BOOK REVIEW: Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

A complex, dark, and intriguing trip to Hell.

I loved this book so much. I loved it so much more than Ninth House, and it is VERY rare for me to like a sequel more than the original. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is Catching Fire. That was better than the original Hunger Games book, clearly my opinion. I’m also a huge fan of books that start with an event, goes to a previous time, and then just chronologically checks up to that opening scene about halfway through. The pieces just fall into place. One of my favorite structural elements!

Anyway, there are several things I loved about this book. To start, the character development was fantastic. There were new dimensions to the characters that were revealed and they really solidified themselves as individuals with deeply developed backstories. Next, the plot was engaging and well thought out. I also love a good puzzle, and that’s what we got with the events that occur at Sterling Library. Yale University is beautifully portrayed as this historical, almost gothic institution. LOVE IT! And Black Elm is developed and portrayed in a way that creates it’s own identity in its deep and dark history. And lastly, the style in which Leigh constructs her world. It’s more than the words she uses and the order in which they appear on the page. It’s the symbolism, the foreshadowing, and twists.

Now, I will say I think there was a moment there when I was going to completely throw the towel in when Linus Reiter joined the party. Really, she went there? At the time I was thinking that it was something that was totally unnecessary and overdone, but it did work to connect Alex’s past to her present and eventually to the future. It’s clear that there will be a book 3, and that Reiter is more than just a dramatic distraction for the reader.

Stories were immutable. And what was a library but a house full of stories?

I love that Alex is that anti-hero. She is flawed and haunted by her past, and can run from it no longer. There is that sophomore book element of having the flashes of who the main character was before the events in book one; the past collides with the present. We see a more clear and authentic picture of Alex, and it’s not pretty. References to that fateful, murderous night in California is a somewhat frequent occurrence in this book as what is happening with Darlington being stuck in Hell triggers her grief and guilt from that night. It doesn’t help her mental state when Eitan is thrown into the mix. He’s an interesting side antagonist but a great sacrificial lamb. (Or should I say rabbit.)

As always I love Dawes and Turner. The cat, Cosmo, is as intuitive as always and the odd naked Darlington is definitely a sight. What might be a little surprising is their willingness to bring Mercy, Alex’s roommate, into the fold. Let’s bring this girl to the dark side, literally! Let’s have her guard our bodies while we make a trip to Hell…twice! These characters must seriously take up residence in Bardugo’s head. They are developed so clearly different from each other, each having their own baggage. I was probably most engrossed when they all went to Hell and you get to see their traumatic stories. It solidifies who the characters are, why they act the way they do, and believe the ideas they do. Even Tripp. He was that comic relief that was desperately needed in such a dark story. But, at the end of they day, Alex has found her people.

The plot was great. Some head scratching moments for sure, but it all flowed. One moment built upon the next. Hell clearly isn’t an easy place to access if you’re not dead, and the fact that Alex and Dawes refused to give up shows their loyalty and responsibility to Darlington. Each action set events into motion and just added more issues to overcome. I loved the process of discovering the gauntlet. It was a puzzle with riddles, and I’m a sucker for these types of story elements. The added mess of who is who and are they really who they look like definitely created some confusion.

The lesson to remember when you encounter a demon is that they are not smart, just cunning! Which was great for Alex because she is both. Match her with Dawes’ book and magical smarts and that is how you get a really cool Bardugo version of Patronuses. (I would have the same reaction Turner did to his…a tree? Really?) You don’t need a wand though, just lick yourself.

Overall, I really loved this story. The weaving of Alex’s past with her present in a nothing short of an explosion will allow everything to progress further in book 3. I do have a slight concern that book 3 will take some of the more obscure events and additions here too far. There is a fine line between just enough crazy, and when it just becomes ridiculous. I do, however, want to dig deeper into this interesting relationship that now exists between Alex and Darlington.

A rabbit plays quite a large role in learning more about who Alex is and what she’s been through. I really wonder why a rabbit is what some authors use in this symbolic way. I researched what a rabbit symbolizes and typically it is positivity, good luck and prosperity. Nope…not in this book (or in Our Crooked Hearts). I can’t find a satisfactory answer, so I’m going to compose my own meaning. It seems to me that a dead rabbit symbolizes a loss of control, the idea that an unpleasant path is at your feet. Difficult and unpleasant choices must be made. Basically, nothing good comes from a dead rabbit.

Why is it always blood? Why can’t it ever be jam or blue crayon?

Where does this book land on my bookshelf?

Definitely the top shelf. I loved the layers upon layers of plot. Each one pulled away to discover something different - whether it was about a character, the past or just another log thrown into the conflict fire. It held my attention and I wondered what the next page held. If Alex doesn’t find herself in some type of research study on Psycho-paths when all is said and done, I will be highly disappointed. She is this weird mix of grief-stricken teenager, no remorse killer, scared little girl and a complete magic for trouble with no instinct of self-preservation. Definitely put this on your TBR. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. If you haven’t read book 1, Ninth House, then this is the perfect duo to binge read!

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