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A review by bybookandbone
The Novice by Trudi Canavan
5.0
I love this book. It's easily my favourite in the trilogy.
You have a magic school, a powerful but flawed protagonist, and two antagonists (one more influential than the other).
While I adore this book, there is realistic and significantly upsetting representation of 'bullying'. So I'd understand why some may not enjoy reading that. It's infuriating but just so realistic that Sonia is basically beaten unconscious twice a week, her belongings are destroyed or stolen, she's framed for theft and sexually harassed (all for being poor), and the adults are all 'oh it's a pity about the pranks, I can't do anything, my hands are tied'. Like one teacher is basically like 'well it was bound to happen because she's from the slums'.
Now, this is a reread for me, so I know what's coming *spoiler* and let me say, damn let that whole society fucking burn.
There's great LGBTQ representation as well. So just all around one of my favourite books from my teen years that still holds up.
You have a magic school, a powerful but flawed protagonist, and two antagonists (one more influential than the other).
While I adore this book, there is realistic and significantly upsetting representation of 'bullying'. So I'd understand why some may not enjoy reading that. It's infuriating but just so realistic that Sonia is basically beaten unconscious twice a week, her belongings are destroyed or stolen, she's framed for theft and sexually harassed (all for being poor), and the adults are all 'oh it's a pity about the pranks, I can't do anything, my hands are tied'. Like one teacher is basically like 'well it was bound to happen because she's from the slums'.
Now, this is a reread for me, so I know what's coming *spoiler* and let me say, damn let that whole society fucking burn.
There's great LGBTQ representation as well. So just all around one of my favourite books from my teen years that still holds up.