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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Engaging enough book for what it is (a YA-ish fantasy). Pretty trope laden, and felt as though aspects of the world building existed just as rather convenient plot devices (eg the inability to communicate with the outside world). Felt almost like a mash-up of Harry Potter (wizard school) and Percy Jackson (monsters trying to eat the special children, "mundane" / human children acting as protection, etc).
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
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
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A very fun read. The Scholomance, a school that attempts to kill its students, is a very creative setting that feels like a living character. I loved the fact that many languages and students from all over the world are featured. Languages are power, I love that. I struggled with the main character's pov at first, because she is so angry and abrasive. It gets better once you understand why she's like this, and she starts forming alliances and trusts people. Also loving the fact that she's possibly the most powerful sorceress in the world, but she is always at a mana deficit because she refuses to indulge her maleficent type of innate magic.
The rivalry and budding romance she has with Orion from the start was very fun to read.
Writing style wise, it's a super bingeable book: the formula is 1. set a scene with stakes, 2. jump on the opportunity to lore dump a bunch of info/context/backstory about something, and 3. finally resolve the scene. A little overdone at times, but effective. Still, because a lot of information is given at crucial times, I found myself almost skimming some sections to get back to the action quickly, and now, I'm sure I've misunderstood some things about how this world actually works.
Very much looking forward to reading the next book; especially after that last line which I was NOT expecting!
The rivalry and budding romance she has with Orion from the start was very fun to read.
Writing style wise, it's a super bingeable book: the formula is 1. set a scene with stakes, 2. jump on the opportunity to lore dump a bunch of info/context/backstory about something, and 3. finally resolve the scene. A little overdone at times, but effective. Still, because a lot of information is given at crucial times, I found myself almost skimming some sections to get back to the action quickly, and now, I'm sure I've misunderstood some things about how this world actually works.
Very much looking forward to reading the next book; especially after that last line which I was NOT expecting!
There was a ton of world building for most of the book and I kept waiting for there to be some real plot so it made it a bit hard to get through. But the very end of it made up for it, it got me really hooked. The very last bit made me need to go start the next.
Okay such a fun fantasy novel!!! Dark academia adjacent but it’s not very dark. & I love casual class commentary
adventurous
medium-paced
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
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
proposing the start of an orion lake protection squad, he probably doesn't need it but also he does!! also @ the universe, please give me more dynamics like el and orion's, they were very fun and i hope they stay fun and happy but i doubt it knowing there are two more books