About the Book
The Last Graduate is the second book in Naomi Novik's Scholomance trilogy, a dark fantasy series set inside a school that actively tries to kill its students. Where the first book, A Deadly Education, established the premise and the sharp-tongued protagonist El (Galadriel), this installment picks up in her senior year as graduation, the most lethal moment in a student's time at the Scholomance, draws closer.
The central tension here is survival at scale. El has spent most of her time at the school operating as a reluctant loner, but senior year forces her into a different position: whether she likes it or not, she's become someone other students depend on. The book explores what that means for someone whose instincts run toward self-preservation and whose magical abilities skew toward mass destruction.
This is not a standalone entry. Reading or listening to A Deadly Education first is essential, the characters, the world rules, and the emotional dynamics all carry over directly. The book ends on a hard cliffhanger, so listeners should go in knowing this is the middle chapter of a trilogy, not a complete arc.
Narration & Audio Performance
Anisha Dadia narrated the first book in the series and returns here, which matters more than it might seem. El's voice is highly specific, first-person, sardonic, frequently self-contradictory in ways that are meant to be funny and a little painful. Dadia has a clear handle on that register by now, and the consistency between books one and two makes the listening experience feel continuous rather than reset.
The pacing works well for this material. El's internal monologue is dense and often runs long, and Dadia keeps it moving without rushing. Character differentiation is reasonable, Orion, the other central character, reads as distinct from El, and the ensemble of supporting students doesn't blur together too badly given how many names get introduced.
There's not enough widely documented listener feedback to make a firm call on whether the narration is universally liked, but no significant criticism of Dadia's performance appears to be circulating. Listeners who found her approach to El in the first book effective should have no complaints here. If you haven't sampled the series yet, the Audible sample for A Deadly Education is a reasonable proxy for what to expect.
The Audible Verdict
The narration is consistent and the audio format works for this type of first-person fantasy. That said, this is book two of three, using a credit here assumes you're already committed to the series. If you've listened to A Deadly Education on audio and liked it, this is a natural continuation. If you're new to the series, start there first and use the credit on whichever entry hooks you.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
The Scholomance books are built around a single narrator's interior voice, which is a good fit for audio. El's commentary on events, other characters, and her own motives is where most of the storytelling happens, and Dadia's delivery keeps that layer active rather than letting it flatten into recitation.
The world-building in this series is fairly dense, there are rules, factions, and terminology that accumulate across the books, but it's delivered through El's voice rather than through expository passages or reference material, which means it translates to audio without much loss. There are no charts, maps, or appendices that matter here.
One practical note: the cliffhanger ending may hit harder in audio than in print, simply because there's no visual cue that pages are running out. Listeners who prefer to know what they're getting into should be aware that the story stops at a significant mid-arc moment.
Popular Listener Questions
Do I need to read or listen to A Deadly Education first?
Yes, absolutely. The Last Graduate picks up directly where A Deadly Education ends. Character relationships, the school's mechanics, and several key plot points from book one are assumed knowledge throughout.
Is this the final book in the series?
No. This is the second of three books. The third book is The Golden Enclaves. The Last Graduate ends on a significant cliffhanger, so plan accordingly.
Is the narrator the same as in the first book?
Yes. Anisha Dadia narrated A Deadly Education and returns for The Last Graduate, so the voice and tone are consistent across both entries.
What genre does this fall into?
Dark fantasy with strong YA-adjacent sensibilities, though it's published for a general adult audience. The school setting and coming-of-age elements will appeal to readers who enjoyed Harry Potter or Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse, but the tone is drier and more cynical than either.
Similar Audiobooks
The direct predecessor, listening to this first is required before starting The Last Graduate.
The concluding volume of the Scholomance trilogy, also narrated by Anisha Dadia.
Naomi Novik's standalone dark fantasy novel, a good entry point for readers unfamiliar with her work before committing to a trilogy.
Ninth House
Leigh Bardugo's adult dark fantasy about a secret magical institution. Shares the dangerous-school premise and a sardonic female lead.
The Magicians
Lev Grossman's take on a school for adult magicians, darker and more disillusioned than the Scholomance, but shares the institutional horror angle.
Audiobook Details
| Title | The Last Graduate |
|---|---|
| Author | Naomi Novik |
| Narrator | Anisha Dadia |
| Genre | Dark Fantasy |
| Year | 2021 |
| Publisher | Del Rey |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | No |
Ready to listen?
The Last Graduate is available on Audible and is a reasonable use of a free trial credit if you're already following the series on audio.
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