The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

This is the group thread for A Deadly Education!

This thread is open for discussion beginning October 1st! Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed (mark as a spoiler) in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days of the month can be used to catch up if needed! Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads.

The Group Read Discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 10/01
October 01: Chapter 1 25 pages
October 02: Chapter 2 25 pages

Week of 10/03
October 03: Chapter 3 25 pages
October 04: Chapter 4 25 pages
October 05: Chapter 5 25 pages
October 06: Chapter 6 25 pages
October 07: Chapter 7 25 pages
October 08: Chapter 8 25 pages
October 09: Chapter 9 25 pages

Week of 10/10
October 10: Chapter 10 25 pages
October 11: Chapter 11 25 pages
October 12: Chapter 12 25 pages
October 13: Chapter 13 25 pages

You can read the group book at any time during the month and at your own pace. This is the pace the group will be using, but if you read ahead or will be giving spoilers, please mark them (click the "some html is ok button"). If you have any questions a mod or another member can help you.

Must be active in the group discussion to count for the points. Minimum of two comments talking about the contents of the book, not only "It's good, I like this/that."

Ok somehow I started this and got completely sucked i - I'm about halfway through.

I really didn't enjoy Spinning Silver, so I was hesitant to try this, but so far I'm eating my words. I'm a sucker for dark academia, what can I say.

The magic system and the atmosphere seem super interesting, and I'd still love to know more about how the Scholomance actually operates as that's still a bit hazy to me.

The characters seem engaging, although I'd love to see a bit more about the characters other than El and Orion. (view spoiler)[ El's insistence that she's evil is brilliant! as well as her 'hatred' for Orion (hide spoiler)]


Also, it's so strange to see Dubai/the UAE mentioned in books as that rarely happens!

So I'm having a conversation with myself for now until others join in! I finished the book last night (I kind of got sucked in) and, to be honest, I had mixed feelings.

I did love the way the relationship between El and Orion developed. but I'd love to have had a bit more on the actual functioning of the Scholomance and the magic system, as that seems a bit hazy, and a bit more context to the Enclaves would have been great.

The narrative, while definitely confusing and dense (although not nearly as dense as Spinning Silver), somehow didn't feel like a chore though.

Overall, I did still find this an enjoyable read, and will promptly continue the series for sure, as I do hope some of the aspects will be more explained in the following books.

I wanted to read a bit before bedtime, so I picked it up, and I didn't expect it to be addicting! I love the writing style, it's so enjoyable I forget about everything.

I don't like El yet, she reminds me of someone I don't really like, but the worldbuilding is MAGICAL.
I'll comment as I go, so if anyone wants to joy I will stay here for a while haha

I read this in one day when I got it. I can't wait to read #3 and am kind of jealous of you for the first read. Glad that you all are enjoying!

I just started reading this and have already gone through the first chapter. I might be a little bit on the unpopular opinion side but I feel like it's a lot of info-dumping? I am enjoying whatever worldbuilding it has so far, but can't find myself liking the characters/plot as much yet. Hoping I'll start to like it more as I read on :)

°.~ aliana ~.° wrote: "I just started reading this and have already gone through the first chapter. I might be a little bit on the unpopular opinion side but I feel like it's a lot of info-dumping? I am enjoying whatever..."

I feel that way too, don’t worry! The first two chapters seem a little jarring to me because it feels like walking into the middle of a movie and having no idea what’s going on. I mean, I get the general picture of El and Orion’s relationship but other than that….its ehh? Also have hopes of enjoying the story more as it progresses though!

I’m enjoying the story now that I’m several chapters in. The school sounds freakin terrifying! I felt for El when she’s explaining how hard it is every moment of every day to not die; how exhausting is that?! It’s interesting that there are no teachers. The levels of the school kind of remind me of a computer game I once played called Fate, where you just keep descending levels of dungeons toward your “fate”. Graduation sounds like a nightmare. I do like El’s character in the sense of the struggle she’s putting herself through just to try to be mundane and good when it sounds like she’s capable of awesomely powerful evil. I wonder if we’ll see her give in and unleash her natural affinity.

Hey guys! So, I’ve been reading almost a chapter every few days now and I’ve only just finished Chapter 4.

So far I like the setting and the unique protagonist, but I can’t help but notice it is mostly info-dumping. (view spoiler)[And from what I’ve read around, it seems to continue that way... (hide spoiler)] However, there is some action and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I just wish there was a little bit more of dialogue, as the long paragraphs make me easily distracted... and I can’t help but wonder if the whole series will continue like that.

Finished today. The scholomance seriously seems like a Hogwarts Hunger Games! What a crazy school. I’m glad El made the alliance that she did. I’m still waiting for her to unleash her awesome power, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see what happens in the rest of the series.

Hi! I've finished it yesterday too.

As you said, it's a lot of info-dumping (and it never ends), but it's well written and it doesn't feel slow-paced. I liked that El was supposed to be evil but she avoided it as she could. But somehow her personality reminded me of someone in real life, and I couldn't really connect with her. Most of the time I didn't understand why she was angry, but I liked the moments when she got emotional and wanted to cry.

(view spoiler)[I loved when El kneed Orion after the kiss lol. I didn't feel the kiss romantic at all anyway haha ^^' (hide spoiler)]


My question for you is: would you have survived the first year in the scholomance?
I think my carelessness would have killed me.

Just reached Chapter 8, so I'm about halfway through this book.

So far, I can tell how much thought and imagination the author has put into the story, and I truly appreciate the world she has created.
But I do have to admit that it's getting harder and harder for me to keep up with everything and read all this never-ending information about this weird world. I will try to persevere, though. *major sigh*

Chapter 1 - 3 : (view spoiler)[I was so confused at first but El is growing on me now, her inner monologues are super funny and entertaining at times. I thought that Orion was literally her bodyguard lol but things got clearer in the second chapter. The school is indeed deadly and the author wasted no time in diving right into it which is something I absolutely loved. El's character took some time for me to warm up to tbh but I am enjoying the book (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4 - 6 : (view spoiler)[El definitely had a hard time while growing up and was treated poorly almost all her life which is what has made her bitter it seems. She keeps pushing away people who are are nice to her and it's just sad really. She gets attacked so frequently, Orion saving her all the time. The concept of this book is really cool and different so I am liking it better. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7  - 9 : (view spoiler)[Why is El being this way? She just can't let herself believe that Orion genuinely likes her company. When Chloe tells her all those things about Orion's childhood, I thought El would be more accomodating. I am so far into the book now but I don't know what the major plot of the book is about. So far, only the mal attacks are prominent (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10 - 11 : (view spoiler)[Ok so the whole point of the book is how El forms a group and connects with people and how they fix the machine together or whatever? That is all I understood really. It is a bit underwhelming for me personally. I like the interactions the characters have with each other but other than that, if I think about the plot as a whole it is looking a bit ridiculous to me atm (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[Orion and El's conversation at the last gave me a good chuckle but then her mom's letter has left me confused. Is it possible that Orion is not actually good and El should pay heed to her mom's warning, I think I'll dive into the next book just to find out how are El's actions affected by the letter (hide spoiler)]

Laura ☾ wrote: "So I'm having a conversation with myself for now until others join in! I finished the book last night (I kind of got sucked in) and, to be honest, I had mixed feelings.

I did love the way the rel..."

Ditto! For me the first half of the book was really engaging and I was excited to find out more about Scholomance but somewhere after the 60% mark my interest dwindled a bit. It felt like nothing major was really happening. The ending of the book though has left me curious. (view spoiler)[The letter from El's mom indicates Orion is probably dangerous but nowhere in the book could I feel any maleficence emanating from him so it'd probably be interesting to see how it all plays out (hide spoiler)]

Bopeep wrote: "Hi! I've finished it yesterday too.

As you said, it's a lot of info-dumping (and it never ends), but it's well written and it doesn't feel slow-paced. I liked that El was supposed to be evil but ..."

I WOULDN'T HAVE LOL, the frequency of attacks in Scholomance is overwhelming and I simply don't have that kind of patience to remain so vigilant all the time!

I'm still at about 50% because I've been dragging myself to read this. The whole set up is interesting, the school definitely is deadly (the title makes complete sense now aha) but just the amount of info-dumping? It's not working out for me. The paragraphs are super super long and it distracts me so much. I like the writing style though, how El is totally not serious all the time but reading her inner dialogue all the time, it kinda gets annoying. I wish there was more dialogue between the rest of the characters. I don't like her personality as much but I do enjoy how she's totally capable of all these evil things but chooses to stay away from them. Her relationship with Orion is... meh. I mean, yes she hates him for saving her on multiple occasions and yes they always argue, but she seems so annoying honestly. The poor guy is clearly just trying to help (for whatever reason I have no clue, but I feel there's this hidden motive I have yet to come across). I just can't bring myself to like this one that much unfortunately. Got 6 more chapters to go, I'm gonna try to power through this so I can get it done as soon as possible.

There isn't an ending to the information... at least not on this book, and I think that's the style of the book.

@Kira I think there is not plot exactly. They are just there and things (mals) happen, but there isn't a significant plot to continuo reading the next book (apart from that little letter).

Also I really think that Orion IS dangerous. I mean, El always think about a way to kill a monster a cleaner way than Orion, but he just destroys them with a piece of furniture, like superheroes on the movies. Maybe that's why they see him like a hero, because it's similar to the movies they see.

Good luck with that @aliana!
I didn't have any problem with the long paragraphs and the lack of dialogue, but I don't know if I will continue with the series atm.

Phew, only two chapters to go, and honestly, it's a little bit of a struggle. But, I'm determined to finish it today so that I can move on to other books, before I fall into a reading slump...

Anyway, other than the group read, what motivates me to continue is one of the drawings in the end of the book. I wonder why (view spoiler)[Chloe's room is depicted there. So far she isn't as involved in the plot as other characters, so at least that makes me curious. (hide spoiler)]

Just finished! I'm so so torn about this book. (view spoiler)[And, I still don't understand why we are shown Chloe's room in my library's edition. (hide spoiler)]

Loved the premise, but the execution felt so bland to me :/
I have to say though, the most interesting chapter of the book was the last one, with a bit of dialogue and some intrigue in the last sentence. So there's that...

I really can't decide how to rate this. I will probably have to sleep on it and decide tomorrow, haha.

I'm super late but I've finally managed to pick this up. Still on chapter one but I can definitely see what people were saying about how very heavy it is on the information being given. These are some hefty paragraphs to wade through.

My initial impression of El is that I kind of like her? She seems snarky, practical and definitely proud, and I do appreciate her dislike of being rescued when it does seem to be Orion's fault in the first place.