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malily8312's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5
‘An Education in Malice’ is a haunting novel about toxic love, obsession, the brutality of academia, and the terror of stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown.
Our story follows Laura and Carmilla, two precocious poetry students at an exclusive all girls college in the 1960s. If you’re familiar with your classical queer literature, the name Carmilla should already be ringing a bell. If not, give her a google (it’s worth it). These two girls become academic rivals in the poetry class of their elusive and mysterious professor Ms. De Lafontaine. But as their academic (and other) tensions increase, so does the danger.
Vampires are an overdone trope. That isn’t really up for debate. However, in ‘An Education in Malice’ Gibson manages to tap into the heart that most modern vampire novels are missing, using the fantastical elements of their nature to highlight real world fears and struggles. These vampires aren’t vampires just because it’s sexy to be a bit dangerous, or simply to add the angst of immortality to a backstory (though I won’t lie, those elements are present). These characters are vampires to allow for a cutting and vicious analysis of the predatory power dynamics of academia, and the ways that they can be exploited. When it comes down to it, vampires and dark academia are a match made in heaven. For most of this book, the explorations of how academia can be structured to foster hero worship and desperation, and how that can so easily lead to grooming, are wonderfully juggled.
I have two issues with this book that lowered the rating.
The first is primarily structural. There are several connecting points in this story where it feels a bit as though we’re having information dropped on us so we can ‘get to the good stuff’. This is particularly evident near the beginning, where we are brusquely told several things about the characters that could have been shown or developed more slowly. To me it felt as though the author knew what dynamic she wanted our characters to have and where we needed them to be for the story to start, so she got those establishing scenes and details out of the way as quickly as possible. Especially in a book as atmospheric sensual as this one, that felt jarring. For me, the structural issues weren’t enough to stop me from enjoying the story, but they were noticeable.
The second is that I felt the ending softened the impact of the story in a way that REALLY wasn’t for me. I won’t say any more to avoid spoilers, but it’s not the ending I would have chosen.
All in all, I liked this book, but I wanted to like it more. It's certainly a good read, especially if you're searching for your next dark academia fix, or looking for more sapphic fall reads, but there was the potential there to be a life changing novel and I feel it fell a bit short.
Note: eARC was provided by NetGalley and RedHook in exchange for my honest review.
‘An Education in Malice’ is a haunting novel about toxic love, obsession, the brutality of academia, and the terror of stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown.
Our story follows Laura and Carmilla, two precocious poetry students at an exclusive all girls college in the 1960s. If you’re familiar with your classical queer literature, the name Carmilla should already be ringing a bell. If not, give her a google (it’s worth it). These two girls become academic rivals in the poetry class of their elusive and mysterious professor Ms. De Lafontaine. But as their academic (and other) tensions increase, so does the danger.
Vampires are an overdone trope. That isn’t really up for debate. However, in ‘An Education in Malice’ Gibson manages to tap into the heart that most modern vampire novels are missing, using the fantastical elements of their nature to highlight real world fears and struggles. These vampires aren’t vampires just because it’s sexy to be a bit dangerous, or simply to add the angst of immortality to a backstory (though I won’t lie, those elements are present). These characters are vampires to allow for a cutting and vicious analysis of the predatory power dynamics of academia, and the ways that they can be exploited. When it comes down to it, vampires and dark academia are a match made in heaven. For most of this book, the explorations of how academia can be structured to foster hero worship and desperation, and how that can so easily lead to grooming, are wonderfully juggled.
I have two issues with this book that lowered the rating.
The first is primarily structural. There are several connecting points in this story where it feels a bit as though we’re having information dropped on us so we can ‘get to the good stuff’. This is particularly evident near the beginning, where we are brusquely told several things about the characters that could have been shown or developed more slowly. To me it felt as though the author knew what dynamic she wanted our characters to have and where we needed them to be for the story to start, so she got those establishing scenes and details out of the way as quickly as possible. Especially in a book as atmospheric sensual as this one, that felt jarring. For me, the structural issues weren’t enough to stop me from enjoying the story, but they were noticeable.
The second is that I felt the ending softened the impact of the story in a way that REALLY wasn’t for me. I won’t say any more to avoid spoilers, but it’s not the ending I would have chosen.
All in all, I liked this book, but I wanted to like it more. It's certainly a good read, especially if you're searching for your next dark academia fix, or looking for more sapphic fall reads, but there was the potential there to be a life changing novel and I feel it fell a bit short.
Note: eARC was provided by NetGalley and RedHook in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Blood, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia
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