The Scholomance may try to eat you alive but that ending will destroy you!

What can I say? The second book in the Scholomance was just as riveting as the first and it leaves you wanting more.

The Last Graduate picks up right where A Deadly Education ended. El and her group made the repairs to the graduation hall and the graduating seniors have hopefully moved on. El is now a senior. Her first class of her senior year bodes well being in a classroom at the upper level of the Scholomance in the library. Except El quickly realizes that class and her entire senior year will be full of danger. Mals keep attacking El so she begins to doubt the fixes to the hall. When she finds out no one else is having the same attacks, even Orion who goes looking for Mals, she realizes there is more going on.

El continues to be a strong, altruistic character and it still surprises me. She has such a dark foretelling attached to her and she tries so hard to not be that person. Orion is still singularly focused as he has always been made out to be a hero and needs the mana he can get from the Mals he defeats which I think leads him to some reckless decisions. El, on the other hand, has relied on herself so much but also witnessed the generosity of her mother that it isn't surprising when she considers herself as well as others and makes the decisions she does in this book.

I can't wait to read the third book, The Golden Enclaves, coming out later in 2022. I hope to see El still in touch with Aadhya and Liu. More importantly, what happens to post graduate El?

I really enjoyed A Deadly Education, but I felt like the Last Graduate was slow and frustrating. I did not feel like it was different enough from the first book to warrant a second book. I was also disappointed in the fact that there was less character interaction between El and Orion.

4+ stars.

I listened to the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. It's such a unique concept. Children with powers are sent to an enchanted school to help them learn how to destroy dangerous monsters that are all around them. The average human doesn't know they are around, and are therefore safe. But these children have powers and the monsters know that. Only a small population of these children can attend this school, the Scholomance. And only a small percentage survive the four years, but those that aren't eaten while at school (!) learn magic and potions and ways to fight off these deadly beasts.

We especially follow El and Orion on this journey. El was an outcast (dark sorceresses are scary!) and Orion is determined to keep the students safe, even at the risk of his own life. It is such a funny relationship between the two of them, but fun to watch it develop. El decides that the end of year race to get out for the seniors is her chance to get as many to safety as possible. It seems a daunting task, but the cooperation of fellow students starts to make it seem possible.

Super fun book. I was afraid I wouldn't enjoy reading it as much as listening, but it was just as good! Can't wait to get to the third book. So creative, but also a times a bit disturbing (there are a lot of monsters trying to eat children). I would be sure to go in knowing that there is some of that in there. My teens could handle it- probably not my middle schoolers.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 ⭐️!

This was one of my favorite books of 2021, and what a surprise!! I hadn't picked up A Deadly Education before reading this book so when I started this series I didn't know what to expect! Happy to say I was pleasantly surprised and so happy I did!

I feel like this book would be perfect for Harry Potter fans who want a little bit of a darker take on the magic school storyline.... like in the case that the school is actually out to kill you at every turn.

I found Novik's writing to be a little jarring at first because of the deep descriptions and inner monologue of the MC, but after getting used to it I found I really enjoy it!! I found the world to be completely unique and I loved the character development throughout. I thought that this was. a great second book in the series and that cliffhanger at the end!!! I can't wait to get to the next book.

Overall, I had a really great time. I like the plot development and where the story is going, as well as the small (but not overwhelming) bits of romance we get throughout. Perfect for fans of dark academia, or like I said a darker version of Harry Potter.

xx
-Christine

This is a page turning dark academia anti-potter story! I loved the first book and the second did not disappoint. Favorite book I read in 2021 and I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

I should have paid more attention to the fact that this is only the second book in a trilogy because that ended made me yell out of frustration that the book was over. I really enjoyed the first book, "A Deadly Education", and this book continued the tale of an incredibly dangerous school where the majority of the students don't make it out alive. I liked the description of magic and monsters but could have done with less of the teenage angst. To be fair, they are teenagers fighting for their lives while getting an education, so I guess they get a little break. I would recommend this book and anything else Naomi Novik writes to anyone who likes fantasy. I certainly will be picking up the third book in the series as soon as it's available.

The Last Graduate is the second book in the Scholomance trilogy. So, really this recommendation is a three-for-one because trust me, after you read the first book, A Deadly Education, you will want to read the Last Graduate. Think of this trilogy as the smarter and snarkier version of Harry Potter. Our friendless protagonist, El, attends Scholomance, a school for wizards. But this school is no Hogwarts because going to this school will literally kill you if you’re not careful. Monsters called maleficaria or mals for short, lurk in every corner of the school and they love eating young defenseless wizards. Also, in order to graduate from the Scholomance, you have to go through a gauntlet of uber-hungry mals to reach the exit. High school has never been so deadly.

I continue to be utterly fascinated by this weird, dangerous school, impossibly stubborn characters, and suspenseful plot. The storytelling is so different from what we're typically used to - very much telling instead of showing. But this allows for so much more detail, personality, and understanding of our main character. And that ending!!! Ugh I need the next one right away! I think this second installment really showed greater development of the characters and much more background on the school. A worthy follow up, I may love even more than the first!

The last graduate, second installment in the Scholomance series, and sequel to A deadly education, is a dark and twisted take on a magic school.
Set in a world riddled with monsters that prey on magical kids for the energy or mana that they have, desperate generations of wizards have sent their progeny instead to the Scholomance, a magic school created in a pocket of void to keep children safe, but is not completely closed to the monsters that bump in the night, and kids must learn quickly to defend themselves as they are left totally alone.
We are following El, a would-be maleficer who tries so hard to be good and not follow the path of darkness, while the school keeps hurling the wickedest and most evil spells possible.
On the other side, Orion Lake is the main hero of the school who slays monsters everywhere, but it seems that he is intent on following El and saving her...
As it is a second book in a series, it is hard to give a review without spoilers, but I loved El's character development, as in the beginning she is completely closed off, but we see her forming friendships and caring about people more and more.
I was still a bit disappointed about the writing, as the narrator El keeps adding exposition in the middle of fight scenes that threw me out of the story. I cannot say that I have a grasp of the world, as the only thing we are given is more and more names for different monsters, and we are only told that there is a classification of them without actually explaining it to us...
There is a big cliffhanger at the end, so be prepared to just want the next book to be published faster !

Another gripping, creative school of magic book in the series. Novik develops the world well and sets up the climax with care. Enjoyed it so much that I turned back and read it straight through again, just as I did with the first.

This book had me hooked from page one. I consumed it in about one day, and it was so fun to read. Have already recommended to friends! Looking forward to book 2!

The Last Graduate is the second title in Naomi Novak's Scholomance trilogy, and goodness gracious what a ride!
I personally thought this sequel was even better than the previous book and the ending definitely has me wanting more... right this very minute!
So if you liked A deadly Education, you were already waiting for the Last Graduate to come out anyway, but if you havent read either and you enjoy fantasy and dark academia run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore and get both!

Loved this. Had a little bit of trouble getting started with this one, compared to the last one. I started this in book form and finished on audiobook through the library, and oh man, LOVED it on audio. I can't wait for the third to come out. It's just a really fun, quick paced story, with some dark humor and a hopeful taint to the undercurrent of the story. Great for my current reading struggle.

This author is so talented, her books are always intriguing and complex. Top notch world building and character development. I'm looking forward to book #3!

Senior year can be hell on students, no one knows that more than the students of the Scholomance. This is the year that will determine whether they live or die. Novik takes the story further by weaving complicated relationships and expanding on the physical and mental being of the school. This sequel allows the reader to further their understanding of secondary characters, giving them time to breathe and develop. This depth pushes against the main character El and her relationship with Orion. Often El and Orion fell flat and their relationship awkward, making me wonder why the hell are they together!

I really enjoyed A Deadly Education but I couldn't quite connect with this one and I can't really put my finger on why. Regardless, I'll still be picking up the third book because I want to see how this all turns out.

This is a story about an education.

I love dark acadamia, and I enjoy magic schools so I was sure these were going to be right up my alley.. and they were, sort of? Something about the tone didn’t fully land with me- but overall I think this was a solid follow up to the initial entry & if you don’t need your characters to be likeable it’s a quick read.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ . 🌟
Thank you so much Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the eArc!

The Last Graduate is packed with action and a steady pace in the increasingly interesting world of the Scholomance. Not as info-dumpy as the first in the series this sequel was easier to follow and kept my interest. The narrative is dark and brash, with an attitude that is quite to the point.

There was some heavy repetition in the fight scenes that did drag the pace down a bit here and there, but overall things moved pretty well. A lot of those pieces could likely have been edited out (or at least pared down), as they did feel somewhat excessive and unnecessary to understanding the plot. This is a very rare case where I would say that telling me what happened would likely have been more effective than showing.

The primary characters are interesting, though beyond the protagonist they really don't get a lot of importance in the plot. This story is primarily about the world and secondarily about El herself. I am liking her more and I find her increasingly accessible. She is a perfectly sarcastic character. I appreciated the growth she showed in this installment and thought her character arc was done quite well. I look forward to seeing how she rounds out.

Like the first installment, the final third is where I really took a liking to this book. Things which were already moving at a good pace took on an even faster clip and I started to get a bit more intrigued about how things were going to go. And...like it's predecessor, this one ended with a bang and a cliffhanger that have me ready to go for the next read. If you're considering the series, don't get too bogged down by the world building in the first book and hang on...it's a ride worth taking if you have the patience to let the ball get rolling.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Let’s take a moment to put that cliff hanger of an ending aside and talk about the book as a whole. I had some concerns with A Deadly Education in that I felt there was a lot of time spent on confusing world building at the expense of character development. That was definitely not a problem in The Last Graduate. It felt like Novik developed a great balance of continuing to develop her world and the history of the school while really concentrating on El’s own growth and coming into her own as both a wizard and a member of the wizarding community.

The romance took a backseat for the first half of the novel to the development of El and her relationships with both her freshmen and her alliance. El really came into her own and while she may not “love people” yet, she has discovered a passion for helping others and helping those who are less fortunate to have the opportunity to still grow. In a way, as best put by Aadhya herself, El and Orion do complement each other, they aren’t the opposites we saw in book 1 but rather both complex characters who wish to use their abilities to challenge others’ perception of them and to benefit others. We really get to see El grow into her own person and passions outside of the shadows that have followed her.

The fantastical elements were also great as we got to see a lot more use of incantations and the wizards using their abilities to battle mals in the obstacles or in the ceremony. It was something that seemed to be more scarce in A Deadly Education, so it set’s up quite nicely for Novik’s 3rd book.

Back that ending though! Flipping the last page after that cliff-hanger and seeing blankness made me toss the book across the room and scream (no books were actually damaged in the writing of this review). But it felt like a crazy way to finish that insane graduation sequence. I have to say I do love the parallels that Novik has set up between El and Orion’s story and that of El’s parents. That being said that was the only part I love because I really hope that Orion isn’t actually gone and that El is able to give him the life together that they both want and deserve. I can’t help but think that maybe this is really what Gwen was trying to warn El about and trying to keep her daughter from suffering the same pain of losing a person they loved to a mal. I cannot wait until we see where Novik picks up in the conclusion to the Scholomance series!

Overall I blew through this book and found that I somehow enjoyed it more than the first! I would definitely recommend this series for any fantasy fans who love world building, magic, and just a touch of romance.

Thank you to Netgalley, Naomi Novik, and Del Rey publishing for an advanced copy of The Last Graduate in exchange for an honest review.

This series revolves around a magical school that tries to kill its own students. The only way out? To make it through your final year and battle your way out during graduation.

While I enjoyed the concept of this sequel, I feel like it felt like a placeholder. Novik uses this installment to explore relationships and characters, but it is missing the additional world building I was searching for. If you like the main character and her relationship with Orion, I think you’d enjoy this. However, I was looking for more explanation into the way society works in the enclaves and it’s history.

Overall, this book was just “okay” for me. I understand it’s purpose, but it was a bit of a let down.