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emptzuu's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Leigh Bardugo exhibits exceptional skill as a writer, even managing to captivate someone like me who typically isn't drawn to young adult fiction. Her Grishaverse characters won me over and secured her a place among my favorite fantasy authors.
Her transition to adult fiction with "Ninth House" was unexpected yet vital to my reading repertoire. From the outset, I found myself utterly engrossed in its dark academia setting, rich with murder, mystery, and ghosts—a perfect match for my literary tastes. The complexity of protagonist Alex, with her facade of being a good girl, added depth and intrigue to the narrative.
However, "Ninth House" isn't flawless. The book faces pacing issues, possibly stemming from the challenge of transitioning to adult fiction. The non-linear storytelling, while attempting to weave past and present together, occasionally becomes convoluted, especially with the addition of flashbacks. It feels as though Bardugo, unbound by the constraints of YA, attempted to incorporate a wide range of themes and elements, resulting in an experimental narrative that occasionally feels overstuffed. The ambitious scope of the series, initially planned as a 12-book saga, may have contributed to rushed sections, attempting to cover too much within a 500-page novel and overwhelming readers with information.
The perspective shifts, particularly to Darlington, occasionally feel redundant and slow the pacing, detracting from the narrative flow. While Bardugo handled multiple perspectives adeptly in "Six of Crows," the limited dual perspectives in "Ninth House" struggle to effectively advance the story.
Certain aspects of the narrative feel forced, particularly in the realm of horror and drama. It prompts questions about the authenticity of certain scenes—are they crafted for shock value or integral to the plot's development? The crime mystery plotline, especially in the final 150 pages, felt predictable and clichéd, lacking the satisfaction of a well-crafted conclusion.
Nevertheless, Bardugo effectively builds the world and its mechanisms. Her storytelling prowess shines through, leaving readers with a thought-provoking and immersive experience. The book may require slower reading to fully appreciate, but its depth and detail ultimately pay off. The extensive thought, detail, and research invested in crafting this story and its world are impossible to overlook. It's been a while since a book has left me feeling this way. Bring on the journey to hell!
Her transition to adult fiction with "Ninth House" was unexpected yet vital to my reading repertoire. From the outset, I found myself utterly engrossed in its dark academia setting, rich with murder, mystery, and ghosts—a perfect match for my literary tastes. The complexity of protagonist Alex, with her facade of being a good girl, added depth and intrigue to the narrative.
However, "Ninth House" isn't flawless. The book faces pacing issues, possibly stemming from the challenge of transitioning to adult fiction. The non-linear storytelling, while attempting to weave past and present together, occasionally becomes convoluted, especially with the addition of flashbacks. It feels as though Bardugo, unbound by the constraints of YA, attempted to incorporate a wide range of themes and elements, resulting in an experimental narrative that occasionally feels overstuffed. The ambitious scope of the series, initially planned as a 12-book saga, may have contributed to rushed sections, attempting to cover too much within a 500-page novel and overwhelming readers with information.
The perspective shifts, particularly to Darlington, occasionally feel redundant and slow the pacing, detracting from the narrative flow. While Bardugo handled multiple perspectives adeptly in "Six of Crows," the limited dual perspectives in "Ninth House" struggle to effectively advance the story.
Certain aspects of the narrative feel forced, particularly in the realm of horror and drama. It prompts questions about the authenticity of certain scenes—are they crafted for shock value or integral to the plot's development? The crime mystery plotline, especially in the final 150 pages, felt predictable and clichéd, lacking the satisfaction of a well-crafted conclusion.
Nevertheless, Bardugo effectively builds the world and its mechanisms. Her storytelling prowess shines through, leaving readers with a thought-provoking and immersive experience. The book may require slower reading to fully appreciate, but its depth and detail ultimately pay off. The extensive thought, detail, and research invested in crafting this story and its world are impossible to overlook. It's been a while since a book has left me feeling this way. Bring on the journey to hell!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
bookishfabledfiction's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is right up my alley. I really enjoyed it and would have given it 4.5/5 ⭐️ had it not been for the last chapter or so. I didn't (and still don't) quite understand how Darlington had become a demon and, more importantly, how Alex had arrived at this conclusion. It felt like Bardugo was trying maybe a bit too hard to leave an opening for a sequel (which has been published, of course). I believe I would've liked the story better had it ended without Darlington surviving and becoming a demon (or something??). That being said, I still plan on reading the next book in the series.
Otherwise, it's a really interesting story with a couple of mysteries, multi-faceted characters, and a solid magic system. I particularly like how Bardugo incorporated her fictional world within the real-life New Haven/Yale campus. She played off Yale's real-world secret societies quite well. Bardugo also made it difficult to predict the resolution.
Would recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy and mysteries.
Quotes:
Otherwise, it's a really interesting story with a couple of mysteries, multi-faceted characters, and a solid magic system. I particularly like how Bardugo incorporated her fictional world within the real-life New Haven/Yale campus. She played off Yale's real-world secret societies quite well. Bardugo also made it difficult to predict the resolution.
Would recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy and mysteries.
Quotes:
He didn’t know how precious a normal life could be, how easy it was to drift away from average. You started sleeping until noon, skipped one class, one day of school, lost one job, then another, forgot the way that normal people did things. You lost the language of ordinary life. And then, without meaning to, you crossed into a country from which you couldn’t return. You lived in a state where the ground always seemed to be slipping from beneath your feet, with no way back to someplace solid.
Death words could be anything, really, as long as they spoke of the things Grays feared most—the finality of passing, a life without legacy, the emptiness of the hereafter.
Peace was like any high. It couldn’t last. It was an illusion, something that could be interrupted in a moment and lost forever. Only two things kept you safe: money and power.
...harmless people high on nothing more than their own pretensions.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
jhuang's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Phenomenal, thought provoking, and relevant
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
jacksons_books_and_music's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First of all, I absolutely agree with many others in that there are problems regarding some of the representation that is stereotypical and harmful. Similar with Six of Crows, I don’t think the problematic representation was intended by the author and I know she has shown she’s willing to learn from the criticism she receives. The book definitely needed 1-2 more sensitivity reads, and she and her editors should have thought more deeply about certain topics.
The story itself is masterfully crafted. It’s more ingenious than Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, which I loved. There are amazing, well-developed characters and profound themes. I am excited to dive into the sequel.
The story itself is masterfully crafted. It’s more ingenious than Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, which I loved. There are amazing, well-developed characters and profound themes. I am excited to dive into the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Excrement, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
aisling214's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
emmiemopho's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I bought the sequel to this book at an airport not knowing it was a sequel until I realized certain terms were not being explained. So I did some digging and borrowed this one from a friend. So glad I did that! This isn’t my normal type of story but it had everything I love. Good adventure, natural mysteries, other worldly experiences, and the best of all? Not a single romance. It had a girl as the main character being a freaking bad ass and not one man came to knock her down or lose her shine with a relationship. It was all about enjoying that mystery murder and the drama of magic. Fun read! Onto the next one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction and Blood
Minor: Bullying
lillybrooke22's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
alyxbeau's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I am clearly not the target audience for this book, but I stuck through it anyways even though I should have DNFd this one and almost did on multiple occasions.
I will put the reamainder of my review in spoiler tags to avoid people glancing at trigger warnings, but it will also contain actual spoilers.
There was an absolutely massive amount of sexual assult covered in this book, and in graphic detail. There is a minor in an abusive and sexual relationship with an adult, rape, and drugging with substances to allow seeming consensual acts recorded on a phone. There is gory and detailed descriptions of pried open bodies as well. Honestly, those first pages after the initial chapter should have been enough for me to quit then and there, but I didn't. I thought it might get better after about 25 percent of the book, but the sexual descriptions of uncomfortable situations just got more frequent from that point on.
At first I didn't think sny of it was for the shock factor. It seemed like the experiences our main character went through were described to us to explain her total fear at being touched by a ghost again after being raped as a middle schooler by one. But then her reaction to humans doing the same to her or trying to do the same to her, we're not as intense. They should have been. This is why I think it is all there for the shock factor now, and not included to show why her reaction was intense. Her reaction was intense only once. The trauma forgotten after that first incident at Yale.
This book is not for me. I stayed to solve the mystery of Darlington and got no satisfactory answer. I will not be continuing the series except to read a synopses of books 2 and 3, MAYBE.
I will put the reamainder of my review in spoiler tags to avoid people glancing at trigger warnings, but it will also contain actual spoilers.
At first I didn't think sny of it was for the shock factor. It seemed like the experiences our main character went through were described to us to explain her total fear at being touched by a ghost again after being raped as a middle schooler by one. But then her reaction to humans doing the same to her or trying to do the same to her, we're not as intense. They should have been. This is why I think it is all there for the shock factor now, and not included to show why her reaction was intense. Her reaction was intense only once. The trauma forgotten after that first incident at Yale.
This book is not for me. I stayed to solve the mystery of Darlington and got no satisfactory answer. I will not be continuing the series except to read a synopses of books 2 and 3, MAYBE.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ginger_rampage's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
girlwithoutearing's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
I had a hard time getting into it at first, because of the slow pace and the main character being quite passive. This changed, however, around page 150 when Alex takes more agency and the plot becomes more character driven. This is in line with the story and makes absolute sense with Alex's character development, but it still makes for a frustrating first few chapters.
After that, I really liked the book. It became more fast paced and less predictable. The characters' relationships developed and Alex became a quick-witted, sarcastic badass that I rooted for.
After that, I really liked the book. It became more fast paced and less predictable. The characters' relationships developed and Alex became a quick-witted, sarcastic badass that I rooted for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content and Vomit