koplomps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Violence and Death
Minor: Classism, Death of parent, and Animal death
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Death, Child death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Genocide, Racism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Sexual content
thiszetasajerk's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Child death, and Death
amandaboyer's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Child death, Murder, Death, Gore, Violence, and Death of parent
passionatereader78's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Classism, Child death, Death, and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy and Death of parent
tacochelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
emmhardt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Child death
taroroot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Vomit
Moderate: Blood and Body horror
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Death of parent
wordsofclover's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
This was a really fun audiobook listen - the pacing of the book is quite fast and action-packed with some kind of monster fight happening every couple of pages (even if it's just Orion blasting a few away from El's head) and while I did find there was a lot of information coming my way about how the school worked as well as manna vs malia, I think I understood almost all of it.
The magic school setting is a fun one as this particular setting is different to other kinds of schools in just how dangerous it is. There are no adults or teachers present, the school provides all the education the students need in different topics with the library presenting the students the books they need or want for certain things (or sometimes the spells the school wants them to know). I did have to suspend some disbelief in how any parents would be okay sending their children to be locked away for 5 years in a place that has an extremely high mortality rate but that's just the way this world works.
El as a character is very good - she's really smart and powerful but there's a prophecy about her being able to bring about world destruction - and the way the school reacts to this power of El's is quite funny in many ways. She's snappy and well able to take care of herself but during this book we see moments of vulnerability within her, and ways in which she is a normal teenage girl.
There's not a lot of general teen angst or romance in this book because the students have a lot more to be worrying about but there was a moment near the end of the book that some of it came in and I actually really loved it as it was a lovely, light moment at the end of a book that had been fairly dark - both between El and Orion, and her two girlfriends.
I really liked this, and I'm moving straight onto the next book as it's a fun world to be in for a while.
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
chezler24's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
(Many thanks to my friend for the recommendation and for lending me her copy.)
I also found this review which was an insightful read and touched on things I hadn't considered when reading:
https://nusantaranaga.wordpress.com/2020/10/11/the-intersectionality-of-magical-academia-a-review-of-naomi-noviks-a-deadly-education/
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury