Reviews tagging 'Violence'

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

78 reviews

dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The premise of this book sounded excellent and in the first few chapters it really seems like something epic is going to happen. Then you hit the halfway point and you start to wonder what the plot actually is. The problem being, that’s around the point you stop caring. 

At 3/4 the way through I guessed the ending and probably would have DNF’d if I hadn’t been curious enough to see if I was right. I was, for the record, but it was so anticlimactic that being right wasn’t even satisfying. I wish I’d read something else instead. 

To me, this reads as more of a domestic thriller (that just happened to be in a school) than it does dark academia (I know opinions on what this actually entails vary). The plot was familiar in that I basically read the same thing earlier this year and Lee didn’t add anything to it that made it feel new or worthwhile. 

I wish Lee had leaned into the Supernatural aspect more because the story of the witches and the mystery surrounding their murders would have been a far more interesting than what we actually get. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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 and twisting, this dark academia thriller grips you from start to finish.

I struggled to put this book down, it truly is a masterpiece for the mind. Disturbing and luscious all at once. A story within a story that unfolds not like a flower but like broken origami, sharp and crisp.

If you love psychological thrillers dashed with a hint of supernatural in a dark academic setting - then this could be for you!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Ex Scientia Ultio. From knowledge comes vengeance.” 

“The question isn't whether magic is real. It's whether I can touch it without being consumed by it.”

This book was alright. The dark academia vibes were spooky and fun. The fact that there was absolutely zero characters that were men was delightful. I didn't fully realize until the very end but every character either identifies as a woman or nonbinary. Loved that representation! I also really liked when the writing got a little meta. However, I found it slightly annoying when the author said something to the extent of "she touched me and I felt a tingle go down my spine" for the 50th time. Like find a new description, please. But ultimately, the atmosphere was this book's saving grace, for sure. The writing and plot weren't terrible. I found different parts intriguing but the first two-thirds or so were kind of slow. It really picked up in the last third but by then I had predicted a major plot twist so when it happened, it didn't impact me the way I expect it was meant to. If  YA thrillers and dark academia are your jam, you'd probably enjoy this more than I did.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I’m not usually into mystery, seeing as I don’t like not knowing things, but this was a dark academia ghostly book about academies and witches. I just had to read it. It was so much more than a mystery it was a dark reflection of passion and the need to create something perfect, the hunger to strive for true excellence in your work. I sort of saw the plot twist coming but the realization of my thoughts becoming truth was invigorating. Some part of me hoped that it wasn’t true, but I’m honestly glad the way Lee took the story to twist it into an even darker book. I love the way this book portrayed emotional disturbance, mental illness, and the stress of modern day. While also portraying the complex relationships and betrayals of the characters. A lesson in vengeance is the perfect title for this book because it summarizes the book in 4 words. I was encapsulated by this book and recommend people who are fans of dark fiction to read this! And also was super thrilled to finally read a dark academia book where the main character was lesbian and the side characters sibling was non-binary. We need more LGBTQ+ dark academia novels in society today.

I will say though while there was a good diversity of sexuality’s and gender expression the solely black character that was included was only used as an interpretation of the “wrongness” of the academy to use a woman of color to their benefit, while basically using this said woman of color to heighten a white woman’s experience. They glanced over important topics of the civil rights movement and barely explored Leonie except to say she was a black woman. I definitely think Lee could’ve used her for more than that not just further a white woman’s experience with racism and it’s history. 

Nevertheless, my perception of the novel is one that is eerily creepy yet beautifully haunting and will love reading this again and again and recommending to my friends to see their reactions.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

good. it’s just that it got slow sometimes. it could be repetitive but the set up was great and the characters were very compelling. the ending wasn’t predictable but it was hinted at and i liked it

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

The story kept me hooked almost the whole way through. The setting was stunning, and the plot was of the twist variety -very entertaining even if somewhat guessable- so I thoroughly enjoyed those aspects of the book.
However, there were a couple of random things that confused me (such as Felicity mentioning that she never knew her grandparents when a couple of chapters before she was reminiscing fondly of her grandmother, but maybe that was an error on my part); and some of the book just wasn't to my taste, but, overall, it was an interesting and fun read.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings