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wondernaut55's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Drug use, and Gun violence
Deals with mental health, insensitive depictions of mental health spirals, depressionherbivorehaunts's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Very atmospheric and a perfect Halloween/autumnal read. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 for me and while it ultimately fell a little short of my expectations, I really enjoyed the reading experience. I need more sapphic dark academia!
While I enjoyed most of this, I wish that this had been written with slightly older characters. The characters felt and acted like they were in college, and I feel like all of the things they get up to could have been easier explained away by them being older. I also felt like this book could have really benefitted from an extra 100 pages or so. Dark academia shines when at a creeping, slow burn, and most of this book was that pace, which made the ending feel really rushed and all too abrupt. I loved the slow pace at the beginning and felt like the end came way too fast.
I thought the characters were interesting and very unlikeable, but in a way that you still cared about them and where they ended up in the end. I would be interested in picking another title up by this author in the future. I also liked what this book had to say about the genre as well, some interesting topics get brushed upon in terms of academia as a setting, as well as patriarchal oppression in such spheres. There are no specific men mentioned in this book, not even as a minor character, which I'm pretty sure is the first book that I've read with an all female cast. The writing style was really wonderful and I thought that overall A Lesson in Vengeance is a near-perfect dark academia read.
While I enjoyed most of this, I wish that this had been written with slightly older characters. The characters felt and acted like they were in college, and I feel like all of the things they get up to could have been easier explained away by them being older. I also felt like this book could have really benefitted from an extra 100 pages or so. Dark academia shines when at a creeping, slow burn, and most of this book was that pace, which made the ending feel really rushed and all too abrupt. I loved the slow pace at the beginning and felt like the end came way too fast.
I thought the characters were interesting and very unlikeable, but in a way that you still cared about them and where they ended up in the end. I would be interested in picking another title up by this author in the future. I also liked what this book had to say about the genre as well, some interesting topics get brushed upon in terms of academia as a setting, as well as patriarchal oppression in such spheres. There are no specific men mentioned in this book, not even as a minor character, which I'm pretty sure is the first book that I've read with an all female cast. The writing style was really wonderful and I thought that overall A Lesson in Vengeance is a near-perfect dark academia read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
4.75
Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book!
When Felicity comes back to Dalloway School after a stay in a mental hospital following her girlfriend's death, she is meant to focus on her studies and stay away from witchcraft. But Ellis Haley is in her dorm, and all of the girls are drawn to her, including Felicity. Ellis decides to teach Felicity that witchcraft isn't real by...making them dabble in witchcraft. All the while, Felicity is sure she is being haunted by her ex-girlfriend's ghost...or at least by the ghost of the founders of Dalloway school.
This book! Oh my goodness it was amazing. So so dark and mysterious and everything I wanted it to be. Felicity is such an unreliable narrator and that makes it so you never truly know what will be revealed. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing and couldn't wait to see what happened next. I couldn't believe how this story ended, but I loved every minute I spent reading it!
Pub date: August 3, 2021
When Felicity comes back to Dalloway School after a stay in a mental hospital following her girlfriend's death, she is meant to focus on her studies and stay away from witchcraft. But Ellis Haley is in her dorm, and all of the girls are drawn to her, including Felicity. Ellis decides to teach Felicity that witchcraft isn't real by...making them dabble in witchcraft. All the while, Felicity is sure she is being haunted by her ex-girlfriend's ghost...or at least by the ghost of the founders of Dalloway school.
This book! Oh my goodness it was amazing. So so dark and mysterious and everything I wanted it to be. Felicity is such an unreliable narrator and that makes it so you never truly know what will be revealed. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing and couldn't wait to see what happened next. I couldn't believe how this story ended, but I loved every minute I spent reading it!
Pub date: August 3, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Body horror
Minor: Vomit
caseythereader'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
4.0
Thanks to Delacorte Press for the free advance copy of this book.
- Lesbian. Dark. Academia. Need I say more?
- Okay okay, I'll say a little more. I loved falling into the history and mythology of Dalloway with Felicity. A LESSON IN VENGEANCE had me second guessing myself, mistrusting everyone, and watching helplessly as the train jumped the tracks.
- I have some minor quibbles with the pacing, but when things get going, they REALLY get going. There are a couple points where new information is dropped and my jaw dropped along with it.
- Lesbian. Dark. Academia. Need I say more?
- Okay okay, I'll say a little more. I loved falling into the history and mythology of Dalloway with Felicity. A LESSON IN VENGEANCE had me second guessing myself, mistrusting everyone, and watching helplessly as the train jumped the tracks.
- I have some minor quibbles with the pacing, but when things get going, they REALLY get going. There are a couple points where new information is dropped and my jaw dropped along with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Violence
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