Ninth House

by Leigh Bardugo

The instant SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestseller, and Goodreads Choice Award winner, that Stephen King calls 'Impossible to put down'

The mesmerising adult debut from Leigh Bardugo. A tale of power, privilege, dark magic and murder set among the Ivy League elite.

Alex Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale's freshman class. A dropout and the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved crime - the last thing she wants is to cause trouble. Not when Yale was supposed to be her fresh start. But a free ride to one of the world's most prestigious universities was bound to come with a catch.

Alex has been tasked with monitoring the mysterious activities of Yale's secret societies - societies that have yielded some of the most famous and influential people in the world. Now there's a dead girl on campus and Alex seems to be the only person who won't accept the neat answer the police and campus administration have come up with for her murder.

Because Alex knows the secret societies are far more sinister and extraordinary than anyone ever imagined.

They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living . . .



'Ninth House is the best fantasy novel I've read in years, because it's about real people. Bardugo's imaginative reach is brilliant, and this story, full of shocks and twists, is impossible to put down' Stephen King

'Ninth House is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in years. This book is brilliant, funny, raw and utterly magnificent - it's a portal to a world you'll never want to leave' Lev Grossman, bestselling author of The Magicians trilogy

'Ninth House rocked my world. I could not get enough of Alex Stern, a heroine for the ages. With a bruised heart and bleeding knuckles, she risks death and damnation - again and again - for the people she cares about. I was cheering her on the whole way: from the first brilliant sentence of this book to the last' Joe Hill, bestselling author of N0S4A2

• ISBN10: 1473227968
• ISBN13: 9781473227965
• Publish Date: 8 October 2019
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Gollancz
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 480
• Language: English

Reviews

[pamela]

I said at the time, when I was reading Leigh Bardugo's original Grisha Trilogy, that she would be more suited to writing adult fantasy rather than YA, and boy was I right (subjectively to my taste, of course). In The Ninth House it really felt like Bardugo came into her own, found her way, and just went for it. There was always something about the Grishaverse that made me feel like she was holding back - not letting herself really explore the deep themes, and underlying darkness that she wanted to convey. But in The Ninth House she really showed what she can do.

The Ninth House is fundamentally about surviving - and I was here for it. It was dark and magical, sure, but its real strength was in talking candidly about abuse, trauma, and the way that different people deal with it. All the characters were damaged in some way, and none of them was innocent, but they're compelling, interesting, and likeable all the same.

Leigh Bardugo's writing is mature, evocative, fast-paced, action-packed, and intense. The plot moved at just the right speed, and The Ninth House is just so full of atmosphere that I found myself completely engrossed. There are definitely moments of body horror and gore that I thought I'd find offputting, but within the context of the story, they worked. They weren't just there to shock.

I can't wait to read the next Galaxy Stern book, and I hope that Bardugo writes many, many more adult fantasy novels, because she is my jam!

[herseriallife]

It's the second of many more readings of this book. I just love it so much, I keep checking online to see if there are any news on book #2, but still... nothing. Please Leigh Bardugo, I need book #2 in the Alex Stern series soon... If you love fantasy, magic, mystery, action, ghosts, slow-burn romance and "real" beautifully flawed badass characters, read Ninth House. And let Leigh Bardugo take you on an amazing journey you're not gonna want to ever end.

[Mad Soul Child]

чисто лучшее. как и ожидалось от Бардуго
было реально стремно местами, я не ожидала вообще. мне нравится всё. здесь прекрасно всё. belissimo, можно еще пожалуйста

[Jennifer | Pushing Pages]

Slightly fuller version on the blog.

This book has some known trigger warnings. However, if you're going to dabble in the dark academia subgenre, you're probably aware of the darker tones these stories bring. Still, for those dealing with personal traumas that they may not want to subject themselves to while reading this book, a quick warning that Ninth House does deal with violence, rape, sexual assault, murder, and drug use.

I have seen some reviews list every plot beat that's grotesque as a trigger warning, but I think that's a bit overkill and can be more damaging to someone who sincerely cannot engage with the details. So, if you think any of these bucketed categories aren't in favor of your mental health, please consider that (also this may not be the subgenre for you). Still, if you're squeamish and you've watched anything like Game of Thrones, this is manageable.

Now that that's out of the way...

Ninth House opens with a prologue in spring. We meet Alex Stern, a student at Yale who is a member of the Lethe House and works with the secret societies of the university, however, much of the story focuses on the Skull and Bones society. The Bonesmen host highly mystical prognostications, focused on economics and politics—everything you'd expect from Yale students linked to a secret society that functions on money and nepotism. However, Alex isn't quite like the rest of Yale or the Bonesmen. She's a high school dropout, with a rough past, who was accepted to Yale on a scholarship because she has a special gift: she can see the "Grays". The ghosts that haunt New Haven.

The setting is painted so vastly different between perspectives. For some, it's the failure of the elite—the city that can never compete with its ivy siblings. Some see it for the alive beast it is—filled with haunted memories, festering wounds where the money ran out. But this New Haven reflects the state of every college town: A castle gleaming in the center of mediocrity and underdeveloped life.

Bardugo does exactly what you want dark academia to do. It's not just an aesthetically pleasing setting, but it's a satirical commentary on the prestige of a university like Yale and those involved with secret societies. Ninth House executes on this satire well by making the primary point-of-view Alex's—a person who never thought she'd be in a place like Yale. She has earned the right to poke fun at the classism and the overall pretentious nature of the budding scholars around her. It makes the commentary feel organic, rather than having some well-off pseudo-intellectual nihilist sneering at their peers.

Darlington's perspective reveals a self-aware young man with elevated dictation and charisma. He understands the follies of his world while also delighting in them. I personally love a little self-aware pretentiousness. When he first encounters Alex, and her disdain for the behavior of the people around her, Darlington feels pangs of resentment and defensiveness. But he's aware that his world comes with privileges and mediocre understandings of what life outside of this mystical New Haven is really like. Especially for someone like him, who delights in sticking to Black Elm for as long as possible.

The descriptions are what gripped me the most. The way words like "sweaty" or "matted" depicted the grotesque nature of Alex's surroundings and states of being. Bardugo has a poignant way of creating an image in your mind with only a handful of words. Something I worry I'm often struggling to do. From the morning dew sticking to grass, to the way an open wound festers, Ninth House burns these illustrations into your mind. It's also why if this ever became a show or movie, my squeamishness might get the better of me. (I covered my eyes a lot in GoT, okay?)

I've seen some reviews state that they didn't like how reserved and lackluster Alex was by comparison of other characters. I don't agree with the idea that she was stale in any way. Forgetting the amount of cunning and action she took throughout the book, Bardugo does a great job of emphasizing the mystery behind her motives while giving you very exact reasons for why she is more withholding and stoic at times. We see this when one chapter pivots to Darlington's perspective. Through his eyes, Alex shifts between rigid and lively depending on the conversation and her environment, and the dread that follows her stare keeps him on edge. Throughout Ninth House, some of those layers peel back just enough to understand why she is the way she is. She's worn and ragged by time and abuse. She's having to use her survivalist skills to adapt quickly in a world she didn't earn through achievement or money. Yale has trapped her in this life of potential and academics while using her much as she had been used many times over.

While I want to rave about how much I loved Darlington, and even give more mention to the reasons why Alex is a great protagonist, I have to give a special shoutout to Dawes. Dawes appears, more or less, as an underdog in the story. She's seen furiously scribbling notes, highlighter markings coloring her knuckles, trying desperately to get her grad school thesis perfect. In the beginning, we know little of her. She's in love with Darlington, she's dismissive of Alex, and she's otherwise seen one-dimensionally. But Bardugo didn't allow Dawes to stay that way. She's cunning and caring, and while she's more timid than Alex, her expertise navigating this world and performing various rituals make her an important actor in this plot. Dawes could have easily stayed a one-dimensional character—grimacing at Alex once in a while, maybe occasionally knowing where to find a book that was missing—but she became much more than that. Allowing her character to be a player and not a passive observer in this story made me so very happy.

I'm doing my best to avoid spoilers, so this is all you're getting from me. But anyway, it's a tremendous mystery paranormal plot. I had a lot of fun.

[inlibrisveritas]

4.5 Stars

I was worried with the very slow start, but once you reach a certain point (after around page 104 or so) it picks up in a big way. I'm obsessed with the life that Bradugo has breathed into the secret societies of Yale, the richness and grittiness of the magic she's weaved into their stone tombs. I'm definitely on board for the second book, and I think this might be my favorite of her books. It's a dark read and includes some very hard topics, so please go into this one with care. She shines a light on those with power, and the pain and devastation they can cause by wanting to maintain that power.

This has a considerable amount of trigger warnings: drug usage, domestic abuse, rape, sexual assault, death, mentions of suicide/self-harm, violence

[Nessa Luna]

I wasn't too sure what to think of this book at the beginning, but the more I got into it, the more I wanted to keep reading. I also didn't really like the dual timeline and the dual perspective, but I understand it was needed to tell the complete story. In the end, everything makes sense now and I need that sequel. I also want to know if MY BOY DARLINGTON IS OK.

Anyway, Leigh's writing is amazing as usual and I love her characters so so much. I felt that this book was quite balanced in between being character-driven and plot-driven and honestly that's the way I like my books.

[ibeforem]

Ninth House is Leigh Bardugo's first foray into the non-YA arena, and I think she does well. This is a dark, twisty, contemporary fantasy story set at Yale.

At this Yale, the secret societies all practice magic, and one society, the House of Lethe, is there to watch over them and keep them in line. Though "house" and "society" may be a little generous, as the House of Lethe seems to consist only of 3 members -- Virgil, the lead member; Dante, basically Virgil's apprentice until Virgil graduates; and Oculus, who maintains the residences and acts as research assistant. Peripherally, there is also Centurion, who is a liaison with the police force, and the Dean who watches over them all.

Galaxy (Alex) Stern has had a very hard life, until she is unexpectedly recruited from her hospital bed to come to Yale and be Lethe's Dante. Why Alex? She can see ghosts (Grays), which is very helpful in a world where ghosts may be trying to interfere with the magic being done by the secret societies. Alex's Virgil is Darlington (Daniel Arlington), a lonely young man who has devoted his life to becoming Virgil and figuring out how to see the ghosts himself.

The story starts out with Darlington and Alex working their first society ritual together, where the Greys get a little bit rowdy. Later that night, Alex is asked to check out the scene where a local girl has been murdered -- just in case it has to do with one of the societies. What we soon find out as the story weaves back and forth in time is that Darlington is gone.... somewhere.... and there is much more to the murder of this girl than first appears.

I thought this book was good, but it's not a quick read. The plot gets quite twisty and intricate, and sometimes you have to work a little to tell the differences between the houses. While there are some threads that are left untied, you get answers to some important questions. Overall I enjoyed it, and I will likely be reading the next one when it's released.

[ambiancereads]

Obsessed!! Absolutely loved it, the plot was amazing and the characters are great. I've been waiting for someone to write about secret societies and this hit the spot. Cannot wait for book two.

[leahrosereads]

Interesting start to a series for sure, but a tad too long. I enjoyed the writing and really appreciated the atmosphere that Bardugo created here. But it needed like 150 less pages.

I loved Darlington (what we saw of him anyway). Like a whole hecka lot. Kinda wish he was the MC we followed, because I didn't particularly like Alex. I don't feel she matured enough in this book, and she was a bit of a pain. Of course she had the most fucked up upbringing ever, so there's that. Seriously, what trauma didn't she deal with?

Also, Dawes was wonderful!!! Loved that character.

This story was enough to keep me interested for the next book, but I'm definitely hoping it's a more concise read.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

At the urging of a fellow reader, I gave Bardugo another chance since I was told this book was nothing like her other novels.

Thumbs up to Bardugo for creating an atmospheric New Haven and Yale that oozed off the page and engulfed the reader.

Thumbs down on the pacing and fitting the pieces of the plot together.

In the end, it was a slog to finish the novel to find the reveal underwhelming and puzzling.There were definitely not a enough clues about a certain character's true nature.