Scan barcode
A review by mybluebookshelf
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Life is cruel. Magic is real. And I'm not ready to die."
I took a few days to digest this book before writing my review, as I couldn't decide between 4.5 or 5 stars. Ultimately I went with 5 stars for two reasons: 1) I'm obsessed with Alex Stern and 2) Leigh Bardugo's writing.
Hell Bent is dark academia incarnate; the storied Ivy League campus full of secret magical societies is a stark contrast to the bitter, deadly struggles for power and knowledge that take place there. Yet it becomes clear that you can't have one without the other - the glittering promises of a place of scholarly learning are built on the very souls of those who grasped at, and were denied, access to that world. It's against this backdrop that Alex's battle against Hell and its demons for Darlington's soul is enacted.
The plot of Hell Bent is complex with many twists, none of which I anticipated. I found myself unable to trust a single character, yet after each reveal I wondered why I didn't figure it out sooner, since Bardugo leaves plenty of bread crumbs for the reader. The ending left something to be desired as it lacked urgency, but of course I'll read the next book if only for some more sweet, sweet Starlington banter.
Throughout the entire book, Bardugo's writing was gripping, intricate and thoroughly researched, and deeply visceral. There were many deeply meaningful and touching lines and scenes, and there were also scenes that gave me nightmares (see: Alex's first encounter with Darlington in the ballroom - I actually couldn't fall asleep for hours after reading that). The Starlington banter is exquisite and I also enjoyed seeing more of Mercy and Dawes. But the best part of the book was Alex coming into her own and gaining confidence in herself and her powers. Seeing her determined rather than resigned, scheming rather than reacting, and protective rather than defensive was so rewarding after reading 800+ pages of her journey to get to this point. Somebody please give this girl a weekend off and a shopping spree to replace all her clothes that have been destroyed by arcane magic.
Similar books: The Atlas Six, Babel
I took a few days to digest this book before writing my review, as I couldn't decide between 4.5 or 5 stars. Ultimately I went with 5 stars for two reasons: 1) I'm obsessed with Alex Stern and 2) Leigh Bardugo's writing.
Hell Bent is dark academia incarnate; the storied Ivy League campus full of secret magical societies is a stark contrast to the bitter, deadly struggles for power and knowledge that take place there. Yet it becomes clear that you can't have one without the other - the glittering promises of a place of scholarly learning are built on the very souls of those who grasped at, and were denied, access to that world. It's against this backdrop that Alex's battle against Hell and its demons for Darlington's soul is enacted.
The plot of Hell Bent is complex with many twists, none of which I anticipated. I found myself unable to trust a single character, yet after each reveal I wondered why I didn't figure it out sooner, since Bardugo leaves plenty of bread crumbs for the reader. The ending left something to be desired as it lacked urgency, but of course I'll read the next book if only for some more sweet, sweet Starlington banter.
Throughout the entire book, Bardugo's writing was gripping, intricate and thoroughly researched, and deeply visceral. There were many deeply meaningful and touching lines and scenes, and there were also scenes that gave me nightmares (see: Alex's first encounter with Darlington in the ballroom - I actually couldn't fall asleep for hours after reading that). The Starlington banter is exquisite and I also enjoyed seeing more of Mercy and Dawes. But the best part of the book was Alex coming into her own and gaining confidence in herself and her powers. Seeing her determined rather than resigned, scheming rather than reacting, and protective rather than defensive was so rewarding after reading 800+ pages of her journey to get to this point. Somebody please give this girl a weekend off and a shopping spree to replace all her clothes that have been destroyed by arcane magic.
Similar books: The Atlas Six, Babel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death