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jesliwen's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
holy shit the last hundred pages of this book is CRAZY and the best part,, but some of the representation is questionable and honestly i was confused often. so basically lesbian dark academia but i have no idea what’s going on half the time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Alcohol
Minor: Racism
jennb_reading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
solarel's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
At some points in this book I thought I was able to predict what would come next but I was always proven wrong. It kept me in a state of shock at every step with plot twists and reveals.
With the subject of high school girls, it makes sense that it read like a YA. At some points it felt like it was almost pretentiously trying to be adult, but that’s also on theme. The prose felt like it was trying too hard at times to be dark and edgy, but overall the vibes were very spooky academic.
Definitely a page turner. I enjoyed it.
With the subject of high school girls, it makes sense that it read like a YA. At some points it felt like it was almost pretentiously trying to be adult, but that’s also on theme. The prose felt like it was trying too hard at times to be dark and edgy, but overall the vibes were very spooky academic.
Definitely a page turner. I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Gun violence, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Grief, Murder, Outing, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Grief, and Murder
itzbrianna's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A Lesson in Vengeance is definitely dark queer academia with descriptions that will leave you haunted much like Felicity is during her time at Dalloway. While the descriptions of certain things were cheesy and even cringy are times, Victoria Lee still did a great job making you second guest whether or not the ghosts were real.
As someone who indulges in mystery and true crime a lot, the little details piled up and supported my guess on how I thought this would end. Follow your instincts.
What I wish for was a better climax. The climax seemed matter of fact and lacked luster to me. It wasn’t the what as I enjoyed that parallel of the story. But it was the steps leading to the how that failed to provide the ultimate umph you are hoping for as you read a story like this. I’m trying to not spoil it….
If you enjoy slow angst romance, haunted boarding schools, and mysterious new students then this is the read for you. A Lesson in Vengeance will leave you riddled and wondering whose the real villain of the story.
As someone who indulges in mystery and true crime a lot, the little details piled up and supported my guess on how I thought this would end. Follow your instincts.
What I wish for was a better climax. The climax seemed matter of fact and lacked luster to me. It wasn’t the what as I enjoyed that parallel of the story. But it was the steps leading to the how that failed to provide the ultimate umph you are hoping for as you read a story like this. I’m trying to not spoil it….
If you enjoy slow angst romance, haunted boarding schools, and mysterious new students then this is the read for you. A Lesson in Vengeance will leave you riddled and wondering whose the real villain of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
notlikethebeer's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I am, openly, not a fan of books that aren't set firmly in The Real World. Even magical realism can get a bit too fantastical for me. And yet, every now and again, a book comes along and breaks that exception. This was one of them. A Lesson in Vengeance is dark and enticing and engrossing. It gave me Moira Fowley-Doyle vibes in a lot of ways, as well as Secret History vibes at times too - it definitely fits firmly into dark academia. And yet it went far darker than either of those, often quite unsettlingly so. Despite the various twisted parts, I really enjoyed getting to know each of the characters, and there was a great sense of unreliability and conflict as to who could be trusted and who couldn't - along with what could be trusted, and what couldn't. I personally loved the ending too, I can see why others might not, but I thought it was perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Death, and Grief
klpage's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Such a good read for autumn and spooky season! This is the kind of dark academia I like! Witchy, dark magic, a bit of a psychological twist thrown in with the characters too.
Loved it! Definitely recommend.
Loved it! Definitely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Vomit, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Death, and Drug use
vagrantheather's review
adventurous
dark
tense
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
5.0
A spooky dark academia with an unreliable narrator. Lots of fun. I do think the characters are much too well read for teenagers - they all speak academia fluently and have fixed thoughts on concepts and authors unknown outside of the realm of academic literature - would have worked better for me if they were in university looking forward to Masters programs. In general they just aren't at all young acting. And the way all of the adults in the background tacitly permit smoking, drinking, and a total lack of supervision, seems to me more like college than a pricey boarding school full of academically inclined socialites.
But those gripes are minor and in general I loved the mood, setting, writing, moral flexibility, and disconnection from reality. It was a lot of fun to read!
But those gripes are minor and in general I loved the mood, setting, writing, moral flexibility, and disconnection from reality. It was a lot of fun to read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Animal death, Abandonment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Dysphoria
Minor: Cursing, Outing, Sexual content, Gun violence, and Drug use
micaelacccc's review against another edition
There is literally nothing interesting about this, I wanted so much more out of a 'queer dark academia fans have been waiting for' I wanted murder mystery and girls falling in love (and maybe some of that kind of happens later idk?) But I couldn't get myself to keep going to get past the page 80 mark. It's just Felicity complaining and weird things happening and just such a bland story really for what I imagined, it did not live up to what I had pictured sadly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
fionamatilda's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Death, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship