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rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death and Suicide
cakeylu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Vomit, and Body horror
Moderate: Grief, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Confinement
Minor: Alcohol and Mental illness
slimepuppy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The characters were detailed, multidimensional and flawed, while still having plenty of charisma to go around the wiiide variety of personalities available. Galadriel and Orion were especially endearing, and I found myself rooting for them, despite not being a huge fan of romance. Thankfully, that's not really the focus of the book, because the slowburn worked wonders for me.
The world and the setting are intersting and surprisingly detailed for such a contained tale; the reader never gets to leave the school and see what the life is like for wizards outside, but you still get the broadest idea.
Despite liking it a lot, there are still some... considerable flaws to talk about. You can read all about them online, I'll just point something that irked me, personally:
I hope Naomi has read the plenty of justified criticism this book garnered and taken them into account, I'm very excited to read whatever comes next in the series.
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
caramiaculpa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gore, and Vomit
Moderate: Murder
c_arthur's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Minor: Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and Vomit
sezzler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Blood
nutm3g's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
**POSSIBLE SPOILERS** It was very interesting how it starts off letting us know El is evil-inclined (regardless of if she wants to be) and with a foreboding prophecy about her supposed destruction, but as the story unfolds you begin to see that she is very much a hero and that her fate may be leaning more towards salvation for the disenfranchised magic-wielders.
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Vomit
blissofalife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
4.75 because some of the grammar read weird to me and was a tad distracting at times.
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Vomit
soundlysmitten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When I first started reading, I thought I was going to hate the book because I found the main character extremely annoying. El’s hostile narration can get repetitive fast, but the way she holds herself makes sense once you learn how her experience differs from others. So I’m glad I kept reading. Truly, I was so happy when things started to look up for El, you’d think she was a real person 😹
My favorite part of the book was the dynamic between El and her allies. The development of their relationships is heartwarming as it marks El's first experience of social acceptance and support.
I also appreciated the ethnic and financial diversity of the different characters and think the author did a good job mirroring certain real world inequalities that are perpetuated by the corrupt social systems we’ve established.
All in all, I'd say give this one a shot. It won't be for everyone, but no book is!
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Vomit
coffeedragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Even though the Scholomance is the safer alternative for a developing wizard, it’s a given that a number of weak and unaware students will be devoured by the mal that sneak past the protection wards of the Scholomance every year; however, this year is special because Orion has saved more than 600 students in the three years he’s been a student, completely changing the climate of the school…and not for the good. Now the mal are starving, the graduating class is desperate to survive, and Galadriel, in her own quest of survival, has found herself in the middle of the whole problem
I was extremely excited when I heard that Naomi Novik was going to release a new book. I had really enjoyed reading Spinning Silver last year and while I was starting to see a pattern in her endings (which always left me crying), I was prepared and longing for my next heartache. Then I learned that A Deadly Education wasn’t going to be a standalone and I panicked. I couldn’t get into her Temeraire series the one time I tried, what if the same thing happened this time too?!
Luckily this wasn’t a problem. I was immediately sucked into this new story thanks to Galadriel (El) who was a completely different heroine to Agnieszka and the girls of Spinning Silver. Galadriel was snarky and sarcastic and didn’t care if she hurt your feelings…or so it seemed to be at first glance. Because of her upbringing as the chosen one of death and destruction, El had to live a life where everyone instantly either wanted her dead or gone. Perhaps in the vein of Myriem, El didn’t have anyone aside from her mother that wanted her and this made her wish for those connections that Agnieszka was lucky to be born with. Actually, up to this moment I’ve been really impressed by how realistic many of Naomi’s characters feel and El is no exception
In terms of other characters, I have to admit that I instantly found Orion an interesting character, not just for the story but as a potential love interest. It was only the first chapter and I instantly shipped the two. Interestingly, while I wouldn’t call this a romance story, the relationship between El and Orion is greatly emphasized in a way that made me want some fluff. Another thing that only Naomi has been able to do to me. When in other stories I wish the romance was less, in this one I wish it was either existent or more! That said, there was much about Orion that was left in the dark in this first book, which I hope we get to explore in the next one, especially with THAT ENDING
One of the things that I can see as a potential turn off for readers is that there are A LOT of explanations to the point that you come to realize that not a lot actually happens in terms of actions in a story. Still, I didn’t find this a problem because El is such a great narrator and makes what would usually be boring, sarcastically fun. With all of this explaining we also get a better understanding about the world that these wizards are living in, such as how enclaves, alliances, and the Scholomance works
I also like how international this world feels with the variety of characters and enclaves interacting with each other. Since El is narrating the story, much of what is said feels cynical but if you think about it, it’s all very true.
As I fall into a pit of restless despair for the next book (HA, the first isn’t even out yet), I keep thinking about where this story might go next. I’ve only read Uprooted and Spinning Silver by Naomi and both of these were fairytale retellings. As I contemplate A Deadly Education, I wonder if there’s something hidden away in there. Orion is a character from mythology and so far he’s been keeping to that image of the hero who is good at combat, but because there’s (apparently) not much information on his history, I wonder how Naomi is going to twist the story. Likewise, Galadriel is a name from the Tolkein stories (which I only know because El mentions it) and while I haven’t read or watched any of his content, it also has a very Western mythological vibe to it. And to put the icing on the cake, many have made the Harry Potter connection (though tbh it didn't occur to me until I saw someone say it)
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
Not good at tagging, there may be more! Ps. I tagged sexual harassment because there's a scene where El describes a "fight" akin to being sexually harassed (and describes it)