Read This Book: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Galadriel, El for short, is a student at the Scholomance, a high school for magical teens from all over the world that exists in a liminal space controlled by magic, without any human teachers, that no one can escape…except through the graduation hall once they’ve completed their education. But the graduation hall is also full of monsters, so commencement is a literal fight to the death in order to get out, and those monsters are constantly attacking the school and trying to find a way inside. Sounds like a nightmare? Well, it’s actually marginally safer for teens inside than it is outside, and at least in the Scholomance they have access to an education that will help them survive.

I immediately was drawn to El, a prickly junior of Welsh-Indian descent who is better equipped than most to survive this particular high school experience–but no one else is aware of that. She’s got some major power, but the consequence of using that power is that she can’t stop. She’d literally destroy everyone and anyone around her if she unleashed her true force. But El has no desire to go all evil villain on anyone and she’s been fostering a plan to make it through to graduation that includes not making friends unless she can help it. But when Orion Lake, the junior class golden boy, inadvertently saves her life one too many times, El has had enough. She tells him to knock it off, and that prompts him to try and befriend her. But Orion Lake making friends with the weird girl no one talks to seriously upsets the delicate social balance at the Scholomance, and soon people are asking questions about the effect of Orion’s savior complex…like what does it mean for the very hungry monsters who haven’t had a good meal in a long time?

I loved the snarky, sarcastic tone of this book, and how it dumps the reader headfirst into the action and the story. I will be the first to admit that technique might not be every reader’s favorite, but it reminded me a lot of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine (one of my favorite vampire stories ever), and of course, Gideon the Ninth. This book isn’t a tome, but it’s full of action, fascinating world building, and really amazing character growth. Novik also tackles the idea of a chosen one in an interesting way: Orion Lake is doing a great thing by saving so many people…but it has some pretty dark unintended consequences that force everyone in the book to pay attention and step up. I loved El’s commentary, her frustration with Orion’s lack of self-preservation, and prickly realization that she’s going to have to open up to people if everyone’s going to make it out alive. I won’t say too much more because the joy in this book is discovering what’s happening for yourself, but suffice to say I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel, The Last Graduate, which drops in May!

Note: I know it sounds YA, but the book was actually published as adult. Either way, I think it’s super enjoyable for both adult and teen audiences!