Reviews

Meh. From the synopsis I thought this was about an academy for girls to learn magic in a land where supposedly only men can wield it.

That’s not what this book is. Instead it’s about a world where women and girls are robbed off their rights and not allowed to amount to anything other than becoming mothers, housekeepers or weavers of history.

DNF at 33%.

librarydosebykristy's review against another edition

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5.0

It is never a bad idea to question the stories the world tells you.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Marta Lupu has grown up in a world where boys are chosen to be sorcerers from a young age and girls, well, no one has a lot of hopes for the girls. Marya’s brother Luka is destined to be a sorcerer and Marya has spent her life feeling inferior, unimportant, “not right.”
And then an unexpected turn of events finds her sent to a mysterious school for troubled girls, Dragomir Academy. Marya and the other “troubled girls” start to unravel some of the stories that have been perpetuated for centuries…
This book had it all: Magic, a boarding school, wonderful, immersive writing, and a perfectly executed feminist agenda that I am HERE for.
Give this book to all the young girls in your life. Hold be read aloud to kids as young as 7 or 8 and enjoyed by all ages. (I was utterly captivated).

destobie's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

elenikin's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

Well written story with a good message for girls/women. It was a bit sad throughout, but had a nice ending. Ending felt a little rushed and I was left wanting a little more, but it was still a good story overall.

bickie's review against another edition

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4.0

Established around 200 years ago in 740, Dragomir Academy educates "troubled" girls in the kingdom of Illyria, emphasizing "character above all."

Spoiler

In reality, this academy systematically gaslights girls with magical abilities, steals their magic, and leaves them subservient shells thrilled to earn work on the realm's sorcerer estates.

Illyria's sorcerers, all male, protect the kingdom from the Dread, a terrible curse that attacks whole villages. Ignored as a chore girl by her parents, who are obsessed with their golden child Luka and the likelihood of his being a sorcerer, Marya Lupu learns reading and history from her neighbor, Madame Bandu, after her baby brother Pieter dies. Marya seems to have a special way with animals (and perhaps children), as is particularly evidenced by her relationship with a headstrong goat named Anton. When Anton causes trouble at Luka's sorcerer test, things get out of hand, and Marya is blamed for the chaos, especially when a few days later, a letter comes for her requiring her attendance at Dragomir Academy. Will Marya be tamed into a productive member of society?

dreamer626's review

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adventurous lighthearted 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

4.0

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