is the type of protagonist I fall in love with instantly. She’s complex and jaded and snarky without coming off as contrived. Darlington as a mostly-absent character also checks a lot of my boxes, and I’m extremely intrigued by where he is at the end of this book. I can’t wait to see where Hellbent takes the pair of them. The story achieves its goals on both a macro and micro scale, confronting large themes that criticize the world of academia without feeling preachy or out of touch with the narrative. The setting is integral to the plot and thoughtfully incorporated. You can tell it was written by someone with a deep understanding of the university. Overall, Ninth House’s dark and moody atmosphere was more than just set dressing, it permeated the story to its core. Leigh Bardugo did an excellent job with this one.
There are a number of content warnings to be aware of so be sure to check those.
There are a number of content warnings to be aware of so be sure to check those.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Classism
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Antisemitism, Alcohol
Not at all what I thought it was going to be and I was highly entertained.
Glad I finally read it as it’s been sitting on my book shelf for a little under a year lol
Glad I finally read it as it’s been sitting on my book shelf for a little under a year lol
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
Murder mysteries, magic, conspiracies, academia, social commentary—what more could you want?
I actually really enjoyed this one. The premise is super interesting, but the pace can be pretty slow at times and it took me a bit to really get into it. Alex is kind of a confused, impulsive mess, but as the story goes on, you see her figure things out and learn more about her. Watching her grow was honestly pretty satisfying. Darlington was likable, he's got that perfect protagonist type, but I felt like he wasn't fully developed yet. Since it's a series, I'm guessing there's more to come, so I'm not too bothered by it. For the other characters, I feel like they were written for Alex's sake, so not much to comments about.
Plot-wise, I didn't have any issues. The world-building was solid, and Bardugo does a great job creating a moody, atmospheric setting. The history parts dragged a little, but I get why they were necessary. The supernatural elements were okay. I wasn't super into the ending, but I mean, it's fantasy, I can't complaint for it not being realistic. For heads up, there are some triggering topics in here, so definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
This was my first time reading Leigh Bardugo, and now I'm definitely curious to try more of her books.
I actually really enjoyed this one. The premise is super interesting, but the pace can be pretty slow at times and it took me a bit to really get into it. Alex is kind of a confused, impulsive mess, but as the story goes on, you see her figure things out and learn more about her. Watching her grow was honestly pretty satisfying. Darlington was likable, he's got that perfect protagonist type, but I felt like he wasn't fully developed yet. Since it's a series, I'm guessing there's more to come, so I'm not too bothered by it. For the other characters, I feel like they were written for Alex's sake, so not much to comments about.
Plot-wise, I didn't have any issues. The world-building was solid, and Bardugo does a great job creating a moody, atmospheric setting. The history parts dragged a little, but I get why they were necessary. The supernatural elements were okay. I wasn't super into the ending, but I mean, it's fantasy, I can't complaint for it not being realistic. For heads up, there are some triggering topics in here, so definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
This was my first time reading Leigh Bardugo, and now I'm definitely curious to try more of her books.
4.5 stars, really. Sharp writing, with interesting characters. I guessed a couple of twists, and enjoyed them all. Really expertly crafted blend of history, occult/fantasy, and a real place. The note from Bardugo at the end was also just really stunning writing. She captures all the things we can't quite say ourselves.
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