The Last Graduate: A Novel (The Scholomance) (edition 2021)

In the second book in The Scholomance series, The Last Graduate, El and classmates are back, seniors now and still trying to survive their magical school until graduation. Fantastical plans are hatched. The magic abounds. The ending is a serious cliffhanger. Can't wait for #3, The Golden Enclaves, coming later this year! ( )

I held off reading the ARC for as long as I could, because I wanted to savor the experience. But then I started reading and couldn't stop. All of the things I loved about the first book again, but with new and surprising directions. I am inarticulately in love with this series, with angry El, with the whole horrifying world and the unfurling story. Does not disappoint, except in a gutted "Whaaaaaaaaat" at the end as we wait for the next book. Please let there be a next book.




Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss. ( )

A delight to read. Narration was fun, story was gripping. I adore this series. ( )

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of the first book in this trilogy, as though I liked the voice of the main character, a lot of the novel really wasn't grabbing me; it didn't help that I had just read "Vita Nostra," which is playing with the same legend of a sinister school for magicians in a more gothic fashion. Once I learned that this series was basically meant to be YA for adults who liked YA, it was clear that I was going to have to rearrange my preconceptions.

So, there's not that much in detail that I want to say about this book, as that would give the story away, but Novik does a fine job of blowing up any standard notions of how one might have thought this book would play out; there is something of a deconstruction of some traditional tropes going on. Also changing things up is that events outside the school have become more important to those within than running the gauntlet. Further, one is also given a better sense of the character of Orion Lake, and these revelations are kind of painful. And, yes, this book ends on a a real hard cliffhanger, so you're just going to have to rush out and read the next book when it becomes available! ( )

A sequel almost as good as the first, though I got a little bored during the heroine's slow slog to understanding that (spoiler) she needs to get everyone to work together. Teamwork makes the dream work, duh.
Can't wait for book 3. ( )