A review by katy_bee
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

I picked this up as an easy read before tackling something more weighty and my expectations were fairly low if I'm honest. I was expecting a fairly standard YA popcorn fantasy. I surprised myself because I really enjoyed it! I got swept up in the characters and the story and read it pretty fast as I kept coming back to it. Yes there are some tropes- lots of weird and wonderful monsters, unusual names and an overpowered main character- but I liked El, Orion and their spiky interactions and the set up of the way magic worked in this universe was entertaining. I also enjoyed the other characters and friendships that emerged. There's a bit of a cliff hanger to draw you into the next book but the plot of this one does come to a satisfying end. I'll definitely read the next one in the series and if it weren't for the weighty book hovering over my shoulder for book club, I would dive straight in
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