lisa_m'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence, Classism, Death, Confinement, Child death, and Gore
Minor: Death of parent
lizsurber'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: Blood, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Sexual content, Classism, Confinement, Abandonment, Death, Vomit, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Outing, Bullying, Animal death, Murder, Grief, Dysphoria, War, Suicide, and Pregnancy
kat1105'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, Violence, Blood, Death, Grief, Sexual content, Vomit, Ableism, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
thequiltyreader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Vomit, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Cursing
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
4.75
4.75 for a couple very very minor annoyances:
Spoiler
Yes, I understand that El is traumatized by years of social rejection, but I got a little tired of her assuming that her new friends were going to ditch her all the time. I wish that growth had happened a little faster.When El and Orion get together, they keep saying they can't have sex because of the risk/lack of contraception. I don't like how this assumes that the only way for them to have sex is the one way that would pose that risk. There are plenty of ways to have sex and have a good time without any risk of pregnancy.
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death
Moderate: War, Child abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
rubyroses's review
- 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
The first novel ends on a cliffhanger and this one picked up right where we left off on the very next sentence. I feel like this book was particularly enjoyable as it moved away from being character driven and moved towards being plot driven. It happened organically in a way that made sense for the series.
Romance definitely becomes a key aspect of this novel especially towards the end. So if you didn’t enjoy the snippets of romance in the first book… stay away from this one or else you might suffer.
The Last Graduate leaves us on an even bigger cliffhanger than the first one so be prepared !! & definitely have tissues close by (you’ll thank me later).
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
pages_with_panda's review against another edition
- 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
El’s development was great - she still has the same attitude and rudeness (which I love for her), but her resolve to help people (even people she hated) was amazing. I loved her overall.
Orion is so bland but we did get to know him a little better; and I’m glad that him and El had an actual conversation, considering they’re "dating."
Overall a great story - I wanted to cry during El’s realization that everyone deserved to live. It was a great way to describe the classism of our world and link it to the magical society.
Great story that wrapped up nicely while still leaving us with an AWFUL cliffhanger and enough material for the next book. Couldn't wait to pick it up.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Gore, Body horror, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent
danicakvcs'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
4.75
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, War, Death of parent, Animal death, and Murder
phoebemurtagh'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
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Vomit, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent and Animal cruelty
kingcrookback'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
I still really like El, though. She has so much heart, however begrudging and reluctant. All the love she has for her mom and all that love that leads her to doing everything in her power to get everyone out of the Scholomance alive. Chapter 8 especially is very good at illustrating this, with the way she logics through how saving yourself is a reasonable, understandable, safe choice, how she can't quite fault anyone for not wanting to sacrifice the entire rest of their life right at their fingertips to save people who wouldn't do the same for them. And then she takes that a step further and comes to the conclusion that just because you can't ask someone else to make that choice, doesn't mean you can't make that choice yourself.
If there isn't a scene of El hugging her mom in the next book, I will riot.
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent and Vomit