A review by smartinez9
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

adventurous dark mysterious 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

Brilliant. Slow at the beginning, mostly due to the complexity and unprecedented nature of the Scholomance world (while not necessarily info-dumpy, it's a steep learning curve, and a good amount of exposition before the action really starts), but well-worth it once it picks up. I loved the unique spells, the incorporation of different languages, and the engaging premise. El was a perfectly morally gray heroine, and my personal first choice for an alliance.