Ninth House
The global sensation from the creator of Shadow and Bone
-
-
4.3 • 176 Ratings
-
-
- £5.49
Publisher Description
'Impossible to put down' STEPHEN KING
__________________
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER FOR BEST FANTASY OF 2019
AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF OCTOBER 2019
A 2020 LOCUS AWARD FINALIST
IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TELEVISION WITH AMAZON STUDIOS
BY THE BESTSELLING CREATOR OF THE GRISHAVERSE
AND THE NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES SHADOW AND BONE
STEP INTO THE WORLD OF NINTH HOUSE
__________________
Galaxy 'Alex' Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale's freshman class. A dropout and the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved crime, Alex was hoping for a 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 - well-known haunts of the rich and powerful. 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 . . .
'One of the best fantasy novels I've read in years' LEV GROSSMAN
'Ninth House rocked my world' JOE HILL
'I wouldn't blame you for taking the day off to finish it' KELLY LINK
'Mesmerising' CHARLAINE HARRIS
'Compulsively readable' KIRKUS
'Atmospheric' BOOKLIST
'The fantasy novel of the year' THE I
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bardugo's excellent first fantasy novel for adults (following her highly regarded Six of Crows and Shadow and Bone YA series) introduces an antihero who is just the right person to take on rising dangers in an elitist society. Galaxy "Alex" Stern's early life was wrecked by her unusual ability to see "Grays" earthbound ghosts but that same ability gains her admission into one of the magic-based houses at Yale. As she struggles to adjust to college life, she's forced to confront evil powers swirling under the thin veneers of tradition and ritual. When a young woman is killed, Alex becomes determined to find the murderer, even if it means dodging attempts on her life and striking eldritch bargains. Alex is the story's gritty, rock-solid heart. While other characters refuse to admit what's happening, too insulated by their own privilege or distracted by banal needs such as funding, Bardugo gives Alex a thoroughly engaging mix of rough edge, courage, and cynicism, all of which are required to get things done. Much of the book's white-knuckled tension comes from the increasingly horrific flashbacks revealing Alex's past, which is still very present in her mind. Fantasy readers, particularly those who love ghosts, will hungrily devour this novel.
Customer Reviews
Slow Beginnings
The info dump at first is overwhelming, I had to take a break about 20% in because I felt no connection to the characters and nothing much was happening that really held my attention, however, from 35-40% and onwards this book was great. The plot was thick and full of novel ideas that I really enjoyed. I felt my connection to the characters grow, but my connection to the world is still ragged from forcing myself through the first 40%. I’ll be reading Hell Bent regardless!
Art and Science of Magic
This book is apart from anything I have read about magic. The atmosphere is immediate. And I am obviously a beginner of the vast magic world. It is dense of references and meanings and it is the most frightening book about black magic I have ever read. Not everything was easy to understand and this is the reason of my rating. Perhaps some further reading would help to grasp some meaningful keys of the story. If only everyone could see all that Alex can.
Slow start then suddenly blazing
I felt it was a slow starting book and took a bit to get into it but then one just hit me and that was me right there and invested in this story.
Excellent once I reached that point