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A review by pages_with_panda
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
adventurous
dark
hopeful
- 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
I really liked the entire series as a whole. The premise was interesting, El as a character who was the unwilling, snarky hero who still tried to do as little harm as she could, the overarching themes of classism and elitism...I think this book was a good ending for El's story, but I did think this book had a whole lot of things to get through in a very short amount of time.
My issue is with the pacing because we've spent two books, years setting up how to escape the Scholomancy, and then we're given half a book to explore the world outside and how to save it. There was a large amount of information given to us, new characters to meet with entirely new dynamics and politics from each enclave.
I did like the reveals though. The truth about the Enclaves, El's prophecy and her family, and how the book was ultimately about hope and wanting to do good for others without wanting a reward. I loved El's character for that. No matter how bad things got or how angry and hopeless she felt, she still didn't give in to that destructive power within her.
The pacing at the end was a little off too - It seems everything happens very, very quickly despite entire pages at the beginning where nothing happened, but even though I liked the happy-ish ending, I would've liked to see more of the aftermath and spent some more time with the characters.
Overall really good series. Might have teared up once or twice.
407 pages.
(⚠️Content Warnings;
Graphic: Death, Torture, Grief
My issue is with the pacing because we've spent two books, years setting up how to escape the Scholomancy, and then we're given half a book to explore the world outside and how to save it. There was a large amount of information given to us, new characters to meet with entirely new dynamics and politics from each enclave.
I did like the reveals though. The truth about the Enclaves, El's prophecy and her family, and how the book was ultimately about hope and wanting to do good for others without wanting a reward. I loved El's character for that. No matter how bad things got or how angry and hopeless she felt, she still didn't give in to that destructive power within her.
The pacing at the end was a little off too - It seems everything happens very, very quickly despite entire pages at the beginning where nothing happened, but even though I liked the happy-ish ending, I would've liked to see more of the aftermath and spent some more time with the characters.
Overall really good series. Might have teared up once or twice.
407 pages.
(⚠️Content Warnings;
Graphic: Death, Torture, Grief
Moderate: War, Child abuse, Child death
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent )
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and War
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent