Review: The much anticipated sequel to “Ninth House” is well worth the wait! 

 

For the first time, beloved characters that made brief appearances in the first novel like Mercy Zhao and Tripp Helmuth play much larger roles in “Hell Bent.” Though brief, Bardugo writes flashbacks from the perspectives of Tripp, Turner, and Dawes, allowing the reader to gain much needed insight into the root of their character motivations and fears. 

 

Like the previous novel, Alex’s point-of-view shifts between her past life in California and her present one in New Haven, allowing for even more revelations about how she came to be the unapologetic badass we know and love. 

 

Not only do we learn more about the ghosts from her past that have come back to haunt her, but we discover the extent of Alex’s power as a wheelwalker. Being the only one of her kind to survive Daisy Fanning Whitlock, Bardugo establishes that there are still abilities unknown to Alex that she possesses. With Darlington trapped in Hell, Alex tests the bounds of her magic to ensure his safe return and learns that she is not limited to amplifying her strength with the dead. 

 

Darlington also comes into otherworldly power as a result of his time in hell. For the first time, readers are able to see his character exist in the present timeline after his rescue. Chapters written from his viewpoint reveal his internal struggle: reconciling who he once was with who the demon he became in hell. His every interaction with Alex made my heart race and it likely will not rest until they finally act on what they feel for one another. 

 

There is a lot at stake for Galaxy Stern. I cannot wait to see her raise hell in the books to come!