S. T. Gibson has done it again!

Both this story, A Dowry of Blood and Evocation are told in such different writing styles but still have an heir that feels like S. T. Gibson’s work.

An Education in Malice was so addictive and I found myself obsessed, ironic given the content! it enraptured me straight away and I honestly couldn’t put this down until I got to the end, and even then, I just want more!

I’m really tangled about this one. For starters, the writing is stunning – Gibson’s prose is lush, sensual and original. She manages to evoke a wonderful gothic aura that pervades the narrative and gives heightened tension to the plotting, which is exactly what you need in a classic vampire tale riven with strong passion and thwarted desire. And maybe that’s the problem for me. Because the scene setting was absolutely superb, I expected the same excellence in the characterisation and plotting.

First the positives. Of all the characters, Laura was by far the most successful for me. A girl with tragedy in her life and a conventional upbringing, she knows her cleverness is a way for her to move forward. Unsophisticated and an innate pleaser, she tries to live up the expectations of those around her. But she also has a wayward streak that she’d tried to suppress throughout her teenage years – and her sexual tastes are definitely unconventional for the time, as this story is set in the late 1960s. I liked the juxtaposition of her social insecurity with her flashes of dominance – she isn’t merely some naive pushover. Unfortunately, she isn’t the only main character – the chapters alternate between Laura and Carmilla. And in comparison, Carmilla is far more generic and two-dimensional. I think the book would have been more successful if Laura had been the sole protagonist. Especially as a lot of potential tension simply doesn’t happen, because much of the plotting is revealed too early within the narrative arc.

As for the character at the centre of the story – Professor De Lafontaine – whose dramatic charisma which pulls girls to her like flies to honey, think of Miss Jean Brodie on steroids, I frankly loathed her. And for the sake of the story, I think I’m supposed to be more sympathetic to the quandary she faces with near the end. But this is where, for me, the story really fell apart. The relationship between the girls proceeds reasonably quickly, which I found believable. Anyone who has attended any sort of creative writing course will realise that you speedily get to know your fellow classmates at a profound level after regularly listening to their writing, fiction or non-fiction.

But after carefully building a claustrophobic three-cornered relationship built around the taboo spilling of blood and same-sex relationships within a college environment – Gibson then throws away the consequences of the crisis she creates. We are told that life in St Perpetua gets increasingly difficult as the body count rises. But there is no effort to demonstrate that trauma, other than a few guilty feelings. None of the main characters are interviewed by the police and the authorities seem utterly oblivious to De Lafontaine’s abnormal teaching methods. Why isn’t there a collision between the outside world and this tight-knit, fraught relationship? There would be in reality – and suddenly I was no longer convinced by the dynamic. From then on, I didn’t really care all that much. Which was a real shame – because there is huge potential for this story to have been something special.

But I’m also aware that as a former teacher, I come to this tale with baggage. So perhaps my opinion is too coloured by my outrage at De Lafontaine’s carelessness of the students within her charge to really give this story a fair go. Either way, I found this a frustrating read that didn’t fulfil its early promise. While I obtained an arc of An Education in Malice from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
6/10

* 4.5

i love vampires, and what’s better than sapphic vampires? an education in malice is inspired by carmilla, and follows carmilla and laura as they fight for the approval of their poetry teacher at an all-women’s college in the 1960’s. i wasn’t expecting this to take place in the 60’s, but it absolutely helped the story as laura and carmilla explore their sexuality. while the story didn’t grip me as immediately as a dowry in blood did, once the story got going it sucked me in in a way only st gibson can do. this is such a beautifully written, dark and seductive novel that will stay in your mind for weeks following finishing the book. highly recommend!

An Education in Malice is perfect for anyone who loved A Dowry of Blood (there is slight cross-over, with one of the characters from ADoB making an appearance), and for any fans of dark academia, gothic tales, sapphic romance and vampires.

On her first day at Saint Perpetua's College in rural Massachusetts, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an academic rivalry with Carmilla, who is jealous of the praise Laura's writing elicits from their professor. Both girls are part of a select group reading and breathing poetry under the demanding professor De Lafontaine, whose unrivalled star pupil Carmilla had been until Laura's arrival. The two girls soon find themselves in fierce competition, vying for their professor's approval, willing to sacrifice a lot in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.

I was fascinated by how Laura and Carmilla got tangled up in De Lafontaine's web, and by how they navigated their feelings as competitiveness turned into romantic obsession. The power dynamics at play as the two young women were lured in by their enigmatic professor were expertly written, and we gradually got pulled into a world of dark secrets hidden from the students and staff at the college. A deliciously dark, gothic, and thoroughly addictive read which I couldn't put down. And at the same time somehow also a wildly, brutally romantic tale.

"An Education in Malice" by S.T. Gibson captivates with its dark academia allure, presenting a sapphic, gothic narrative that intertwines ambition, secrets, and a consuming pursuit of knowledge. Set against the enigmatic backdrop of Saint Perpetua's College, this tale delves into the intense rivalry between Laura Sheridan and Carmilla, both entranced and ensnared by their poetry professor, De Lafontaine. As their rivalry evolves into a complex connection, Laura is compelled to confront her own hidden desires amidst a world filled with dark magic and political intrigue.

Gibson's prose, celebrated for its beauty in "A Dowry of Blood," remains sharp and enchanting, promising a story that's both sumptuous and addictive. The novel explores themes of sacrifice, longing, and the blurred lines between love and obsession, all while maintaining a gothic atmosphere that's sure to enthrall readers. Gibson's unique voice and the novel's compelling setting provide a rich ground for a story that's eager to explore the dark corners of desire and ambition in the hallowed halls of academia.

"An Education in Malice" emerges as a bold foray into the dark academia genre, promising a tale of blood, secrets, and insatiable hungers that dares to explore the sacrifices we make in the ruthless pursuit of knowledge. With its blend of gothic elements, sapphic romance, and a mesmerizing setting, this novel is poised to capture the imaginations of readers looking for a story that's as haunting as it is beautiful.

An Education in Malice opens with our main character Laura arriving for her first term at a new college, where she meets an older student named Carmilla.

Laura and Carmilla are both enrolled in the same poetry class, and when their professor showers Laura with praise and attention during her first lesson, Carmilla is extremely jealous.

The majority of the book focuses on their rivals-to-lovers relationship, along with the relationship they have with their mysterious and demanding professor.

I didn't feel any tension between the characters, and the setup felt rushed with a lot of telling and not much showing. The plot felt shallow and underdeveloped, and because I wasn't that invested in the romance, I spent the whole book waiting for something interesting to happen.

I loved A Dowry of Blood and will pick up ST Gibson's next release but unfortunately this didn't work for me.

I was hoping that I was going to like this but unfortunately this just might not be the writer for me. This was just not interesting or written very well.

I loved A Dowry of Blood, so when I saw another vampire retelling by the same author, I pounced. And it did not disappoint. A sapphic, dark academia tale of obsession and desire, the dual POVs follow Carmella—titular character of the source material—and Laura as they compete for the affections of their mysterious poetry professor. As they become further entangled with both each other and the mystery surrounding Professor De Lafontaine, their romance takes a dark turn that could plunge them both into grave danger. As always, Gibson’s prose was absolutely dreamy and really helped to ground the book in its 1960s setting. I understand why other reviewers have called the plot slow, but as a firm enjoyer of character-driven narratives, I don’t think this hindered the book as much as it gave its intricate relationships time to breathe and grow. All in all, I thought this was a gorgeous story of hunger, secrets, and carving out your own space for a happy ending.

An Education in Malice is a beautifully written dark academia fantasy with sapphic romance. It is a standalone retelling of the vampire story Carmilla and explores toxic relationships and poetry, but also includes some spicy scenes. It follows two POVs: Laura and Camilla and their academia rivals to lvoers romance as they vie for the attention and affection of their poetry teacher (and vampire) De Lafontine. This book explores toxic relationships, both romantic and student teacher, and I liked how ST Gibson explores this theme. As with ST Gibsons other books, this is very character focused, but I really enjoyed getting to know Laura and Camilla and how distinct their voices are. Overall, if you are looking for a new sapphic fantasy, then I would recommend this!

Dark, rich and atmospheric with wonderful complex sapphic relationships at its core. I love the writing and the mood, I felt attached to the characters and gripped by the plot despite it not being the main focus. The characters and their relationships are the most important parts of this book and are what drive the story and I personally loved that. The enemies to lovers dynamic was fun and well executed but the relationship between teacher and student, mentor and mentee, powerful and powerless was the most interesting and complex aspect of the whole book and I thought it was wonderfully drawn and explored. All of the character dynamics were fascinating but that relationship was riveting. There is a kindness at the heart of this book that you can feel the whole way through despite its dark themes and motifs and that made it feel warm and inviting while also being dark and even gruesome in places. A brilliant balance!

It's been a long time since I've read Carmilla, so I can't make full comparisons, but this felt just the same as slipping into the original. Hazy and obsessive, the trio of characters fulfills its purpose of making you feel uncomfortable. At 70%, I did stop reading this for a month as other things got in the way, and I do think that hindered my overall appreciation for the book, as when I began reading again, I found it hard to care for what was happening. While I'm settling this at three stars, I'm confident that if you love Carmilla or quick gothic stories, this could easily be higher.

Really enjoyed this. Queer / sapphic gothic horror, really lux with a great sense of place and scenery and more than a hint of dark academia. Interesting characters, and pacy and thrilling read. Loads of fun. Set it for my book club who loved it. Quite insane, but thoroughly enjoyable

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I am obsessed with Gibson’s prose. So beautifully written. I cannot wait to read more from an author who is well on her way to establishing herself as one of my favourites.

I want to thank Netgalley for an advanced ARC of this book and also the audiobook.

I have been a huge fan of anything to do with vampire stories and also the history of vampirism so when a book comes out about vampires, I am the first one who wants to read it.

The story in this novel is beautifully written dark but at the same time compassionate, the depth we go to with each character is not too much but enough to draw a connection with each character talked about. The chapters change between 3 characters' views (POVS). I listened to the whole audiobook completely in one go and not being able to put it down because I was so drawn in.

A Beautiful book full of passion for life and also education talking about poetry and writing with a beautiful elegance

S.T. GIBSON DID IT AGAIN YALL!!!!
Absolutely loved this! Saint never fails, her prose is so beautiful and I'm always falling head over heels for her characters! How does she do it? I also loved Evocation so I've now read 3/3 Saints works and I can assure you she is a star quality writer. OBSESSED

This vampire novel had all the ingredients for a thrilling read – dark academia, sapphic vampires. Despite my initial excitement, I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout the story. Overall, it felt like there was something lacking in the execution that prevented it from reaching its full potential. It left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. I wanted to get hooked on the characters and the plot, but something was missing. It's like the book had the potential to be amazing, but it just didn't quite get there.

~ ARC received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars. Listen, “Dowry of Blood” is one of my top 5 books of all time. And I think my overall enjoyment of this book was due to my expectations that it was going to give Carmilla’s story the same love and prose and feminist spotlight that “Dowry of Blood” did for Dracula’s partners. Felt a little directionless at times, the character arcs were convenient or random, and we were focused on two other love stories besides Laura & Carmilla’s (all the points of tension, possession, heartbreak, see-the-light moments were happening outside of our FMC’s relationship). And the ending held no real heartbreak or satisfaction for me (SPOILER: I don’t need both, but if Evelyn had committed to being the villain in that one scene I would’ve been more invested).

Still really excited for Evocation though!

I don't use the word "masterclass in writing" often but I think it applies here - I was singularly impressed with S. T. Gibson's cosy (yes, it kind of is) sapphic vampire dark academia gothic horror coming-of-age story from the 70s. And I make no apologies for all those adjectives because this book IS a lot of things, while also being simply very readable. I generally don't love paranormal but this book made the existence of a vampire or two at a women's college in Massachusetts so incredibly and starkly real, it was easy to sink into the story.

We are caught up in the academic worship of the mysterious and effortlessly cool poetry Professor De Lafontaine as she cultivates her relationships with her established pet Carmilla and new girl Laura. A maelstrom of jealousy, resentment and desire set against the backdrop of massive social change following the Summer of Love, this book sucked me in and bit me hard. It's got buckets of yearning and hunger both sexual and sanguine dripping through the pages while at the same time making the hair on the back of your neck stand up with alarm. There's an explicit sex scene which included exhibitionism that had me clutching my pearls, but the focus of the text is more the obsession between the three main characters and their love for each other vying with their selfishness and need for validation and worship.

This is my first Gibson book but you can bet I'll be finding a copy of A Dowry of Blood to read next as I'm told this book is set loosely in the same universe.

Sex scenes are not really for me, a friend suggested I maybe should have read something else by ST Gibson first to kinda get used to it. So I don’t think it’s a bad book but it’s more on my part. It was…partly enjoyable

A Dowry of Blood was an unexpected smash hit in our Library and, having now read this, I think this will be the same. Dark, intense and mesmerising.