[Crystal]
Hell Bent is the follow up to Leigh Bardugo’s 2019 book, Ninth House. This sequel picks up right where Ninth House left off, following summer vacation at Yale University. I admit, I struggled to remember what had happened at the end of Ninth House, and who each of the respective characters were. If it’s been awhile, it’s probably a good idea to give yourself a detailed recap. Once I did that, things really started moving. Alex is entering her second year at Yale, and has taken on the role of Virgil in Lethe House, one of the secret magical societies on Yale’s campus. Her mentor, Daniel Arlington (affectionately referred to as Darlington) has been devoured by a hellbeast, but is still alive. The premise of Hell Bent is primarily focused on retrieving him from Hell, while also unraveling a series of campus murders. Along the way, Alex must continue her studies, keep her past from coming back to haunt her, and fill the massive shoes left by Darlington. The plot moves along at a steady pace, but there continues to be plenty of realistic character development. The magic in the book is ugly, and the sense of urgency and complicated emotions Alex feels towards Lethe, Yale, and Darlington all feel grounded in realism. Once Part II of the book kicked in, it was difficult to put down, and I found myself reading well into the night just to finish it. If you loved Ninth House, you will not be disappointed in Hell Bent; and if you love realistic fantasy, with high stakes and rich characters, I’d encourage you to pick up this series.
You can find Tricia’s review of Ninth House here.
