Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

122 reviews

christinereads1823's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny 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

One of the rare cases where the second book is better than the first in a series. Novik's monster-filled magical world is as gripping as ever, her characters just as deliciously tense and (for the most part) lovable. El, Aadhya, and Liu are the girl power threesome of my dreams, and the development of previously smaller or unknown people is done seamlessly alongside the plot. Excellent as always, and I cannot wait for the finale.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

cecetomas's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-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

4.75

Disclaimer first: This book is DENSE. There is a lot of info dumping and stream of consciousness. It is not a quick read at all so if you're not into that you will hate this book. But me? I LOVE THIS BOOK. I already enjoyed the first in this trilogy but after a few months I decided to pick this one up and continue it and I'm so glad I did. Personally I love a stream of consciousness writing style- I feel like it makes the characters more relatable and entertaining. El's thoughts- particularly about Orion- had me CRACKING UP the whole ride through this book and I can't even count how many times I said "SAME GIRL" to one of her unhinged, mildly aggressive thoughts about a boy 😂

The end of the book had me on the edge of my seat and I absolutely cannot wait to finish this series and see where it takes me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent

sawowza's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

littlestdread's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Abandonment

scarlett_f's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad 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 recipe of Hunger Games and Harry Potter, but with a pinch of sinister steampunk and dystopian stirred in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent

A recipe of Hunger Games and Harry Potter, but with a pinch of sinister steampunk and dystopian stirred in.

rachelhelmer's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, and Violence

_rowantree_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Really enjoyable throughout. I knew something was coming but omg what an ending

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Child death and Death

Minor: Sexual content

pj99's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail

micallab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content

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