Triumphant conclusion (I think?) to Novik’s Scholomance series, this one following directly on the cliffhanger ending of the second novel. Grumpy heroine El, having found a way to rescue the entire student body from the deadly Scholomance, is consumed with guilt over the fate of her boyfriend Orion; however, she is reluctantly dragged back into action when she learns that monsters are threatening the protected enclaves of other magic-users. As she fights monsters while working on a way to rescue Orion, she uncovers deep secrets connecting the enclaves, Orion, and her own family history. Really impressive plotting, tying things together in unexpected ways, and the inevitable infodump filters entertainingly through El’s indignant viewpoint. Her character, which layers hostility and rudeness over a deep core of caring and righteousness, is delightful. (Actually, now that I think about it, she’s really just a teenage wizard Murderbot.) The interactions between the characters were good too. Very satisfying read.
Tag: author-naomi novik
Golden Age and Other Stories, by Naomi Novik
Essentially this is Temeraire fan fiction, except it’s by the author, so it’s naturally very good and possibly even canon. I suppose you can read it without having read the Temeraire series, but you’ll likely just get confused without the background. There are several stories of varying lengths, followed by a bunch of drabbles (100-word pieces) at the end, each inspired by a piece of fanart. As with any collection, some are better than others. I loved “Dawn of Battle,” the origin story for young Jane Roland and one which gave insight into the choices faced by young female captains; “Succession,” told by Temeraire’s mother as she broods over her eggs, was also poignant. The star of the collection though was definitely “Dragons and Decorum,” a touching and hilarious take on Pride and Prejudice in which Elizabeth Bennett is the captain for her dragon Wollstonecraft. Worth it just for that one alone.
The Last Graduate, by Naomi Novik
Picks up exactly where A Deadly Education left off, with prickly main character El still trying to figure out how to survive graduation while preserving what is important to her (and figuring out what is important to her, which is also a moving target). I still love the nerdy explorations of the nitty-gritty behind a monster-haunted self-study magical school, the tragic way it traumatizes sweet kids and makes them into steely tacticians who prioritize politics and survival over friendship, and the continuing exploration of class differences and its generational benefits. I really liked how the school itself developed into a character over the course of the story, and the buildup and climax were super satisfying. Warning: absolutely argh ending, and of course the last book of the trilogy isn’t out yet.