Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Scholomance - Tödliche Lektion by Naomi Novik

75 reviews

bethaneekay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Classism

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

ginbat's review against another edition

mysterious tense

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

1.5

Someone should’ve told the author about “show don’t tell.” In some ways yes, that’s difficult because it’s fantasy but Jesus I feel like she gave us lots of unnecessary info. Also main character felt like a Mary Sue. Should have been YA but it’s not. Cool concept but ultimately empty.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

searchandrescueteam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

The first in this Scholomance trilogy - I found it very difficult to engage with it initially.  As the author builds the Scholomance environment it is dark and deathly and fast-moving.  Encouraged by others who had read it, I kept going.
Suddenly I simply became immersed in it.  And it was worth persisting.  The world built here is intricately described in the narrator’s matter-of-fact style - that is a constant guide for the reader.
The narrator's reflection on her time at “mundane” school and the way those experiences built her expectations of relationships and friendships in the future is poignant and important.
By the end I was hungering for the next one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

bunnypunk's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Racism, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

readwithsophsx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

kastix's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Pregnancy and Colonisation

katasaurus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Bullying and Rape

katy_bee's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

I picked this up as an easy read before tackling something more weighty and my expectations were fairly low if I'm honest. I was expecting a fairly standard YA popcorn fantasy. I surprised myself because I really enjoyed it! I got swept up in the characters and the story and read it pretty fast as I kept coming back to it. Yes there are some tropes- lots of weird and wonderful monsters, unusual names and an overpowered main character- but I liked El, Orion and their spiky interactions and the set up of the way magic worked in this universe was entertaining. I also enjoyed the other characters and friendships that emerged. There's a bit of a cliff hanger to draw you into the next book but the plot of this one does come to a satisfying end. I'll definitely read the next one in the series and if it weren't for the weighty book hovering over my shoulder for book club, I would dive straight in

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death

slyveimaeve's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

dandelionlily's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Animal death