Reviews

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

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isipet's review against another edition

5.0

Wow, this was the finale I was hoping for.

There are a lot of things I didn't see coming, and I was dying to know what was going to happen. It was a real page turner. Sometimes I had to stop reading and stare into the void (pun intended) and take a breather because of all the twists and turns.

After the second book I had a lot of questions and, in my opinion, this third book answered all of them in a fantastic way! It didn't feel info-dumpy, it felt fluid and natural. Many times I understood things at the same moment as El, and I loved that! It was so fun!

If you have read the first two books, this finale will not disappoint. (If you haven't read them, you should!)

I died. Not literally, but figuratively. It was SO good!

hurburb's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

3.0

iread2much's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

bridge_overbooked's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This was a strong way to end the series, even if I didn't fully understand what was happening 70% of the time. I think the series as a whole could have been shortened to two, slightly longer books and it would have made more sense.

In "The Golden Enclaves", El Higgins grapples with the aftermath of her escape from the deadly Scholomance, determined to rescue her loved ones and eradicate the enclaves that uphold the oppressive magical status quo. As she navigates complex alliances and confronts dark secrets within the magical community, El discovers her own surprising powers and the true nature of her destiny. The novel blends action with deep emotional stakes, concluding the Scholomance trilogy on a note of profound transformation and hope.

jrudy's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I thought it was a great end to the trilogy and really enjoyed how the author showed the snowballing effect of people acting only in self-interest. I did think the very end was a bit flat, but that's ok because overall this book was my favorite of an excellent trilogy.