ellewin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
goldenslug's review against another edition
dark
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
4.75
caryndi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
I really enjoyed this book/series! It was recommended by a friend and turned out to be a great vacation read. I do tend to like magic school books, and this was a great addition to the genre.
It read like YA in all the best ways with none of the drawbacks (unnecessary/overblown personal or character drama) and was excellently paced. I also really enjoyed the main romance, which is especially notable as I don't typically care much about M/F relationships. But by the end of this book, I was cheering for
It read like YA in all the best ways with none of the drawbacks (unnecessary/overblown personal or character drama) and was excellently paced. I also really enjoyed the main romance, which is especially notable as I don't typically care much about M/F relationships. But by the end of this book, I was cheering for
Spoiler
El and Orion. Both of their ineptitude with relationships added some fun to the vibe between them.soportas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
opheliablack's review against another edition
5.0
Please note; my star rating on any book is completely subjective and limited to the label for each star.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
talesofpia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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
3.0
gloriaoliver's review against another edition
5.0
A terribly and wonderfully dark magic academy novel. Super awesome start to the novel, though it then turns into info dumps for a couple of chapters. But bear with it and you won't regret it. Great world-building, unusual characters, and weighty topics for thought. Once it got going, I couldn't put it down.
intensej's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! The worldbuilding was fantastic and I was really intrigued by the magic system. Galadriel "El" is the daughter of a famous witch. She is a junior at the Scholomance, and she is a loner without any protections from an enclave. Young witches are safer in the Scholomance than in the regular world, although it is expected that a certain portion of witches will die each year before they can make it to graduation. Mals, deadly magical creatures, roam through the inner workings of the school and can injure or kill vulnerable students. When El was a child, her grandmother revealed a prophecy about her future as dark and powerful witch. El is doing everything in her power to make sure that the prophecy doesn't come true. The book ends on a small cliffhanger, and Naomi Novik sets the scene for the next next book in the The Scholomance series. For fans of fantasy, [b:The Name of the Wind|186074|The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)|Patrick Rothfuss|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1515589515l/186074._SX50_.jpg|2502879], and [b:City of Bones|256683|City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)|Cassandra Clare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432730315l/256683._SY75_.jpg|2267189]. This book would also be perfect for YA readers.