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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Sapphic gothic YA/dark academia. I've had this on my list for a while but I found it pretty trope-heavy, clunky, and awkward. Poor depictions of mental health, misguided use of representation (the only Black character seems to exist to teach the white heroine about racism??) and overall unsympathetic characters. Skip it.
*3.5/5 stars*
I lovvveddd the dark academia vibes of this one. I enjoyed it, but it just didn’t blow me away.
I lovvveddd the dark academia vibes of this one. I enjoyed it, but it just didn’t blow me away.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A Lesson in Vengeance truly left my jaw on the floor in the last few chapters. If you want a story of obsession, love, obedience, and growth this is the story for you...except not in the way you would think.
After the first few chapters I just KNEW how this story would end...except when the plot thickened and I saw a glimmer of hope. Like the main character, I broke down my walls. And even then, the ending wasn't what I expected because there was another twist.
After the first few chapters I just KNEW how this story would end...except when the plot thickened and I saw a glimmer of hope. Like the main character, I broke down my walls. And even then, the ending wasn't what I expected because there was another twist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder
Minor: Blood
dark
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Quite literally this book kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing the entire time what twist was going to come. The beginning was a slow burn, eerie and uncertain and certainly intriguing. And then the book picks up and you start to question everything that has been laid out. Loved every second of this wild ride!
Felicity Morrow returns to Dalloway School after a period of time away recovering from the death of her girlfriend Alex, another Dalloway student. On her return she forms new friendships, most notably with Ellis Hale, a prodigy novelist looking to work on her latest novel.
What stood out to me most about this book was the atmosphere. The setting worked so well with the gothic, dark academia vibes and I really appreciated all the literary references peppered throughout.
Felicity was a fantastic unreliable narrator. One of my favourite things about an unreliable narrator is that nothing is out of bounds and you never know what to expect and this was certainly delivered in A Lesson In Vengence. Felicity’s tendency to obsess over certain aspects of her life and the people around her really added to the uncomfortable atmosphere and building tension.
There were gentle moments to the story too which balanced out some of the darker parts. Overall a page-turning, unsettling thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Titan Books for the review copy
What stood out to me most about this book was the atmosphere. The setting worked so well with the gothic, dark academia vibes and I really appreciated all the literary references peppered throughout.
Felicity was a fantastic unreliable narrator. One of my favourite things about an unreliable narrator is that nothing is out of bounds and you never know what to expect and this was certainly delivered in A Lesson In Vengence. Felicity’s tendency to obsess over certain aspects of her life and the people around her really added to the uncomfortable atmosphere and building tension.
There were gentle moments to the story too which balanced out some of the darker parts. Overall a page-turning, unsettling thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Titan Books for the review copy
Didnt expect that ending, it takes a lot for me to say that. The insanity of the characters was written very well, i could truly feel it. This book perplexed me in ways I do not care to explain.