Ninth House

by Leigh Bardugo

[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!