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A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)

Naomi Novik

Start date: November 1, 2020

Finish date: November 30, 2020

Discussion: Book of the Month

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What Members Thought

Jan 08, 2021 Lizz (Beer, Books and Boos) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This has to be one of my favorite books I have read this year and it is just the start of 2021. I really enjoyed El and how she grew as the story went on, I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. I can see why people compare it to Harry Potter but it is so much darker. I was very fascinated with the school and magic system, it kept me hooked. I also liked that she didn’t overload you with information about the world in one go but explained it throughout the book. I really can’t wait to ...more

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Oct 02, 2021 Marie (UK) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-reading-challenge

Naomi Novak is one of my favourite authors hooked ever since my son put His Majesty's Dragon on my first Kindle for me. I am stoked to have a new series to go at and I have the second in the series on NetGalley already.

This book is really all about the setting which is a School of Magic that runs without teachers and from which only some of its students get out alive. There is some attrition during the years leading up to senior year but the majority occurs during the ceremony of Graduation each Naomi Novak is one of my favourite authors hooked ever since my son put His Majesty's Dragon on my first Kindle for me. I am stoked to have a new series to go at and I have the second in the series on NetGalley already.

This book is really all about the setting which is a School of Magic that runs without teachers and from which only some of its students get out alive. There is some attrition during the years leading up to senior year but the majority occurs during the ceremony of Graduation each year.

There is an emphasis on status within the school and on getting into "an enclave" almost like an American Soriety.

There are numerous characters but I suppose the two main ones are Orion Lake - the school's self styled superhero and Gadriel the definition of outsider. I liked how both of these characters developed over the course of the book and how they dealt with the issues over status and society. I think the author cleverly inserted some moral themes into their character development

Writing style It is not a book that you can Wizz through, there is so much going on that you have to be careful to take it all in but it does have a natural rhythm that makes it a satisfying read. As a Paranormal Fantasy it wouldn't be top of my genre list but Naomi Novak was a draw.

I liked that the author manages to give her characters a moral compass without making them feel puritanical and that their characters mange to influence others. She also introduces a mammoth cast of student eating ghouls and critters and none of it feelsOTT

Which parts stood out
I liked it all I don't think there is a point where you think oh get on with it. However I love the non-hero worship relationship that Galadriel has with Orion even though he has saved her life more times than he has hot dinners - eating safely can be a bit of an issue at this school. Obviously the magic is good too but it is difficult to tell you all about it without giving away the whole book.

Did you/will you read more by the author - I have read most of this author's work and will certainly continue this series. I think it is a series you would probably want to read the books of close together to keep everything in your head BUT as the second is only JUST out the third might be a while away ...more

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