An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson | Spoiler-Free Review

"One of us was always going to bleed for the other."

    An Education in Malice is S.T. Gibson's sophomore novel (in the traditionally published bracket, at least) set in the same world as her breakout novella, A Dowry of Blood. We follow two college students: Freshman Laura Sheridan, a religious Southern girl who has left home for the first time to pursue writing at St. Perpetua's Women's College in Massachusetts; and Carmilla Karnstein, an Austrian exchange students who came to St. Perpetua's for a single purpose, to study under the poetry professor De Lafontaine. An academic rivalry between Laura and Carmilla leads them into a world of darkness and debauchery, with a looming threat pursuing them all the while in the shadows of the university.

    I was really excited to read An Education in Malice. While I wasn't a part of the initial wave of A Dowry in Blood's fans, I did read it before it was traditionally published and really enjoyed it. I fell in love with S.T. Gibson's writing style, how cutting and poetic it was. I knew that anything she put out later was something I had to get my hands on. And it did not disappoint! 

    I definitely saw myself in Laura. A girl who grew up religious and proud of her religion, her closeness to God, while also refusing to erase or hide other parts of herself that might not be accepted in the church. Not to mention her drive to learn, her obsession with poetry and literature, and her desire to be a part of something bigger than herself. I mean, she feels like a mirror to me. And I can see how and why she ended up obsessing over someone like Carmilla, because I'd most certainly end up feeling the same way.

    Another thing I had to mention in this review is the atmosphere. Dark Academia as a genre is so hard to pin down, due to a tendency to lean too hard into pretention and "the sake of aesthetic" rather than following a proper plot. But not this book, oh no. Gibson's writing was lush and purple, while keeping a sharp, stark tone. I don't know how she managed to do that, but she did. To me, this is the kind of Dark Academia that was a mastery of balance. It didn't sacrifice the plot for the vibes, and vice versa. That's something I have to admire. Even if I didn't enjoy the book (which I absolutely did), I would still have to recognize that talent.

    I gave An Education in Malice a CAWPILE score of 8.61, which comes out to 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    I recommend this book to Dark Academia lovers, dark fantasy/romance fans, and anyone who wanted to got to a creeping ivy, brick hall type of school.

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This was my first read of March, and I'm so glad I started the month out on such a high note! (Well, reading wise. Physically I started March being ridiculously sick, and I'm finally starting to feel a bit better.)

Have you read An Education in Malice yet? What did you think? I'd love to know your opinions! Leave a comment below, or DM me on Instagram (link in sidebar under the heading "More Media"). 

Until next time, friends!