A review by wordinessa
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

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

4.5

I enjoyed this read so much. In Hell Bent we return to Bardugo's mysterious side of Yale, picking up nearly exactly where we left off, and embarking on a mission to get Darlington back from Hell. There are some welcome returning faces - I was particularly pleased to see Mercy get a bigger role in this follow-up.

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. 
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