Book Review – Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

After loving Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom, and Shadow and Bone, I was pumped to read Leigh Bardugo’s first Adult Fantasy novel, Ninth House. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I didn’t want to put it down.

About The Book 📚

Title: Ninth House (Alex Stern #1)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: October 2019

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Suggested Reader Age: 16+

Genre: Adult Fantasy, Mystery, Contemporary

My Review

› Ninth House is a dark, mysterious, intense fantasy novel that takes place at Yale University, New Haven, CT. Alex is a new member of The Lethe House, which is responsible for overseeing magical rituals at the eight secret societies of Yale.

“By the time Alex managed to get the blood out of her good wool coat, it was too warm to wear it.”

Something horrible happened to Alex before she joined Lethe House. We don’t know what it is, but we do know she has an incredible ability to see ghosts.

“The trouble had begun on a night in the full dark of winter, when Tara Hutchins died and Alex still thought she might get away with everything.”

Usually the only way someone could see “grays” (ghosts) is by ingesting a complicated elixir called Orozcerio – but Alex doesn’t need the elixir. With two perspectives and dual timelines we find out more about Alex’s past as she tries to find out if one of the Houses are responsible for killing a young woman on campus. She’s also trying to find her mentour, Darlington, who’s gone missing.

I don’t always include trigger warnings in my reviews, but in this case I feel like it’s necessary because some people will want to make sure they’re in a good head-space to read this story.

TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR: racism, date rape, physical abuse, suicide, drug use, child rape, murder, grief, ingesting human waste, self-harm, sexual assault, parental neglect, gore.

› Final Thoughts
• Ninth House is The Raven Boys meets The Diviners meets The Gilded Wolves meets John Wick. I can’t wait to read the next book!
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