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

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

Title: An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson 

• Publication Date- 02/13/24
• Publisher- Redhook Books  
• Overall Rating- 6 out of 5 stars 

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

I’m not sure how to write a review for this and do it justice so I’ll do my best but the moral of the story is you need to read the book. The end. That’s all we have time for today, guys, gals, non-binary pals. 

Okay if I must, I will try to put something together for you all. Wow. What a book. I am sure most of you are wondering if you need to read A Dowry of Blood before you read this. You do not. It does take place in the same universe and we cross over a character from A Dowry of Blood however that character is very much in the background and feels like an easter egg. I did also read Carmilla to prepare for this release, you also don’t need to do that but it lived up to a reimagining and I loved that aspect. There are some nods to the original Carmilla but you by no means need to read that to read this. 

An Education in Malice contains some of the most engrossing, thought provoking, grab you by the throat and not let go writing. This is signature to S.T. Gibson and we get it again here. I felt like I could not put this book down, I read it in one day and almost in one sitting borrowing a few adulting things I needed to do. Once you get started you will get sucked into the characters and their story and not be able to let go. 

S.T. Gibson does such a delicate job of writing a coming of age story. Coming of age stories are some of my least favorite, I don’t really have a reason why, they just are. However, I will read anything she writes and in particular I feel like she handles this subject with authenticity, believability and courage. She includes in her works aspects of coming of age that I don’t feel like usually are included in other stories of the same vein. Let me be clear though, her works (thus far) are not for those coming of age but for those who are adults and are ready to look back on what is usually a trying time and feel seen. In particular, S.T. Gibson writes about sex and sexuality in a vulnerable and honest way that is the most relatable to my own life I have ever read. In most books these topics make me cringe but she, she had me at every word. 

If I haven’t convinced you to read this yet, well do it anyway. 

I hope An Education in Malice enters into the conversations of dark academia novels. It’s by far the best one I’ve read and I’ve read almost all of the popular dark academia. We arrive on secluded women’s college in the fall of 1968 and can feel every inch of it. This is a story about art, writing, poetry and the hope of living forever. I can’t wait until my physical copy comes in the mail, this is one I will reread and annotate the heck out of.