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A review by fruitbatwoman
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
A somewhat different, darker take on the usual "magic school" stories.
What I liked:
+ Grumpy anti-villain instead of chosen one or anti-hero
+ A "living" multicultural magic school of horrors, with hard learned lessons instead of teachers
+ The underlying social commentary on good education being only for the rich
+ How mana, malia, and spellcasting worked
+ The amazing world building, including the horrendous creatures
What could have been better:
- Some parts felt needlessly long and detailed
- As much as I liked main character El, her complaints got repetitive and were often her misconception of a situation
What I liked:
+ Grumpy anti-villain instead of chosen one or anti-hero
+ A "living" multicultural magic school of horrors, with hard learned lessons instead of teachers
+ The underlying social commentary on good education being only for the rich
+ How mana, malia, and spellcasting worked
+ The amazing world building, including the horrendous creatures
What could have been better:
- Some parts felt needlessly long and detailed
- As much as I liked main character El, her complaints got repetitive and were often her misconception of a situation