Peace In The Margins

“Not every flower belongs in every garden.” 

And that is true of Galaxy “Alex” Stern. In Ninth House, Leigh Bardugo creates an underworld on the prestigious campus of Yale University where young Alex has been given the opportunity of a lifetime – a full ride! And based on Alex’s life so far, that is the most absolutely outrageous offer of all time. I mean, she is, after all, the abandoned daughter of a hippie mom who embarked into the world of drugs and prostitution, only to end up as the lone survivor of a brutal unsolved murder. So, of course there must be a catch. And indeed there is.

It seems Alex has a unique gift, and it is in high demand by an elite – for now, let’s say…House – within Yale’s hidden occult society.

“New Haven was a town forever on the brink of things.” 

But why Yale? I loved the fact that Bardugo chose Yale, and it makes perfect sense. While Salem, Massachusetts is well know for the infamous witch trails where Nathaniel Hawthorne’s great-grandfather presided as judge, New Haven was there the first witch hanging actually occurred in 1647 – less than 10 years after the founding of this first planned city of the new America. New Haven’s history goes back to the infancy of England’s claim on the land – so it is no wonder that the superstitions embarked on that journey as well.

Yale was established a mere 63 years after New Haven was established. Yale began as a theology and sacred languages institute, but with forward thinking leadership, quickly expanded to include humanities and science – awarding its first PHD in 1861. It also touts a large endowment included in the university’s assets – which is really interesting when you consider the politics of Ninth House.

I give that little historical nugget because it plays nicely with the world created in Ninth House. New Haven’s Yale is the perfect backdrop for a magical tale where old-school clashes with new-school and lives are on the line.

Alex learns that not all is as it appears in this new world, and eventually she learns how to harness her gift to ensure her survival – because above all else, Alex is a survivor.

“I let you die. To save myself, I let you die. That is the danger in keeping company with survivors.” 

Alex is definitely a survivor – right out of the gate, you learn that Alex is alone, but she isn’t supposed to be. She is supposed to have a teacher – a mentor – someone guiding her through her new gifts and what it means to be apart of the Ninth House, known as Lethe House. And it appears she has yet again survived something terrible.

As the story progresses, we learn more about Alex and that fateful night before the Lethe offered her a new life. We are also confronted with some heavy themes – PTSD, social classes and how privilege and power impact the entitlement mentality, and the reality of cyclic abuse.

I will warn you – this story progresses slowly – and not a lot of action occurs in the 500 plus pages, but this magical mystery/love story (not too heavy on the love story side) is definitely worth the read. But brace yourself for the cliff hanger – and the wait for the sequel.

Until Next Time,

Alicia