charlies_shelf's review against another edition
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Honestly I'm so confused about how i feel. Book has some good quotes though
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Racism and Classism
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Classism, Genocide, Racism, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Vomit
ireadinbed's review
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-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
First 5 star of 2023!
Really enjoyed this book start to finish! Great characters and a world i still want to explore with plenty of mysteries left at the center.
I am so tempted to move on immediately even though i have a book i have been looking forward to waiting for me aleady lol.
Really enjoyed this book start to finish! Great characters and a world i still want to explore with plenty of mysteries left at the center.
I am so tempted to move on immediately even though i have a book i have been looking forward to waiting for me aleady lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Child death
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Racism
ingi's review
adventurous
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Murder, Animal cruelty, and Racism
karoliiine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? No
3.75
Interesting concept of an unusual magical world. Not only the magic system but also the society with its complex mechanisms of privilege are well thought out. Interesting heroine, good ethnic diversity thanks to a truly international magic school system.
Unfortunately, the writing left me detached from the story. Very little is shown or discovered, almost everything is explained. Large parts of the book read less like a novel and more like an essay titled "The rules of my fictional universe". The very small amount of dialogue, combined with the MC's indifference towards her schoolmates, results in most of the characters being completely forgettable.
I'm not sure I would have finished reading it if it hadn't been for the audiobook, which is very well narrated. The cliffhanger ending is too interesting to not read read the next book - well done! :)
Extra points for exceptionally creative swear words and insults!
Unfortunately, the writing left me detached from the story. Very little is shown or discovered, almost everything is explained. Large parts of the book read less like a novel and more like an essay titled "The rules of my fictional universe". The very small amount of dialogue, combined with the MC's indifference towards her schoolmates, results in most of the characters being completely forgettable.
I'm not sure I would have finished reading it if it hadn't been for the audiobook, which is very well narrated. The cliffhanger ending is too interesting to not read read the next book - well done! :)
Extra points for exceptionally creative swear words and insults!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Bullying, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, and Pregnancy
quirkykayleetam's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
4.0
This is a brilliant and hilarious deconstruction of "Dark Academia."
In a school full of monsters where, it's established, the only way to survive is to look out for yourself, the prophecised Destroyer of the World discovers that she would rather help everyone else make it out too. And, yeah, she's grumpy about it.
El, full name Galadriel, has seen how the system works, how it throws anyone not born in The Right Families under the bus. She's focused on being smart to stay Not Evil and alive. Then she meets Orion, the Boy Wonder, who comes from privilege, but has been White Knighting his way through the school, saving everyone who can, and she tells him that he's doing this in the stupidest way possible.
Watch El and Orion join forces, make friends (a new concept), and maybe find a way to make things better for the future.
El's snarky, suspicious, and permanent pissed first-person narration makes this book a hilarious read that tackles racism, classism, bullying, grief, and how freaking annoying it is to be a good person sometimes, even when you discover it's the only thing you can bring yourself to do.
In a school full of monsters where, it's established, the only way to survive is to look out for yourself, the prophecised Destroyer of the World discovers that she would rather help everyone else make it out too. And, yeah, she's grumpy about it.
El, full name Galadriel, has seen how the system works, how it throws anyone not born in The Right Families under the bus. She's focused on being smart to stay Not Evil and alive. Then she meets Orion, the Boy Wonder, who comes from privilege, but has been White Knighting his way through the school, saving everyone who can, and she tells him that he's doing this in the stupidest way possible.
Watch El and Orion join forces, make friends (a new concept), and maybe find a way to make things better for the future.
El's snarky, suspicious, and permanent pissed first-person narration makes this book a hilarious read that tackles racism, classism, bullying, grief, and how freaking annoying it is to be a good person sometimes, even when you discover it's the only thing you can bring yourself to do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Bullying, Murder, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Racism, Classism, and Bullying
myaphrodiite's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
‘a deadly education’ is set in a boarding school for magically gifted students. the downside is in this school failure = death, not very inspiring huh?
in this school survival is more important than anything, due to the school not letting students leave until they graduate..or die.
el, the main character of this story is a student determined to rebel against what the school wants to make her, which is evil.
this book is magical and dark with lots of tension and suspense, it’s a good read that i would recommend to anyone.
in this school survival is more important than anything, due to the school not letting students leave until they graduate..or die.
el, the main character of this story is a student determined to rebel against what the school wants to make her, which is evil.
this book is magical and dark with lots of tension and suspense, it’s a good read that i would recommend to anyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Gore, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, and Blood
Minor: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury
laursyloo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
If you like the magic or Harry Potter, the characters of Twilight and the gore and disregard for life of Game of Thrones, this is your book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
takarakei's review
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 bit less dark academia than I was expecting. The world building is a bit confusing, you kind of just have to go with it. Since it's a series, I hope that a lot of things will be much more fleshed out and deepened in the subsequent books. I really loved the MC's mom ~haha. There's a bit of dry humor throughout. Minor romance subplot. I will be continuing the series, but I am expecting a lot now from the next books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, and Racism
tsundokuuu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-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
4.5
Really good fantasy book, read it all in one sitting! Absolutely loved the concept, the crazy school and the characters. I absolutely loved how El and Orion went from snarky enemies to . The .5 off is because there were some things that I didn't understand, for example; why was her mum famous and such a big deal?
Spoiler
snarky girlfriend and powerful himboSpoiler
At the end everyone is shocked when it's revealed who her mum is, like she's super famous even though the vibes we get about the mum before that is just a very hippie feel-good lady that likes crystals and yoga.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Racism, Death, Body horror, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Lots of mentioning and describing gore and death because the monsters eat kids, so be prepared for some bloody shit.