Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

75 reviews

pandemonicbaby's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Loved this book! The lore is so rich and intricate, and the cast of characters is so lovable and diverse. Loved every second of being inside this universe!!
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ashawrites's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

4.5

I was so excited to read Astolot's published work and it's SO GOOD. I think it took me a while to finish because I had to like get my head to line up with El as a character? Don't get me wrong, she's fun and I love her so much, but in a Our Little Queen of Darkness teenage emo kid sort of way so I had to adjust the vibe in my head haha. Fantastic world building, the way the monsters were described was horrible (affectionate). The cliffhanger was Rude and I need to pester my friend for the second book immediately.
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alphabetseeds's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I've been meaning to check this series out for a couple years now, and I'm glad I'm finally diving in. After a slower start, I got into the rhythm of El's snarling sarcasm and stream-of-consciousness info-dumping and got invested in her survival and her slowly forming relationships with other students. There's a lot to unpack in her unwillingness to show off her capabilities, her dismissal of Orion's impulse to white-knighting, and then her outright rudeness to privileged students who want to give her attention.

While she goes into a lot - a LOT - of details about some things, there is some handwaving when it comes to action. I have no idea what some of the creatures/mals that attack them look like or even know where to begin - and maybe that's okay, because all signs point to terrifying. With two books left, I assume I'm going to learn a lot and wish I hadn't.
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slyveimaeve's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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erikagibson126's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.75

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pvid's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Oftentimes the world-building interrupts/slows down the action in a way that got a bit boring after some time. But the world is interesting, if very dark and violent, and I liked how Novik explores the moral implications of the system that’s set up to deal with that violence. I liked the characters a lot, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book. 
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daybreaker's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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senseioftheinternet's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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squinnittowinit's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A very charming story that was both witty and suspenseful, alternating between detailed world building, dry humor, and well-timed dramatic reveals. Magic weaves with science to create a very unique setting that acts as a character unto itself. 

Naomi Novik's story makes poignant remarks on prevalent real-world topics such as classism and privilege, through the lense of a magical society controlled by a fortunate (and greedy) few. She delivers genuine complex emotion as her characters grapple with their anger, their uncertainty, and at the end of the day, their humanity. 

4.5 stars because I'm not sure if the author hired a sensitivity consultant or not; there were a couple small moments I didn't feel great about. Additionally, I wasn't sold on the design of the school in this book. Not the literal design, but more the way it was designed and how it's been handled since.
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evbyrd's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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