Book Review: ‘Hell Bent’ by Leigh Bardugo (sensational sequel, or second book syndrome?)

Well, well, well. Here we are, back with Bardugo. ‘Hell Bent’ is the second in the second installment in the ‘Alex Stern’ series and follows the incredibly popular ‘Ninth House’

We reviewed ‘Ninth House’ when we featured it on the podcast for the season 3 premiere episode! And now, here we are, in season 5 and we’ve got ‘Hell Bent’ front and centre.

‘Ninth House’ review - click here to read

The Dark Academicals Season 3 Episode 1 - ‘Ninth House’ by Leigh Bardugo

If Dark Academia is your thing, then check out the new episode of The Dark Academicals where we discuss ‘Hell Bent’ and every which way it may or may not fit the genre.

But right now, we’re just reviewin’, plain and simple.

In case you haven’t yet caught it, here’s the summary:

“Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Galaxy “Alex” Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory―even if it costs her a future at Lethe and at Yale.

Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes can’t call on the Ninth House for help, so they assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets, and break every rule doing it. But when faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents. Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if she is going to survive, she’ll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university’s very walls.”

The thing I was most frightened about with ‘Hell Bent’ was not the horror-y type content, no no, cos I’m a spooky gal and I enjoy the dark and the grim. But was Leigh Bardugo’s sequel going to have Second Book Syndrome?

Second Book Syndrome is quite simply when a sequel doesn’t live up to the success of the first in a series. But for me it’s a little more complex than that, because it depends on the projected size of the series, the genre, the length of the first and second book, the overall motivations of the characters.

But mostly, I just need to enjoy it. It can’t just be a filler book.

Praise be. ‘Hell Bent’ is in fact, dare I say, better than ‘Ninth House’. Although, admittedly, ‘Ninth House’ had to walk so that ‘Hell Bent’ could run, and by golly does it run at an almost intolerable pace.

The plot in this book is so complex, and it pushes down on you, one thing after another. So many knots and tangles and you end up almost drowning in it. You’re reading it thinking “how can Alex possible make it out the other side of this?” But the talent that is Bardugo… You just have to trust in her.

Because, all of a sudden, she’ll tug on one small strand, and it will all fall away. The knot is untied and you see it. And the relief and awe is immeasuable.

The thing with ‘Hell Bent’ is that it’s a heist story, and I particularly enjoy Bardugo’s writing when it’s felxing in these areans. As with ‘Six of Crows’, this book sees an unlikely group of characters slung together trying to figure out a way to pull off one heck of a heist. But in this case, it’s to break out a dear friend from Hell. Literal Hell. Capital ‘H’ Hell, if you will.

One aspect that both Sophie and I were especially excited for was having Darlington finally present on page in the current action, rather than just in memory and flashbacks.

A quick few notes about Darlington, and I have to make it quick else I’ll run on into an essay… He’s fantastic. He’s everything I wanted from him as a character, and more. Complicated, flawed, charismatic and unsure in equal measures. He’s the demon gentleman of lethe through and through and some scenes? Some lines? Yikes. Heart-hammering, soul destroying, utterly world moving.

And before you ask, no, I am not addressing the demonic glow stick here. Over on our Substack chat however? Let’s talk.

I loved ‘Hell Bent’. It was such a strong sequel, and surely, surely there has to be another in the series. This is a trilogy at the very least, right?

It’s got an easy 5 stars from me. It’s fab. If you loved ‘Ninth House’ I can see no reason why you won’t enjoy ‘Hell Bent’ also.

Written by Sarah