This book captured my interest right from the start. It had such a unique twist on the “special school” fantasy trope. I loved that the focus was on strong girls without it being a message type book. These girls were all flawed, but still saved the day! I’m anxiously awaiting the sequel already!

The power of education and thinking and looking outside the box. The girls of Dragomir Academy are not trouble but rather the catalyst for change that will empower the girls and women of Ilyria. More power to them.

This is a fabulous feminist tale, examining the roles we are told we belong to in society and how they might be challenged. With other considerations such as the power of stories and the significance of cultural artifacts such as letter, embroidery and tapestries, this fantasy story might look like a lot for a young reader, but it is a gripping story that will have readers wanting to keep reading! Marya, the protagonist, is sent to a school for Troubled Girls, after not quite fitting in at home. Here, Marya continues to fight to find her place in a society that only has a certain place for girls. Powerful messages hidden inside an exciting story.

While the length of this book might be a little daunting for most middle-grade readers, I literally finished all 400+ pages in one sitting because it had me on the edge of my seat. Marya has always been in her brother's shadow. When Everything goes wrong during his test for magical ability due to her actions, Marya is sent to Dragomir Academy for troubled girls. Dragomir Academy does everything it can to suppress these girls and put them in their place, but Marya continuous to question what is happening not only at the school, but also in the kingdom. Great message of empowerment for girls, but I felt like I had guessed the ending by the middle of the book. However, still an entertaining read.
Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting and build up of this story was fantastic, and will definitely connect with readers who feel like they don't fit into the mould people expect them to. The ending seemed to have events fall out faster than the earlier parts of the book and may felt a little like things were working out a little too well, but I don't think that took away from the book. It leaves room for another book as the girls discover new challenges to overcome.

Marya Lupu has grown up in the shadows of her older brother, Luka. Luka has always been seen as a possible sorcerer, the most highly regarded members of their kingdom as few boys can wield magic that is used to protect the country from the Dread, who were sent by neighboring witches. The families’ hopes all land on Luka, and no one has any for Marya. When the day arrives for Luka to finally be evaluated for magic by a sorcerer, Marya messes the visit up unintentionally . Luka isn't identified as a potential sorcerer and Marya is sent off to Dragomir Academy, a school for troubled girls. As Marya and the girls learn to become proper women and fit for jobs working for the Sorcerers of the kingdom, they start to learn things about the men who run the country and the beings, the Dread, who are attacking their villages. Maybe the girls aren't as troubled as they seem.
This book looks at the themes of oppression, and education. The girls in the book are treated differently than the boys and are not seen with as having much potential. In this fantasy world, their greatest worth is based on how they can help their country and the sorcerers who protect it. But as the girls learn more and more and educate themselves they start to see things with new eyes. Most men in this book are bad guys, and I wish there were a few more men who were painted in a more positive light before the last chapter. But I do agree with the theme of reading and education being power. This book was a fast paced read, especially at the end.

This was one of the most stressful middle grade books I've ever read. I worried so much for Marya and the other girls at the academy, and in fact, all the girls in their fictional fantasy country. I really thought it was going to turn into a series, because I thought the issues in the book were so incredibly large that they could not possibly resolve them all by the end of this book. And they weren't all resolved, but things surprisingly went in a better direction than I'd anticipated, and while there turned out not to be a setup for one, I would definitely read sequels!

This is a masterfully told, fiercely feminist tale of the lies girls are told to keep them in their place. I hope every school library buys a copy of this book so girls and boys can read this incredible story and ponder the stories in their own lives while asking the question “who does this story serve?”

Really lovely middle grades pick. Some of the social issues will feel heavy handed to an adult reader but I think the 5th-7th grade audience will really like it! The magical elements are done well and I enjoyed the character growth.

This was fantastic. I wish it had been a little longer, so we could really dig down deep into reconstruction of the Illyria, but maybe there's a sequel coming, so I won't begrudge it five stars. An excellent concept and plot that pulls you in from the first page and really keeps you on edge to find out what's going to happen next.

I LOVED this book. I am an elementary school librarian, and this will be a great addition to our library for middle grade readers, especially those who love the fantasy/magic school genre. While the book is certainly reminiscent of other fantasy/magic school books (Harry Potter, Magisterium series, etc), it is unique enough to be enjoyed by like-minded readers, and it very well-written too. I will certainly be purchasing it for my library when it is published.

I have always loved Anne Ursu and this book is my favorite so far. It's an absolutely incredible, fierce, feminist middle grade fantasy. The world-building is fantastic. The characters are real and messy and complex and will stay with my a very long time. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers of all ages!

“The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy” was one I did not want to put down from the very start – remarkable read. A. Ursu immerses herself into characters, chiefly the main character, Marya, as she evolves throughout the storyline. Readers will have a clear understanding on Marya’s perception and interpretation throughout her interactions with various characters, as she looks to right her poor behaviors in order to attain the love and approval from her family she desperately longs for.

Marya Lupu grew up feeling she could do nothing right, a sibling rivalry which only added to her parents continual distain, along with the complexity of consistently being told everything you do, say, and think is wrong, when all you want to do is “the right thing”, be accepted, and have a purpose.

If you can never do anything right, how can you tell right from wrong, actuality from reality, who is truthful, and who may twist truth into their own agenda? TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS, BE INQUISITIVE, FIND YOUR OWN TRUTH.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Walden Pond Press for providing me an advance copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

This book is fascinating. I really liked how Ursu examined conspiracies, bias, and government secrets from a fantasy setting. I really liked the cast of characters, and the friendship between the girls was wonderful. Very nice.

Not at all what I expected, based on the summary provided by the publisher. While magic does play a significant role in the plot, very few fantasy elements actually occur in the narrative itself for the majority of the novel. This, combined with the tendency towards a slow plot pace, an often brooding narrator, and the setting of an isolated castle populated by shadows and psychologically broken girls, made the work feel much more like a YA gothic novel than a YA fantasy work. The writing is solid and hums along nicely, but I was genuinely expecting something very different (certainly something more rebellious and playful) than what was offered. Possible trigger warnings for emotional abuse via Mayra's frankly horrendous parents, although they exit the novel as active characters about a quarter of the way through.