Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Leigh Bardugo’s Hell Bent, the highly anticipated sequel to Ninth House, dives even deeper into the shadows of Yale’s secret societies, where wealth, power, and the occult collide. Winner of the 2023 Goodreads Choice Award for Fantasy, this dark academic thriller continues the story of Galaxy “Alex” Stern, the fierce and damaged heroine who refuses to let hell itself stand between her and the people she loves.
When Hell Bent opens, Alex is on a desperate mission to rescue Darlington, her mentor and friend, from the underworld. Banished to purgatory after the cataclysmic events of Ninth House, Darlington’s soul is trapped and Alex is willing to risk everything to bring him back. Forbidden by the secretive organization known as Lethe to attempt the rescue, Alex and her ever-resourceful ally Dawes decide to defy the rules and assemble a small team of outcasts to help them navigate forbidden rituals, occult texts, and the dangerous pathways to hell itself.
But their mission is far from the only threat. As faculty members begin turning up dead under mysterious and gruesome circumstances, Alex realizes that something sinister is unfolding in New Haven. The walls of Yale already steeped in dark history seem to hum with ancient malevolence. The question becomes not just whether she can save Darlington, but whether she can survive long enough to uncover what’s really lurking beneath the campus’s polished veneer.
Bardugo once again proves herself a master of atmosphere. Hell Bent is dense with arcane imagery, secret doorways, and the chilling allure of dark magic. Her depiction of Yale remains both seductive and oppressive, a place where privilege shields corruption and where monsters both literal and human prowl behind closed doors. The novel balances the supernatural with the emotional, revealing more about Alex’s traumatic past and the inner demons that continue to haunt her.
However, the book isn’t without its flaws. Some readers have pointed out that Bardugo’s ambitious worldbuilding occasionally comes at the expense of character development. With so many twists, new magical elements, and mythic symbols introduced, the story can at times feel overstuffed. Certain pivotal moments like Darlington’s much-anticipated return arrive abruptly and are quickly overshadowed by new plot threads. The narrative sometimes races forward so quickly that it sacrifices emotional payoff for momentum.
Still, the moments of quiet humanity amid the chaos are where Bardugo shines brightest. Alex’s fragile relationships with Dawes, Turner, and especially Darlington carry genuine heart. Watching her lower her defenses and trust others, even as she battles literal demons, gives the story an emotional depth that anchors the magic.
Thematically, Hell Bent continues to explore what it means to seek power in a world built to exploit it. It asks whether redemption is possible for the damned and whether love platonic, romantic, or otherwise can survive in a place where betrayal and blood are part of the architecture.
Stylistically, Bardugo’s writing remains lush and immersive. The dialogue is sharp, the pacing relentless, and the imagery vivid enough to make readers feel as though they are walking through the candlelit corridors of Yale themselves. While it doesn’t capture the eerie precision or singular focus of Ninth House, Hell Bent expands the scope of Bardugo’s dark academia universe, setting up an even grander and more perilous finale to come.
In the end, Hell Bent is both a thrilling descent into darkness and a testament to Bardugo’s imagination. It’s messy at times, yes, but also daring, emotional, and utterly engrossing. Fans of Ninth House will find much to savor here rituals gone wrong, forbidden love, and a heroine who refuses to bow to anyone, mortal or otherwise.
If you’re ready to follow Alex Stern straight into the depths of Yale’s infernal secrets, you can find Hell Bent on Amazon here: Buy the book on Amazon.
