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A review by alexaperez
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Getting into this book initially was a challenge. There was a lot of world building and setup involved for the plot, which was necessary but a lot to absorb nonetheless. I was also lacking interest for the first 20% of the book due to so much of what I was digesting mainly being centered around the culture at Yale, which is mostly upper class white men. (Factor in the time jumping that occurs throughout this book along with ADHD and the next thing you know, I was lost.)
However, as I said, it is necessary for the plot. The author’s work on this book feels very much like a commentary on what institutions like Yale represent (for better or for worse) and she does it well. There is conversation as the book progresses about how these institutions choose to view women, people of color, and anyone deemed to be of lower class. Our main character carries all of these qualities that institutions look down upon. Despite her mistreatment and struggles, she fights tooth and nail to understand this world she was thrown into and to survive it. Her character was the reason I powered through and fought to understand all of the detail this book contained that I wasn’t grasping. She has grit and spark.
As a reader I’m personally not used to reading books that take extra work to keep up with, but I’m happy I took the time to do so. If someone else is struggling to read this one and retain everything, I highly suggest listening to the audiobook and looking at a synopsis. Once I understood all of the intricacies of these societies and the larger mystery at hand, I was all in to continue the ride.
The mystery of this book tied together so well at the end, and I love how the author made everything connect. It didn’t feel forced. It really worked, and I felt SO satisfied when all of the complexities of this plot linked together.
Only knocking a star off due to my personal struggle to get into this book at the start, but this was truly a great book.
However, as I said, it is necessary for the plot. The author’s work on this book feels very much like a commentary on what institutions like Yale represent (for better or for worse) and she does it well. There is conversation as the book progresses about how these institutions choose to view women, people of color, and anyone deemed to be of lower class. Our main character carries all of these qualities that institutions look down upon. Despite her mistreatment and struggles, she fights tooth and nail to understand this world she was thrown into and to survive it. Her character was the reason I powered through and fought to understand all of the detail this book contained that I wasn’t grasping. She has grit and spark.
As a reader I’m personally not used to reading books that take extra work to keep up with, but I’m happy I took the time to do so. If someone else is struggling to read this one and retain everything, I highly suggest listening to the audiobook and looking at a synopsis. Once I understood all of the intricacies of these societies and the larger mystery at hand, I was all in to continue the ride.
The mystery of this book tied together so well at the end, and I love how the author made everything connect. It didn’t feel forced. It really worked, and I felt SO satisfied when all of the complexities of this plot linked together.
Only knocking a star off due to my personal struggle to get into this book at the start, but this was truly a great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Classism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Violence