This month’s FYA Book Club selection is The Ninth House Trilogy—Ninth House, Hell Bent, and Dead Beat—by Leigh Bardugo. This adult trilogy dives into the darker side of the secret societies of Yale University and the magic that they rely on.
We know that not everyone’s caught up with the series, nor does everyone have time to read all three books before your next meeting. To that end, we’re providing questions both for the series in general and also each specific book. Feel free to read whichever book is right for your club! Or all of them!
Check out the discussion questions below! (Slight spoilers ahead.)
P.S. If you’ve already read the book, feel free to add any other discussion questions of your own in the comments!
Content Warning
The Ninth House trilogy features scenes of rape and sexual assault, drug abuse, physical and mental abuse, suicide, murder, parental neglect, death, and general violence (both human and paranormal) that might be triggering for some readers. Please be cautious about reading if any of these elements would be harmful to your emotional well-being.
Icebreaker
The main “team” in the Ninth House trilogy is made up of a variety of disparate individuals with very different personalities and skill sets. They’re a perfect example of the found family or family of choice trope. Who/what is your (other) favorite example of this type of squad from books or other media?
Questions
General Qs
- What were your first impressions of Alex? Did they change as you read through the series? Did you feel the same about her at the end as you did at the start?
- What were your first impressions of the other main series characters? (Darlington, Dawes, and Turner) Did your feelings change by the end of the series?
- How do you feel about the relationship between Alex and Darlington? Was it well-paced? Believable? Swoony?
- Was Alex’s ruse for being at Yale believable? Why or why not?
- What did you think about the magical system in the novels? Is there one specific secret society that you’d want to be a part of? Did that change as you learned more about each of them?
- Which character would you have liked to see more from or feel like you didn’t get enough of?
- If you haven’t finished the series, do you plan on it? Why or why not?
- If you’ve read any of Bardugo’s other work, how does this compare? If you haven’t, does it make you want to dive into her back catalog?
Book-specific Qs
Ninth House
- Let’s talk that twist and the reveals! Did you suspect Belbaum from the start? What about Sandow’s involvement?
- Who was your favorite secondary character?
- Power and privilege—and who gets access to both—is a central theme in this book. Discuss.
- Do you plan on continuing the series? Why or why not?
Hell Bent
- Ninth House was a bit slower and more focused on character study, while Hell Bent turned the dial to eleven and left it there. What did you think about this book’s pacing compared to the first? Did you prefer one over the other?
- The theme of morality comes into play in a big way in Hell Bent. What do you think the book was trying to say about good and evil, particularly within the context of how the characters viewed themselves and others?
- Alex struggles with feeling like she’s different from everyone else because she has no shame or guilt about the murders she’s committed. Did this change the way you felt about Alex, in comparison to how you felt in Ninth House? Did the change in the way others saw her make any impact?
- Did your favorite character change from book one to two? Was there anyone you enjoyed learning more about—or now wish you knew less about?
- What are your thoughts on this version of Hell?
- Do you plan on continuing the series? Why or why not?
Dead Beat
- What were your thoughts on Alex’s dad and the group he was involved in? Were you surprised that he was alive? What about the way he treated Alex’s mother?
- How did you feel about the involvement of Alban Reed and the “corporate” aspect of Lethe House?
- Did your favorite character change from the previous books? Was there anyone you enjoyed learning more about—or now wish you knew less about?
- Many a TV series has suffered when the longtime love interests go from “will they/won’t they” chemistry to actually being together. How did you like (or dislike) the escalation of Alex and Darlington’s relationship? Did it change the way you felt about either of them? Or the series as a whole?
- Darlington’s glowing horns: Hot or Super Hot? (Optional related question: Darlington’s, um, glowing member: Bizarre or Super Bizarre?)
- What did you think about the ending? Was it satisfying, or were you disappointed?
