What’s up, wizards! We wanted to get a little creepy and crawly with our October book club selection, so we’re enrolling all of our chapters into Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education, which also happens to be a stupendous fantasy story featuring a lovably prickly heroine. Yes, it’s the first of a trilogy, but trust us, it’s much less of a trick than a treat.
See below for the discussion questions, and watch out for maw-mouths!
P.S. If you’ve already read the book, feel free to add any other discussion questions of your own in the comments!
Icebreaker
To build up power (mana), the students at the Scholomance have to do tasks that require effort, whether it’s physical or mental. El will often do pushups or crochet to build up her mana. What is something you do on the regular that really builds up your mana?
Discussion Questions
El is a complicated protagonist, to say the least. Did you like her immediately or no? How did your feelings toward her change over the course of the book?
Naomi Novik’s world building hits the ground running. How did you feel about her approach? And what did you think of her take on magic and the world building overall? Did it feel unique or not to you? Which aspect did you find the most imaginative?
Did El and Orion’s relationship intrigue you? Why or why not?
The Scholomance has a lot of, shall we say, quirks. Which one was your favorite?
From a soul eater to an agglo to a mimic to a scratcher to a maw-mouth, all of the Maleficaria are awful, but with that said, which one did you find the most interesting?
Through the lens of enclaves, Novik explores the impact and power of wealth and privilege. Did you find this compelling or superficial?
How much did you love El’s mom?
How about that ending?!!
Do you plan on reading the next book? Which aspects of the world do you hope Novak delves more into in the next installment?
