Novik

Review of Uprooted by Naomi Novik

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Synopsis:
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

Review:
“Try not to borrow more folly than you already possess.” (Page 172)

“I didn’t go gleaning in the forest to find something in particular; I went to find whatever there was to find, and to let the ideas come to me: if I found a heap of mushrooms, we’d have mushroom soup the next day, and if I found flt stones the hole in the road near our house would get mended.” (Page 270)

I was worried when I started this book, having read Damsel by Elana K. Arnold, that this was going to go a very different way. I was so very happy with the unexpected that was found within this novel. The Dragon is formidable and while he seems so other when he visits the village (which he rarely does), he doesn’t expect perfection from Agnieszka. While he has certainly had many guests before, it is clear that what Agnieszka is, is very different than the usual meek and timid maidens that likely have served him.

The synopsis for this novel doesn’t even begin to describe all the intricacies of the book, so I will attempt to without giving things away. This book is excellent for those who excel in nature, find themselves a bit different than others, and love a good strong female protagonist that doesn’t need to be saved, and can be a savior herself, thank you very much.

I’m not sure my sentence synopsis really helps in understanding any more than the one the book has already. There’s magic, mystery, and a lot of gumption needed by a fledgling who finds herself knowing that she can do more than sit around and hope everything will work out. I highly recommend this book to any who love fairy tales, fairy tale retellings, magic, mages, political intrigue, nature, and the forest.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

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Synopsis:
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. She will face an impossible challenge and, along with two unlikely allies, uncover a secret that threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike.

Review:
“But the world I wanted wasn’t the world I lived in, and if I would do nothing until I could repair every terrible thing at once, I would do nothing forever.” (Page 404)

This book was more than I ever could have asked or expected. While clearly a take, in some regard, to Rumpelstiltskin, this book turns the tale on its head. I absolutely loved how the Jewish religion played into this book. As someone who is not of the religion featured, I found it really interesting how in depth the book was, especially regarding the prejudices that many would have from practicing another religion. I loved how everyone was willing to take when they didn’t think there would be any repayments; and that Miryem was done with that. In fact, most of the women featured were done with the glass boxes they were placed within and were ready to do whatever it took to forge something new and worthwhile.

I absolutely loved the Staryk; fey/fae creatures that clearly do not have much care for humans at all. The Staryk king very much suffers from what most do, or so it appears–those who have the power think that they should be able to wield it however they see fit. While there are still stores to be filled with gold, and magic abound, what makes this retelling stand apart is the soul of it all; everyone is doing what they believe is best to serve and save those they love. All of the characters have great depth and history, allowing a deeper understanding of motives and desires.

I wasn’t sure how I would find another book to fall into after this because it really had me. I read and reread Paul O. Zelinsky’s Rumpelstiltskin more times than I could count growing up. I took it out of the school library endlessly, and every week my Grampa read it to me again and again. This book gave me the same feeling of being deeply embroiled in a story that you could truly get lost in. I cannot recommend this novel enough. The ending is truly what makes it a masterpiece. Very well done by Novik!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

*The cover of this book has changed for kindle, and as I prefer the one still listed as the Paperback and Hardcover, that is the picture I have included.

Review of The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

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Synopsis:
The one thing you never talk about while you’re in the Scholomance is what you’ll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it’s all we dream about: the hideously slim chance we’ll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I’m out, we’re all out—and I didn’t even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother’s prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn’t kill enclavers, I saved them. Me and Orion and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: We saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves everywhere.

Ha, only joking! Actually, it’s gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war. And the first thing I’ve got to do now, having miraculously gotten out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.

Review:
This book put us right back into the world we loved, and my hope, as everyone’s is, would be that Orion, Orion, Orion will come back! This book did showcase El making some poor choices, however, that’s understandable given her age and lack of social experiences. Really wanted to hate Liesel but understand why El felt the way she did. There were quite a few quirks and turns I didn’t expect but overall I quite loved it. HATE Ophelia, but all of you will if you read this. Would have liked more for an ending after having spent so long with these characters, but otherwise, a great ending to a very gripping trilogy.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

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Synopsis:
In Wisdom, Shelter. That’s the official motto of the Scholomance. I suppose you could even argue that it’s true—only the wisdom is hard to come by, so the shelter’s rather scant. 
 
Our beloved school does its best to devour all its students—but now that I’ve reached my senior year and have actually won myself a handful of allies, it’s suddenly developed a very particular craving for me. And even if I somehow make it through the endless waves of maleficaria that it keeps throwing at me in between grueling homework assignments, I haven’t any idea how my allies and I are going to make it through the graduation hall alive. 
 
Unless, of course, I finally accept my foretold destiny of dark sorcery and destruction. That would certainly let me sail straight out of here. The course of wisdom, surely.
 
But I’m not giving in—not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. I’m going to get myself and my friends out of this hideous place for good—even if it’s the last thing I do.

With keen insight and mordant humor, Novik reminds us that sometimes it is not enough to rewrite the rules—sometimes, you need to toss out the entire rulebook.

The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Golden Enclaves

Review:
HOLY ENDING ON THE WORST POSSIBLE CLIFFHANGER EVER! If I were reading this before the series was finished, I would have immediately started bawling. These authors know how to draw you in and leave you NEEDING the next installment, which I will be starting as soon as I post this review.

This book featured so much more development of El as a person, and of the sorcerers and school. It’s interesting how the golden child and the prophesized bringer of doom have such different desires and needs, and again the question of nature versus nurture is brought up. Everything that happens is designed to draw in El and make her realize that there is more to life and people and magic and protecting the young than what the scholomance can provide. All in all, this book is a great continuation of the Scholomance legacy, and now I must immediately go and read beyond that haunting last line!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

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Synopsis:
I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life.

Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I’m concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I’m not joining his pack of adoring fans.

I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I’m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I’ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world.

At least, that’s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that’s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does.

But the Scholomance isn’t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone’s idea of the shining hero, but I’m going to make it out of this place alive, and I’m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either.

Although I’m giving serious consideration to just one.

Review:
This book has everything anyone who loves dark fantasy, YA, and magic schools would love. There are daring heroics, and the constant balance of good versus evil, and the paths/steps that must be taken to definitively choose one. From the beginning you’re left wondering if there’s anything redeeming about our protagonist but she immediately draws you in as the underdog. El is an exceedingly negative person, but she finds herself alone with no allies and insurmountable odds trying to do her best to not give in to people’s expectations of her and not get killed in the process. The problems she goes through, while severe, mirror what many feel and experience regularly when trying to fit in and find a place of their own where they can truly be seen, heard, and appreciated. There is a serious question of nature versus nurture, as she seems to inherently desire to do the wrong thing, but her mother has spent so much time teaching her a lighter path that she finds herself trying to stay on. That being said, while this book is from El’s perspective, Orion Lake, the first of which we hear of in the opening line of “I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life,” isn’t quite the glittering perfect hero he appears to be.

While the character depth and development are amazing, the scholomance, a special cylindric school, is quite unique and awesome as well. The school has rotating levels where freshman start at the top and every year you go down. In order to graduate you must go against a large selection of mals, evil magic creatures, and try to get out. A large part of the school’s job is to teach young sorcerers how to fight mal, but also how to actively do magic and whatever their affinity is. Some people, such as El, seem drawn to the dark and must make a choice about how they will continue. The power for magic can be drawn from two things: mana (energy you create) or malia (taking from others). This book could be compared to so many others, and yet, it stands completely on its own with a gothic brilliance that isn’t often seen or appreciated in YA.

All in all this book is amazing and I had to actually make myself come and write this before starting the next. The ending has stuck with me all day since I finished it this morning and I cannot wait to see what happens next!!!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯