Book Summary: Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
Book Summary: Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo(10th grade)
Summary of Plot:
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is a student at Yale who is determined to break her friend, Darlington, out of purgatory. Alex and Dawes assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe, navigating a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets. When faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents—something deadly is at work in New Haven.
Characters:
The main protagonist, Alex Stern, is determined to discover what’s really going on in New Haven and rescue her friend from purgatory using her newfound magical abilities despite the apparent danger it puts her in; she follows her instincts even though those around her don’t agree with them or think they are foolish; she is ambitious but not reckless, always balancing risk with reward when undertaking her missions; she relies on her moral compass rather than external forces when making decisions which can lead to unexpected outcomes.
Dawes is a professor at Yale who believes that knowledge should be shared among all people regardless of their standing or power; he sees great potential in Alex’s abilities which drives him to help give her access to resources that would otherwise be inaccessible or heavily guarded; although his motives can be questioned at times, he ultimately remains loyal to his students, particularly Alex even if it means putting himself in harm’s way or compromising his own beliefs along the way.
Other Characters: Each character introduced has their own unique motivations and ambitions, whether they want power over others or simply want to make sure their secrets remain hidden by any means necessary; these characters often offer different perspectives which can help shape Alex’s decisions throughout the book as well as provide new insights into certain plot elements that wouldn’t be accessible otherwise.
Overall Impressions:
Hell Bent is a continuation from the Shadow and Bone trilogy while also introducing new characters who will continue in future books. Hell Bent offers readers an exciting journey full of mystery, action, and adventure, along with plenty of surprises thrown into the mix in order to keep things interesting; its various characters are complex yet relatable, which adds further depth and intrigue that keeps readers engaged throughout its pages until its inevitable conclusion.
We highly recommend this novel for anyone looking for an entertaining read filled with suspenseful twists along with dynamic characters that will keep you guessing until the very end!
Leigh Bardugo is an award-winning and #1 New York Times best-selling author whose works include the Grishaverse novels Shadow and Bone trilogy, The Six of Crows duology, and numerous other novels and short stories within the fantasy genre.
Primary points to consider while reading:
- Galaxy “Alex” Stern is a student at Yale who is determined to break her friend, Darlington, out of purgatory
- Alex and Dawes assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe
- Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets
- When faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents – something deadly is at work in New Haven
Online Book Reviews of Hell Bent:
Goodreads: Thick with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters.
Publishers Weekly: The taut plot, often grisly magic, lavish scene-setting, and wry humor combine to make this just as un-put-downable as the first installment. Readers will be wowed. .