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shelbyrodger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Rape, and Murder
abbeyyyrosee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Trigger warnings: rape, gore, violence, death, microaggressions, racism.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Death, Violence, Gore, Addiction, Blood, and Rape
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Racism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
fionamclary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A couple minor but significant complaints:
I found that Dawes was autism-coded, and that the way Alex describes her initially indicated that Alex dislikes her for her autistic traits. She seems annoyed by her adherence to rules, alienated by her single-minded focus, put off by her ever-present headphones and favoring the same comfortable clothes.
Graphic: Body horror, Classism, Gore, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Murder, Drug abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Terminal illness and Cancer
oleaceae_18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Death
sjbshannon's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Addiction, Violence, Death, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abandonment
grace_b_3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Addiction, and Rape
jamboooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Death
ineffablebob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I found Ninth House to be well written with plenty of excitement and well-developed characters, but it definitely isn't for everyone. I'm fortunate enough not to have suffered anywhere near the way Alex did in her youth, but even so I found some of the descriptions of her past disturbing - abuse of power, sexual violence, substance abuse, emotional trauma, violent death. And it doesn't get a whole lot better in her present life, lots more of the same, although with much more opportunity for Alex to fight back. Anyone who does have such things in their past could very well find the story traumatizing. In addition to that, the way the plot wraps up has a whole host of twists that come so fast as to give the reader mental whiplash. It felt impossible that Alex had no idea of the underlying truth despite everything she went through in the bulk of the book.
So there are some caveats, but I still would recommend this one to fans of the genre. It reminded me quite a bit of Lev Grossman's Magicians series, without the Narnia-in-drag bits. Just bear in mind that there's quite a bit of dark content that may not be for everyone.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence
sgtz00's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
vanitzas's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Gore, Sexual assault, Vomit, Drug use, Violence, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Blood, Excrement, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Sexism