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A review by selectedfictions
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
4.5
Oof, this world. This book. I listened to this one on audio, having reread A Deadly Education in this format before getting to this.
I love how we see the pay off for El of the trials of book 1 - the deepening of friendships, the realisation of self and her own ethics. This is such a great book for El, it's a redemption for the trials of book 1 while throwing about 500 more her way.
As before, I love El. I love that she is beliegerant but kind. Arsey but resilient. Sarcastic but reasonable. She has so much female rage and the more you learn about her, the more you think, mate, I don't blame you. I also realise that she is not the most *likeable* of FMCs, but as someone in favour of difficult female characters who act from the heart but are spiky, I loved this about her.
So much of this writing style should annoy me. I feel like there is sooo much telling, so much description of detail and consequences that would ordinarily wear me out, especially with a first person POV. It's a lot. It did make it a tricky book to listen to when going about your life. I often found myself rewinding to re listen to important details.
I found it a little slow to get into a first but as soon as I was into the story it just swallowed me whole - much like the scholarmance itself. The pace of this book starts slow but then ricochets to an ending that had me throwing my hands up in despair. My only saving grace was that being a chronic slow finisher of series, the third book was already out.
This is a 4.5 for me but 5 on EMOTIONAL investment.
I love how we see the pay off for El of the trials of book 1 - the deepening of friendships, the realisation of self and her own ethics. This is such a great book for El, it's a redemption for the trials of book 1 while throwing about 500 more her way.
As before, I love El. I love that she is beliegerant but kind. Arsey but resilient. Sarcastic but reasonable. She has so much female rage and the more you learn about her, the more you think, mate, I don't blame you. I also realise that she is not the most *likeable* of FMCs, but as someone in favour of difficult female characters who act from the heart but are spiky, I loved this about her.
So much of this writing style should annoy me. I feel like there is sooo much telling, so much description of detail and consequences that would ordinarily wear me out, especially with a first person POV. It's a lot. It did make it a tricky book to listen to when going about your life. I often found myself rewinding to re listen to important details.
I found it a little slow to get into a first but as soon as I was into the story it just swallowed me whole - much like the scholarmance itself. The pace of this book starts slow but then ricochets to an ending that had me throwing my hands up in despair. My only saving grace was that being a chronic slow finisher of series, the third book was already out.
This is a 4.5 for me but 5 on EMOTIONAL investment.