Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Adult Fantasy – Magical Realisim
Series: Book 1 in the Alex Stern Series
Rating:
5/5
Synopsis
Alex Stern wakes up after a horrific accident with a stranger sitting by her hospital bed. The stranger offers her a chance at a new life, a life at Yale. Alex has no idea what she’s gotten herself into by agreeing to monitor the secret societies of Yale.
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Review
I will be the first to admit that Leigh Bardugo is not one of my favorite authors. I did not enjoy the Grisha trilogy. I liked Six of Crows but not the way most do and I haven’t even read King of Scars. So suffice it to say I had now expectations for Ninth House.
It turns out that it isn’t Bardugo so much as the Grishaverse I didn’t enjoy because I loved Ninth House. This is not an easy read, it is dark and disturbing. Alex is a great character, she is far from perfect, but that is what makes her such a good character. There are many things she does that I don’t agree with, but with the background provided, I am about to understand why she does the things she does. The other side characters, Darlington, Dawes, and Turner even Alex’s roommates are also wonderful. Each of them adds something to the story.
The setting and plot maybe my favorite parts of this book though. It has taken this book to make me realize that magical realism is the fantasy sub-genre I love the most. Taking place and an Ivy League school set against the backdrop of secret societies, I honestly couldn’t ask for a better setting. The plot made sense and while it took me a little bit to get into once it got there I was beyond hooked. I am eagerly awaiting information about the next book in this series.