A review by wei_lan
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I can definitely see this being someone’s favorite book but it was mid for me. I was listening and about halfway through I realized I didn’t know much of anything about the characters’ personalities. Everything just felt superficial, like when Felicity would describe Ellis as knowing her or being closest to her I was just thinking “I don’t know anything about her.” It just felt like a lot of telling, not showing. 

I got frustrated with Felicity towards the end.
I still don’t know if this is a ghost/supernatural book or if Felicity really was delusional. The part with Marjorie’s skull being left in the lake should’ve been the end in my opinion. Like, sure it’s a twist that Ellis’s moms published her book and it’s dedicated to Felicity but that just makes this end on a sour note instead of the bittersweet one.


One of my favorite parts was Felicity pushing Ellis off the roof and I wish that scene had been longer. The author used a lot of metaphors and quotes and flowery langue and I feel like this scene was just too quick.


I could not tell you who any of the other girls in the Godwin house were. This book felt really long but I didn’t get a lot of character development. 
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