Ninth House

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3.5 stars

I read this as it was a dark academia recommendation and I thought the overall premise was intriguing and interesting. This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I have seen that this is quite different from her other series based on what others have been saying.

As we’re thrust into the world of Ivy League secret societies and magic, it’s established quite early on, that protocol, exclusivity, power, order and the intelligence exists within the system. Our main character Alex has a unique ability to see the dead referenced as “grays”. She’s scooped up from her troubled life into a full scholarship at Yale, so that her abilities can be used for the exclusive Lethe House. Through flashbacks we learn that she’s mentored by Darlington, who has gone missing in present time. A mysterious death of a girl close to the University sparks an investigation by Alex. She starts to uncover and realise some truths that could disrupt the whole system and unlock the truth of Darlington’s whereabouts.

I wasn’t always there for the flashbacks, as I felt I got the gist of the background of the MC Alex and her relationship with Darlington. It became a little long-winded for me and some parts could have been cut out. The whole establishment is what I imagine real life secret societies to be, minus the magic, but then again maybe not? Who knows what goes on in them really? I liked how the abuse of knowledge and people's opportunistic tendencies came out to play. The question being do people do it for control or power? Or maybe both?

The murder investigation was the most interesting part to me. Don't get me wrong, some of the magical and paranormal elements were fun to read, but the intricacies of uncovering each part of the murder and how it all came together, left me guessing. There was no way anyone could have guessed what was going to happen. This really borders on a crime thriller in some aspects of the book.

I'm intrigued enough to want to read the second book, but I'm also not in a rush.