Scan barcode
ultraviolet98's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
4.5
If possible, I liked this book better than the last one. The suspense of the conflict is masterful. You're just waiting on the edge of your seat to find out how, and even if, the characters will escape the school. There's a lovely ebb and flow of tension; alternating the main conflict with the main character's social development, which is actually quite heart warming. For my thoughts on the ending: I'm reading the back 1/3 of the book and everyone keeps living, nobody gets fatally wounded, all their solutions seem to be going just right. I'm reading and I'm thinking "listen, there's no way this all ends happily." I'm looking for signs of something going wrong, of a twist, but there's nothing. El is fine, Orion's good, Aadhya and Liu are achieving great success...I'm looking for twists and the author is giving me nothing, all the way until the last page. Then she drops the reader off a cliff with Orion choosing to stay behind. I was reading the ending and I was just stunned. It was a twist of the best variety, and it was shocking. text
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
lennie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for this arc.
Full disclosure I did listen to the audiobook via the library though.
So I liked book one of the Scholomance series but I Loved book two.
In this one we see El is just as grumpy and hilarious as ever but that having friends has clearly rubbed off on her because now she's actively trying to save people and look out for them.
I think part of why I liked this book more than the first one was because the first one just explains in great detail how awful, oppressive, deadly, gruesome etc the Scholomance is and I felt constantly one edge, whereas this one had a very different vibe. I won't go into details because of spoilers but it's a much more optimistic book than the first!
I loved seeing El grow as a character and watch how her friendships blossomed. She was still the same spiky, sarcastic cow who I fell in love with in book one but in being allowed that breathing space, she's really expanded into herself and her powers.
Very much here for ElOrion romance, although they're maybe not the healthiest of examples... 😅
And that ending!?
I'm even more annoyed because the library copy of book three currently has a 6 week wait 😠But I will be reading The Golden Enclaves as soon as I can get my hands on it!
Also, the audio narrator was absolutely fantastic and embodied El *perfectly*. I need to find more books narrated by Anisha Dadia.
Full disclosure I did listen to the audiobook via the library though.
So I liked book one of the Scholomance series but I Loved book two.
In this one we see El is just as grumpy and hilarious as ever but that having friends has clearly rubbed off on her because now she's actively trying to save people and look out for them.
I think part of why I liked this book more than the first one was because the first one just explains in great detail how awful, oppressive, deadly, gruesome etc the Scholomance is and I felt constantly one edge, whereas this one had a very different vibe. I won't go into details because of spoilers but it's a much more optimistic book than the first!
I loved seeing El grow as a character and watch how her friendships blossomed. She was still the same spiky, sarcastic cow who I fell in love with in book one but in being allowed that breathing space, she's really expanded into herself and her powers.
Very much here for ElOrion romance, although they're maybe not the healthiest of examples... 😅
And that ending!?
I'm even more annoyed because the library copy of book three currently has a 6 week wait 😠But I will be reading The Golden Enclaves as soon as I can get my hands on it!
Also, the audio narrator was absolutely fantastic and embodied El *perfectly*. I need to find more books narrated by Anisha Dadia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Blood, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Death
athryn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
Picks up right where the previous one left off, but managed to surprise me with subverting my expectations of where I thought it was going. Still darkly humorous, and hard to put down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Child death, Gore, and Vomit
Minor: Blood
lanid's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Death, Gore, Child death, and Body horror
suncourts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Body horror, and Blood
rubyroses's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
Initially when I read the first book I thought it moved fast… that was until I picked up The Last Graduate. I flew through this book in almost record time.
The first novel ends on a cliffhanger and this one picked up right where we left off on the very next sentence. I feel like this book was particularly enjoyable as it moved away from being character driven and moved towards being plot driven. It happened organically in a way that made sense for the series.
Romance definitely becomes a key aspect of this novel especially towards the end. So if you didn’t enjoy the snippets of romance in the first book… stay away from this one or else you might suffer.
The Last Graduate leaves us on an even bigger cliffhanger than the first one so be prepared !! & definitely have tissues close by (you’ll thank me later).
The first novel ends on a cliffhanger and this one picked up right where we left off on the very next sentence. I feel like this book was particularly enjoyable as it moved away from being character driven and moved towards being plot driven. It happened organically in a way that made sense for the series.
Romance definitely becomes a key aspect of this novel especially towards the end. So if you didn’t enjoy the snippets of romance in the first book… stay away from this one or else you might suffer.
The Last Graduate leaves us on an even bigger cliffhanger than the first one so be prepared !! & definitely have tissues close by (you’ll thank me later).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
yourpal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
Another excellent installment to this series, I’m having so much fun reading them and have already started the next one! Absolutely beautifully written, the story and world building are both amazing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Murder
lapras's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
I knew it. This one was faster paced, more character interactions and action. There is still a lot of internal monologues and explanation of magic, the lore runs deep I guess.
But the additions hit the spot and I was absolutely ramping up with excitement towards the end until the end wrecked me
But the additions hit the spot and I was absolutely ramping up with excitement towards the end until
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, and Death
pages_with_panda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
- 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
The pacing felt a LOT better in this book. And even though we got El’s monologuing and side stories, I felt like the world building was pretty solidly done by this book and it left us more time to get to know the characters better.
El’s development was great - she still has the same attitude and rudeness (which I love for her), but her resolve to help people (even people she hated) was amazing. I loved her overall.
Orion is so bland but we did get to know him a little better; and I’m glad that him and El had an actual conversation, considering they’re "dating."
Overall a great story - I wanted to cry during El’s realization that everyone deserved to live. It was a great way to describe the classism of our world and link it to the magical society.
Great story that wrapped up nicely while still leaving us with an AWFUL cliffhanger and enough material for the next book. Couldn't wait to pick it up.
El’s development was great - she still has the same attitude and rudeness (which I love for her), but her resolve to help people (even people she hated) was amazing. I loved her overall.
Orion is so bland but we did get to know him a little better; and I’m glad that him and El had an actual conversation, considering they’re "dating."
Overall a great story - I wanted to cry during El’s realization that everyone deserved to live. It was a great way to describe the classism of our world and link it to the magical society.
Great story that wrapped up nicely while still leaving us with an AWFUL cliffhanger and enough material for the next book. Couldn't wait to pick it up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Gore, Body horror, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent
ireadinbed's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
What the actual fuck. Naomi Novik loves to end a book on a DEVASTATING line. I cannot wait to read the next one. This book filled me with hope and despair. I never wabt to highlight books but there were 2 lines i want to keep with me forever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Vomit and Sexual content