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A review by delvie
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I would put money down that Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black wrote their occult-adjacent adult debut novels together on some secret writers' retreat. They're eerily similar on tone and theme. Additionally, the main characters in both books, Alex and Charlie, would be fast friends.
My feelings on this book are extremely similar to my feelings on Holly Black's debut adult novel: the critiques hold up. It IS slow. It IS boring.
I called the first half of the twist shockingly early along; I don't think that's due to me being clever so much as it being obvious. That being said, the second half of the twist wasn't so much of a twist as it was a lore dump. Books with mysteries that don't give the reader everything they need to solve them aren't mysteries so much as messy. And the plot threads that are left after the initial murder is solved are tied up by some piece of lore neither you or the main character had an idea about. It's supposed to be this mic drop "oh shit" moment that puts you onto the sequels, but I was left feeling annoyed that I had wasted energy trying to solve something that I couldn't have solved. It's not clever; it's not a trick question- it's annoying and poor writing.
Alex is extremely dry as a character. I couldn't tell you a thing about her that isn't her aesthetic or her trauma. Same goes for every other character in this book, unfortunately.
Check the trigger warnings; I don't think having to read/listen to the graphic scenes were worth what I got out of this book in ANY stretch of the imagination. I won't be reading the sequel.
My feelings on this book are extremely similar to my feelings on Holly Black's debut adult novel: the critiques hold up. It IS slow. It IS boring.
I called the first half of the twist shockingly early along; I don't think that's due to me being clever so much as it being obvious. That being said, the second half of the twist wasn't so much of a twist as it was a lore dump. Books with mysteries that don't give the reader everything they need to solve them aren't mysteries so much as messy. And the plot threads that are left after the initial murder is solved are tied up by some piece of lore neither you or the main character had an idea about. It's supposed to be this mic drop "oh shit" moment that puts you onto the sequels, but I was left feeling annoyed that I had wasted energy trying to solve something that I couldn't have solved. It's not clever; it's not a trick question- it's annoying and poor writing.
Alex is extremely dry as a character. I couldn't tell you a thing about her that isn't her aesthetic or her trauma. Same goes for every other character in this book, unfortunately.
Check the trigger warnings; I don't think having to read/listen to the graphic scenes were worth what I got out of this book in ANY stretch of the imagination. I won't be reading the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Excrement, Racism, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol and Vomit