An Education in Malice

actual rating: 4.5⭐️

I knew just from the sheer fact that it's an S.T. Gibson novel that it was going to be spectacular and this book did not disappoint in the slightest.

If you've read A Dowry of Blood you know exactly what you're in for: enchantingly beautiful prose, complex characters, tension and drama that builds steadily throughout the book, and the crescendo at the end that just leaves you in awe. An Education in Malice is a sapphic dark academia novel that draws you in from the first chapter as Gibson builds the setting of the story, a women's college tucked in a corner of Massachusetts. Laura, a Southern girl with every ounce of that Southern charm, snags a coveted spot in Ms. De Lafontaine's class to find herself in a rivalry with Carmilla, a senior who isn't keen on sharing her beloved professor's praises with Laura. This book did academic rivals to lovers so exceptionally well that I need to give it a standing ovation. The romance between Laura and Carmilla builds steadily as they grow out of that rivals portion of their relationship and move into the love that is slow and sweet.

De Lafontaine's role in this book is interesting because yes, there's a student-teacher relationship that is neither entirely romantic but neither platonic, it falls somewhere in the middle. The progression of De Lafontaine's character of seeing as she falls out of a cycle of abuse that she knowingly inflicted onto Carmilla and once suffered at the hands of her own sire. I could go on and on about De Lafontaine as a character because she truly stood in the foreground alongside Laura and Carmilla for me.

The subtle hints of vampirism in the beginning of the book made me giddy because I knew exactly what path this book would take but I didn't expect it to be as nuanced as it was. The themes connected to this added element stemming from obsession, control, power, lust, and love. Let's be very clear here: lust and love are displayed in this book and are two distinct things. The love at display at times can be utterly carnal which is definitely surprised me a bit but when it's written so beautifully, I can't help but love it oddly enough.

Also those of us that did read A Dowry of Blood get a very lovely surprise in this book which as a reader is always so rewarding and I would highly recommend reading A Dowry of Blood before reading this book!

Please read the trigger warnings that S.T Gibson outlines in the beginning before picking this up but if you're in the mood for a gothic, dark academia novel that is filled with romance, tension, and hauntingly beautiful prose; you should definitely pick this book up!

Thank you to Redhook Books & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!