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mandkips's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, and War
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual content
coffeebot18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
A stunning conclusion - to a brilliant trilogy - that makes sense of the events of the first two novels and clarifies El’s purpose . Novik’s magical world is desperately dark, but protagonist El and her people are tenacious in their pursuit of a glimmering, golden hope for a better future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Body horror, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Murder
lolamosk's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death, Torture, and Murder
kingcrookback's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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
A fitting/satisfying end, and I genuinely mean that as a high compliment. I was a bit apprehensive after reading The Last Graduate because of the pacing issues, but I suppose "second book slump" is kind of a common problem for many trilogies. I liked how the question of who/what has been attacking and destroying enclaves was answered, both how it tied into the major themes of the series (especially the metaphor for class and privilege) and how the reveal resounds back through the previous books. I don't plan on rereading the series, especially so soon, but I can imagine it would be a satisfying experience. Logically, stylistically, and thematically, it's a consistent series. El continues to have a deep-rooted love for humanity; El continues to have to make difficult decisions; El continues to have empathy for other people (for the most part), even if she deeply begrudges them that empathy. I appreciate Novik for constructing a prickly character with such a heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and War
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual content
caramiaculpa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
This series really stuck the landing. It really drives home that a good system cannot be built on rotten foundations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Child death
oliverreeds'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? Yes
5.0
absolutely crushed
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, War, Confinement, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Child death, and Gore
kimtazo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Minor: Child death and Death
ashlightgrayson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
This was a fitting conclusion to this trilogy and it did not disappoint. I felt this installment was more event driven compared to the previous two books. The first half of the story focuses a lot on investigating a threat to the enclaves. El has quite a few internal demons she needs to battle on her own both secondary to her loss of Orion and the prophecy that has haunted her since childhood. We finally get to explore the enclaves around the world and the complex politics involved. There is a lot of ethical questions that are brought up with how the enclaves obtain their mana and how they choose to distribute and use it. It's almost like watching different mafia families fight over power, sometimes via less than moral means.
We get to meet the families of a lot of the main and side characters we've gotten to know since book 1. Some of them are worse than others in terms of being terrible people. Even outside of the Scholomance it is clear that there is a mentality of "survival of the fittest". Mages are trying to get the best advantages to survive at the expense of others most of the time. El, through her actions, has found a semblance of respect among the Enclaves. This helps her have leverage in terms of changing some of the systemic ways in which the hierarchy of power is oppressive and immoral.
The tensions are high in this last book. All of it, thankfully, has a great pay off. The build up at the beginning is slower, but there wasn't a moment where I wasn't interested in finding out what was going to happen next. I'm looking forward to reading more series by Novik. This one has been great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
wrestleacademic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent
black_cat_iiix's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Child abuse