A review by sofiagreenhill
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

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

4.5

I would’ve given this book a full five stars if not for the beginning. It was a slog to get through the first five chapters, but it picked up from there. It was jarring to get dropped so deep into action at the start and struggle to get a sense of what was going on. 

I’ve read a lot of reviews with harsh words about the violence against women. I feel like this book handles some of that tension well. Alex’s own trauma seems genuine compared to the life she’s lived. The violence against students seemed at times too much, and would’ve benefited if some of it was cut. It seemed like there was not a single woman in the story that hadn’t had experiences of violence and abuse. 

I didn’t expect to like Darlington so much, but I’m looking forward to reading more about him. I feel like it was a great move to remove him for the majority of the book. 

All in all the books a great read if you can manage to get through the beginning. The world building is superb, the characters complex and although the plot was a bit convoluted at times it’s a good read even if you’re not super into fantasy.
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