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A review by lililoves
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was told before reading this book that it was meant to be like a dark, edgy Harry Potter. Yes the book has teenaged wizards in a school, but that is really where the similarities end. I actually don't think big fans of Harry Potter would like this. It doesn't have the whimsy of the Harry Potter books, and doesn't invoke the same awe for magic as HP does. I don't think people will finish reading this and say 'gee, I wish I were a wizard' as the magic system in this is not nearly as charming as HP. In saying that, I did enjoy this far more than other dark magic school books I've read (i.e. the Magicians... which I loathed). The concept is interesting. The characters were likeable and sympathetic. You really did want them to succeed. The thing I enjoyed the most was the development of the female friendships throughout the book, which I hope will be explored further as the series progresses. I also liked that we were introduced to El in her penultimate year as I think it's more relatable for adult readers. What stops me from giving this more stars is two things.
The first is the name of the main character, Galadriel. It was very on the nose if you ask me. It reminded me of Ready Player One. Like, yes we get it you've read other fantasy/SciFi. So has literally everyone else that has picked up your book. Maybe it's meant to be a nod to how powerful El is supposed to end up being, but it just annoyed me every time I read it; which to be fair, is very few times because the book is written in the first person.
The second thing that stoped me from rating this book higher was the sheer amount of exposition. I would have much preferred this book be 200 pages longer if it meant we had things shown to us, the reader, instead of explained in lengthy paragraphs. I don't know whether this is just Naomi Novik's writing style, as this is my first Novik read, but I struggled to pay attention through some of the explanations. I think the magic system is pretty cool in this book and the dynamics between the enclaves but I desperately wanted to be shown that, not just given a lengthly explanation that I'll probably end up forgetting when I actually need to remember it. Towards the end, it picked up and there was less explaining and more action, but I found it tough going initially.
The first is the name of the main character, Galadriel. It was very on the nose if you ask me. It reminded me of Ready Player One. Like, yes we get it you've read other fantasy/SciFi. So has literally everyone else that has picked up your book. Maybe it's meant to be a nod to how powerful El is supposed to end up being, but it just annoyed me every time I read it; which to be fair, is very few times because the book is written in the first person.
The second thing that stoped me from rating this book higher was the sheer amount of exposition. I would have much preferred this book be 200 pages longer if it meant we had things shown to us, the reader, instead of explained in lengthy paragraphs. I don't know whether this is just Naomi Novik's writing style, as this is my first Novik read, but I struggled to pay attention through some of the explanations. I think the magic system is pretty cool in this book and the dynamics between the enclaves but I desperately wanted to be shown that, not just given a lengthly explanation that I'll probably end up forgetting when I actually need to remember it. Towards the end, it picked up and there was less explaining and more action, but I found it tough going initially.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Body horror