Review 187: Ninth House

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Here’s a book I wouldn’t normally pick up and read, and when I first started reading it took a while to get into the story. I was very tempted to put the book down, but somewhere along the way I was fully into the story and wanted to know what happened.

The main character, Galaxy Stern, known as Alex, can see dead people. They are called greys here. Magic is real and many other oddities can happen in this world, and some very gory and gruesome acts as well.

Alex has been given a second chance, her life has completely changed when she takes the offer, a unique opportunity to enter Yale as a freshman and a Dante in the Lethe the Ninth house. Lethe is the guardians of the other eight houses to make sure the magic they perform and yield is kept in line.

Alex’s freshman year doesn’t go anything like a normal year for a first year student, or even a Dante. A murder takes place and Alex ends up deeply involved in trying to solve the case.

The book became the feel of a mystery, who did it, and what was the motive. This is where I felt the story really took off for my enjoyment. The rest of the world building was explained enough already and the characters more solidified.

There are some themes that were teased at in the book, most were not addressed instead brushed aside, yet one or two were more front and center. Perhaps some of those themes would be addressed in a more satisfying way in the next book.

Note: I received a free copy of this book at a library conference. I was not required to write a review, but felt like it and, of course, the above opinions are my own.