NINTH HOUSE: A spooky New England ghost story to get cozy with this fall
- Courtney Hayes
- Oct 29, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 10, 2019
Leigh Bardugo is one of my favorite authors. She’s the storytelling mastermind behind the Grishaverse (which is being developed by Netflix) and damn, that woman can write. Ninth House is a change of pace from her other fantasy novels as it feels more like a modern mystery. The novel centers around Alex, a recovering drug addict who is picked to be a part of Lethe, a secret society at Yale University that helps keep the other eight secret societies in check. She’s picked because she is somehow able to see ghosts (called Grays) without having to drink a dangerous magical potion. There is a detailed and gorgeous history behind the nine houses that connects to the real history of Yale and New Haven. It is so gorgeous that Stephen King has even referred to it as a grown up Harry Potter. Read on to find out what I liked about the book (no spoilers) and if it’s something you should pick up at your local bookstore!
Ninth House is both a supernatural horror novel and a crime-thriller. It’s unsettling and creepy, but you’re also in the mind of someone who thinks like a detective. Alex is definitely haunted by events from her past, but she is a survivor and she can solve a puzzle. She’s dark and fun at the same time, and I really love how Bardugo depicts her as being independent and also desperate for some codependency. The cast of supporting characters (Darlington, Dawes, the Bridegroom) are also so nicely done and enthralling. Like in Six of Crows, she is excellent at building a wonderful cast of characters who interact complexly with each other. And, with no spoilers, I will just say that her villains are also marvelous and completely unsettling, whether they're human or...otherwise.
The novel also explores the relationship between mental health and belonging. Flashbacks help us understand how out of control Alex’s life was when she began using drugs to deal with her strange abilities. The book finds her trying to heal from trauma in her past by finding a purpose, which makes a strong point about victim blaming when it comes to drug addiction. Her skill and intelligence are illustrations of how opportunity and acceptance can allow a person to reach their full potential and find meaning in life. I would rank Alex up there with other great supernatural detectives in popular culture, like Buffy. She is wise but reckless and she manages to make those qualities work together—most of the time. She is also an unreliable narrator who doesn’t reveal her secrets so easily to the reader, which makes all the twists and turns harder to see coming.
Beyond what the characters themselves provide to the story, the atmosphere of this book and the history of the societies are gorgeous and intricate. I love the way Bardugo weaves in stories of the past. She has written sections from the diaries of past secret society members, as well as rules from the guide book for new members of Lethe. She has also handpicked quotes from existing literature. She includes these as excerpts in the novel to build upon the rich history, and she uses classic poems, songs and stories about death as a form of ghost repellent. Literature is literally a weapon, which I'm sure all book lovers will find pretty cool. It feels like the words she has written and the real literature she quotes blend seamlessly together to exist in the world of her novel. She’s an artist and I can feel the love and time that went into creating the many layers of this story.
So, should you pick up Ninth House? If you love mysteries, history and magic, then this is a great book to curl up with. The New England setting contributes to the spooky yet cozy feeling of fall and the chill of winter. There may be ghosts galore and a chill in the air but the book also feels warm and inviting. The psychology of the characters, especially Alex, will likely resonate with you and make the novel feel a lot more relatable than the synopsis may have you believe.. And if you want a quick read with a lot of action, murder, and famous literature—a lovely mix—then I implore you to let Bardugo take you on this chilling adventure.
Rating: 4.5/5
If you’ve read Ninth House, let me know what you think! And if you’ve read Bardugo’s other novels, how do you think they compare?
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