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A review by tej_reads
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Wow.
I don’t know how to feel after finishing An Education in Malice, I’ve just been sat here for almost thirty minutes contemplating what I’ve read - in a good way.
A modern, gothic, dark academia retelling of Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu, An Education in Malice is a lyrical, imagery laden haven. There’s something in Gibson’s writing where you just feel like you’re being taught what beautiful prose reads like.
We start with two main characters, Laura and Carmilla. Laura is a transfer student to St Perpetua’s College - an all girls school, almost instantaneously she becomes infatuated with Carmilla, the protege of their poetry teach De Lafontaine. Gibson cover’s several tropes in An Education in Malice, student-teach power dynamics, obsession, grief, academic rivals to lover, slow-burn, vampire, murder and at the heart of it a sapphic romance.
Whilst I’m not normally one for alternating POV’s I couldn’t wait to read what both of the girls were thinking and feeling both so distinctly written. Carmilla’s standout qualities were her academic drive, her confidence and her strong emotions, Laura conversely, was warmer, a sweet southern girl, who wanted to learn. Both however, were tied by their need to for acceptance, approve and need to belong, to be loved and to be accepted by each other but also by their teach De Lafontaine.
The power dynamics between Carmilla and De Lafontaine were so interesting to watch play out. One minute Carmilla stood up for herself but in the next second De Lafontaine had managed to wrangle her back under a spell. It was so uncomfortable not being able to figure out where exactly I - as a reader stood with De Lafontaine, what she was doing was wrong, her obsession and treatment of Carmilla was wrong and yet in some scenes she truly cared for Carmilla. Gibson wrote the dynamic so wonderfully, so I’m glad the ending was what it was.
An Education in Malice, is an atmospheric, imagery laden, lyrical prose filled novel. One of Gibson’s best works yet, I look forward to reading what’s next - Excelsior.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit and Gibson for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I don’t know how to feel after finishing An Education in Malice, I’ve just been sat here for almost thirty minutes contemplating what I’ve read - in a good way.
A modern, gothic, dark academia retelling of Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu, An Education in Malice is a lyrical, imagery laden haven. There’s something in Gibson’s writing where you just feel like you’re being taught what beautiful prose reads like.
We start with two main characters, Laura and Carmilla. Laura is a transfer student to St Perpetua’s College - an all girls school, almost instantaneously she becomes infatuated with Carmilla, the protege of their poetry teach De Lafontaine. Gibson cover’s several tropes in An Education in Malice, student-teach power dynamics, obsession, grief, academic rivals to lover, slow-burn, vampire, murder and at the heart of it a sapphic romance.
Whilst I’m not normally one for alternating POV’s I couldn’t wait to read what both of the girls were thinking and feeling both so distinctly written. Carmilla’s standout qualities were her academic drive, her confidence and her strong emotions, Laura conversely, was warmer, a sweet southern girl, who wanted to learn. Both however, were tied by their need to for acceptance, approve and need to belong, to be loved and to be accepted by each other but also by their teach De Lafontaine.
The power dynamics between Carmilla and De Lafontaine were so interesting to watch play out. One minute Carmilla stood up for herself but in the next second De Lafontaine had managed to wrangle her back under a spell. It was so uncomfortable not being able to figure out where exactly I - as a reader stood with De Lafontaine, what she was doing was wrong, her obsession and treatment of Carmilla was wrong and yet in some scenes she truly cared for Carmilla. Gibson wrote the dynamic so wonderfully, so I’m glad the ending was what it was.
An Education in Malice, is an atmospheric, imagery laden, lyrical prose filled novel. One of Gibson’s best works yet, I look forward to reading what’s next - Excelsior.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit and Gibson for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.