Recommended. Reviewed jointly with Jennie on our blog (link below):

Jennie: Janine, Sirius, and I reviewed the first book in the Scholomance series (originally slated as two books; now a trilogy). Sirius gave it a C- and said she wouldn’t be reading this sequel, but Janine and I, though we had some reservations, ended up liking A Deadly Education quite a bit – I gave it an A- and Janine a B+. I was really quite excited to pick this book up and even more excited to review it with Janine.

Janine: Thank you! My grade actually rose after that and I’ve read it multiple times (sometimes in its entirety, sometimes just parts of it). I also put it on my best of 2020 list.

Jennie: The Last Graduate begins with the same scene that A Deadly Education ended with. Our heroine, El, has survived the group attempt to fix the machine that cleanses the graduation hall, giving the year’s seniors a fighting chance at survival. She’s in the cafeteria for the induction of freshmen students, when one unexpectedly gives her a letter from her mother. El had not expected anything because her mother isn’t wealthy or connected, and bringing in letters for students at the Scholomance is a big deal since it reduces the weight allowance that freshmen have; they need every ounce to hope to survive the coming four years.

Anyway, the short letter ends with an ominous declaration: “Keep far away from Orion Lake.” Orion is El’s maybe-sort-of-almost boyfriend, who she spent the year of A Deadly Education getting to know (not without some setbacks; El’s default is sarcastic insults and Orion’s is wide-eyed cluelessness).

El doesn’t know what to make of her mother’s warning, but like any teenage girl being warned off of a teenage boy, she doesn’t like it.

Janine: I really liked the way El came to the decision that she would disregard her mother’s warning. Orion was the first person in the school to like and befriend her, and warning or no warning, she wasn’t going to turn her back on that. I came up with more than one theory for what was behind the warning, but when the reason was finally revealed, it was surprising, not anything I guessed at, and yet it felt inevitable, too. That was masterfully done.

Jennie: The next day, the first of the school term, there’s more not to like (El’s personality and the nature of the Scholomance often conspire to bring about less-than-ideal circumstances). El finds herself assigned to an isolated classroom with a pack of freshmen.

Janine: Another thing I really liked was El’s interactions with the students she starts thinking of as her freshmen. At first, she’s determined not to watch out for them—she reasons that if they don’t learn to do that for themselves, they won’t last a day—and then she ends up playing the white knight after all, but she’s grouchy over it. That was so loveable and so El. She personifies the reluctant hero.

Jennie: Agreed – she’s lovable and also fascinating because we know she has this capacity for darkness but she’s also a better person than many of her classmates (to be fair, the nature of their world and the Scholomance seems to toughen up the young wizards early on).


Our review continues here:

https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-plus-reviews/review-the-last-graduate-by-naomi-novik/

Naomi Novik can sit undigested inside the belly of a maw mouth until part 3 comes out.

No thanks to NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book which means I have to wait that much longer, in exchange for this honest review.

Torrrrrrrrrtuuuurrrrrrrrrrre

For those of us who have waited anxiously for the next installment of the Scholomance series, The Last Graduate has arrived at long last. When last we saw El and her schoolmates they were at the end of their junior year and dreading Graduation Day. There are no O.W.L.s to sit for - although they do have to complete senior projects and there are exams at midyear. What they need to fear is fighting their way past all the maleficaria waiting to attack them in the Graduation Hall.

El's situation at the end of the first book seems very similar to that of Spencer Gilpin at the end of "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle." She is heading into her senior year and at long last she has friends, a possible romance, and some hope. "It felt...As if the whole world had become a different place. But it hadn't. I was still in the Scholomance, and all the miracles in here come with price tags."

All the alliances and deal-making that have gone on until now are kicked into high gear by the deadline looming ahead of them. And it is not just the mals waiting at the end of the year that El needs to worry about, because it seems that the school itself is out to get her. Her schedule has her in small class sections with none of her friends, the mals that are making it past the school's wards seem to be seeking her out to the exclusion of all the other students, and she is terribly behind on replacing all the mana she expended last year.

Readers will feel as though they are running the obstacle courses in the school gym along with the seniors as they struggle through the continually mounting difficulties of getting out of the school alive. El still has a bit of the dark Galadriel mystique clinging to her, especially when she casts spells that hang "in the air just long enough to make a fashion statement of the behold your dark goddess variety." And Novik keeps the suspense strung out to the very last sentence, so that we gasp our way to the gates of the Graduation Hall still unsure of what will happen.

Perfect for fans of magical fantasy that includes prickly heroines, peculiar monsters, and incredible world building.

Exceedingly compelling, great follow up. I really like the characters and the world - while this volume very nicely wrapped up the arc of El's Scholamance years, there is a cliff hanger that will have me eagerly awaiting the next one.

If you like the first book, you're going to LOVE The Last Graduate. Its a bit darker and the ending will absolutely break you.

You get much more character development with El in this book, and watching her growth throughout this whole it all is a delight. And then there is Orion. Oh boy... the relationship that blossoms between El and Orion is probably one of the best that I've read in YA. Its somehow sweet and wholesome in the midst of a book that is so dark. I loved the juxtaposition.

The whole plot of the book is great. The stakes keep getting higher and higher as El and her alliance devise a plan to escape the scholomance. Once you think an issue is solved another one pops up. Its a slow creep uphill until you get to the climax of the book which feels more like being thrown off a cliff than a cliffhanger. It was SO good and SO terrible. Its not quite the devastation that I felt at then end of The Traitor Baru but its pretty damn close.

Even if you weren't a huge fan of the first book, I HIGHLY recommend you check out The Last Graduate. I promise it will suck you. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to Randomhouse for gifting me the sequel to one of my favorites from last year, A Deadly Education. I loved being introduced to this world of magic, killer schools, heroic boys and our absolutely grouchy heart of gold (the universe would disagree) lead El.

This book continues explaining more about the school and what happens next after El helped the former seniors. The school now recognizes the great power El holds and feels the need to stop her in every way it can. I loved how we are shown that the school has developed even more of a personality than before.

El has got to be the grouchiest cinnamon roll I’ve read. Her evolution with these 2 books and the things she puts herself through for the sake of everyone was one thing that fascinated me about her character. She is still opening up to her new friends as she has never had any before but Aadhya, Liu and Orion remind her of all that is good in the world. In Orion’s case after book one’s ending where her mother warned her to stay away from Orion El does not want to admit the depth of her feelings for him. The fact is Orion and El are special and this book further explores what that means for them and their entire world. I need a novella or something on Orion and his past and his thoughts please Naomi!

The themes of classism have not gone away and this book shows how being connected to the enclaves can keep you alive inside and outside of the Scholomance. It is a rigged system but one that has gone on for a long time that everyone just accepts…until now. The Last Graduate shows what happens when you feel alone, when the world seems against you and when people unite and how tenuous or powerful it can be. Always remember in this world magic has a price.

Be warned that this one does have a cliffhanger ending to end all cliffhanger endings. My jaw dropped open and I seriously need Book 3 now. This series just gets better and better and I highly recommend if you enjoyed the 1st one.

I gave this book four stars with a caveat that it really doesn’t pick up the pace until 50% and the sense of urgency and danger from the first book does not return until around 70%. The last 10% is wonderful but that is a lot of hormones and character growth to get there. Lots of angsting over kissing or not kissing. I read that the series was originally two books and then a middle book was added. I see why it was needed for character growth, or the ending would have felt inorganic as versus yes, somewhat expected but still nice to see everyone get there. I know this sounds vague, but I don’t want to give any spoilers. Since it is a second in the series, you miss the joy, or horror if you will, of learning about the new world, and I miss that but can’t avoid that with a series. Also, like every other review, I will note that this end of quite a cliff hanger, even more than the first book. If you really don’t like cliffhangers, I would recommend waiting for the next one to be published first.

Fans of book 1 in the Scholomance series will definitely adore book 2. El and her friends are back, fighting off the mals and trying to just get through the school day. Along for the ride are cast of incoming freshmen, who El begrudgingly and unintentionally protects. Readers will continue to see some growth in El. As a reader who initially didn't care for the character through book one, I was glad to see the environment, friendships, and her actions have an impression on her personal growth. The pacing is still a little slow than I would like, but it is work it for the last part of the book and the cliffhanger at the end. Overall, a solid sophomore book in the series. I'm definitely looking forward to the next in the series.

This was such a fun addition to the series! I had such a good time reuniting with the characters and meeting a few new ones. I can't wait for book three!

I will admit, there are some times when El annoys me. She can get a little whiny sometimes. But, in general, I really enjoyed seeing her journey and development. Plus the rest of the characters were great and entertaining!

The world that Novik has created with these books is so interesting! I really enjoyed being able to dig deeper into the history and aspects of this world. It feels so real and understandable.

If you enjoyed A Deadly Education, I would highly recommend reading The Last Graduate! It was definitely worth reading and just made me really happy.

Fantastic world building. Great anti-hero or rather anti-heroine fighting not to give in to a predisposition for evil. In love with a goody-good character and after a childhood of being bullied and lonely rather than evil, although that for could lead to super-villain status. I loved this book. I thought for sure it couldn't be as good as the first or it would end on a cliff-hanger. While it definitely left more plotline to explore, it had a very satifying conclusion. I highly recommend it (and have) to all.

Best regards,
Amy

The Last Graduate picks up where A Deadly Education leaves off and then accelerates. El finally has a group of her own people and has figured out how to survive in a school that is trying to kill her. She even has a boyfriend in Orion Lake and a couple of close BFF's. I really like this series it is magic with some real world issues of diversity and class (both privilege and grade level) struggles. El realizes that it isn't the other students but the school that is trying to get rid of her. She overcomes some personal struggles and work with other students to unite together to save all the students. I will not drop any spoilers, I will just say Oh My! The ending!!!

I like the writing and the fast pace of the story. These books never last long enough. I am looking forward to book 3.

I flew through The Last Graduate and now regret that I have to wait for book 3! The plot raced by and the ending was a doozy. I love these characters so much, and I appreciated the development of the Scholomance itself as a character of sorts.

The Last Graduate is the second book of The Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik. Released 28th Sept 2021 by Penguin Random House on their Del Ray imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

Naomi Novik is a gifted author. This time she turns her sights on the YA fantasy magic wizard school in trilogy format and the result is engaging, readable, and a full-octane-out-of-control roller coaster ride from start to cliff-hanging finish. It's very much a series book, and there are *major* spoilers for readers who choose to jump in here instead of reading the books in order.

The prose is so immersive and the tension arc so perfectly controlled that the reader is swept along breathlessly. Although the book is chock full of threat and violence, it's cleverly enough not graphic violence, and will undoubtedly be devoured by readers of YA fantasy in droves. The staging and scenes are quite visual throughout and during the entire read it was very easy to picture the action; it's written very cinematically. When the (inevitable) films come out, the screenplay writers will have likely mostly just transferred the book directly to script and turned the special effects engineers loose with the rest of the film budget.

I'm not the target audience (by several decades), but this series could easily prove to be the current generation's Maze Runner or Hunger Games. (Note, I did not compare to Twilight or Harry Potter, it's much better written than either). There is a strong romance element but the "kissy bits" are easy to ignore if that is the reader's wish.

The author's nod to traditional eastern European folklore is duly noted, however, as a die-hard World of Warcraft player, I twitched every time I read "Scholomance" (the school where the action takes place).

Five stars. Strongly suggested to read the series in order.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I love Naomi Novik! Her books take you into magical worlds and are pure escapism. I have a hard time getting anything else done when I am in the midst of reading one of her books and this one was no different! I loved El and how she and many of the other characters and their relationships continued to grow in this book. The ending has a real nail biting cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys strong female characters and fantasy novels.

Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with a book to review in exchange for my honest feedback.

i just love El so much and her character development in this book was great. She’s so funny but she also really cares for the people in her life even though she pretends not to, even Orion. she’s so strong because even though she has the prophecy she doesn’t let that stop her. I loved the side characters and everyone coming together. AND THAT CLIFFHANGER?? cant wait to see my besties again next year.

An excellent sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel, A Deadly Education. Catch up with El, Orion and the other students of the Scholomance as they prepare for the most deadly test yet, graduation. Fast-paced and an absolute page-turner, The Last Graduate will have you at the edge of your seat needing to see what happens next.

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.

CONTENT WARNING: gore, murder, blood, mention of death of a child, mention of suicide

You know when read a book where by the time you get to the end, it feels like the author has come to your house, ripped your still-beating heart straight out of your chest, taken the keys to your own car, driven it over your heart multiple times, and then drove off in your car shouting “have fun waiting a year for the sequel, sucker!” Because that is exactly how I felt after reading this book. But I honestly wouldn’t do anything differently because yeah, it was really good.

To start with, if you didn’t like the first book, you’re probably not going to like this one. I reread the first one to prepare for this one, and listened to the audiobook version. As I listened, I picked up on some nuance that I maybe didn’t notice last time, or perhaps just forgot in the last year. And while El isn’t exactly the easiest character to empathize with in the first book, she has a bigger glow-up in this book than cauliflower has had in recent years.

Don’t get me wrong — she’s still prickly and determined to not be likable, and always hovering on the edge of fulfilling her dark prophecy of becoming the ultimate dark maleficer that her family predicted she would ultimately turn into. And the school seems determined to force her hand this year. But … she’s working her hardest to prevent that. And it earned her major points in my opinion. Over the course of the year, she works really hard to change her destiny and rose ever higher in my esteem. She went from being one way at the beginning of the year and did a complete 180. I can’t tell you much more about her own arc because … spoilers, but trust me when I viewed her completely differently by the end of the book, and actually grew to respect her a hell of a lot more than I did at the beginning of the book.

The side characters grew a lot as well. Even the Scholomance itself turned into a major side character. Rather than just being a setting, it has a personality all its own and becomes a major player in the story. Orion was a little whiny in the story, and his character arc was strange to me, although he was struggling with his own issues. He was hard to figure out, but he also kind of faded into the background a bit in this story.

I loved how everything developed, and the unpredictable nature of the story thus far made it difficult to predict what was going to happen around the next corner. There’s nothing better to me than a story that isn’t predictable. There’s so much going on in this story: the daily struggle of staying alive in the Scholomance, as well as trying to form alliances, figuring out your future, the political alliances of enclaves, and the conflicts both within and outside of the school were all major factors in the workings of the story, all combining to create a fascinating story that kept me entranced from page 1 until I finished the story.

And speaking of the ending — if I thought the cliffhanger ending in book 1 was a killer, it’s got absolutely nothing on the ending of this book. Thankfully, Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog posted her review just as I finished reading so I had someone to vent to and organize my thoughts. On that note, when you finish this book, feel free to reach out and process with me if you need to. Because I guarantee that you’ll need to process it with someone. But it’s a good one, and I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next book to find out what the hell is going to happen now.

I enjoyed The Last Graduate as a follow up to A Deadly Education. I really liked watching El continue to make and grow her friendships with her fellow students. The ending has me in my feelings but in a good way. I will 100% be reading the next book to see how the story line plays out.

This was such an interesting sequel in the trilogy. I am still convinced I would not survive in this school.
I enjoyed El and Orion's growing relationship. The school is still attempting to protect/kill everyone. It is like one big case study on how to survive outside.
Wait do these magical creatures kill humans too?
There's more political movements in this book as El is a senior and they are trying to get positions in enclaves. But are the enclaves safe after there is some gossip that comes in with a freshman.
The study of languages seems intense! Since the school can switch things up whenever it wants!
Another crazy cliffhanger! Omg can't wait to see what will happen with the 3rd book.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/09/30/%f0%9f%8e%a7-the-last-graduate-by-naomi-novik/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

4.5 hearts

I love this author and I'm enjoying the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/282152-the-scholomance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Scholomance</strong></em></a> series.  I've always loved this author but I'm not usually a fan of young adult and this is a high school setting.  We do get some of the pettiness and cliques.  <strong> The Last Graduate</strong> is the second book and thank goodness I just saw this week it will be at least a trilogy.   The ending is abrupt and I would have had so many questions.

In <strong>A Deadly Education</strong>, we met El.  She has always been a bit of an outcast because of her type of magic.  He mother is a famous healer but she doesn't share that as she wants to make it on her own.  Somehow she ends up friends? with Orion Lake who is from the huge New York enclave and everyone wants to be his friend.  The enclaves are groups who come to the school together and plan to help each other survive.  Eventually, she manages to make a small group of friends.

<strong>The Last Graduat</strong>e moves on to their senior year which is typically a run through a hall of monsters to get back out to the real world again.  Students spend their entire 4 years learning magic to help them survive. But El and Orion are able to fight any monsters together, even the worst ones.  El tries not to become more attached to Orion as she doesn't want him to give up his dreams and place in an enclave for her.

The story is kind of different because it is almost all a flow of El telling us what happens in the senior year.  Showing is supposed to be better than telling.  There was some limited showing.  I really loved the book anyway. We see a very different senior year preparation than has been made over the last hundred years because of El's philosophies and choices, and Orion's devotion to her. I really liked El and how she had compassion and integrity.

Wow with that ending, I am so thrilled to know there will be another book!   I think now we will get to see the world beyond the school and I can't wait!