A review by baileybailz
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

3.75

Alright Naomi. You had me with the first two, then you kinda lost me here; I came around by the end but I’ve left this series feeling tired rather than triumphant. Honestly I feel like this trilogy could have been a really tight duology. 

You have the first two books each covering an entire year, and the third one covering what, like a few weeks? The pacing was just kind of off for me, bordering on chaotic. I felt as bewildered as a new Scholomance graduate trying to adjust back to the real world (which maybe was on purpose?)

There was simultaneously too much lore and not enough lore, repeating some concepts over and over (and over) while other concepts are only touched on briefly.

Orion’s mom Ophelia

ends up being more or less the big bad (besides the general big bad of wizard capitalism), but we get like, two scenes with them and a letter. I still barely understand their motivations and master plan.

Ironically, Orion remains pretty one-dimensional and ends up being more of a means for El to self-actualize than anything. Hmm… (he’s still babygirl tho)

The last thing I’ll say: the twist about the

maw-mouths

was pretty interesting, except I never found them as scary as I was supposed to. Like I was told—not shown—over and over—to be scared of them, but I never really felt it, so it didn’t have as much gravity for me.