Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

216 reviews

slowry44's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really like the characters, the writing and the world building, but this book would not let up on the abuse, SA, and constant bleak/grim violence against its characters. The tone is occasionally unbearable to the point of sometimes skipping large chunks of text that are just the author describing the particular manner in which a character is being brutalized this chapter. The magic system is really cool and the creativity in the world design is spectacular. I am glad I got through it cause I quite liked the ending and the answers it brought, but fuck was it a dark and dreary trudge to get there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

brianneh's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, and Classism

katjacatbeans's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

franknforter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, and Sexual harassment

sandymaple's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

juliana2's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

loudonuts's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

opening with several tedious chapters of Yale circlejerking was already a huge turn off. i expected to eventually like the main character- the author desperately wants you to- but i never came around on her. the institutionalisation of the magic was the most interesting part, but there was not enough substance to it. i can see that the author wanted to tell a story about the consequences of privilege and power in NINTH HOUSE, but for me, nothing truly satisfying was done with that premise. it is mostly a basic whodunnit with a main character that is handed answers rather than the reader being able to piece it together. a generous 2 stars from me, but only because of the hints of an interesting magic system.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Torture, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

lizzie24601's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Leigh Bardugo's writing chops are as strong as ever - strong enough to keep me going even amid unbuilt characters and a few too many sexual assault cases that were never remarked upon again afterward. The intended audience might just be Yale alums like Bardugo herself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Cancer

belletex's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Stressful but in a determined to kick ass feminist murder fantasy kinda way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Grief

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is brilliant, but if you aren't prepared for an unflinching story of a hard life of a girl who has been plagued by SV her whole life, I'd recommended not reading it until you are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism