Book Review: Hell Bent (Alex Stern, #2) by Leigh Bardugo
When I cracked open Hell Bent, the sequel to Leigh Bardugo’s riveting Ninth House, I was ready for another thrilling ride through Yale’s dark underbelly. The blend of academia and the supernatural always calls to the inner gothic romantic in me, and Bardugo’s knack for creating compelling female characters hooks me every time. Yet, as I delved deeper into Alex Stern’s journey in the infernal labyrinth of Hell, I found myself grappling with thoughts like "Ah, Leigh Bardugo is just making shit up.” This isn’t outright contempt; rather, it’s a complicated dance with my expectations and the story’s execution.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: HellQuest
Let’s start with the central plot: Alex’s desperate mission to save her friend Darlington, who’s currently between realms, part-time demon and full-time heartthrob. While the premise kicks off with an intoxicating urgency, the pacing soon devolves. Bardugo stretches the concept of HellQuest to the breaking point, with ritual after ritual dragging on in excruciating detail. Maybe it’s just me, but after 400 pages of trying to follow complex procedures to rescue Darlington, I craved some narrative efficiency. The payoff of Alex simply walking through a portal to hell felt almost audacious and left me asking if I’d spent hours reading just to have the solution be so simple.
Character Dynamics: Mercy and Darlington
While I appreciated the nuanced portrayal of Alex’s struggles, I couldn’t ignore some glaring oddities. For instance, the character of Mercy Zhao seemed more of a narrative placeholder than a fully fleshed-out person. She oscillated between being the cheerleader for Alex’s supernatural escapades and a trope-heavy side character—essentially, the ultimate NPC (non-player character) in a fantasy role-playing game. When Mercy comes to terms with the reality of magic and Alex’s struggles in a matter-of-fact manner, it felt like Bardugo was trying to shoehorn in some surprise humor, but it landed a bit flat.
Then there’s Darlington, who, in his demon form, comes off as a caricature designed to serve the TikTok aesthetic. The repeated mention of his, ahem, glowing attributes feels more like a wink to social media trends than a genuine narrative touch. It’s an amusing choice, yet it inadvertently pulls me out of the richer emotional stakes of the tale.
Thematic Dissonance
Another layer of my reading experience was the conflicting tone of the novel. Moments of graphic violence, such as an animal’s painful demise, clashed with the lighthearted banter and flirtation that filled much of the narrative. In Ninth House, the themes of sexual assault and abuse intertwine with dark academia, creating a poignant commentary on power dynamics. But Hell Bent feels less cohesive in its thematic goals. For me, it was hard to reconcile the grim details with the YA-esque energy that permeated many scenes.
Closing Thoughts: Who Will Love This Book?
Despite my critiques, I believe there’s a unique charm to Hell Bent that fans of Bardugo will likely enjoy. The humor, the bloody rituals, and the teenage angst might resonate particularly with younger readers still exploring their identities. If you revel in stories where the balance between light and dark is ever shifting, and where banter often deflects from deeper emotional scars, this book finds its audience.
In conclusion, Hell Bent certainly evoked many thoughts and feelings, ultimately leaving me in a state of perplexity rather than satisfaction. While it has its flaws, there’s an undeniable allure to Bardugo’s vision. It’s a bumpy ride through hell, but then again, what good story isn’t?
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