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A review by seekerxr
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed this a lot! Gibson's prose is just as haunting and melodic as it was in A Diary of Blood and I have a special craving in my heart for Carmilla retellings because the original classic let me down so much more than Dracula did. This is the first retelling I came across that I really enjoyed.
While I did enjoy the display of toxic power dynamics within the story of Carmilla and De Lefontaine's relationship, I have to wonder why the author even added her in at all? The original story really just focuses on Laura and Carmilla and I think everything that has been done in this book could've been accomplished without De Lefontaine as a presence at all. I don't think her inclusion takes away from the story any, we still get plenty of focus on Laura and Carmilla and their personal relationship, but it just seems like an odd choice and in inclusion of a storyline that, while it was done well, didn't feel necessary to me.
Laura and Carmilla had a special sort of feralness for each other that I really enjoyed. I don't think we didn't get enough time with them but I would've loved more.
Overall though this book was dark and thrilling and I had a very good time with it!
While I did enjoy the display of toxic power dynamics within the story of Carmilla and De Lefontaine's relationship, I have to wonder why the author even added her in at all? The original story really just focuses on Laura and Carmilla and I think everything that has been done in this book could've been accomplished without De Lefontaine as a presence at all. I don't think her inclusion takes away from the story any, we still get plenty of focus on Laura and Carmilla and their personal relationship, but it just seems like an odd choice and in inclusion of a storyline that, while it was done well, didn't feel necessary to me.
Laura and Carmilla had a special sort of feralness for each other that I really enjoyed. I don't think we didn't get enough time with them but I would've loved more.
Overall though this book was dark and thrilling and I had a very good time with it!