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bzliz's review against another edition
- 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
A major reveal that builds throughout this installment of the Scholomance trilogy could perhaps have been gleaned by only the most eagle-eyed readers but I was absolutely shocked.
Like the previous two books, I can’t say they rely heavily on character development. The plot itself is much more important and many characters rarely (if at all) share their knowledge freely, leaving El to puzzle out the truth of the matter in her own head. Her greatest achievement in terms of character development is
Minor: Death, Violence, and Murder
directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity and War
abookwormspov'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and War
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I thought that the series was quite solid. Book 3 really tied it all together and bits that were resolved were introduced in book 1 so it was quite good closure to see actions that have consequences and a resolution all together.
Some of the reveals were also top notch, since there's (in hindsight) a lot of foreshadowing but to be able to put it all together wasn't something I managed. I don't know if it was because of the gap between the books and it would have been obvious if I read them in closer succession but I was satisfied with how it came together.
Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
thecolouryes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Torture, Murder, and War
athryn'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
5.0
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Child death, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Grief
blissofalife'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
5.0
Graphic: Cursing and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism
jkneebone'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? It's complicated
4.5
It is challenging to write a good series conclusion, let alone a conclusion in which your characters are outside of the very specific physical location-slash-minor character that has dominated the first two books, and I think Naomi Novik does a pretty freaking good job of it. While I did have a few gripes, it still kept me so enraptured and emotionally invested that, at various major reveal points, I had to put the book down and walk around to calm down.
My gripes were mainly with the pacing, and with how little of the side characters we get in the front half of this book. I totally understand El’s emotional and mental state after “graduating” - in fact I really liked that in this book, it was made more explicit just how traumatizing and prison-like the Scholomance was, as if only now being free of it can El let herself think about that - however I personally would have liked it if the plot had moved along a bit quicker. Similarly, although I find Liesel hilarious, I was really missing the crew from the first two books, especially Aadhya and Liu! Luckily that was rectified in the later half, but I still would have liked a bit more time with the side characters.
What makes me not care about that, though, and what makes this a 5-star series in my opinion, is the sheer level of planning that Novik has clearly put into this series from the very beginning, all of which pays off in The Golden Enclaves. The world building is tight; there were no plot holes. So many pieces of information that seemed insignificant or merely descriptive in books 1 and 2 suddenly make perfect sense. I literally had a “holy shit” moment while driving as a bunch of pieces fell into place, and a few chapters later my hunch was confirmed. Spoilers about foreshadowing:
This whole series is just good. I’m thrilled that book 3 lived up to the first two; I was absolutely floored by all the clever foreshadowing and the way everything was clearly planned out. And most of all I adore the philosophical message - how El always tries to do the right thing, to choose the path of least harm, and how apt her observations are about her fellow wizards. So many times she forces herself to realize that even people she dislikes can be cared for by others, can have value; that even people who have benefitted off of pain and suffering in the past don’t deserve to have more suffering delivered unto them, especially if they didn’t know about it. I think El’s morals got (understandably) a bit more nuanced in this book, but I loved that at her heart she is still always her mother’s daughter, always trying to do good.
I loved this series SO MUCH. I’m torn between an immediate reread and lending the books to a friend right away so I have someone to discuss it with. This is why Naomi Novik is one of my all-time favorite authors.
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
such a shattering cliffhanger in book two, and for what?
this book has 400 pages and i kid you not, around 300 were horribly uninteresting. the whole first half of the book was useless rambling - boring, uninspiring and devastatingly dry.
the twist and reveal and all that were fun and had potential, the delivery however was super unexciting and the wow-moment shadowed by the absolute nothingness the whole rest of the book was. great concept, such poor execution.
and don't even get me started on the ending.
the ending was the most frustrating thing ever. like yeah, we all love a happy ending, but
also, watching all the conflict and problems get solved in a little godlike act 20 pages before the end made me want to claw my eyes out.
there were a couple of scenes and happenings that hooked me for a few pages, a chapter at best - for example
i loved book one and two, and the author's catchy and quick writing style didn't disappoint in this one either, but the story - tragic.
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
allyareads'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
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Classism