Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

96 reviews

erin_robbins19's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Pedophilia, and Self harm

nerdy_reader_9571's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

While the story is very dark, I found the author’s decision to start in the middle of the story and to build to the main story in a series of flashbacks from the point of view of two of the characters to be very engaging. The story had plenty of twists and turns, and I can’t wait to pick up the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Vomit

Minor: Toxic relationship and Self harm

graceexe's review against another edition

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Self harm, Rape, and Sexual assault

leahb88's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

The world was a bit confusing at first but I loved the concept. There were so many twists and turns and I wanted to just keep reading. The way the plot unfolds and how the larger forces at play are revealed definitely have me interested in the next book. Alex feels very well thought out and real and her character development was so interesting to read. Definitely recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Medical trauma, Rape, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse

Minor: Self harm

mutterwithtutter's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Medical trauma, Gore, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Physical abuse, and Addiction

Moderate: Antisemitism

amelianotthepilot's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Medical content, Gaslighting, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Gore, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

blurrycat's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Self harm, Drug use, Body horror, Death, Rape, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Addiction

vedawaikul21's review against another edition

4.0

Its a dark academia book with the setting of Yale university where secret societies are working with powerful magic. There are 8 such houses and the ninth house is to ensure that those houses are working within rules and everything is under control.
We see most of the story through Alex's POV, she has a terrible past and is brought into this world because of her special abilities. The other POV is of Darlington's and he is mentoring Alex. magic system and the world is confusing at first but I saw Olivia's review and she explained it really well. We are looking over Alex's shoulder as she navigates through this world and learns stuff so we know as much as Alex knows. Darlington knows a lot more but he hasn't experienced what Alex has.
The book is slow for the first half but then you are sucked into the world and don't want to leave, like I read the first half over the period of one month and second half in 2 days.
Society has a different view on women which is used very well in the entire story and the commentary is on point.
There was a mystery subplot and it was really fantastic, the twists, turns and all the interlinks were very well done, it truly blows your mind.
This book is dark...like very dark, maybe I haven't read that many dark academia books so I don't know the standards but do check the trigger warning(mentioned at the end), but at the same time the second half gave me carry on, mortal instruments vibes.
I think you should definitely read it if you want dark academia vibes, magic, supernatural elements, good mystery packed in one single fantasy world.(I repeat, do check the trigger warnings)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Self harm and Gore

chityty'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? No

4.25

This was a fantastic read. Would have loved just to hear about the magics of Yale’s houses but then we took a turn to a murder mystery where everybody had motive. 

I really did feel like Alex for most of the book, out of place. The references and quotes and languages and architecture were all wildly out of my scope of knowledge and I would need weeks to read up on every reference made. I may for some of the pivotal plots and tarot card meanings but it really reinforced for me how out of place it all is from Yale day to day. 

The ending is where this lost some points for me.

it just appeared that we kept introducing “big bads” which seemed less like twists and more like forgotten plot points that needed to be revealed so as to make a second book feasible.

With that said it was enough to make me look forward to book two. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Self harm, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

daisy2050's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, Murder, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Self harm

Minor: Blood, Suicide, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Medical content, Addiction, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail