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krispi_kebob'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Gore, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity and Forced institutionalization
midnightrose_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
It was mostly an enjoyable read for me even though some things bothered me about the plot. Specifically the lack of urgency on the part of DeLafontaine, Laura and Carmilla to dispatch an out of control vampire on the college campus sooner in the narrative. Instead DeLafontaine introduces them to vampire society (specifically Carmilla who she’s turned earlier in the story; with her human companion Laura in tow), Laura goes for Thanksgiving break to San Francisco to spend time with her friend’s family, and DeLafontaine holds these private poetry readings between Carmilla and Laura. There doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency until towards the end of the book to prevent more murders of the student body which I found bizarre.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
itskenzcarter'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
bergha1998's review against another edition
- 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
Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers, Emotional, 2 1/2 🔥
“Life doesn’t seem worthwhile without synthesizing my experiences into art, the catharsis of putting it all out onto the page. It’s the only way I’ve ever been able to get other people to understand how I’m feeling.”
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishvicky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Where do I start. The characters. Each one so unique, so strong and detailed and mysterious and beautiful. Carmilla’s inner voice, her brattiness covering for her deep loneliness, just SCREAMED vampiric longing. She wanted so deeply of the world that she had to change to get it, and even then she only found that refuge in Laura.
Oh Laura. Oh man. The only character. The best girl. I’m so proud of her. She deserves everything. EVERYTHING.
De Lafontaine. Holy shit. I don’t know if I want to brush her hair or run her over with a car. What a complex character. I’d pay to watch her and Constanta duke it out.
SPEAKING OF
Great dark academia, steamy with yearning and longing and hope peeking through the misery. Utterly beautiful prose. I’m going insane at how much I adored this.
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
phoricho's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
literatureish_liz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
steen19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A sapphic enemies-to-lovers, on a college campus, with dark themes and crisp fall vibes. It’s dual POV, there’s catacombs, there's a monster, and a possessive poetry professor.
I flew through this. Quite literally I started it at dinner and stayed up until 1am to finish it. The writing was so smooth and vibrant.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for my advanced digital copy!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder
skillyillian's review
- 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
4.25
An Education in Malice is an extension of the world of Gibson's absolutely devastating A Dowry of Blood. Set in a more modern time period, with new characters (and some returning!) with new desires, this is a dark academia, romantic retelling of Carmilla that will hold you close and whisper in your ear about the revelations of immortality and obsession.
Laura is an intriguing character, so naive when she arrives at Saint Perpetua's but with a side she never lets anyone see. Carmilla is up front about her attitude towards Laura, and it's fun to see them combat each other throughout the beginnings of their time together. De Lafontaine adds such an interesting twist to things, both with her relationships with the girls individually and between the three of them.
The rivals to lovers played out really well, I enjoyed the tension that shifted into craving immensely. The dark academia vibes were very present and well-done, too. The romance felt real in such an intense way, I think it was one of my favorite parts. The smut was 10/10, WHEW, got me blushing with no one even around! Gibson very deftly takes the reader through an exploration of self and sexuality, and validates the experience of not knowing what exactly it is you want, even when you have it. There's a lot of room for discussion about morality and love, where those two things intersect, and how they change - independently and together - if time and distance stop mattering entirely.
The only things I didn't entirely love was that we didn't get as much background info as I would like to have had. We know some things about Laura, but hardly anything about Carmilla, and even less about De Lafontaine. I think the lack of information on De Lafontaine was intentional and it makes sense, considering she's the only of the three without a POV in the book and she was purposely secretive with the girls. But I wish we knew more about the other two. Besides that, I also would have liked to have seen more of Laura and Carmilla's school lives. Saint Perpetua's was an excellent, stunning backdrop to this story, and the New England autumn was gorgeous, I just wish we'd gotten to experience more of it.
Overall, this book is a gorgeous companion to A Dowry of Blood, although slower paced and tragic in a much different way, which I appreciate because it didn't need to be Dowry again. This book has its own story to tell and I think Gibson told it beautifully, with the same prose she's known for from Dowry. Her writing style is consistently graceful and flowing. I think the book could have been longer, with more fleshing out of the school and the characters, but it wasn't way too short by any means, either. It's a very enjoyable read and if you liked Dowry then I think you'll like this, as well. I really loved this and the very minute I can get myself a physical copy I will be doing exactly that. 🖤
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
5.0
Our MCs are named Carmilla and Laura Sheridan. Laura after the human in the original classic and Sheridan after the author. And Carmilla after our famous protagonist.
Their teacher is named after De Lafontaine who was a famous poet and teaches them poetry and the darker side of reality.
We have found family to a degree. Enemies to lovers. Being prepared to give up everything for the one you care about. I couldn’t put this down for a second and stormed through it with every free moment I had.
Hands down became my new favourite book before I reached halfway.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, and Murder