Audiobook narrated by Anisha Dadia

THE LAST GRADUATE is the second installment in Namoi Novik's Scholomance series, and it continues the story of El and her friends as they try to get out of the school alive. We jump into this story right where the previous one ended, which is a good thing because A DEADLY EDUCATION ended on a major cliffhanger. Though, sadly, it wasn't addressed here. We're going to have to wait until book three for some light to be shed on that particular issue.

I really love the world-building that Naomi Novik has created in this series. We learn more about the creatures in this world and the Scholomance itself, and as with A DEADLY EDUCATION, the author takes the time to develop things. Having said that, I think that if you didn't find the first book captivating, this one isn't going to win you over. The tone and pacing are similar, and I don't think it's enough of a change for anyone to hop on board if they haven't already.

I continue to enjoy El and Orion here. El is incredibly moody, and I appreciate that she's unapologetic about it. We see moody teenage boys in YA a lot, but I feel like the moody teenage girls are just moody enough, but not so much that it could hinder the reader from liking their character. The author doesn't hold back with El's character, and I find that to be a unique element to the story. Many more relationships develop here, and I like how they aren’t all friendships. These are forced relations due to necessity and fear, and I really enjoyed getting more of the students from the Scholomance that have been on the periphery so far.

While this book is YA, it explores a lot of issues with more of an adult tone, including culture and class dynamics. At times, I had to read some parts a few times before I fully understand them, but this ensures I’m paying attention to every word.

I thought THE LAST GRADUATE was a solid second book in the Scholomance series, and with that now trademark cliffhanger ending, I’ll be desperately waiting for the last book in the trilogy!

Narration: I thought Anisha Dadia did a good job here. El’s attitude was captured to a T, as were the rest of the characters. There was good intonation and ramping up during action scenes, and I would listen to more books from the narrator in the future.