Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

56 reviews

chalkletters's review against another edition

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? No

5.0

When A Deadly Education was introduced as ‘a nasty magic school’, I was worried it would be another Witchsign; I couldn’t have been more wrong. The tone and the characters are completely different, and while both books have similar themes, A Deadly Education delivers friendship overcoming the odds far more effectively. 

The Scholomance is a dangerous place which thrives on inequality, but nothing about A Deadly Education is delivered to grind the reader down. Instead, El’s savviness, self-knowledge and pragmatism are immediately captivating. Naomi Novik creates an amazing contrast between El and her non-privileged peers who have to be smart to survive versus the 'enclave kids’ who can coast on generations of magical alliance. 

El’s character development is awesome, and ties seamlessly in to an action-packed plot. It’s rare that a moment of intense self-discovery will also be an attempted murder, but Naomi Novik manages it. Against the background of self-interest and betrayal, El’s developing friendships shine particularly brightly. While there is a romance, it doesn’t overshadow the platonic relationships.

Even though El’s mother never appears 'on stage’, their relationship is beautifully portrayed. Gwen Higgins is the goodest of good witches, but the mother-daughter bond isn’t all unconditional love and endless support; it’s complicated and realistic and oh, so fantastic to read about. 

It’s always a good sign when there’s enough plot going on that the reader can make guesses about a situation and be wrong. No detail of the plot felt wasted or cumbersome, and Naomi Novik manages to set-up such a brilliant cliffhanger that even if you know there is one, you probably won’t guess what it’s going to be. 

A Deadly Education was a complete joy to read, despite the darkness of the world and setting, and I can hardly wait to move on to the next book in the series!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Animal death, Blood, Death, and Death of parent

emilyplun's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Violence, and Death

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

mariareviews's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny reflective 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

Orion and Galadriel officially hold my whole heart. Their names are so well thought I love it. The whole concept of The Scholomance is so well thought and I like the way it connects with the scholomance folk tale. 
I’m a bit disappointed because it took me quite a while to realise that this book’s part of a series (that’s my fault honestly) and I refuse to read the second book until the third one is out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Violence and Murder

Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, Bullying, Grief, Violence, and Stalking

cgn's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

5.0

Wow. I haven’t had such a strong five-star in ages. This book fed me energy. I took several moments to breathe and just process the emotions running through me. It gave all the delicious tension and reward I want from both the plot and the characters, and I can’t wait to see where both go next. I was only 15% into the book when I put the sequel on hold, and I’m so grateful for past-me. I’m already thinking about buying the book and re-reading it, especially to catch all the social commentary I missed the first time around. What a blessing of an experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Violence, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Murder, and Medical content

Minor: Pregnancy

tinybluepixel's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Classism, Gore, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Racism, Death of parent, and Murder

kadtide's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Murder and Classism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, and Vomit

cdt96's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Child death, and Murder

that_kid_with_the_sword's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Child death, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

While there is no sexual assault in this book, there is a scene in which a monster attack (trying to eat the protagonist) is metaphorically compared to sexual assault.

lexihworth's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Death

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Blood

moviemagus's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

I found this book surprisingly good. I started it at a good time when I needed a fun, lighthearted escape from the world and it was exactly just that. I don't really like the characters yet though...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Blood