Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read this digital copy of A Deadly Education for free in exchange for an honest review!

Dang it. Just… gosh darn dang it. I was so excited to get to read this. I’ve been on a hard YA Fantasy/ Dark Academia trip lately and was really looking forward to enjoying this book.

Only to DNF it at 42%

The premise of the school is fantastic. A magical school where kids with magic live for four years and have to fight their way out for graduation. It’s practically survivor for witches and wizards. The main character is a prickly outsider who has a dark prophecy tied to them. The potential best friend/love interest is a white knight who for some reason decides to stick around the main character and be their knight in shining armor. Sounds like a set up for an incredible story, right?

But I could not get over the writing. I usually do not mind 1st person storytelling. I actually generally do not care whether I’m reading in 3rd person or 1st person. But I do care when 1st person is 95% internal monologuing that is nothing but complaining and woe is me. Sure the MC is as teenager but, I’m 40% into the book and still know next to nothing about this world and the school or heck, where the book is even going? I’m also generally feeling confused. The MC constantly repeats herself that she needs alliances to survive graduation and yet she is actively rude to everyone she meets then plays the “woe is me no one likes me and I don’t know why” card and claims that all her hardship she’s experienced in the school is everyone else’s fault. The book is a stream of unending thoughts that regularly repeats itself, gives little to no explanation, and tells the story rather than shows it to me… or at least what little story I got from the first 40%.

I’m actually feeling exhausted and tired just reading the ongoing tirade of how bad the MC has it and how dangerous the school is. The idea of continuing the book just makes my brain hurt so, in a spirit of “reading is supposed to be fun” and “everything will not be my cup of tea and that’s fine”, I chose to DNF the book.

After some reflection, this book did take me awhile to really get into…

It is a very cool concept - a school that is trying to kill its students - but the world building was lackluster and exchanged for random info dumps and exposition throughout. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either.

I did really like El (FMC) and Orion (MMC) and look forward to learning more about them. I also liked the development of relationships and the end left me intrigued enough to read at least the next book in the series. Oh, and magic. ✨ I’m likely never saying no when there’s magic involved.

This wasn’t an ARC, but thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you love Harry Potter and are an adult read this. Loved. Thank you NetGalley! Highly recommend

Nice dark academia read but I didn’t really like the writing style but that’s just me but a ok read nonetheless.
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unfortunately, the writing style is not for me.
3 stars, as I need to be somewhat neutral

~ I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own ~

Amazing dark academia, intriguing and different. Definitely one of my favorite reads so far. I did like the theme and setting, will recommend if you like dark academia settings and a bit of suspense.

I enjoyed it. The chapters ran on a little too long for my taste at times. However, the story and characters were interesting and like-able.

A Deadly Education is the first book I've read by Naomi Novik. The only thing I knew about the book is that it has a magical school as the setting. It was a fun read, but it has many flaws.
A Deadly Education follows Galadriel, a wizard attending a magical school called Scholomance. The school is dangerous; there are plenty of monsters, called mals, roaming around and hiding in dark corners. The stairways and the dormitories rotate annually. Students must study the school's blueprints to reinforce Scholomance's architecture. Galadriel is a loner. Making friends is difficult when other students avoid her like the plague. Well, all except for one – Orion Lake. Orion is a hero no one asked for. He saved Galadriel's life twice, but she hated every second of it. Despite Orion's effort to befriend Galadriel, she keeps her distance and acts rudely. During the school year, the number of Orion's heroic acts grows exponentially as the situation with mals becomes dire. Perhaps Galadriel will have to team up with Orion and other students to save their lives before it's too late.
Let me start with the good things about the novel. A Deadly Education embodies the magical atmosphere. It has a strong sense of place. The Scholomance is a character, and we get a dizzying amount of lore about its mechanics. The protagonist, Galadriel, or El for short, is unlikeable. She is broody, self-centered, rude, and even snobbish. She knows she is a powerful wizard, and it influences her thoughts and behaviors. The narration is in first person, so we spend a lot of time with her thoughts. I understand why people would not like her and stop reading the book. I liked her as the protagonist despite her prominent flaws. El experiences mild change by the end, which I appreciate. The plot is murky and meandering - it does not have a clear goal, but it improves in the latter half. The pacing is faster, with more action and less exposition, and the characters develop relationships.
The worldbuilding and the magic system are this book's strongest suits. However, the exposition explaining those two aspects is clumsily written, unorganized, and overwhelming. The whole first half is bursting with information about the Scholomance and the type of magic students use. It overburdens the reader. Don't get me wrong, it is endlessly fascinating and creative, but it could have been more elegantly dispersed throughout the story. Whenever something is about to happen in the plot, we face three pages of information and a flashback before the action occurs. That gets tiring.
Another flaw is a complete lack of character-building. That is the fault of the writing (first person), and I am willing to overlook it. Orion, the most present character after our protagonist, has little dialogue due to being interrupted by El. However, after finishing the book, his passivity seems more intentional. I will not comment on the alleged romance between El and Orion. The chemistry is nonexistent.
I wanted to mention that my review copy has some grammar mistakes. I know this book was published in 2020, but I do not know if this version is updated or original. I have not underlined every sentence where I found mistakes, but I have noted a few. Some sentences were awkward and missing words. I am not a native English speaker, so it could be my misunderstanding because I have not seen anyone else complain.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC. A Deadly Education is set in the Scholomance, a school for magicians. But it isn't a regular school. There are no teachers and graduation isn't guaranteed. The same can be said about survival as the whole school is out to kill you. Literally. It's either one of the school's various monsters or the graduation that'll be the end of you. Or you get murdered by your peers. So you better stay high alerted all the time. You never know when the time's up. El's one of the students. She's prophesied to destroy basically everything. But she doesn't accept that prophecy and is constantly fighting it. If there wouldn't be that annoying guy, Orion. Who might be a little bit too enthusiastic about getting into trouble. And somehow can't stay away from El.

Inside the Scholomance there are monsters waiting to eat you for your magic, lurking in every shadow. But outside the Scholomance you’re an easier target.

What I loved:
Magic school setting
Hate to friends to….?
Unique magic system
Sassy FMC/narrator

I didn’t think I would like this book so much! Not that I didn’t expect to like it-m… but I LOVED IT.

It has it all for me- an academic setting, magic that requires a price, diversity, a grumpy character paired with an almost sunshine-esque one… 5 stars. All the stars.

We follow Galadriel- or El, who has a hard time using “good” magic, because she was born to use the “bad” kind. She excels at spells that get people hurt, not ones that make daily life easier. Which might be good in a school full of monsters that want to eat you- except that she is just as likely to put an entire room up in flames as she is to just hit her target.

But not to worry! Orion, a student in her year, has a knack for showing up in at just the right moment to take out any monsters, much to El’s dismay. It’s almost like he’s seeking the danger out, and just won’t leave El alone.

We follow El and Orion through their junior year as El tries to figure out her solution for graduation day- where she’ll need to make her way through a room filled with the toughest and hungriest of these monsters alive. If she were in an enclave- a group of wizards with money and power- she’d have a much easier time. However as an outcast she’ll be lucky to make a few allies to team up with against the horde.

I really enjoyed the style and flair of this, which is why I've given it full marks. As a romance reader, though, I was yearning for more in that department. The chemistry was lacking and there wasn't enough adhesion to keep me invested in their feelings for each other. But since that's my problem and not the author's, this is a five-star read for any non-romance readers!

This was everything I wished Harry Potter had been. It captivated me from the first paragraph, and wove it’s way in to my heart in a way that was both comforting and frightening. I’ve already bought the second book!

"A Deadlly Education" is the first book of "The Scholomance," a fantasy trilogy, with dark academia overtones, written by Naomi Novik and concluded.

The story revolves around Scholomance, a famous and historic school created for those gifted with magic. A peculiar institution unlike any other, where strangeness and dangers lurk around every corner, surface and crevice. At Scholomance, there are no teachers, vacations or special permits. There are no friendships, except strategic ones. Survival is far more important than any grade, for the school does not allow its students to leave at least until they graduate...or die. The rules are deceptively simple: don't walk the halls of the school alone. And be aware of the monsters lurking everywhere. Until the presence of a student, is destined to turn the tables and bring new secrets to light. Galadriel "El "Higgins, a third-year student, is exceptionally prepared for the dangers of school. While she does not have many allies, due to her brusque temperament and the feeling of fear she radiates, and while she is not exactly a perfect heroine, she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to use her magic to get rid once and for all of the monsters that haunt the school day and night, attacking and killing her classmates. The problem? Her powerful dark magic could also kill all the other students in the process.

I finally started this series! I had been wanting to jump in for quite a while, fascinated by the premise, only to punctually put it off and devote myself to other titles. But finally, yes, I did it! And I can say that I was fully satisfied! I absolutely loved this volume, more than I had hoped for. I started with moderate expectations, considering the various negative reviews, so as to avoid any disappointment. And in the end I was pleasantly surprised! I found it a delightfully intricate, mysterious and dark read that kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end.

The setting is something incredibly gorgeous in my opinion! Of course, it is a school of magic and yes, at times it is resembling other similar structures in other fantasy books. The Scholomance, though, for me, stands out in its genre. First, as a premise, the institute is inspired by the Romanian legend of the Scholomance, a seven-year, underground school of black magic located in the Transylvania region that was said to be run by the Devil. That said, the Scholomance is a peculiar academy, dark and brutal, where there are no teachers or vacations, no award permits, and more generally no such thing as tranquility. It is a structure with impossible architecture, suspended in a murky, mysterious void, the nature of which is unknown. It is a dangerous school that feeds on the fear, suffering, commitment and desires of its students. As well as death, of course. For yes, at the Scholomance people die. Literally. There are no safe places, for monsters lurk everywhere. In hallways, in classrooms, in labs, in the canteen, in bathrooms, in individual students' rooms. Hidden under surfaces, tucked into corners or ready to crawl through cracks. Everywhere, in fact. If you want to survive, you don't walk the halls alone and be aware of everything. Survival matters more than individual grades, for one does not get out even if injured. No, the only way to leave is to graduate or die. And graduation does not consist of a series of quiet, orderly tasks, but of a mad rush to the doors, into the hall located on the lowest level, infested with monsters waiting to feast. At the Scholomance you don't mind things like hygiene, fashion or beauty, unless you want to become a snack. At the Scholomance you make do with what you have, manage to create or procure. In short, all this talk to say that yes, I loved the Scholomance so much! I found it a very intriguing, dark and mysterious setting that reduced me to a swoon! Clearly not everything is explained, there are a lot of question points, but I guess that's to be expected. It's not like the author can reveal everything right away! I am sure that new pieces will be discovered later on. The same goes for the magic system, complex and articulated, not yet well explored. Seriously, in this regard I can only express compliments!

The story, in my opinion, has no real plot. Or rather, it simply follows the path of the protagonist and the other characters during the third academic year, showing their days, the struggle against constant dangers, and the various relationships that are established. All of this is aimed at reaching the fourth and final year, with graduation as the ultimate goal. Basically what is narrated in the introduction is what is shown. It is a choice that one may or may not like, and I admit that I enjoyed it quite a bit. I was absorbed in the events, perhaps a bit repetitive, with no boring or tired moments.

Novik's writing is very distinctive. In "Uprooted," she had impressed me with her evocative tones, her lyrical traits, her vivid descriptions, and the sophistication of her words. In this case, the author deviates by using first-person narration, through the protagonist El, in what results almost as a continuous stream of consciousness. The protagonist goes from recounting school facts, to narrating personal events, and then digresses into details about relatives, acquaintances and whatnot. She basically jumps from one topic to another, even within the same speech. She provides so much information, about so many different things, often not even related to the main story and therefore not very useful. There is a lot of infodump, with information and names thrown in at a rapid pace. All marked by very descriptive prose, dense at times, full of similes and other things. Not the easiest writing to follow, in my opinion, but nonetheless it engaged me a lot. I admit I am used to this type of narration and if handled well, it captures me. In this case I found it well mastered, so I was satisfied with it. I also liked the way she managed to render the dark, threatening, and restless atmosphere of the academy and the general situation.

I loved Galadriel "El" Higgins, protagonist and only first-person pov! El is a girl of gray morality, characterized by a complex and contradictory personality. Growing up with her mother in an isolated community, she has never known any other sincere affection than that of the woman. In fact, since childhood she has always been disliked, shunned, considered a source of trouble or a threat. Both by laymen (nonmagicians) and by those gifted with magic. A dangerous person, or inferior, to be ignored or gotten rid of. El grew up without friends, with no one to lean on except her mother, learning to rely only on her own strength. The development of her powers first, and the arrival at the Scholomance later, did not change this situation. El is a strongly cynical, decidedly grumpy and perpetually angry girl with a biting irony and a sharp tongue. Antipathic, cheeky and proud, she enjoys poking at others. She knows that others do not like her, she knows she is wrong, but she does not care to make up for it. However, underneath her tough armor, she occasionally hides a sensitive soul that suffers from loneliness and the idea of never being enough. El is literally a loose mine, gifted with a strong dark magic that she can barely hold back. She could destroy everything and everyone if she wanted to, bend others to her will, but she tries to contain herself and stick to the teachings she has received. Which is difficult, since magic and the school itself try to goad her. El is a character that convinced me so much, from the excellent description. She makes questionable choices, has questionable attitudes, but also hides so much more. I am so curious to know more details about her, her past and especially her magic!

The rest of the secondary characters, except Orion, do not shine in terms of depth. Since El is the narrator, and given her jumping between topics, it is difficult to get a complete picture. Always excluding Orion, however, it is clear that these are gray characters, also made so by their surroundings. In fact, the Scholomance praises individuality. Everyone thinks for themselves, planning strategies to obtain what is necessary to survive and pass the graduation. Frequently at the expense of others, according to the "better you than me" principle. Lies, cheating and subterfuge are the order of the day. Opportunism reigns supreme, with exchanges, brief alliances and entanglements, depending on the occasion and the moment. Nothing is given away for free. Everything has a price. A favor for a favor. The relationships that develop are not based on friendship, but on convenience. In this sense falls the elaborate system of circles and alliances, which results in significant disparities among students. I enjoyed this twisted and turbulent atmosphere too much!

Returning to Orion, he is basically the opposite of El and almost all, perhaps, of the other students. Orion comes from a powerful circle and is strong, praised, and respected. Extremely skilled and intelligent, caring and self-righteous, he is a true hero in shining armor, ready to save those in trouble. A boy raised in ease, at times naive and unaware of how things really work around him. I liked him a lot and loved the interactions between him and El!

All in all, I found it a beautiful start to a fantasy series, which I recommend to lovers of the genre, especially if they are fans of dark academia tints.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

It pains me to say that, though I didn't love this one- at least to the extent that I expected to- I did have a great time enough to consider finishing the series (eventually). A Deadly Education had all the makings to set up a fantastic fantasy series, but it fell a bit short for me...

A few notes:
- I will never not gravitate towards a book about a magical school and students in some sort of high stakes trial or survival. I get the easy comparison to HP, but really that's the only way they compare. The idea of Scholomance and Novik's creation of the magic system was so unique. I'm truly at awe at how creative it was. I loved the sorcerer's unique affinities, the enclaves, and the idea of "mana" and power-showering.

- 90% of the book was our main character, El's inner-dialogue, which was sarcastic and witty, but often too informational. Which makes sense in terms of world-building and attempting to understand the magic system, but it was personally so distracting. I wanted more interactions with her classmates, Orion, etc.

- I honestly wish we got MORE of that classic YA-level tension between El and Orion!! 😂 I mean the book's first line is perfection. Our sarcastic heroine has been "saved" at least twice at this point by the school's golden boy (& actual hero) except, El doesn't actually need saving (with her affinity for destruction). Which makes it that much more hilarious. The potential for what their relationship could be during their senior year is honestly what has me wanting to read more.

Thanks Netgalley & Random House- Del Rey pub for the eARC!

Once I started reading this, I realized I'd read it (or tried to) before, this isn't a new release. I decided to give it a second go as I'm reading more fantasy and sci fi lately. I'm not sure what it is with this story but I just cannot get into it. I tried, I really did.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This book was very much a slow burn for me. I like an anti-hero as much as the next girl, but I just had a tough time getting into the world and understanding what was going on for about the first third of the book. I read through the critiques of race in the book - I certainly agree with some of them, having also noticed the unnecessary details about locs. I also agree that El doesn’t particularly seem to read as a person of color, and that the details of her Indian heritage were very vague. Where I disagree I think is on the critique of the way El analyzes everyone by the language they speak as being a critique of the author. I do feel like that might just be another way in which El reads white, but also vaguely sociopathic.

What I loved about the book - the ending. I had already started really loving the book - and El, asshole though she may be - but I audibly gasped when I got to the last line. I loved that the book actually had some themes I had not anticipated from the first half of the book, like friendship and seeing people for who they are rather than their reputation or how they appear/seem. The relationships that developed over the book between El and Orion, El and Aadhya, El and Liu, El and the wider student body… I of course loved the relationship developing between El and Orion - another example of a slow burn amirite! And I loved all the references to pop culture, right down to Ms. Galadriel herself - a reference to LOTR but also to Stranger Things given her nickname El and her craaaazy strong destroyer of worlds powers.

Overall while I do sort of see the Harry Potter comparison, since it’s a magic school and all that, for me it really was a cross between Ninth House and Disney’s Hercules, but told from Meg’s POV. And I fucking loved it.

This is the kind of school I imagine that my parents would have sent sulky teenage me to. A deadly school, constantly testing my pride, sensibility and ability to cope with whatever life throws at me. All while ensuring that I got a solid academic education and knew how to use tools to create the useful things that I need.

🗺️ The world building is pleasantly presented within the school, and despite the unique creation story of this school you won't find yourself digging deep and flicking back to an unreadable map to try and remember who came from where/when or how they got there.

🌶️ There is no spice here. Which considering that we are dealing with teenagers under the age of 18 is perfectly acceptable.

📚 This book is for you if you enjoy a sassy FMC and are ok with evil creatures trying to eat the FMC more often than not.

✈️ An easy read that's perfect for travel. I'd suggest getting the rest of the series before you leave home!

I stopped at the end of chapter 1 (8%). There was a lot of monologue and heavy exposition, and I wasn't gripped by it. I was told this book falls along the vein of Harry Potter, so I get why it would be popular.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

This book was charming and has a potential only if we were given more chance to really know the characters, the plot and its depths.

Right off the bat we were plunged in an internal monologue of the main lead and her rants about the academy. I felt like I was already in a middle of the book with how confusing the storytelling is and I wish we’re given more background about just everything.

I struggled so much with the pacing and just the whole magic system from the start ‘til the end. I’ll admit that this has such a cool term for curses and just the damnation of the school, however one thing that I don’t understand is why is death just so shallow here. When one dies it’s as if someone just drank water and they immediately move on.

Romance wise, Orion seems to be an interesting character but the lack of chemistry put me off, I really really want their romance to bloom but the lack of affection kinda sealed that their romance was non existent. He is a typical hero for the damsel in distress but that’s just it.

The plot kinda felt dragging from the start at 10% and didn’t pick up with my liking. I however would like to give book 2 with a chance

Where do I even begin with "A Deadly Education"?

First, let’s talk premise: Novik's Scholomance is not your run-of-the-mill magical school. It’s dark, it's dangerous, and it’s brilliantly original. Ever been in a school where just surviving is your toughest lesson? Well, our heroine has, and boy, does she make it entertaining. This setting poses mysteries at every corner, and I found myself scribbling down questions that I’m desperately hoping will be answered in the subsequent books.

Now, our lead? She's a breath of fresh air. El is independent, fierce, and her voice rings clear throughout. The dialogue? Oh, it’s snappy, witty, and just a delight to read. Especially her banter with Orion Lake. I mean, she considers him a potential kill and yet can't seem to get away from him - it's pure gold!

I'll admit, the book is brimming with world-building - it's like Novik's conjuring an intricate spell, layer by layer. For those hungry for non-stop action, you might feel it's a slow burn. But for me, it was like unwrapping a magical gift, bit by bit. And just when you think you've got a grip on the world, Novik ends the book on a mini-cliffhanger, making you itch for the next installment.

I powered through this in a day. I simply couldn't put it down. "A Deadly Education" is indeed an unputdownable blend of dark academia aesthetics and the unique magic only Novik can conjure. If you're looking for a fresh twist on the magical school trope with a heroine who's bound to be iconic, dive in. You won't regret it. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟