I am a big fan of Naomi Novik’s other books, especially Spinning Silver and Uprooted, so of course I pre-ordered A Deadly Education and read it immediately. The marketing of this book as a dark, feminist Harry Potter does it a disservice. Instead, it is a more introspective story of one girl’s struggle with her darker inclinations and her striving to survive in a school that doesn’t protect its students.

I’ve seen a lot of critiques of this book, saying that nothing really happens until the last 75% of the story. And it’s true, if you expect a “typical” action-packed story, you’ll be disappointed. The book is narrated by Galadriel (yes, like that Galadriel), who in her third year at the Scholomance has resigned herself to be a loner. She’s prickly, but for a good reason; everyone in her past has been afraid of her. As her senior year, and eventual graduation approaches, she is trying to figure out how to survive both the day to day and the graduation trial. Much of the book is El’s strategizing and setting the scene for us. It feels very info-dumpy but in a compelling way.

What I love about this book is the unique world that you get thrown into. Novik has created a terrifying, almost sentient school full of monsters. It’s a very intriguing world. I also loved the diversity of the characters: El is half-Welsh, half-Indian and her classmates are from all over the world. El herself is kind of infuriating at first, but as you start to understand why she acts the way she does, you will start to empathize with her.

I think this book struggles the most in its length. If it had just been a bit longer, I think the story would feel more satisfying. That said, it was an enjoyable read, with a fascinating world and a cliffhanger that made me eager for the next book.

TW: death of children; scary monsters/situations