Recent Reads: The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik 
Series: The Scholomance #3
Publisher: Del Ray Books
Publication Date:  September 7, 2022

 

Format: Paperback/ Audio
Source: Own both

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

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 of the world.

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 on the horizon. And the first thing I've got to do now, having miraculously got out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.

Read my Review for Book 1! Click the Cover

 

Review: 

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS! 

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I started book 3 much later than I expected but the worldbuilding it so good, that you feel immediately back with the students of the Scholomance when you begin reading... Not much re-cap though, so there is a pro and con already... take that as you will.

The immersion that comes with the students being IN the Scholomance and school setting is obviously a bit lost in this installment. They are in the real-world now. 

El is thrust into a world of Enclaves that need her help. The mals, the worst kind are attacking Enclaves and someone or something is also attacking. She is the only one that has ever been able to defeat one without dying. 

There was so much here that was a mind-spin. Some were very off the wall others were like.. ok.. that makes sense. I felt like some of the things should have been developed on more, like Orion's background and his mother. I also wanted to learn more about her mother and father and their intentions around the Golden Enclaves, it felt like there was more there than said. 

I think that this book felt a bit rushed compared to the others, there was just a lot of realizations and things happening. With all the movement and places as well the vibe was just really different from the first two books. It was still a great book. I would love more in this world. I would love more IN the Scholomance. I felt somewhat fulfilled as this was the third book of the series but also thought it had enough to keep pushing forward as well.