Rating: Mixed Review Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Dark Academia Representation: -Bi/pan protagonist -Jewish protagonist -Latina mixed race protagonist Trigger warnings: Sexual assault (in scene), rape (in scene), CSA (in scene), graphic violence, murder, drug use, drug abuse, drugging of another person, overdose, domestic abuse, medical abuse, violence by dogs Note: Not YA
Why is it that every time I read Leigh Bardugo, I love the book with a passion…except for one thing that makes me want to tear my hair out?
Here’s what seriously impressed me about Ninth House, Bardugo’s entry into New Adult. The pacing was phenomenal. The measured, perfectly timed revelations of information had me finding excuses to listen to the audiobook - taking extra neighborhood walks, doing extra loads of laundry - because I was so hooked. Then, there’s the worldbuilding. Bardugo managed to walk a delicate line, successfully suspending disbelief while still asserting that eight Yale secret societies do secret magic rituals to the benefit of the oligarchical capitalist machine (we all kind of suspected this was the case, right?). But the best part of the book, the part that had me recommending Ninth House in more than one group chat, was, of all things, the point-of-view jumps.
Rarely are point-of-view switches the star of the show, but I was so excited to see a genuinely original, intrinsic-to-the-heart-of-the-whole-novel use of that technical tool. The point of view jumps crank the volume up on the theme of the whole book. We start with the main character, Galaxy “Alex” Stern; she is the point-of-view character for the present semester during which the principal action of the novel takes place. Her upperclassman and mentor Daniel Arlington (or “Darlington”) is the point-of-view character for the semester before - all because something happened to Darlington. Alex is telling people he’s doing a “semester in Spain,” and all the reader knows is that her explanation isn’t strictly true. The point-of-view jumps being so strict (there is never an Alex perspective chapter during last semester, and never a Darlington perspective in the present) serves to separate the two characters from each other with a really incredible emotional effectiveness. The heart of the novel, for me as a reader, was yearning for these two to be reunited - and all because Bardugo holds the two character points-of-view separate across an unbreachable temporal divide. It’s a powerfully effective technique.
But let’s backtrack. Alex is a 20-year-old high school dropout from the west coast. As the story progresses, we learn that Alex can see ghosts, which is why, despite never finishing high school or getting her GED - or even applying - Alex is a freshman at Yale - contingent on her joining the secret society called “Lethe House” as apprentice (“Dante”) to the current leader of the society, Darlington (the “Virgil”). Lethe House is the governing body of the eight Yale secret societies that practice the magic that keeps the elite in power. These secret societies make books sell, make T.V. anchors charming and compelling, and open portals to other parts of the world - when they aren’t throwing over the top Halloween parties with magic designed to alter one’s perception of reality.
Darlington, by contrast to Alex, seems to belong at Yale. He’s from an old family, and he’s preppy and well-read. Most of all, he loves Lethe House and its history of keeping the secret societies from harming people in their pursuit of magic and power. That is, until he disappears just in time for Alex, only half-trained, to investigate the murder of a girl on campus.
The first three quarters of the novel are fantastic for the reasons stated above. Bardugo’s approach to mystery writing is effective. We have half a dozen suspects, most of whom, as elite ivy league magicians, are at least guilty of some misdeed. Having all your red herrings end up somewhat culpable anyway is a good way to keep your mystery difficult to solve until the end. We were off to a good start.
Unfortunately, in the end, Bardugo made the all-too-common choice to value “surprise” over the most compelling, satisfying solution. So while the reader doesn’t see the ending coming, that is at the steep cost of the ending not being justified by the rest of the book. Bardugo even has to invent new rules of magic off the cuff to justify the ending. When the rest of the book so painstakingly developed the rules of magic in a way that made sense and never felt overly expository, undoing all that effort feels like a monumental waste. And for what did Bardugo undermine all her hard work? A mystery that the reader won’t have all the clues to solve? It’s really okay - in fact, good - if the reader can puzzle out your story. It means your story has symmetry, internal logic, or perhaps, some sort of message.
This is what had me tearing my hair out. I know exactly how I would have written the ending of Ninth House to be the perfect conclusion to a stunning book. I know exactly what the message should have been. Is it somewhat ridiculous to say that Bardugo misinterpreted the message of her own book? Perhaps. But given the out-of-left-field-ending, the theme of the book ends up being a rather cheaply bought “No matter how traumatized you are, you can be a girlboss” instead of the message that the very structure of the novel itself was pointing to since page one: one of companionship, trust, and restoration (frankly, a better message for a novel with a main character who suffers so much loss and trauma. But, sure, “girl power” is a theme…I guess…)
Here’s what I mean by the structure of the novel itself pointing to a different theme. (Spoiler warning for the rest of this paragraph). Because the point-of-view switches in the first two thirds of the novel were used by Bardugo like two magnets being held apart, the only way to create a feeling of resolution was, so to speak, putting the magnets back together: getting Darlington back into the “present.” The degree of disconnect between reader expectations and the reality of the book is comparable to picking up a romance novel only to have the two leads decide to just be friends at the end. Bardugo set expectations - akin to genre expectations - but unfortunately Bardugo kneecapped her first book in the service of the sequel.
And then there’s the trauma. Alex’s backstory wouldn’t be the same without some level of trauma; it’s an important part of her character arc. Even the explicit presence of sexual assault on the page was justified in the case of Alex’s backstory - and I think that is rarely true. But when it came to a side character’s explicit in-scene rape, which was used as a clue in the broader murder mystery rather than treated as a crime in its own right, that tipped me over into feeling the trauma in Ninth House was more excessive than necessary for character development. The resolution to that side character’s rape is oddly cartoonish - like an over-the-top prank rather than justice - and again, the only reason the rape happens to the character is to give Alex more information she needs to solve the plot. Maybe that wouldn’t bother some readers, but for me, a book has to bend over backwards to justify showing me a character being raped. Bardugo does well earlier in the book when depicting Alex’s assault; the assault is the explanation for why Alex doesn’t view magic with the same childish excitement as the rest of Yale, and it’s part of what holds her apart from the entitled secret societies. It needed to be in the book. Everything else was gratuitous.
That said, there’s one thing still to address in this roller coaster of a review, and that is: wait, is this a queer book? I had gone into it assuming that it would be, mostly because all my queer friends were reading it. And the answer is….kind of? Knowing Bardugo’s history with putting queer characters in her books, I’m going to assume she wasn’t baiting when she had Alex claim to have loved a girl in her backstory. Which, in the context of the rest of the novel, would make Alex bi or pan. As a book that a lot of queer fans of Bardugo’s YA have read, or will read, it feels appropriate to review it here.
This was a mixed review from start to finish, but to finish up: if you are thinking about reading Ninth House, go for it! There is so much to like about this book. Take to heart that if you read and liked Bardugo’s handling of sexual assault in her YA titles, you should be prepared to be surprised by Ninth House. It is not the same. I would not have called her handling of sexual assault in Six of Crows, for instance, restrained - but compared to Ninth House, it absolutely is. Despite my strongly worded feelings about the ending, Bardugo left room to redeem herself in the sequel (which, if you ask me, is why the ending was so bad in the first place…). I for one will definitely be reading the sequel the second it comes out.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you publisher!
I am really saddened to say that this is a DNF for me. This review will contain slight spoilers so please proceed with caution.
I honestly could only take about 150 pages of the book before I had to call it a day and move on.
The Ninth House is a story of Galaxy ‘Alex’ Stern, who can see ghosts and gets rescued from a life of drugs in LA and initiated into a secret society called Lethe who are basically like overseers of all magic done by secret societies at Yale University. The story jumps from Alex’s view to Arlington’s (her mentor) view to flashbacks of her growing up and her life in LA. First and foremost - nothing new, there are plenty of books about people seeing ghosts and secret societies at Ivy League universities. The first hundred pages are complete info dump with so much information that I had a hard time keeping it straight in my head. Actually nothing much happened in the first 100 pages except you get to read a lot about history of the magic societies and there’s a murder squeezed into them. You also do get a lot of scorn and disgust about how rich and privileged the kids who go to Yale are.
As if the info dump wasn’t enough to take you out of the story, Alex is also an ex-drug addict who is completely cured. It’s just not believable, not one craving, not one stray thought - nothing. I did not get far enough to find out how she gets miraculously cured, if it’s even ever addressed, but if it’s magic it’s just soooooo convenient and just makes it even more unbelievable. However, even this I can look past, but what I absolutely cannot look past is child rape.
That’s right - Alex gets raped by a ghost when she is in junior high. Rape used as a cannon in any book is bad, but child rape…it just begs the question - why? Yes she said that her book is suppose to be disturbing and shocking and I guess if that’s her main goal then she has succeeded. I just don’t understand what it’s suppose to prove. There are plenty of adult novels out there that write about adult themes without using child rape in them. It feels like Leigh fell into the same trap as J.K. Rowling with her “Casual Vacancy” - both wrote about insanely disturbing topics just for the sake of proving that they can. It doesn’t make for an enjoyable read or good literature and I do not think that it’s done in the hope for raising awareness of child rape and abuse - I think it’s just pure shock. Or was it done to make the reader like Alex? Because up to that point I didn’t, and now am I suppose to like her b/c I feel sorry for her? All that scene made me feel was disgust and confusion.
The one thing I did like about the book is the magic and the rituals - they were really well thought out and very interesting. I give Leigh props for that but we already know she’s great with magic.
Some people will not like me for saying the things I said about the novel or the author and listen - there is a book out there for everyone. This particular book was just not for me and if you like it - great. I think anyone who liked The Casual Vacancy or The Last Magician series will like this series as well.
It seems to me that the best books are those that you re-read and find something new in them every time.
I recently saw a review on the Ninth House, where a girl wrote that she barely read the book to the middle, because events jump too quickly between the past and the present, and she did not understand what was happening. I remembered that when I read this book, I also didn’t understand a lot of things and got confused, so as soon as I finished reading, I started reading from the beginning, already knowing who is who and where it all will lead. Since then, I have read the book more than thirty times (in whole or piecewise), but I still find things and details that I did not pay attention to.
There is something indescribably beautiful when you read a book and look at a character in a new way. You remember: “When I read for the first time, I decided that he was a show off and an egoist.” And now you have already read all the chapters from his POV, learned about his past and now you understand that he is just a lonely person who survives in this world in his own way.
The most interesting thing with such rereading is to read from “another character”. I don’t mean when the chapter is told from the point of view of one character’s feelings and thoughts. Try reading the same chapter, but focusing on the character the hero is interacting with. What could he be thinking at that moment? Did he really do it this way, and not otherwise, because he is arrogant, or is it all about something else? When I first read The Ninth House, I was a bit brainwashed by the “two Darlingtons”: the chapters from the perspective of Darlington were very different from how he was presented in Alex’s memoirs. Rereading the book, I realized how wrong Alex had thought about him. The stinging thoughts of the girl that Darlington was bathing in luxury were so strong that I forgot that in fact he had rather modest savings. He is not a boy who gets everything he wants. He is a boy who survived by hard work and suffering, but raised as a gentleman by his grandfather.
A good book is a book that never ceases to amaze you. This is a book that leaves behind a thousand questions - but at the same time contains almost all the answers, if you can find them.
broke:alex’s last name is stern because she is half jewish and it also matches “galaxy”
woke:alex’s last name is stern (stern = star) because she is a descendant of lucifer the fallen star/angel “the morningstar” and that’s why she can communicate and see the grays.
Peace was like any high. It couldn’t last. It was an illusion, something that could be interrupted in a moment and lost forever. Only two things kept you safe:money and power.
[ID: A waist-up digital illustration of Gideon Nav and Harrowhark Nonagesimus from the locked tomb series. Both are wearing skull face paint. Harrow stands in profile looking solemn with her arms crossed over her chest. She is wearing a veil. Gideon is turned towards the viewer, sticking her tongue out between her fingers. She is wearing mirrored sunglasses. End ID.]
[ID: A highly textured digital drawing of Harrowhark Nonagesimus and Gideon Nav from the locked tomb series. Harrow is being lifted by Gideon. Her arm is outstretched and blood streaks out of her eyes, nose, and sweatglands. Gideon is holding a sword. Both are grinning wildly. End ID.]
Every day I thank Tamsyn Muir for giving my inner 13-yr old the fuel she needs to go absolutely apeshit.
scorpio in our chart shows what we’re possessive over
♇ scorpio in 1st: scorpio in 1H can indicate that a person is very self protective. they’re the type of person who does care about people that are close to them and about their feelings but they still always remind themselves that their feelings and their mental health needs to come first before anyone else’s. when rihanna said she can beat me but she cannot beat my outfit you knew it applied to scorpio in 1H/scorpio ascendants. they always want to look the best, their style is unique and they hate being copied. they’re very stingy about their fashion sense and ideas
♇ scorpio in 2nd: these people lust over money. they usually tend to be antisocial or they seem unapproachable. money brings them happiness but they don’t like to necessarily overspend it - they have a need to feel financially secure. in this case it’s money over feelings! scorpio 2H people usually don’t let many people become close to them but once they found people that actually reach their standard they get overprotective over them and possessive. the thought of sharing them with anyone else makes them “see red”
♇ scorpio in third: scorpio in the 3H people usually let their emotions depend on the popularity/recognition they get at school. they want to feel important and seen. they’re very jealous people who envy others but know how to hide it well, they start feeling a sharp pain in their chest when they see someone they’re not close to succeed.. but people they actually love or trust, they will hype them up like no one else for sure! they get possessively competitive, they want to know they’re the best and they have a desire to be powerful
♇ scorpio in fourth: this indicates someone who’s their mommy’s son/princess and they get possessive over her over time more than she is over them. their family ALWAYS comes first. their toxic trait is violence they possibly are proud of.. they’re very forgiving people who don’t have morals. their partner showing them they actually care for them makes them act psychotic over them.
♇ scorpio in fifth: these people are the true charmers and attract sexual energy easily. might’ve been catcalled in the past since their body language draws attention to them easily! since they’re so used to huge attention they get possessive over it (plus 5H is a leo house so they want the attention on them only). another thing besides attention that they’re possessive about is their lovers - they can’t handle their partner even waving to someone else unless they’re with them just for fun
♇ scorpio in sixth: scorpio in the 6H usually develop a “superiority complex” as they get older or they’ve been had it since they were little. they want to know they succeed sooner than others which seems selfish but they’re possessive over success. they might even be the type of people that are against getting surgeries and are very opinionated. they cherish their natural beauty and fear someone else meeting their level of beauty. in general they are possessive over success and recognition they get/crave.
♇ scorpio in seventh: people with a taurus ascendant usually get used by many. usually the first people they’ve ever caught feelings for saw them as a temporary partner or even an affair/one night stand. because of this they built trust issues and don’t care to be commit anymore. they’re possessive over that one person they randomly meet that fulfills their fantasies when it comes to their dream partner and don’t know how to let them go. 7H also deals with business so they might be possessive over their belongings and give backhanded compliments to those who have similar goals as them
♇ scorpio in eight: similar to scorpio in the 1H they’re also very self protective. since the eight hoes deals with sex they don’t easily let people have sexual relations with them - but once they do they want to make themselves unforgettable. they seek intimacy and loyalty and could get possessive over someone who sexually makes them happy and is trustworthy. they refuse to share their secrets with others so they’re very selfish when it comes to their privacy because they value it a lot
♇ scorpio in ninth: their surroundings are everything to them. they hate finding out about their loved one’s problems.. and have a need to fix them. they have an approachable vibe to them and they look nice which leads to them to be a very social person since they like meeting new people too! they get possessive over their happiness and peace because they truly believe that living life without having fun doesn’t mean you’re living life
♇ scorpio in tenth: these natives attract jealousy easily but they LOVE it. they want to know someone else envies them and secretly wants to be just like them. their 8H being in virgo and if it’s aspecting their 10H in scorpio also makes them very possessive and territorial over their partners. they feel like if someone gives them a strange look they want them which “boils their blood”. they’re ambitious and truly believe they’ll get what they desire (as you should!!) so being possessive over their powerful thoughts they randomly have throughout the day is also a personality trait of their’s and this also happens because 10H deals with our career and you’re always thinking of the future and how much money you’ll earn. you want what’s best for you
♇ scorpio in eleventh: when younger - they didn’t really care to have a social life necessarily but as they grow older they want it. they get possessive over their social image and their looks. 11H deals with desires and wishes or hopes so they’re really focused on getting what they want, they’re the type of person who knows they have to haunt for what they want and not just wait for it to come to them magically. the closest friends they have might mean a lot to them and they could be possessive over them! they were probably the kid that asked their best friend to not have any other friends
♇ scorpio in twelfth: these people don’t believe in coincidences. they truly believe that everything happens for a reason and whatever lifestyle they desire they truly believe they are meant for. they’re possessive over being seen since they could’ve been the kid that’s not being payed attention to and as they grow older they realize they need recognition in order to be seen and gain attention. if they have saturn in their 12H it could indicate their dad being absent which now leads them to being overprotective of their kids and being possessive of the thought of being a better parent than someone else will be/is.
this post was created by @moonianbbyg on tumblr <3 please give credits if reposting my work.
Scorpio in 5H✨
interestingly enough, scorpio is intercepted in my chart so it doesn’t actually rule any house, and i don’t feel possessive over anything. i’ve always had an easy time just letting go of things in my life!
first house - a sense of familiarity to them, “have we met before?” vibes, shy and innocent demeanor, sensitive eyes, has this distant or dreamy look, super sensitive to undercurrents, approaches other people with compassion, people who are struggling are drawn to them, gentle in the way they do things. second house - generous with money, not very practical in financial matters, values compassion and kindness, a somewhat fragile sense of self-worth, others really influence their self-esteem, learns how to handle money slowly, often loses things, never hesitates to give to others in need. third house - speaks with compassion and sensitivity to others, soft-spoken, has a very vivid imagination, more of a visual learner, a bookworm or someone who disappears into stories, able to understand more abstract ideas, communicates in a vague or poetic way, thoughts are disorganized. fourth house - a parent who was particularly sensitive or somehow detached from reality, potential for an absent parent, an early life with relatively few boundaries/clear rules, they were a very imaginative and creative child, wants a home that is tranquil and an escape from the outer world. fifth house - hobbies that involve art, music, or stories, a taste for abstract and imaginative art, self-expression occurs through their art, they daydream for pleasure, really kind and compassionate towards kids, may date artsy types or people who are creative, a love for romance. sixth house - prone to illness or a weak immune system, a need to incorporate alone time into their daily routine, potential for foot-related issues, sticking to a routine could be difficult for them, coworkers see them as sweet and kind, involved in volunteer work or service to people. seventh house - attracts a spouse who is very sensitive, gentle, and a creative type, becomes very attached in the marriage, a marriage with few boundaries, dreams of being married when they are young, has to be careful not to allow the spouse to take advantage of them, tends to be agreeable and very romantic in relationships. eighth house - trauma that is repressed or hard to recall, blocks out very deep trauma, transformation occurs deep within themselves, able to help others going through crisis in their lives, has a deep understanding of the big mysteries of life, comfortable with the unknown, extremely strong intuition. ninth house - believes strongly in being compassionate to others, very interested in spirituality and religion, tends to hold very egalitarian and charitable ideas, actively seeks out experience and wisdom in life, believes in a higher power of some kind, generous to those less fortunate, kindness is a core belief of theirs. tenth house - a reputation for being very kind, compassionate, and having a love for helping others, can find career success through the arts and media, feels a need to have a career that is impactful and important, feels the most successful when they are helping people, could work in hospitals or institutions. eleventh house - has had friendships where they were taken advantage of, wants to share their creativity and imagination with their friends, a devoted friend, has strong intuition about the people they meet, involved in groups that do charity work, friends who are artsy types, daydreams about their wishes and aspirations. twelfth house - very boundless and abstract dreams, secretly full of creativity and imagination that they don’t share with others, they dwell on things that have happened in the past, afraid of becoming lost or not having a clear path in life, could have fears of water, typically has subconscious feelings they have to work through.
first house - features that stand out, forward-thinking and wants to keep moving forward in life, very much a humanitarian, friendly and approachable demeanor, doesn’t judge other people, interesting eyes, tends to have a searching gaze, not afraid to be themselves, tends to have a unique style/presentation. second house - values diversity and independence, able to earn money through unusual means, money can come and go, likes collecting unusual things, could succeed through freelance work, able to feel secure with change, can see fluctuation with self-esteem. third house - thinks scientifically/objectives, has a very different learning style from others, may have struggled with traditional learning even though they were a smart kid, thinks outside the box, ideas suddenly pop into their head, has a progressive mindset, could have a unique writing/speaking style. fourth house - their early life was full of change + instability, one or both of their parents is eccentric, difficulty putting down roots, doesn’t have a deep need for security, their home decor reflects their unique takes, home is a place where they can completely be themselves, could have an unusual family structure/dynamic. fifth house - unique hobbies, hobbies involving technology, groups of people, or science, enjoys things they can do with a group of friends, suddenly picks up and drops interests, attracted to unusual people, self-expression is authentic, a love for trying new things, may not want kids of their own, if they do have kids they’re very accepting. sixth house - adventurous with food, willing to try even the strangest foods, coworkers think they’re weird, really good at working on team projects, innovative in the workplace, has strange daily routines/habits, changes up their routine frequently, could be injury or accident prone. seventh house - spouse who is unusual in some way, retains their independence in their marriage, their spouse is like their best friend, doesn’t want a traditional marriage or to feel tied down to anyone, respects their partner’s individuality and able to give them space, relationships take on a non-traditional dynamic of some kind. eighth house - sudden intuition, can become very detached or objective during times of crisis, readily accepts change and transformation in their life, understands the need to move on and not remain stuck in the past, detached views of death, has very interesting perspectives/ideas that they rarely share with others. ninth house - beliefs tends to be progressive, open to new perspectives, excited to learn new things, attends university to open their mind, loves debate, readily expresses their views, strong progressive or egalitarian beliefs, interested in a variety of philosophies, may not be religious. tenth house - not afraid to carve their own path in life, has very different views of what success means to them, a reputation for being a bit quirky or unusual, able to innovate through their career, known for their critical thinking + problem solving skills, could have an unusual career. eleventh house - loves being part of a group, their friends are very non-judgmental and accepting, has friends from all walks of life, the future is always on their mind, doesn’t like to look back or dwell on the past, has creative ways of reaching their goals, able to bring people together and help them appreciate their differences. twelfth house - struggles with fears of being ostracized for expressing themselves, hides anything weird about them, wants to be independent and take their own path but afraid of making the wrong choices, caught up in fitting in or being palatable to others, has hidden unique talents and strengths.
first house - prominent bone structure + cheekbones, high ambition in life, wants to be someone, tends to be a realist or practical, more conservative dress, has a very “classic” appearance, can come across as reserved or withdrawn, looks great in dark colors, serious look on their face. second house - conservative spending habits, good at saving money, really values success and achievement, self-worth is tied to how accomplished they feel, can struggle with not feeling good enough, works hard for what they have, modest, finds it hard to splurge, can hold onto money for a long time. third house - definitely a “think before you speak” type, really considers their words, likely the mature sibling, levelheaded and rational in conversation, able to express themselves clearly, not the type to overexaggerate, small or neat handwriting, always thinking about their goals and ambitions. fourth house - could come from a more traditional/strict family, high expectations placed on them as a child, had to grow up/take a lot of responsibility from a young age, lots of structure in the home, wants a home that’s ordered, a parent who had to work to get where they are, wants to settle down in one place. fifth house - finds it difficult to truly relax and let go, a deep dislike or even fear of risk, might enjoy working, could have hobbies considered “boring” by others, an interest in self-improvement or goalsetting, uses their creative interests to further themselves, a deep need for peace and quiet. sixth house - potential for skin/bone problems, may develop restrictive diets or eating habits, fears trying new foods, a workaholic at heart, a very productive and busy daily routine, very ambitious, wants to advance within their job, coworkers see them as serious and responsible, others can rely on them in the workplace. seventh house - very serious about marriage, wants a more traditional wedding, has a spouse who is older than them, a spouse that encourages them to be successful, could get married later in life, cautious and restrained in long-term relationships, prefers small groups to large ones. eighth house - tries to be very responsible in times of crisis, typically lives a long life, good at bringing order to chaos, likes to have control of shared resources/money, deeply resourceful, can struggle with deep feelings of anxiety about not being successful, leaves a legacy of success. ninth house - conservative with their beliefs, believes strongly in hard work and ambition, strives to be an authority or teacher of sorts, it’s very difficult to change their perspective, reaches success through higher education, ambitious about their education, may share beliefs with their parents. tenth house - works very hard for their success, extremely ambitious within their career, known by colleagues as a workhorse, believes in the grind, a reputation for being mature, practical, and successful, gains recognition from their efforts, able to work their way up the ladder, wants authority as a professional. eleventh house - can make friends with people who are older, the mature and responsible friend, friend group encourages their success, extremely ambitious about their hopes + dreams, works tirelessly to get what they want, able to network effectively, a wallflower in social situations. twelfth house - deep-rooted fears of failure and not amounting to anything, feels ambition but unsure how to use it, their fears get in the way of their success, works very hard behind the scenes, potential for others to take credit for their work, wanting to be recognized but afraid to put themselves out there.
first house - extroverted, adventurous and seeks out new experiences, large teeth and often seen smiling, has a sparkle to their eye, an overall positive view on life, laid back vibes, just wants to have fun and explore, comes across as cultured/experienced. second house - tends to be lucky with money, always looks for ways to make more money, values adventure and exploration, pretty generous and laid back attitude about finances, spends money fairly quickly, values experiences over material gifts, saving money to travel. third house - always ready to share their opinion, super super open-minded, wants to hear new ideas, wants to learn everything they can, potential for learning foreign languages, more on the blunt side, speaks in a big and broad way, smiles a lot when they talk, good at spinning things positively. fourth house - possibly raised far from where they were born, making long-distance moves, having a family with a very different culture, could be a bit of a nomad, doesn’t form deep roots, love of traveling instilled by their family, doesn’t like feeling tied down to any one place, their family could have been very outspoken/out there. fifth house - enjoys traveling as a hobby, hobbies involving spirituality, religion, or philosophy, super chill and laid back, believes in taking time to just relax, could be a risk-taker, has luck when it comes to gambling/risk, willing to try almost anything once, always trying new hobbies. sixth house - needs to be independent at their job, good at taking initiative at work, always looking at ways to change their routine, finds it hard to stick to one routine, open to trying new foods, might overwork themselves thinking they’ll be fine, doesn’t believe in resting when they’re sick, the chill coworker, enthusiastic at their job. seventh house - may have a spouse from a different culture/country, needs a lot of freedom and independence in their marriage, sees marriage as two people vs. a unit, spouse has a large personality and sense of humor, wants someone who loves adventure as much as they do, always trying new things with their spouse. eighth house - optimistic even in the face of grave danger, will experience transformations that expand their view of the world, deep belief that there is good in the world, wants to understand everything they can about the “big questions” of life, often avoids the worst situations due to luck. ninth house - constantly seeking out new experiences/perspectives, loves discussing people’s opinions, a natural teacher, might study abroad, has an optimistic philosophy about life, a passion for both learning and teaching, explores cultures, religions, and philosophies different from their own. tenth house - a reputation for being very positive and friendly, struggles with authority because they want to make their own decisions, independent to a fault, naturally draws luck and opportunity to themselves in their career, has their own ideas of what success is for them. eleventh house - friend group consists of open-minded and curious people, friends with very interesting backgrounds, friends know them for their sense of humor and positivity, needs friends that will support their independence, encourages their friends all the time, loves making new friends. twelfth house - wants to be optimistic and have faith but is afraid of being let down, experiences that prevent them from having a positive outlook, people have taken advantage of their kindness and faith, struggles to leave their comfort zone, has a lot of hidden wisdom and experience.
