Ninth HouseNinth House
Score Modern
What it's about
Galaxy 'Alex' Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale's freshman class: a dropout from Los Angeles and the sole survivor of an unsolved multiple homicide. In the hospital, she's offered a full ride to Yale, on one condition: she must monitor the university's secret societies, whose occult rituals are more dangerous than anyone knows.
Why it's worth reading
It's Leigh Bardugo's first adult novel and a huge hit; its sequel, Hell Bent, won the Goodreads Choice Award for fantasy.
You'll love it if you liked
Six of Crows
The Secret History
BabelGood to know
It's dark, with drug use and sexual assault. The story continues in Hell Bent.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller53 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz13 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #107 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #146 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #509 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #980 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Dark
More by Leigh Bardugo
If you like this, read next
The Green Mile
House of Leaves
The Shadow of the Wind
Storm Front
The Library at Mount Char
A Discovery of WitchesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Ninth House worth reading?
Yes. It's Leigh Bardugo's first adult novel and a huge hit; its sequel, Hell Bent, won the Goodreads Choice Award for fantasy. It ranks #980 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ninth House about?
Galaxy 'Alex' Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale's freshman class: a dropout from Los Angeles and the sole survivor of an unsolved multiple homicide. In the hospital, she's offered a full ride to Yale, on one condition: she must monitor the university's secret societies, whose occult rituals are more dangerous than anyone knows.
How long does it take to read Ninth House?
About 12 hours (480 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Ninth House won?
Goodreads Choice (fantasy) winner (2023, for Hell Bent).
What should I read after Ninth House?
If you liked it, try Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, The Secret History by Donna Tartt or Babel by R. F. Kuang.