A review by multiplyoctopi
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.25

Fast paced, entertaining - I enjoyed the relationships/dynamics between characters.
*However* there is an entire paragraph where the MC describes dreadlocks being a bad idea in the school due to a specific monster being able to infest them. Especially since this was the only hairstyle specifically mentioned, it just serves to perpetuate discriminatory ideas re: back hairstyles. The fact that this paragraph was even written and then published is just completely thoughtless. 
Since publication, Novik has apologised and future prints and e-books won't contain that paragraph.
There has been a lot of talk about racism throughout this book which this review, I think, does a really good job of addressing a lot of the points people have made (it's not entirely spoiler-free tho):
 https://nusantaranaga.wordpress.com/2020/10/11/the-intersectionality-of-magical-academia-a-review-of-naomi-noviks-a-deadly-education/
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