ninth house: full of magic, Yale students, and ghosts (oh my!)
- paigenherbooks
- Jan 12, 2022
- 6 min read
Rating: 4.5/5
"So...whose ready to go to Hell?"
Dark academia meets Alex Stern, our main character, who honestly fulfilled my emo wanna be phase in the eighth grade. Ninth House reminded me why I looooove fantasy so much! This book gave me major Hogwarts, but make it PG-13, vibes, which I just adored. Leigh Bardugo has such a fascinating and interesting writing style that I felt sucked into her story once the foundation was laid. I was hooked.
Synopsis: Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her? Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.
Okay, so let's get down to business. (*cue Mulan music*) I loved the book. I want to make that very clear! The characters, to the plot, to the world building was done so fantastically, that I almost wanted to re-read the book as soon as I finished it. It's almost as if Harry Potter met Sherlock Holmes. I was constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next and trying to fit the pieces of the murder together (yes lots of death by the way) and figure out who did it and why. The setting was Yale, which as someone aspiring to go into law, I enjoyed being able to get this look into the campus, even if it was through a fictional characters eyes. Leigh Bardugo also went to Yale and included a map (I love maps) so it was honestly nice to be able to reference that and know that I was looking and "walking" through what Yale actually looks like! I love this kind of fictional world building within a "real" place or society as it gives me hope that magic exists within the real realm!
The plot line of the story was fascinating and captivating as well. Mystical and magic societies needing to be watched as they preform things for powerful alumni. The book also details out in the back all of the secret societies and what they are known for (another great helpful tool). Essentially these secret societies within Yale's campus have to be watched by Lethe, a society of it's own that makes sure the societies don't get too out of hand. This is where the world building essentially starts, and while I enjoyed it, there was some draw backs. The way that Bardugo just thrusts the reader into the world is something that I think has to be done delicately. I think some people might really enjoy that, but initially I felt as if I was constantly trying to play catch up. I was confused to put it plainly. At one point I wondered if I had picked up the sequel instead of the first book. THOUGH, I will say in the authors defense, I think she did this on purpose.
Alex Stern (our sweet kick ass Alex Stern) is thrust into this world. Like almost literally and metaphorically thrown to the dogs (or the mystical ghost jackals that try to eat her at one point...) I think in some ways by having the reader learning everything at around the same pace as Alex, lets us be fully submerged into the character. I honestly felt as if I was Alex Stern. It was like she sucked me into her body (is this foreshadowing...maybe :,) So it did work, but I was still initially confused. Which was what was suppose to happen and I loved it, but also it made the beginning of the book hard for me to get through.
But then I ran through it. I needed to know what was going on. Where did Darlington go? Why was Alex the only one alive when she was found at the place of a horrific murder? what is going on with these secret societies? (!!!)
Lo and behold every single question was answered. Profoundly. I honestly don't want to give too much away because the ending of this book really shocked me. I could not for the life of me, figure out what was up with Alex and what the real motivation behind the murder(s) were. I was trying desperately to solve it, and when I finally received my answer...I was shocked. So today, I'm going to hold this secret close to me, because I think everyone deserves the same shock I had. You are welcome.
ALSO, I adored this book because for once I felt real connection with the characters. I think sometimes in literature where there is intense and intricate world building happening, it's easy to let side characters have generic personalities. In the Hero's Journey (that literally almost every author follows to some extent) there is A, B, and C friends. You have the love interest, the preppy one, and the quiet girl. (These are examples!!) But Bardugo did such a good job of really fleshing out every one of her characters. There were a few side characters but they were then dominated by telling features and characteristics. Colin (remember his name mwhaha) for example was a goody-goody. That was his whole personality trope.
Though the cast of main characters were so well developed, that it was a breath of fresh air. Alex had a "dark and dreary past" but she was shown so in depth with the reality of what, and how trauma can affect a person, that she felt real. I felt as if her story wasn't that far fetched (and she literally can see ghosts...) Darlington, just wasn't the little golden retriever boy from school, he had a real and detailed back story that made him interesting! I LOVED that every character could be a real, living, breathing, person that you could meet on the street. The reality and duality of making fiction so realistic is something I applaud very deeply to Ms. Bardugo.
Which leads me to one last point that I enjoyed. The realness. The realness that is held and shown in a fantasy book, full of wildly un-real things. The author showcases what real abuse, trauma, and drug addiction, can do to a person. Not once does she criminate them in a way that disowns their dignity or their humanity. She does showcase how easy someone's life can turn to ,frankly, straight hell after making small or big choices. Choices that have devastating consequences. She demonstrates, as well, that these choices and this lifestyle is not a fun one, not a glamorized one, nor one that should be considered good or even applauded. BUT not once does she deny that people who make these choices, aren't still humans, and that they don't deserve human decency.
I just loved this.
I could relate to this type of thinking and it's so profound and important to spread these kinds of "chances", per se. To not generalize, but to see people as just that; people. See the person, not the addiction. See the choices made since "ground zero" , (another foreshadow, you're welcome.) and don't hold choices against those who are avidly trying. I think this theme was done wonderfully and showcased very well. The characters, as well all have their different thoughts on this topic and grow through these real life instances that are presented throughout the book. Seeing through Alex's eyes, who is currently dealing with these issues, was so eye opening and interesting as well.
Again, I say bravo Bardugo!
I won't say more, because again, I genuinely want all of you to read or listen to this book.
I loved it.
And the cliff hanger ending has me on the edge of my seat drooling as I (un)patiently wait for the sequel to come out!
(please go read this!!)
As always, happy reading!
(don't forget to click the button to see the pictures on my booksta!)
xoxo,
paige :)
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