Review: Bardugo’s adult fantasy debut is masterfully written. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed how the novel alternates between both Alex and Darlington’s perspectives. The longer I occupied their minds and uncovered their flaws, motivations, and fears, the more I grew attached to them as a result. 

 

Additionally, I appreciated how Bardugo organizes “Ninth House”’s timeline by idea instead of by chronological order of events, which was a breath of fresh air. I was constantly on my toes as each chapter haphazardly moved backward and forward in time, caught off guard by the clever plot twists and shocking reveals in connection with the fantastical murder mystery storyline. 

 

What made Bardugo’s novel even more enjoyable was her world-building. Much of the novel takes place in the New Haven area, specifically on Yale’s campus. Bardugo does a fantastic job immersing the reader in Yale’s atmosphere by providing detailed descriptions of the campus architecture, drawing the reader’s attention to defining landmarks, and weaving in the institution’s history. Her magic system is entirely unique and revolves around Yale’s many secret societies. Built on Nexus’ of power, the fictional Lethe House is meant to regulate their activities. Different abilities are attributed to each of the nine houses (illusions, elemental magic, shapeshifting, necromancy, portal magic, divination by use of reading entrails, etc.) and I loved trying to figure out what role each house played in the murder plot. 

 

This book easily made my favorites list! I cannot wait to get my hands on “Hell Bent” and get my Darlington fix!