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LoganLib_Sheridan
Jan 11, 2021LoganLib_Sheridan rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book! I think it was a lot younger and tropish than here usual writing but there was still a lot of dangerous and deadly magic as you would expect from a Naomi Novik novel. So my favourite part might have been the relationship between El and Orian. El is pragmatic and you could call her a realist but pessimist works. Orian is a happy go-lucky enclave kid who is set apart from his peers. He is the brave hero constantly jumping into danger. Do you see where this is going because I did and it was beautiful. El thought her biggest worry would be surviving school and not fulfilling a dark prophecy about her powers but honestly now shes more worried about Orian doing something stupid in the name of saving everyone else and getting both of them killed... and surviving school. The dark world of magic has a very gothic feel as they look out for monsters at every turn... literally. The alliances formed were interesting to watch as they learned to rely on each other in a world where betrayal could kill you. I loved the complex but easy to learn system of magic used in this book. It has magic that comes at a cost, it's not limitless and it makes those who use it, especially in an isolated school, ruthless in protecting their stores of magic. The lack of trust makes the building of relationships, platonic and otherwise, very interesting to watch. Trust is slow to come when everything has a price. You have to know just who you're allying yourself with and whether you're willing to pay the cost. I loved this book and am impatiently waiting for the next one!