a wednesday books education

[landofnowhere]

A Deadly Education, Naomi Novik. Reread for book club -- rereading was definitely a different experience, coming in already knowing the shape of the story. Still resonates with me and my feelings about educational systems in a bunch of different ways. I'm a sucker for stories about "a group of young people, when left to their own devices, come together and end up accomplishing something amazing that no one expected they would be able to do." But yeah, I also see the systemic failure of the Scholomance. Someone brought up Year of the Griffin in the book club, which is a good comparison: would the YoTG gang be happier in the Scholomance where there are no professors to get in their way? Or would the Scholomance get in their way more?

Murder Must Advertise, Dorothy Sayers. Also a reread, though it's been longer on this one. Only a couple chapters in, but enjoying the advertising office ambiance.

Comments

[ladyherenya]

Ooh, maybe I should read A Deadly Education. The things I've read about it so far have given me vague "perhaps for me" vibes, but I really like people taking charge of their own education. (I love Year of the Griffin.)

[landofnowhere]

It's not that, exactly -- it's a school without human teachers, but the school is still sentient and gives the students assignments. I wouldn't say so much that the students "take charge of their education", but rather ultimately band together and fix one aspect of the school that's been terribly broken.