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A review by smuttymcbookface
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
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
4.75
Hell Bent was an amazing follow-up to Ninth House, continuing with the rich lore, three-dimensional characters with flaws, and a boat-load of mystery and death.
A gripe I had with the first book was the constant flicking between timelines to add mystery and intrigue from the start. Although there was some mild timeline hopping here, it felt much more natural whilst achieving the same effect.
I was truly invested in the characters, and I could feel the strain on Alex and Dawes as they were constantly pushed to the limit. The setting of Yale, with the constant references to certain architectural features of the buildings, was woven in to deepen mysteries without boring. The research done for this, as well as the lore, must have been extensive and Leigh Bardugo has done an unbelievable job of weaving it all into the story without info-dumping.
I enjoyed that there was no cliff-hanger ending, just unresolved threads of plot. Although the pacing is slow to start and ridiculously fast to end (so much was packed into the last quarter), I didn't find myself bored or racing through any of it. I enjoyed that there were still small conversations of friendship woven into all of the drama, and that Alex was constantly appreciating the normality of her non-magical life.
My only real complaint was that some of the journeys felt a little bait-and-switch in their conclusion.
A gripe I had with the first book was the constant flicking between timelines to add mystery and intrigue from the start. Although there was some mild timeline hopping here, it felt much more natural whilst achieving the same effect.
I was truly invested in the characters, and I could feel the strain on Alex and Dawes as they were constantly pushed to the limit. The setting of Yale, with the constant references to certain architectural features of the buildings, was woven in to deepen mysteries without boring. The research done for this, as well as the lore, must have been extensive and Leigh Bardugo has done an unbelievable job of weaving it all into the story without info-dumping.
I enjoyed that there was no cliff-hanger ending, just unresolved threads of plot. Although the pacing is slow to start and ridiculously fast to end (so much was packed into the last quarter), I didn't find myself bored or racing through any of it. I enjoyed that there were still small conversations of friendship woven into all of the drama, and that Alex was constantly appreciating the normality of her non-magical life.
My only real complaint was that some of the journeys felt a little bait-and-switch in their conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Violence, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Police brutality, Racism, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit