Ninth House Explained

Ninth House
Author:Leigh Bardugo
Audio Read By:Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
Cover Artist:Keith Hayes
Country:United States
Language:English
Set In:Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Publisher:Flatiron Books
Pub Date:October 8, 2019
Media Type:Print
Pages:458
Isbn:1250313074
Oclc:1114274185
Congress:PS3602.A775325 N56 2019
Series:Alex Stern
Release Number:2
Followed By:Hell Bent

Ninth House is a dark fantasy novel written by the Israeli–American author Leigh Bardugo, published by Flatiron Books in October 2019.

The first in a series, Ninth House was followed by a sequel titled Hell Bent, which was published in January 2023.[1]

Premise

The novel follows unlikely Yale University freshman 20-year-old Galaxy "Alex" Stern, a high school drop out and homicide survivor who can see ghosts, called "Grays". Alex is mysteriously offered a full ride to university following her trauma despite her background and lack of qualifications. She attempts to navigate her new life at the Ivy League while tasked by her benefactor with monitoring the eight Houses of the Veil, secret societies that harbor dark occult magic and power, as a member of Lethe, the ninth house.[2] [3]

Background

The novel is Bardugo's first adult novel and, beyond the fantasy elements, is largely inspired by her time at Yale University.[4] Bardugo first became inspired upon discovering the tombs of Yale's secret societies as she walked down New Haven's Grove Street during her freshman year. When her friend sent her pictures from their time at Yale years later, Bardugo was struck with memories, both pleasant and unpleasant, which inspired her to explore trauma for this novel but also companionship through it.[5] The "ninth house" in the novel is based on the Anderson Mansion, the real-life New Haven headquarters of the Yale secret society Shabtai.

Reception

Award-winning horror author Stephen King called Ninth House "the best fantasy novel I've read in years, because it's about real people. Bardugo's imaginative reach is brilliant, and this story―full of shocks and twists―is impossible to put down." It also received endorsements from fellow authors Lev Grossman, Kelly Link, Joe Hill, and Charlaine Harris.[6]

Accolades

Year-end lists
YearPublicationCategoryResultRef
2019AmazonAmazon's Best Books of 2019 List18[7]
Book RiotThe best books of 2019[8]
NPRNPR's Favorite Books of 2019[9]
ParadeThe 25 Best Books of 2019 [10]
PasteThe 19 Best Novels of 20199[11]
The Top 19 Best Audiobooks of 2019[12]
TimeThe 100 Must Read Books of 2019[13]
TorThe Best Books of 2019[14]
USA TodayBest books of 2019[15]
VoxBest of 2019: the 15 best books we read this year[16]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultRef
2020Audie AwardBest Fantasy[17]
Dragon AwardsFantasy Novel[18]
Goodreads Choice AwardsBest Fantasy[19]
Locus AwardBest Fantasy Novel[20]

Adaptation

On October 10, 2019, two days after the novel's release, it was announced Amazon Studios would adapt Ninth House as a TV series. Leigh Bardugo is set to executive produce the project alongside Pouya Shahbazian.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hell Bent? Hell yes! Read a chapter from Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House sequel. Entertainment Weekly. Nick. Romano. 12 December 2022. 11 January 2023.
  2. Leigh Bardugo turns Yale into a haunted, haunting fantasy world in Ninth House. Vox. Constance. Grady. October 11, 2019. November 3, 2019.
  3. 'Ninth House' Keeps Watch Over Bloody Mysteries. NPR. Jason. Sheehan. October 6, 2019. November 3, 2019.
  4. Stephen King Calls 'Ninth House' "the Best Fantasy I've Read in Years". Book Bub. Vicki. Lindem. October 8, 2019. November 2, 2019.
  5. Leigh Bardugo Wants 'Ninth House' To "F*ck You Up A Little". Bustle. Zan. Romanoff. October 9, 2019. November 3, 2019.
  6. Web site: Ninth House: Leigh Bardugo, Flatiron Books. Macmillan. November 3, 2019.
  7. Web site: Natale . Nicol . Amazon's Best Books of 2019 List is Here—and Some are on Sale . Prevention . December 19, 2021 . November 15, 2019.
  8. Web site: the best books of 2019 . Book Riot . December 19, 2021.
  9. Web site: NPR‘s Favorite Books of 2019 . 13 October 2021.
  10. Web site: Johnson . Ashley . We're Calling It Right Now—These Are the 25 Best Books of 2019 . Parade . 13 October 2021 . 11 December 2019.
  11. Web site: Jackson et all . Frannie . The 19 Best Novels of 2019 . Paste . 13 October 2021.
  12. Web site: Gunderson . Alexis . The Top 19 Best Audiobooks of 2019 . Paste . December 19, 2021 . December 9, 2019.
  13. Web site: Must Read Books of 2019 . Time . December 31, 2021 .
  14. Web site: Brown . Alex . Reviewers’ Choice: The Best Books of 2019 . Tor . 13 October 2021 . 18 November 2019.
  15. Web site: Best books of 2019: What USA TODAY's critics loved reading . December 19, 2021 . December 31, 2019.
  16. Web site: Grady . Constance . Best of 2019: the 15 best books we read this year . Vox . December 19, 2021 . December 6, 2019.
  17. Web site: 2020 Audie Awards Finalists Named . . 8 October 2021 . 3 February 2020.
  18. Web site: Dragon Awards 2020 . sfadb . December 12, 2021.
  19. Web site: The 19 Books That Won Goodreads This Year . K.W. Colyard . . December 10, 2019 . December 22, 2023 . December 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231222090627/https://www.bustle.com/p/the-2019-goodreads-choice-award-winners-show-how-much-we-love-rom-coms-19434586 . live.
  20. Web site: 2020 Locus Awards Winners . . 8 October 2021.
  21. Grishaverse Author's 'Ninth House' Novel To Be Developed As TV Series By Amazon Studios. Deadline. Nellie. Andreeva. October 10, 2019. November 1, 2019.