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sleepysapph_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Murder, Death, Blood, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting, Animal death, Violence, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Racism
marcilene's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death, and Alcohol
blackheart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Drug use, Gore, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Murder, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Classism, Cursing, Vomit, Death, Animal death, and Toxic relationship
wardenred's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
I feel as if the next year has just opened up in front of me, a great and yawning void that consumes all light. What will emerge from that darkness? What ghosts will reach from the shadows to close their fingers around my neck?
A few years ago I tried to read a different book by Victoria Lee and was underwhelmed to the point of DNFing. So no matter how intriguing A Lesson in Vengeance looked, I didn't have particularly high expectations for it. I certainly didn't expect to blast through the entire book in one go because I simply couldn't put it down!
Looking at the book critically, I certainly see it's got flaws. There's a certain clunkiness to how some parts of the plot fit together. Ellis doesn't make for a convincing Pulitzer-winning literary prodigy, what with every quote pulled from her manuscripts reading like regular middle-of-the-shelf witchy YA. Some of the representation feels heavy-handed and imperfect. For a dark academia novel, there's too little academia here behind all the pretentious talk.
But, listen, the vibes! The vibes are so thick here and so deliciously creepy. It's been a while, I think, since I read something so absolutely atmospheric. I started reading the book in broad daylight, and I almost immediately felt like I was instead sitting in a darkened room with shadows lurking in every corner. The prose here is so vivid and engrossing, and I loved being in Felicity's head, trying to guess at what was real and what wasn't about everything that went on. All the tension, murder, and creepy witchiness made for a perfect cocktail to bring some Halloween mood into a gloomy December.
I do wish there was more actual academia, though. And to get to know some of the side characters better, although I kind of do understand why practically no one was fully realized. Throughout the narrative, Felicity pretty much only has eyes for Ellis, herself, and the long-buried Alex; it's no wonder all the other girls drift in and out of her periphery, providing nothing more than vivid snapshots of their presence.
All in all: a flawed yet delightful read with great prose and one of my favorite unreliable narrators.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Alcohol, Mental illness, Murder, and Gaslighting
ahntologies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism
solarel's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
- 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
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Grief, and Murder
notlikethebeer's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Death, and Grief
vagrantheather's review against another edition
- 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
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!
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
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual content, Abandonment, Ableism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Vomit
Minor: Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Racism, and Transphobia