A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered.

There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal. Once you're inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate or you die. El Higgins is uniquely prepared for the school's many dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions - never mind easily destroy the countless monsters that prowl the school. Except, she might accidentally kill all the other students, too. So El is trying her hardest not to use it... that is, unless she has no other choice.

Wry, witty, endlessly inventive, and mordantly funny - yet with a true depth and fierce justice at its heart - this enchanting novel reminds us that there are far more important things than mere survival.

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I can see why this has been getting so much praise.

The worldbuilding is fantastic. The only thing I'm not absolutely certain of is affinities, and that didn't really matter to the story. Some people have them and they make some magic easier and some harder; that was enough for me.

I loved El. She was so human. So completely herself, and so - I mean, of course she was exhausted after all that, who wouldn't be? Three years of that? I'm tired just from reading the book! I loved the gradual growing of her alliance, too; much more realistic than just having it happen.

Also, this might be the best line ever: (paraphrased because my copy of the book is not to hand)

"Only a boy would date you for two weeks and not actually tell you."

The hook at the end is great; just enough to intrigue me without making it totally obvious that it's a hook. And I already hate the people in El's commune. I even don't like her mother a bit, because there's clearly some big secret she hasn't told El that's going to change everything and that annoys me.

But even being annoyed is a sign that this book is brilliant, because only the really well written ones can do that. Roll on book 2.



A Deadly Education publishes on the 29th September, 2020.