As someone who loves A Dowry of Blood and Carmilla dearly, my expectations for this were almost astronomically high. Sadly, this didn't deliver.

I will say this was compulsively readable and I finished it in less than 24 hours. As usual, S. T. Gibson's prose was stunning, but I had several problems with the other elements of the book.

One of my main gripes were the characters and their romance. While I liked both Carmilla and Laura as characters, their narration sounded almost identical. So much so, that in the middle of a chapter, I could not recall who was narrating. It's never good when that happens. Moreover, I found the dialogue in this to be awkward and stilted. It seems that S. T. Gibson's strength is very much prose, which A Dowry of Blood exemplifies. But here, all of it fell flat. The narration, the dialogue, the characters. Which leads me my second point: the relationships.

While I did like the rivals-to-lovers thing Carmilla and Laura had going on, their subsequent relationship developed way too fast. The two girls had one (1) moment of genuine connection and then they realised they're attracted to each other and then they had feelings and then they were in a relationship. It all progressed far too quickly, in my opinion.

Then there was Carmilla's toxic, inapproriate professor-student-relationship with Professor Lafontaine. Lafontaine suffered the same fate of the other characters, namely, feeling one-dimensional and flat. I got none of the mysterious air and magnetic personality the students were raving about. Consequently, none of Carmilla's feverish hero worship of Lafontaine impacted me. For me, this relationship also had way too much of a spotlight. The reader understood that they're relationship is toxic one chapter in. We didn't need to devote all this time to showcasing how controlling and manipulative Lafontaine is. Of course, it would take Carmilla longer to realise the nature of their relationship, but I still thought there should have been more of Carmilla and Laura. There was also no sense of closure with their relationship, since it's stated that Carmilla will eventually go back to Lafontaine which I found highly suspect and it sent mixed messages. Dracula in A Dowry of Blood gets stabbed in his bed but Lafontaine is absolved of everything because she showed one moment of remorse? Questionable. Examining the highs and lows of academia through the lense of a toxic relationship was interesting, but the pay-off was mid.

The book overall took very little from the original apart from the character names. While in A Dowry of Blood, Dracula is never named, yet we immediately recognise it's Dracula the book is about. Here, without the naming of the characters, you would not know it's a Carmilla retelling at all. I caught one line that was taken directly from the original, but that was about it. It had none of the Gothic flair, none of the spooky atmosphere that the original had. Part of this was due to the historical setting in the 60s which in my opinion clashed with the atmosphere it was trying to evoke.

Overall, a somewhat disappointing read for me. However, I still think you will like this if you are not familiar with the original and like sapphic rivals-to-lovers stories. 3.75/5 stars.

An Education in Malice is a beautifully written, atmospheric gothic story of love, infatuation and the dangers of immortality. It’s the perfect (unrelated) companion to A Dowry of Blood, and has firmly cemented S.T. Gibson as one of my favourite authors.

Each character in this book is well-written, realistic, and multi-layered. I wouldn’t say any of them sit firmly on the side of good or bad, and that makes for a very interesting story. The balance of power between them is a particular point of note, with the teacher/student dynamic being presented in a somewhat unconventional way.

I went into this book knowing only two things: it was gothic, and rooted in dark academia. It’s both of those things and more, and has a plot twist I didn’t see coming (but am very much a big fan of). This changes the entire feel of the book, and allows for a whole spectrum of themes to be explored. It makes the story darker, and in turn lets the gothic tone really take centre stage. I loved every twist and turn, and I’m glad I didn’t know too much beforehand.

Although I don’t think An Education in Malice is as good as A Dowry of Blood, it’s still a stand-out read of the year for me. I don’t think there’s anyone else doing gothic literature quite like S.T. Gibson at the moment, and I can’t wait to see what she writes in the future. Whatever it is, I’ll be sure to read it.

3.5 Stars
So if you liked A Dowry of Blood, then you are going to love this. A sapphic Carmilla retelling, the story follows academic rivals Laura and Camilla during their time at college. They are both enrolled into the prestigious poetry class run by Professor De Lafontaine, who has an unhealthy obsession with Carmilla alongside a bloodthirsty secret.

As you would expect from S T Gibson, the writing is beautiful and draws you in. Told from a dual POV, the exploration of the relationships between the main characters and their professor is addictive. Throw in some vampirism in a dark academic setting and it had me hooked. So why only 3.5 stars? While I did enjoy this book, I wanted a bit more depth from the characters. The plot was a bit if a sideline and the focus was more on the relationships, so much so that the resolution of the plot felt rushed and too speedy. Overall an enjoyable read.

4.5 rounded up to 5.

This was great! I loved A Dowry of Blood and this one didn't disappoint either, so I'm an S.T. Gibson fan. I'm very grateful I got to read this so early.

This has vampires, obsession, love, passion, sex, and intrigue. Say less! It's also sapphic and hot. Say even less!

The plot is simple and the characters are very interesting. I found them to be very compelling and I liked their toxic kind of attachment. The way that was explored and the character growth was very nice.

Overall, I was immediately hooked and it was a delight to read, so I have nothing bad to say about this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this!

in ’an education in Malice’ S.T Gibson manages to craft a very exciting world, with the premise of a Carmilla retelling. ive never read Carmilla (i know) but as a sapphic woman its been so long since i read a book about sapphics that were actually good.

The writing style is incredible. I have to admit I was a bit scared of it as first since Id started A dowry of blood and found that too difficult to understand. But ”An education in Malice” has a beautiful prose while you still understand what’s going on, Which (as someone who doesn’t have english as their first language) can be a hard feat when reading gothic literature!

The love story between Carmilla and Laura was so beautifully written. I’ve missed reading about sapphics!!!

Overall this is a great book and if you’ve been excited for it you’ll love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I was obsessed with A Dowry of Blood, I had an ARC for it as well and it was honestly such a delight seeing so many of my friends pick it up and also fall in love with it. It's a book that has truly stayed on my mind for the past 1,5 years, so of course, I was very excited for An Education in Malice and I'm very happy to say that I loved it even more than Dowry.

For me, hearing "sapphic vampire rivals to lovers dark academia" meant I had to have this book ASAP, and it delivered! It was dark and sultry, the rivals to lovers portion was done so well and really gave me everything I need from the trope.

The writing was just as beautiful and lyrical as in Dowry, and it just created such a gorgeously dark and rich atmosphere.
The plot was great, too, I think it found a great balance between "just perfect vibes" and suspense, which is typically what I want from dark academia.

I loved the characters, they were so perfectly written for the setting and I also liked how the relationship dynamics kept changing which made me quite suspicious of one of the characters.

Overall, this was so so good and I highly recommend it.

A beautiful, dark academia and modern retelling of Carmilla, one of the early works of vampire fiction.

'She kissed me with a martyr's agonized desperation, like I was the only sword she ever wanted to fall on. I kissed her right back like the cutting edge of a blade, trying to inflict as much damage as possible'.

Laura Sheridan has just started at Saint Perpetua's College, studying under poetry professor, De Lafontaine. In the same class, is Carmilla, the star student of the class and personal favourite of De Lafontaine. But Laura is up and coming in the professor's eyes, making it a competition between Laura and Carmilla.

The rivalry blooms into something more between Laura and Carmilla, and dark secrets of De Lafontaine are shared.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Gothic, dark academia mixed with desire and obsession. As the blurb says - how much will Laura and Carmilla sacrifice in the pursuit of knowledge? The language and the prose was beautiful throughout, alongside the gothic atmosphere and the depth of each character.

This is set in the world of Dowry of Blood, filled with obsession, lust and jealousy. One thing is for sure, S.T Gibson can write beautifully and lyrically - and with the college classes being featured around poetry, it linked so well with Gibson's writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for this copy. This review is voluntary.

As someone who absolutely devoured A Dowry of Blood, I was left somewhat perplexed by An Education in Malice.

The characters and setting are gothic and enchanting. There is a clear dichotomy set up between the two central protagonists and Gibson clearly comments on the changing landscape of North America during the 1960's. An era that was struct between cultural immersion and social segregation which mirrors that vampiric plight of being such between technology and antiquity. Laura clearly draws on the tropes of a typical dark academia heroine, with an obsession for intellect and a traditional world that compliments her introverted personality. Carmilla (our soon to be fledgling vampire) is draw to both the melancholy of the 'professor' and idolisation of death and misery in academia. But the two characters fit perfectly within the identity-forming academia landscape making their romance relatable and hopeful in a way that a lot of the romance in Gibson's earlier work felt fated for tragedy.

Structurally, the novels couldn't be more different, with the inclusion of dual perspectives running continuously between the two key protagonists in An Education in Malice. In this regard, I felt as though the novel was easily relatable to a series of readers and will inspire more love amongst Gibson's fan base, however because this structuring relies more on action, whereas Gibson's diary entry style in A Dowry in Blood relied on internal monologue, the third act falls flat in some regards. This was my main gripe with the piece. The antagonist seemed ill placed and almost contrary to her love interest for the sake of being contrary and therefore the death of said character felt rushed and half-baked. I think in some respects, the whole novel could have had a much more succinct message and ending if the antagonist was simply the professor (Ms. D) and that she planned to do the same (death sleep) to Carmilla when she inevitably fell more in love with Carmilla and thus the final act discussing what choices Laura will make because of this. Would Laura actually fight for the love that she has found, or when given the opportunity to leave school and pursue the 'godly' life she had originally envisioned for herself would she choose to leave Carmilla behind?

I think to some degree, this is why the novel felt less than amazing for me.

Linguistically, Gibson continues to stun with her syntaxial control and mirroring throughout which just makes the process of reading an immense joy. This has always been a selling point for me with this author and I do believe it will continue to be moving forward. Overall, I give it a 4 star review and am very excited to see what other routes Gibson explores in her other 2024 releases.

Thank you, again, for giving me the opportunity to review this novel. I really appreciate the opportunity.

This is my first read from S.T. Gibson, though A Dowry of Blood has been on my TBR forever. I was not disappointed!

The characters and the prose are the biggest strengths in this book. The plot is good, but nothing particularly brilliant, but the way Gibson wrotes really draws you in. The text is decadent and really lends itself to the gothic genre, with the characters feeling fully fleshed out and developed - all complex, human characters who contradict themselves and don't understand their own motivations at times.

The pacing is a little weak at points, and at some times I felt though Carmilla and Laura's voices blended a little too much in their POV chapters, but I was still completely captivated by the writing and narrative itself.

Overall, a good read, and a nice example of Dark Academia that I would recommend.

I think I would have benefitted from reading either Dracula or the original Carmilla before reading An Education in Malice to properly appreciate the references to Carmilla/the retelling. Overall I did enjoy the book but was left a little disappointed - the plot felt a little rushed in places. I did however, adore the sapphic romance and S.T. Gibson is a truly phenomenal writer - I highlighted many quotes! This is a great book for any dark academia fans or fans of Dracula and Carmilla.

“Love turns some people into birds or beggars,
but you make me into architecture,
into a sanctuary of soft and holy spaces
shaped to catch the sound of your voice.
These eyes: rose windows bathing you in light.
These arms: alcoves open in shadowed embrace.
This heart: a confessional dark enough for your sins.
This mouth: a bell driving away demons and calling you home.”

“An Education in Malice” is the second book by S.T. Gibson.
Set in Seventies’ USA, it is a Dark Academia novel and a retelling of “Carmilla”.
The story follows the POVs of the two protagonists, Laura and Carmilla, and their rivalry at Saint Perpetua’s College.

Laura is a romantic that has never known love. She knows attraction, always and exclusively directed towards other women, but she has never allowed herself to explore it, hiding her feelings from them as much as from herself. As she says, she must “tame her own wildness, the odd appetites inside her”.
Carmilla undoes all her domestication. Laura is immediately enamored with her classmate, but the latter only seems to despise her, never losing a chance of taunting her.

Both scarred by the lack of a maternal figure in their lives — Laura is an orphan while Carmilla was abandoned by hers — the two girls almost obsessively seek the approval of their teacher, the mysterious and fascinating De Lafontaine, who ends up having an intense relationship with them.
An Education in malice is a decadent, gothic story. It has a sensual and evocative writing, in which the most hidden obsessions of the protagonists take over and transport us into a world of intrigue, secrets and blood.

Among the things I appreciated most is certainly the representation of Laura as a plus size woman. It's certainly not the central theme of the story, but I sympathized with her every thought and I loved seeing her become more and more aware of and confident in her own body.
Another highly appreciated feature is the introductory page with a complete list of trigger warnings, fundamental for safe and conscious reading experience.

Overall it was a good read, however, even if I was intrigued by the plot, I have to admit that I wasn't as fond of the protagonists as I would have liked. I would have loved to read more about them, the ending came sooner than I expected and left me with a sense of incompleteness.

A captivating book in this growing genre that has lived up to the hype. I look forward to sticking it in our shop.

AN EDUCATION IN MALICE is a dark, sexy, academic rivals to lovers that draws you into Carmilla and Laura’s world and will leave you (un)dying for more. It’s a smart and inventive Carmilla retelling, richly layered and seductively smothered in tender sapphic longing

An Education in Malice is a captivating dark academia gem, seamlessly blending obsession, rivalry, and love at a 60s girls' college. St. Gibson's mastery of language crafts a gothic atmosphere akin to The Secret History. The Carmilla-Laura romance, with its subverted dynamic, steals the spotlight. A swift, engaging plot held my attention, though I wished for more palpable danger. Overall, a must-read for dark academia fans, reminiscent of Gibson's debut and perfect for lovers of atmospheric vampire stories

An Education in Malice is a gorgeously wrought, bloody story of love and the transformative power of obsession. Set at a prestigious girls college in the 60’s, it follows the story of students Carmilla and Laura as they enter into a fierce academic rivalry to vie for their enigmatic professors attention that slowly turns into more— in more ways than one.

ST Gibson has a stunning mastery over language. Her ability to craft beautiful sentences full of imagery and emotion is one of the main reasons I continue to return to her work again and again. I’m an absolute sucker for beautiful prose and will read pretty much anything if it’s in any way atmospheric or flowery. Needless to say, An Education in Malice didn’t disappoint! The writing and atmosphere were truly top tier. I loved the gothic touches and the Secret History-esque nature of the school- 10/10 stars in my book.

The romance between Carmilla and Laura was definitely my highlight. I love a subverted trope and the power dynamic between mouthy, confident Carmilla and sweet, level headed Laura was just perfect. The yearning was everything I could have dreamed of and the obsessive nature of their relationship scratched an itch I’m always trying to reach.

I read this in one sitting so, needless to say, I was entirely gripped for the duration. The plot moves along swiftly and there weren’t any periods of lag, at least to me. The only thing I have to say by way of critique is I wished there was more of an element of danger or threat to the narrative. While Isis became more realised towards the end, I was never worried for the two MCs or even felt particularly threatened by Isis. Perhaps if we’d seen a bit more of her, especially while the murders were taking place, she would’ve felt more like a “villain”. Although, to critique my own critique, perhaps it was the point that the reader felt so engaged with Carmilla and Laura that they forgot there was a villain at all. All this to say— I love a book that makes me think about why the author chose to plot it a certain way, which this certainly did!

Overall, An Education in Malice will greatly appeal to fans of Gibson’s debut, The Secret History, Laura Steven’s work and a good old fashioned vampire story.

This was a pretty average vampire story.

S.T Gibson's writing is very beautiful and lyrical but sadly this story lacked depth. I loved the dark academia vibe but again I just felt that the setting and its atmosphere wasn't utilised to its full potential.

The characters are one dimensional and lacks believable motivations. The enemies to lovers escalated at a very fast speed but I still ended up liking the romance. Especially, Laura's character and her role in Carmilla's life.

The author, writes obsessions, delusions of a human mind and how people manipulate each other quite well and in this book too those themes shines brightly.

Overall, this was a decent read but sadly, this didn't worked out for me.

The second I saw the chance at another sapphic Carmilla story I was invested. And who doesn’t love a good rivals to lovers dynamic. Especially when it’s written so viscerally from both girls perspective. I loved watching them both struggle through this book, having to decide how they felt about each other and De Lafontaine whilst also having to address the sudden dramatic change in their lives. For such a short book I feel like quite a lot was included and I very much enjoyed all of it. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in less than a day. I enjoy the open ending of them being able to go anywhere with their lives now that they’re free from De Lafontaine‘s possessiveness but I would love to see just a couple of chapters of some of the shenanigans they get up to with this new group of companions.

S.T. Gibson's previous novel, "A Dowry of Blood", was one of my favourites of the year. So of course I had to devour her next book, especially because it's a retelling of Carmilla with a sapphic relationship at its core. And once again, Gibson's writing drew me in right from the start. And at first, I was intrigued by both Carmilla and Laura and their mysterious professor, De Lafontaine. But rather quickly I started to worry that I'm not reading a new favourite.
There is a lot to love in "An Education in Malice": The beautiful prose, the themes, the honestly pretty good sex scenes. But it all just felt a little... superficial? I never warmed up completely to Laura and Carmilla, who both have their pov chapters. For one, despite them being very different in personality their narrative voices are rather similar. But also, there just isn't much depth to any of them. Gibson doesn't dig deep, doesn't allow us to really get to know them beyond their attraction to each other and superficial themes of loneliness. Their relationship feels rushed, too. Laura is basically obsessed with Carmilla the second they meet, and their rivalry in the beginning feels a little contrived considering how quickly it turns into something else entirely. There is no organic development, it's just instalust.
De Lafontaine is interesting for a while because of how morally ambiguous she starts out, but very soon she turns into more of a mildly annoying obstacle. Then there's a plotline involving her and her former lover, which seemed completely tacked on and irrelevant when the time spent on it could have benefitted a more fleshed out relationship between the central couple. The romance is at the heart of this book but it's also its biggest weakness. Themes like the loneliness of an immortal life and what it means to be a mortal loving an immortal and the other way around are thrown in but never fully explored either.

So yeah, while this is definitely a sexy, beautifully written sapphic romance with some steamy kink, it's also not much else. The alluring intensity of 'A Dowry of Blood' is nowhere to be found, which is maybe my biggest disappointment - my expectations might have been to high though I admit. It's good for what it is but also sadly forgettable.

An Education in Malice is a captivating read, perfect for fans of dark academia. It grabbed my attention immediately with its moody, gothic atmosphere and a world rife with complex power dynamics. The characters are deeply layered, making the story rich and engaging, I devoured the book in one sitting. The prose is beautifully unique, adding a peculiar charm to the narrative.

I did notice that the second half of the book didn't quite keep up with the pace of the first and it slowed down, but despite this, the book is undoubtedly still a fantastic read. It's the kind of novel that not only entertains but also offers a profound commentary on the darker aspects of humanity and the world we live in.

‘If you’re the one that does the killing, you guarantee that no one else will ever take what you love from you’

If ‘Dracula’ and ‘The secret history’ had a baby, it would be ‘An history of malice’. It is a truly captivating and intoxicating journey into the depths of gothic academia, where passion, obsession, and dark desires entwine to create a spellbinding narrative. S.T. Gibson weaves a modern retelling of ‘Carmilla’ that is both sizzling with tension and irresistibly addictive in its allure.

The story unfolds at Saint Perpetua's, a boarding school for girls nestled in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts. The arrival of Laura Sheridan, a naive yet remarkably brilliant student, sets the stage for a gripping rivalry with the enigmatic Carmilla in the esteemed poetry class of Professor De Lafontaine. As Laura becomes entangled in the intense dynamics between student and teacher, she uncovers a web of secrets that draws her deeper into a dark and haunting game.

Gibson masterfully crafts the characters, with Laura as the innocent small-town sweetheart concealing a dark and wild persona within, and Carmilla as the troubled yet wickedly beautiful force of longing and heartbreak. Their connection transcends the ordinary, painting a picture of two lies holding onto a truth with the power of love. The narrative is laced with Lana Del Rey-coded moments – from lipstick stains on cigarettes to kissing in pouring rain – creating a world that defies rules and builds its own dark and twisted reality.

Professor De Lafontaine, a morally grey character, adds a layer of complexity to the story. Gibson's skilful portrayal keeps readers on edge, questioning her motives and intentions. The novel seamlessly blends themes of dark academia, the beauty of poetry, sapphic romance, illicit affairs, and the secrets of vampire society. The exploration of power dynamics, haunting intimacy, and toxic academic rivalry adds depth to the narrative.

Gibson's writing style, reminiscent of her previous work in "A Dowry of Blood," is lush, poetic, and feral, drawing readers into a world that is both alluring and dangerous. The novel successfully captures a rare and soul-crushing romance dynamic, often reserved for other genres, and brings it to life with sapphic characters.

In conclusion, "An Education in Malice" is a scrumptious and captivating sapphic dark academia novel that breathes fresh life into the beloved characters of Carmilla. S.T. Gibson's storytelling prowess, combined with a gothic setting, lush prose, and compelling characters, makes this a must-read for fans of the genre.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, S.T. Gibson, NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit, for this opportunity.

To be published on 13th Feb 2024