Scan barcode
bookameme's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dark, Gripping, & Stimulating
Quote:π
In the end, I stayed. I had the awful, yawning feeling inside myself that for her, I would always stay.
Thoughts: π‘
The first chapter had a slightly slow and meandering feel to it, but as soon as the story dove into the rivals to lovers vibes I was hooked. There is this moment of intense attraction that quickly burns into rivals that grabbed all of my attention in a sharp flash and from that point on the story had a fast and dark vibe, and I adored every minute of it. The imagery and poetry that permeated everything was spectacular. It was very LGBT positive but still recognized the struggle of marginalized people in the time period. I canβt sing enough praises for this story.
Writing Mechanics: βοΈ
The plot is inspired and the language used and structure of it all is brilliant. All the characters were beautifully developed with rich backstories and deep motivations. There were points of the story that were so eloquently written that I had to reread and ruminate on the context and beauty of it. And the poetry! Gah! I canβt sing the praises of it enough! Everything in this book was spectacular!
Fun Bits:
βοΈ Sapphic Vampires
βοΈ Academic Rivals
βοΈ Needing to Please The Teacher
βοΈ Beautiful Poetry
βοΈ Sizzling Romance
βοΈ Plus Size Heroine
Important Note:β¨
Standalone companion novel to A Dowery of Blood.
Full Content Warning:β οΈ
Uneven Power Dynamics, Inappropriate Relationships Between Professor & Students, Toxic Academic Environments, Blood, Gore, and Murder, Alcohol and Drug Use, Smoking, Racist Political Policies, Homophobia, Religious Discrimination Against Women
Stats:π
πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ
Characters: πππππ
Dark Historical Fantasy: Dark Academia, Sapphic Romance, Academic Rivals to Lovers, Vampires, Mystery Vibes
First Person, Present Tense, Dual POV
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Racism, Lesbophobia, Sexism, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Gore, Outing, Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Violence, Abandonment, Misogyny, Homophobia, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
katyakat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"An Education in Malice" by S.T. Gibson, ARC audiobook. Provided by @HachetteAudio through NetGalley
The immersive and atmospheric writing style effortlessly complements the intricate layers of the dark academia setting, drawing readers into a world of mystery and intrigue. As the story unfolds, the complex relationship between Carmilla and Laura is masterfully portrayed, showcasing a delicate balance of rivalry, affection, and conflicting emotions. Through their interactions with poetry professor, De Lafontaine, the narrative delves deeper into the dynamics of power and control within relationships, highlighting the profound impact of such imbalances on individuals.
Around a little over a third into the story, the plot started to slacken and felt somewhat forced. The main villain of the story was disappointing and felt like a background story without much at stake. However, despite these minor setbacks, the overall narrative remained engaging, and I was compelled to see how events would unfold.
Additionally, the narrator's skillful delivery enhances the overall listening experience, with her pleasant voice and subtle accents adding depth to the characters and their surroundings. While I found myself engrossed in the story, I opted to listen at a slightly increased speed to maintain momentum, as the pacing felt a tad slow at standard speed.
Without giving too much away, I found the ending poetic and intriguing, leaving me with much to ponder after the final chapter. Overall, "An Education in Malice" captivates with its richly woven narrative and compelling characters, making it a must-read for fans of dark academia and atmospheric storytelling.
The immersive and atmospheric writing style effortlessly complements the intricate layers of the dark academia setting, drawing readers into a world of mystery and intrigue. As the story unfolds, the complex relationship between Carmilla and Laura is masterfully portrayed, showcasing a delicate balance of rivalry, affection, and conflicting emotions. Through their interactions with poetry professor, De Lafontaine, the narrative delves deeper into the dynamics of power and control within relationships, highlighting the profound impact of such imbalances on individuals.
Around a little over a third into the story, the plot started to slacken and felt somewhat forced. The main villain of the story was disappointing and felt like a background story without much at stake. However, despite these minor setbacks, the overall narrative remained engaging, and I was compelled to see how events would unfold.
Additionally, the narrator's skillful delivery enhances the overall listening experience, with her pleasant voice and subtle accents adding depth to the characters and their surroundings. While I found myself engrossed in the story, I opted to listen at a slightly increased speed to maintain momentum, as the pacing felt a tad slow at standard speed.
Without giving too much away, I found the ending poetic and intriguing, leaving me with much to ponder after the final chapter. Overall, "An Education in Malice" captivates with its richly woven narrative and compelling characters, making it a must-read for fans of dark academia and atmospheric storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Outing, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent
More...