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coitre 's review for:
Ninth House
by Leigh Bardugo
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is awesome. It's so wonderfully structured and intense. I loved it. It was such an intense read. I really loved Alex. Bardugo created such an in-depth character whom I was sometimes frustrated by, but was often really in love with. Alex has such a determination that is admirable and annoying, making the other characters seem real in their reactions to her.
I also really loved the plot. There were so many twists and turns, and the end especially had me on the edge of my seat. I could not stop reading at the end. There were so many points where all I could think of was the book and I couldn't sleep at night because I was dreaming of it. Bardugo did a wonderful job of foreshadowing without making it too obvious, and this helped the characters come alive even more, like the reveal that Belbalm was Daisy. I knew that she was incredibly important, but I didn't fully realize who she was until the end. I also knew that Darlington had to be alive, but not that he was a demon. The Gentleman demon was a bit surprising, but makes sense since he euthanized his grandfather.
The worldbuilding was also incredible. It felt real and alive, and I also liked how Bardugo confronted how unequal access to quality education is, and how things like mental illness impact every aspect of life. One of the things I loved about Alex is that Bardugo is very clear that, while Alex is the main character and special because of her abilities, she is also a person who could be anybody. Bardugo brought a view of drug use and mental illness that is very compassionate. While there are villains in Alex's story, she is very clear about who are the real victims and that while the villains are horrible, there are other people who have put them in that position.
I also really loved the plot. There were so many twists and turns, and the end especially had me on the edge of my seat. I could not stop reading at the end. There were so many points where all I could think of was the book and I couldn't sleep at night because I was dreaming of it. Bardugo did a wonderful job of foreshadowing without making it too obvious, and this helped the characters come alive even more, like
The worldbuilding was also incredible. It felt real and alive, and I also liked how Bardugo confronted how unequal access to quality education is, and how things like mental illness impact every aspect of life. One of the things I loved about Alex is that Bardugo is very clear that, while Alex is the main character and special because of her abilities, she is also a person who could be anybody. Bardugo brought a view of drug use and mental illness that is very compassionate. While there are villains in Alex's story, she is very clear about who are the real victims and that while the villains are horrible, there are other people who have put them in that position.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Classism