Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

11 reviews

bunnybird22's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

whynotreadwithalex's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

Firstly, I obviously loved this book — hence, the five stars. But here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

- This is the 2nd book in the series…so you’ve got a bit of a slower pace at the beginning, which I think stumps some people. However, the cliffhanger at the end of the first book is immediately addressed (which I really appreciated because oh my word that shook me the first time I read A Deadly Education). 
- And then we see El really struggling with the concept of no longer being completely on her own — she has to overcome a lot of fear, as well as her natural inclination to think only of her own survival. This makes the pacing of this book a bit slower right at the beginning because El hasn’t quite decided what kind of person she wants to be. 
- But once El decides, oh my word the action picks up like crazy! And it is definitely worth it! We see lots of character development, not just in El but across the board. Everyone is challenged — including the Scholomance, which makes for a really engaging story of struggle, sacrifice, and personal growth. 
- Remember, Novik is a world builder! And El isn’t necessarily a reliable narrator, which leaves the reader, well, reading between the lines to get at the truth. This creates a lot of suspense, and had me hanging on to the edge of my seat up until the final page. 
- And finally, that ending…I mean, we all knew there would be drama and heartbreak and probably some destruction…I think I just didn’t expect that it would be my own! Ahhh! I will be grabbing the final installation of this series ASAP. Send actual help. 

But seriously, this book is easily 5/5 ⭐️s

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed it in the main but I felt some sections were a bit too protracted, whereas other areas were rushed through. Also I felt some of the characters lacked some depth. Though it ended with a lot of loose ends, and I enjoyed it enough to reach out and read the final book in thr trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

lennie_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for this arc.

Full disclosure I did listen to the audiobook via the library though. 

So I liked book one of the Scholomance series but I Loved book two. 

In this one we see El is just as grumpy and hilarious as ever but that having friends has clearly rubbed off on her because now she's actively trying to save people and look out for them. 

I think part of why I liked this book more than the first one was because the first one just explains in great detail how awful, oppressive, deadly, gruesome etc the Scholomance is and I felt constantly one edge, whereas this one had a very different vibe. I won't go into details because of spoilers but it's a much more optimistic book than the first! 

I loved seeing El grow as a character and watch how her friendships blossomed. She was still the same spiky, sarcastic cow who I fell in love with in book one but in being allowed that breathing space, she's really expanded into herself and her powers. 

Very much here for ElOrion romance, although they're maybe not the healthiest of examples... 😅

And that ending!? 

I'm even more annoyed because the library copy of book three currently has a 6 week wait 😭 But I will be reading The Golden Enclaves as soon as I can get my hands on it! 

Also, the audio narrator was absolutely fantastic and embodied El *perfectly*. I need to find more books narrated by Anisha Dadia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Death

cassielaj's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

This series is everything I didn’t know I wanted. El is an incredible character, and we get so much continued growth from her in book 2. We also get a better sense of the students at the Scholomance as El and her friends navigate their senior year. The magic is still fascinating and complex, the stakes are higher than ever, and the commentary on inequality, class, and privilege is resounding. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Classism

Moderate: Cursing and Death

Minor: Sexual content

phoebemurtagh's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content

Minor: Animal cruelty and Death of parent

oliverreeds's review against another edition

adventurous 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

5.0

FIVE STARS IT'S SO GOOD and the time skips are great and i loved this book. i wont lie this is what i needed and im so pissed off at the ending but in a good way and im..asdfno;aje

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Grief

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood

blissofalife's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars was because of some of the grammar choices, they threw me off but I loved it and can’t wait for the next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, and Violence

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Gore, Mental illness, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

wrenxavier's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail