A review by theodorawhitly
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative mysterious tense fast-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

5.0


That was a hell of a ride. In the best way possible.
I'm not easily impressed by the books I read, but this one somehow managed to pleasantly surprise me.
Admittedly, it was kind of confusing in the beginning. Maybe because there is no beginning. You get thrown right in the middle of the story, and it takes some time to figure out what is going on. I even had to double check it was actually the first book in the series. It is, and apparently it's just how this book is supposed to unravel. It sounds a bit complicated, but it's totally worth it.
The plot is incredibly engaging, the writing gets you hooked, so even when you don't quite understand what's happening, you want to understand, so you stick to reading. 
What makes it even better is characters. They feel real, they are multi-dimensional, they are likeable.
I loved the main character, Alex. She is not your usual fantasy book MC who can do no wrong. She is not a typical fish-out-of-water character who spends most of the book being helpless, clueless and pathetic. She's not that type of a pretentious antihero who keeps whining " I am a monster" without showing absolutely any remotely monstrous qualities either. She is real - survivor, fighter, incredibly adaptable and self-reliant. She looks out for herself. And she is sympathetic enough to root for her.
The book is dark(very dark, actually), but I love darkness. It deals with very heavy topics, but it doesn't make it worse. A brilliant story.
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