The Last Graduate

by Naomi Novik

Hardcover, 336 pages

English language

Published July 5, 2021 by Del Rey.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-12886-2

(101 reviews)

A budding dark sorceress determined not to use her formidable powers uncovers yet more secrets about the workings of her world in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education, the start of Naomi Novik's groundbreaking crossover series.

At the Scholomance, El, Orion, and the other students are faced with their final year--and the looming specter of graduation, a deadly ritual that leaves few students alive in its wake. El is determined that her chosen group will survive, but it is a prospect that is looking harder by the day as the savagery of the school ramps up. Until El realizes that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules . . .

5 editions

Matt K reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

A Blast Graduate

4 stars

Ok - the previous book ends so well, and drops a huge cliffhanger in the final paragraph. I'm glad I was reading these after they were all done because I'd HATE to wait a year for the next book

This is the graduating year for El in the Scholomance, the murderous school for wizards with deadly monsters around every corner. It really starts to heighten the tension between the tenets of Realpolitik and Mutualism. The world of wizards is brutal realpolitik. Every thing is a dismal trade - no one will help anyone without a benefit because every resource is hoarded against the day of graduation, where every single advantage is needed to improve your odds of not dying or worse. Worse is definitely a real possibility. In comes El and she does not need to trade. She destroys the economics by being able to do more.

I really enjoyed …

Ok - the previous book ends so well, and drops a huge cliffhanger in the final paragraph. I'm glad I was reading these after they were all done because I'd HATE to wait a year for the next book

I really enjoyed this - couldn't help but tear through it in a few days. I like seeing El slowly overcome the social obstacles, the economic obstacles and finally the school itself in a fantastic climax. One downer is that this really is only possible because El is a kind of chosen one. Absent El, no one else could have done this. No group of kids before her could have made her choices. But she does have a real set of choices and she DOES make good choices that are very hard.

And the ending isn't just good - it's a triumph. We are along for a hell of a ride.

And it's the second in the trilogy. So, you know, the very last paragraph comes hard again. Damnit.

Alex Cabe reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

More Complete Than the First One

5 stars

I enjoyed how El continued to develop and grow in a realistic way, and it was great to see her with her friends. Some suspension of disbelief is needed to accept the logic of the Scholomance, but, hey, it's magic.

The only knock was that it dragged a bit in the middle.

This felt like far more of a complete book than the first one, and the story structure worked well to keep me hooked until the conclusion. I'm a bit concerned about how they'll top it being outside of the school in the next one.

Jan Brofka-Berends reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Continues to be very, very fun—and continues the commentary on inequality

4 stars

The inequality metaphor and commentary isn't exactly subtle or supremely deep, but it does illustrate the ways people comply with oppressive systems ... all while involving us in a rollicking magic adventure.

Andy P. reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Harry Potter and the trolly problem

5 stars

Dang these books are brutal, but this is the perfect conclusion to a great series. Much better, deeper and richer than HP in my opinion.

Andy Christmas reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

More fast paced dark magical fun!

4 stars

Part 2 continues the story in the scholomance. A few twists along the way. Thoroughly enjoyable read!

Daryl76679 reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Really Excited to Read the Next One

5 stars

Novik clearly knows how to write a good book. Great fun. 4.6/5

Chris he/they reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Can't wait for more from Novik!

No rating

I get absolutely absorbed into Novik's writing every new novel. If you liked A Deadly Education, you owe it to yourself to read this next installation in the series.

Mightyrama reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

The Last Graduate

4 stars

I did get a little tired of how much El obsesses about everything. But still great and I love the characters and the world.

Mightyrama reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

The Last Graduate -

4 stars

I did get a little tired of how much El obsesses about everything. But still great and I love the characters and the world.

Axl reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Review of 'The Last Graduate' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I'm sorry, the last line of this book should be illegal

With this second book, I loved our main character El even more, (having a 1st person pov is good for that), but I also didnt feel as connected to the other characters. This style of writing with a lot of explaining is not as bad as it sounds, because I enjoyed reading the experience of this deadly school and her "daily life", now waiting for the final book release in september lol

Chaostheorie reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Review of 'The Last Graduate' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I'm too overwhelmed to say much at this stage, except that I expected exactly this cliffhanger ending all while hoping that it wasn't coming. Very Greek tragedy in that way. Can't wait for the final book.

Otherwise I'll just say again how refreshing it is to have a main character in a wizarding school story who recognises the injustices in wizard society, and then instead of just trying to restore the status quo and feeling vaguely sorry for themselves, she does something to fundamentally make things better. (Yes, that's a subtweet.)

AJ Kerrigan reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Review of 'The Last Graduate' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Loved it, though reading it before the last book's release was a mistake :(.

ish-i-ness reviewed Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Review of 'Last Graduate' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I love what this series is doing. I think it works pretty well as a YA fantasy romance while also giving a nuanced analogy for power dynamics in the real world, where people have to balance their desire to be good and kind with the realities of a world where resources are finite but threats to survival are not. I can’t wait to see what the graduates of the Scholomance, having finally gained the insight the school was pushing them towards all along, do next. They have a huge task in front of them: sharing that education with the rest of the world of wizards.

B. Zelkovich reviewed Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Review of 'Last Graduate' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I really love this world and the characters. El and Orion are amazing, but so are Aadhya and Liu. I have a lot of questions after that ending (

Lord of Candy reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance, #2)

Review of 'The Last Graduate' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Well you had to continue, we have to graduate.. don't we?

Character development was pretty spot on pace and the narrative just a fun ride. Again the spells, lore, and creature compendium is worthy of a book all its own. 'The Grimoire of the Scholomance" or something.

These books end on pretty good hard edges so you really do have to keep going if you want to know, and.. I want to know.