The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
Published by Del Rey on September 2021Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 400
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
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A budding dark sorceress determined not to use her formidable powers uncovers yet more secrets about the workings of her world in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education, the start of Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking crossover series.
At the Scholomance, El, Orion, and the other students are faced with their final year—and the looming specter of graduation, a deadly ritual that leaves few students alive in its wake. El is determined that her chosen group will survive, but it is a prospect that is looking harder by the day as the savagery of the school ramps up. Until El realizes that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules . .
I just can’t.
The Last Graduate starts where we left off in A Deadly Education. El has surprisingly to most of all herself, gotten some friends and allies, including a potential boyfriend and now they’re in their senior year and trying really really really hard not to get killed. They’re prepping for graduation, where all of the evil monsters who inhabit the school come out for one last feast and well, you get the idea.
I basically would read a grocery list if Naomi Novik wrote it.
The Last Graduate is no exception, continuing Novik’s well written and darkly funny hero El as she grows into the leader she was born to be, all the while avoiding her prophecy of becoming one of the most powerful evil sorceresses alive. I mean, you know. Everyone is working on their own thing.
Orion Lake is as wonderful as ever, confused by El’s behavior and throwing himself into his hero role every chance he gets. I love how the supporting characters really shine in this second book. We get a wonderful sense of community and friendship between El as her network and friends grow, as well as the growing danger they are facing as graduation approaches. And let me tell you that ending was well worth it.
OMG Novik are you trying to KILL ME?
It’s such a solid and beautifully written sequel, filled with the complexities of identity, adolescent and figuring out who you are in relationship to who you’re expected to be, The Last Graduate propels this trilogy forward into my favorite top ten. I cannot wait for the last book. Until then, I’m going back to re-read A Deadly Education and start again.
Kimberly majored in Songwriting and currently works full time in the music industry. When she's not listening to music, knitting or writing, you can find her outside reading her favorite genres: Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.
