About the Book
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Author:
- Leigh Bardugo
Cover Story: Hoo’s Looking At You
BFF Charms: Platinum
Talky Talk: Bardugo-nna Bring It
Bonus Factors: Found Families, Vampires
Anti-Bonus Factor: TEABS
Relationship Status: Dedicated Alumna
Content Warning: There are scenes/mentions of sexual, physical, and mental abuse, drug use, suicide, murder, death, and general violence (both human and paranormal) in Dead Beat that might be triggering for some readers.
Red alert! Dead Beat is the final book in the Ninth House Trilogy. If you have not read the other books in the series (Ninth House and Hell Bent), man your battle stations turn away now, as there might be spoilers in this review. If you’re caught up, however, feel free to continue below.
Cover Story: Hoo’s Looking At You
Barn owls do not look like they should have such an innocuous name. They are gorgeous creatures, but also creepy as all hell (bent). They’re clearly more intelligent than they let on, and I wouldn’t be surprised if every single one of them is actually a witch (gender neutral) in their animal form. I love them, but I would not want to meet one unexpectedly. For me, barn owls—more than any other animal—seem like they’re an omen of not so great things to come.
The Deal:
The members of Lethe House have gone to Hell and back—literally—to keep the world from succumbing to demonic rule. But for all of their efforts and sacrifices, the threat is still looming, and it’s up to them to close the door once and for all. Unfortunately for them, the threat isn’t just coming from Golgarot and his ilk. It’s also coming from inside the house.
Saving the world (again) won’t be an easy task, but Alex is nothing if not stubborn. And even if she ends up in Hell for a final time, she’ll put everything on the line to make sure that the people she loves remain safe.
BFF Charms: Platinum
Up until the very end of Dead Beat, I was torn on whether Alex would make a good friend (or if I’d want to be her friend, even if she would in a general sense). I’m still a little wary of the idea of attaching myself to someone who is drawn to danger and vice versa, but it would be awesome to have such a literal ride or die. So, in honor of Alex’s forever wish for things to be black or white, even when they’re more grey (or greys! *bah dum tss*), I’m going to stop waffling and pick a side. And she’s deserving of the best.
Swoonworthy Scale: 9
I’ve appreciated Darlington since day 1—much like Alex, although she’d deny it—but he reaches another level of book boyfriend status when he thinks Alex is in danger and his horns appear. As much as I am a Modern WomanTM who can take care of herself, there’s something about a feral half-demon, both-brains-and-brawn, unaware-of-how-hot-he-is kind of man that appeals to my inner cavewoman and (fictional) attraction to morally grey baddies. The glowing nether regions I could do without, but it’s ostensibly hilarious. Bardugo knows how to appeal to all sides of a person.
Also: There is (finally) 🌶️🌶️.
Talky Talk: Bardugo-nna Bring It
My relationship with this series has been a bit of a rollercoaster; I wasn’t sure about Ninth House, but Hell Bent blew me away. Dead Beat is a tad slow at times, but the characters are so well-written and well-rounded, and the world-building so expertly done, that this finale solidifies the trilogy as top-tier. I was complaining to a friend recently about how hard it can be to go from a book that shows so much to a book that relies too much on telling, and he said something along the lines of “when an author finds the right balance, you don’t even notice.” Bardugo is one of the best when it comes to that balance; it’s so easy (complimentary) to let her writing just carry you along for the ride.
Bonus Factor: Found Family
The same friend commented that Alex and Co. are very much a Scooby Gang, and I couldn’t help but think of another Scooby Gang that holds a place in many of our hearts. I couldn’t tell you when I realized that found families is one of my most favorite tropes, but it’s clear that I’ve enjoyed the kind of relationship Alex has with Darlington, Dawes, Turner, and even Tripp, for a long time. I can’t help but cheer when a disparate group of weirdos comes together to save the world/galaxy/multiverse/etc.
Bonus Factor: Vampires
I enjoy Bardugo’s unique take on vampires in this series; instead of undead creatures that feed on blood, they’re demon-possessed humans that feed on emotions. Both are frightening in their own ways, but the non-physical nature of the latter makes them all the more unnerving. You’d probably know if a “regular” vampire was sucking you dry, but a Bardugo vampire could be feeding on you and never know. These vampires are the literal interpretation of the more figurative definition of the word. As a word nerd, that’s pretty neat.
Anti-Bonus Factor: TEABS
I knew that this was the final book in this trilogy from the start, but even though Dead Beat is a great conclusion to the story that started in Ninth House, my celebration of the end of our time together is a bittersweet one. I want more adventures with Lethe House! I want to read more about Darlington’s horns! I know I have absolutely no say in what an author does with their worlds once “complete,” but I’ll be holding out hope that Bardugo finds her way back to Yale at some point in the future.
Relationship Status: Dedicated Alumna
I might not have gone to Yale, Book, but I’m gonna consider myself a proud member of the Lethe Alumni Society. Even though being a part of one of the university’s secret societies comes with more than a few problematic aspects. And the non-zero chance of being unalived. As long as we’re in it together, I know we’re on the side of the right. Just please leave me at home if you need to run the Gauntlet ever again. I would not be helpful in that situation.
Literary Matchmaking
Bardugo’s standalone adult novel, The Familiar, features another too-beautiful mysterious guy with a fascinating backstory.
The main character of Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series and Alex would either be immediate best friends or forever frenemies.
V.E Schwab’s Gallant is a lighter (solidly YA) take on a gothic tale.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Flatiron Books, but got neither a private dance party with Tom Hiddleston nor money in exchange for this review. Dead Beat is available now.
