This is a very different kind of wizard school -- where most of each class does not live to graduate. Novik is a compelling writer and does a brilliant job of taking fairy tale elements and legends and building believable and readable stories. Even for fans of high fantasy and world building, this one has a very slow moving beginning and a lot of detail and backstory to get through -- but as the pace picks up, you won't be able to put it down. Interesting characters and a strong heroine contribute to the page-turning. Like her other books, it will get shelved as YA, but shouldn't be limited to that readership, though these characters are teenagers. Recommended for fantasy fans. #LJDayofDialog #NetGalley

Just, wow. Naomi Novik has had my heart for a while now, as one of my favorite tropes is a fairy tale retelling. Uprooted and Spinning Silver were both fantastic reads for me. This is very different, and yet I still got the character development and world building I expect from Ms. Novik, making it another truly excellent tale. Galdriel is a student in a very nontraditional school, and she's having the worst time because Orion Lake keeps saving her life. As the plot goes on, the descriptions of the school and education the students receive both fascinates and horrifies, and everything keeps ramping up to a final battle. I loved it, and read it entirely in a sitting, too excited to find out what might happen next. The final sentence has me excitedly anticipating a sequel.

Harry Potter meets magical dystopian-survival. guide. El is a junior at the Scholomance, a school for magically gifted students who have to stay alert while learning all kinds of magical skills or die trying while also trying to keep her impressive magical skills under the radar. Will she survive?

At first, this book was a little confusing. There was a lot of fantasy magic-world building going on within this school and it was hard to keep track of in an e-book version. I think if I had read it in print form it might have been easier because I could have flipped back and forth when I needed to remind myself of some detail. I enjoyed the dialogue and action. El is very easy to get to like, especially how she treats the other characters. She's no-nonsense and understands what it takes to survive in a school that is constantly trying to kill the students. I'm hoping the next book will give a little more perspective on the outside world that they will all eventually be going into (if they survive graduation.)

Smart, dark, and cynical. A Deadly Education shows a sharp turn from Spinning Silver, Novik's last work, into dark fantasy, wrapping the reader up in a world of competitive anti-heroes and heroes, each determined to outlive the next. Couldn't put it down.

I wasn't a fan of Novik's work until now! I have been missing out! This book is another in a line that doesn't have definitive heroes and villains. The division between good and bad isn't there, which I love!

You ever finish a book and end up furious that it's over? That there's not more? That you have to wait for the next book to come out?

Yeah, that's me with this book.

The fact that I got to read this book several months early just makes it worse, because it means I have to wait that much longer for book two.

I wanted to throw my phone across the room in frustration that I'd read the last page and there was no more to read.

Don't get me wrong. I knew there was going to be at least a second book, if not more, and not just because the cover says "Lesson One." You can tell early on that this is a story too big for a single book.

When the story gets started you're OK that it's not going to be contained to this single volume, but then before you know it the story is barrelling forward and you're caught up in the action. You can see the end coming, the story arc is utterly satisfying, but still when the end comes you're just not ready as a reader to put the book down and walk away.

My only hope is the knowledge that Novik writes at a blistering speed, because I am very invested in seeing how this story continues.

This was fun. I wasn’t sure what to expect out of Novik’s first foray into YA but this was really well done. The main character is funny and sharp and definitely a heroine who only sometimes needs saving.

Snarky but with intricate world-building detail that might put off the casual reader looking for a light read (unless they want to skim about half of it to get to the action scenes and laugh out loud dialog), this book will appeal to older teens and adult readers alike who are looking to fill the Harry Potter- and Magicians-shaped holes in their hearts. Novik has moved her retold fantasies into the modern day and has succeeded brilliantly. I was truly sad when the book ended and am waiting for the next one impatiently. Yes, before the first one is officially out.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Normally I'm very against YA because I can't stand whiny teens, but this was very good, and perhaps the mortal danger a lot of the characters are in gives them a little maturity. The only thing I would say is that the book spends a lot of time on world building, the narrator spending a lot of time explaining things about her world. I hope the next book (books?) dive more into the characters themselves.

There are a lot of gaps here, but for some reason this book about a school where most students end up dead appealed to me. The Scholomance is a place, a school situated somewhere in the void - neither here nor there. There are no teachers, instead course materials appear and you will - somehow - learn. Students are brought to the school by some magical process, assigned a room they will live in for the next four years, and they left to learn the rules and how to survive. Why? Because monsters. Lots and lots of monsters.

Some alliances are necessary to survive, but our heroine El isn't the alliance type. Because she's a seriously bad person, per her grandmother. So when the school good guy starts being nice? You just know that's not going to go well.

I loved El's anger and rudeness, her suspicion of those around her. The setting is different, and the combination of the way the school operates and the students challenges will be even greater in the next book.

eARC provided by publisher.

I am obsessed with this book and loved it with all my heart and am deeply upset that I don't have the sequel right this now!

Have you ever read a book you knew was going to be 5 stars before you even finished chapter one? This was that book for me. From the very start, I loved El's grumpy voice, her terrifying school of wizardry, and its resident idiot savior Orion Lake. For all those who, like me, are absolutely obsessed with jock/tsundere romance, this one is for you.

Don't be fooled. This book is not very romantic. Emily Duncan was absolutely correct when she said the romance is exclusively comprised of two wizards yelling at each other. But I am easy to please. I love wizard love interests who yell at each other. The sass was endless and I cherished every hilarious moment of it.

I loved this book. I loved every single bit of it. Did I mention that? This is the third book I have read by Naomi Novik and this is without a doubt my favorite of the three. Naomi Novik excels at many things and one of those things is writing snarky witch protagonists. Galadriel Higgins is without a doubt the snarkiest and witchiest protagonist among those I have read from Novik. A sorceress of apocalyptic proportions, El has spent her life an outcast and her school years trying her absolute best not to accidentally murder her classmates. And right along with her apocalyptic powers come bad vibes. El has never been liked by a single person other than her mother her entire life. Our story opens on a diligent, friendless, grump of a witch only trying to get by in a hellishly dangerous school. As if the resident monsters weren't enough, El's gifts give her a natural aptitude for razing cities to the ground and turning everyone within a 1o mile radius into an army of dedicated minions. El's classmates have no idea what wort of world-ending power hides among them. To her classmates, El is merely a rude outcast. Enter Orion Lake.

Orion Lake is the school's resident hero. Similar to a certain Boy Who Lived, Orion spends his school years saving the populace from certain death by destroying every scary thing stalking the students day and night. After a few coincidental encounters fueled by Orion's white knight personality, the golden hero himself begins to follow our favorite snarky witch around like a monster-slaying puppy. Wizard love interests yelling at each other ensues. If I could have lived inside this book for 500 more pages I would have done it gladly. Be warned. You will not be able to put this thing down.

An instant new favorite for me, I'll be salivating for book 2 for the rest of the year. Darkly atmospheric, hilarious, and with an impeccable voice, this book has zero flaws and a hundred strengths. My lizard brain craves an immediate reread. Whether I can resist remains to be seen.

A fun, fast-paced read perfect for ages 15+. Naomi Novik introduces readers to the Scholomance, a school built to keep young wizards safe despite the fact that it also, more than occasionally, eats them. This deadly school is filled with maleficaria, monsters set on devouring the mana of the students and many of them seem particularly attracted to Galadriel (El for short). Our snarky heroine is in her junior year and her voice is both distinctive and refreshing. With hints of romance, supernatural action, and strong social themes, I believe this book will appeal to many.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to review!

I learned of this book during Library Journal’s online Day of Dialog event. As in Naomi Novik’s previous novels Uprooted and Spinning Silver, here too Novik’s worldbuilding skills shine. Scholomance is rich with details that will appeal to many audiences. Fantasy and horror fans can enjoy the magic usage and monsters; young adult fans, the high-school-age characters’ emotional and social struggles. There are hints of flirtation and potential relationships that might satisfy romance fans. The supernatural action scenes might draw in reluctant readers who do like video games of a similar nature. Readers seeking deeper themes with their entertainment can appreciate how Novik uses the troubled world of the Scholomance to explore current issues in real societies such as the ultra-capitalist U.S.

Since this title is fiction, and its official publication date is not until September 29th this year, that is all I will say in this review in order to avoid spoilers. I believe this book would be a good purchase for libraries with readers in any of the interest groups I’ve mentioned.

What a fantastic read in an extraordinarily interesting world. I finished my ARC in 3 days - I hardly ever finish books in 3 days. I would recommend it to fans of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Six of Crows and similar books. My favorite part of this story is how it subverted my expectations of what a magical school should be. I may have to pick up the audiobook when it comes out because the character voice is dynamite. I love Novik's spin on the 'Hero' character archetype, it reminded me a bit of Rainbow Rowell's Simon Snow. I was very happy to learn that A Deadly Education is going to be the first installment of a trilogy, the rest of which, cannot come soon enough..

I received a digital review copy of A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Welcome to the Scholomance, a school for wizards ages 14-18, where there are no teachers, no adults, and no ways out except for death and graduation. The school is filled with maleficaria of various types, monsters set on devouring the mana (life/magic/energy) of the students, and surviving these ongoing attacks is part of the preparation for the gauntlet of the largest and deadliest maleficaria that stand between graduating seniors and escape in the graduation hall. As a junior, Galadriel doesn’t have to worry about graduation just yet, but she already has plenty to deal with: a prophecy that she might end the world; an aura that scares off anyone who meets her, which makes building a graduation alliance difficult; an affinity for magical destruction on a terrifying scale; and the fact that unlike everyone else in the school, she can’t afford to dabble in even the greyest of malia (dark magic) without risking going overboard and killing her fellow students. On top of this, Orion Lake, the golden boy of the school with a talent for slaying mals, is making a habit of saving her life and damaging her chances of getting into a wizarding enclave on a reputation of destructive ability and competence. The only possible solutions are to either kill Orion before he can cement her reputation for needing someone to save her, or use the rumors that they must be dating to finagle her way into the good graces of the enclave students who might be her ticket out after graduation.

I didn’t even know that I wanted this book, but here it is and I love it. I requested the ARC solely on the basis of adoring Novik’s previous books, even though I was initially iffy on the premise of A Deadly Education, which sounded a bit too much like Hunger Games meets Harry Potter. I should never have doubted Novik’s skills with narrative and world building. El is a dark queen in waiting who is steadfastly refusing the role the world seems to have chosen for her. Meanwhile, Orion Lake starts as your stereotypical oblivious hero, but latches on to El as the only person who has never treated him as special, much to her irritation and growing bafflement. Neither of them is happy with the roles the world has given them, although Orion’s unthinking acceptance of the status quo and obliviousness to social realities makes a nice foil to El’s hyperawareness of the systemic inequalities that carry the enclave students (rich, powerful, well-supplied, and guaranteed a safe place after graduation) through the Scholomance with minimal danger and leave students like El to make their way alone. The Scholomance itself is fascinating, both in its organization and the magical system that sustains it – effort equals magic and misery equals reward, so things like push-ups, crochet, and Sudoku puzzles can build energy for spells and if you go through something truly awful, you’re likely to receive something really good in compensation. The growing relationship between El and Orion is compelling without overtaking the focus of the plot. I like their dynamic, as two incredibly socially inept people navigating their way into accidentally caring about one another while sniping all the way. My only regret over getting the advance copy of A Deadly Education is that I am already impatient for the sequel and have that much longer to wait for it.

Review will be posted on Goodreads two weeks before publication and added to Barnes and Noble and Amazon after publication.

Received ARC from netgalley for review.

A little bit of Hogwarts, and a little bit of the Hunger Games, and a lot of something completely different. I'm ready for the next installment, now!

It's fun world building, and it's not for kids. I'd recommend for 15 and up.

This is my first Naomi Novik read and I have heard so much good about Spinning Silver, so I was excited to dive in.
A Deadly Education is a fun read with a fabulously grey heroine (she's destined to be bad, but tries so hard to be good) and a school you may not want to send your worst enemies to. I loved the magic and set-up, but struggled a little with the characters. Maybe it was the first person pov, but I didn't really care for Orion.
Overall it dragged a bit for me, but that could very well have to do with my current state of mind (and the state of the world). I am looking forward to re-reading and probably loving it more the second time.

Galadriel ("El" for short) is a potenial "dark witch of apocalyptic proportions" enrolled in the Scholomance, a school for witches and wizards. El's power attracts endless hordes of hungry monsters, so she can't stay with her mum in a yurt in a Welsh commune. All El wants is a clean room a quiet spot in the library to study without being disturbed, and most of all, to be left alone. Sarcastic, rebellious, and downright pissed off, El is more Lizabeth Salander than Hermione Granger.

Naomi Novik's new YA fantasy, "A Deadly Education," starts off with weird jargon, but all becomes clear as you roll with it. At first the book is a chuckler, full of humorous dialogue as El angrily rejects both the irritating fellow student Orion who seems to have a crush on her and the inequality of the whole school setup, in which legacy students from powerful wizard enclaves have all the advantages. El hates this whole scene and angrily rejects it, along with her destiny as the chosen one (to destroy everything with her dark powers).

"A Deadly Education" is a high school clique drama with monsters and an oddball anti-romance, until El finds a mysterious spell book in the library—or does the book find her? In this quirky cast of reluctant allies, El is by far the most reluctant, but she slowly transforms from an outcast into a leader. The book bolts full steam into band-of-gritty-survivors territory, and an epic battle ensues. The message: only those who challenge existing structures can see their way clear to creating new ones.

A fun read, plot-driven and short on explanations, sometimes a too bit short for my taste: I was confused about the battle plan at the beginning of the epic battle. Not in the same class as the author's brilliant "Uprooted," but with YA it's good to dial it up a notch, and I liked it as much as "Spinning Silver." El is a spunky and relatable teenaged witch, and her stream-of-consciousness couldn't be more entertaining. Recommended for teens and adults who like their fantasy light and funny.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and was encouraged to submit a review.

Magic. Monsters. Graduation? Welcome to the Scholomance, where your best chance of survival depends not only on passing your exams but how well you use every advantage you can by gathering spells, making deals, and forming alliances. And always, always, staying on guard. With a smart, determined heroine who has massive dark power at her fingertips, this is one magical adventure you won’t want to miss.
#ADeadlyEducation #NetGalley