A review by henrygravesprince
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

In the interest of full disclosure, this review is specifically regarding an ALC copy of the audiobook from Net Galley, so while I imagine this audiobook was pretty close to finalized, some details may have been changed between my copy and the official release.

If you’re interested in sapphic adult romance, dark academia aesthetics, intense relationships, and vampires, I think this book is worth the time. My usual strongest vs weakest aspect evaluation is a little different this time: they both deal primary with character dynamics. The strongest aspect of this is the core relationship between Carmilla and Laura, from rivalry to infatuation; the weakest, to me, is the failure to really bring the subplot about Carmilla and De Lafontaine’s relationship to a meaningful conclusion. I would have really liked for the book to get more into dark academic themes and historical (1960s) elements; they work fine as set dressing for the novel, but I feel it would go from a good book to a very compelling one if those elements were more developed. I’m very interested in checking out the author’s other work.

The narrative at hand is coherent overall, but it did leave me wanting. It feels a little undercooked. I enjoyed the overarching development of Laura and Carmilla throughout the narrative as individuals and as a pair, growing from rivals to friends to lovers. The dynamic shift after Carmilla’s transformation in particular is very interesting. Character voice was compelling, particularly in conjunction with the stellar narration of the audiobook. The extended cast wasn’t really memorable, though for the purposes of this book, I think that’s just fine.

The secondary plotlines, I think, could have been bolstered some to really make this book feel complete. It sometimes feels like the Isis subplot was only put in to justify
Carmilla’s transformation
, and was otherwise rushed over. I feel like the dynamic between
De Lafontaine and Carmilla
is realistic
to one where someone is being preyed on by a person in a position of power
, and as a result, I find the conclusion to that relationship very unsatisfactory. It does feel like the author is trying to portray it that way, but I feel like the amicable ending to it just doesn’t track, especially with how
emotionally abusive De Lafontaine was towards Carmilla for a majority of the book
. I think the dark academia aspect would be heightened beyond its aesthetics if the story actually delved into the weeds
of how much power professors have over their students
.

The writing style is very well-developed and characteristic, being one of the better parts of this book. The use of visual and sensory description is, for the most part, poetic and pleasant, but I’d have enjoyed more being present. Some of the themes were strong and well-incorporated, particularly that of power and control; others were a bit murky and vague. The pacing is adequate, and paired with the straightforward flow of the book, makes a pretty quick read. Exposition was relatively effective, not bogging the story down much or detracting from the linear quality of the story. I think the narrator did a stellar performance here, and enhanced the reading experience.
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