A Lesson in Vengeance - Paperjale.eus

Hardcover, 384 orrialde

English hizkuntza

2021ko abu. 3a(e)an ‎Delacorte Press(e)n argitaratua.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-30582-9

(berrikuspen 1)

A dark, twisty thriller about a centuries-old, ivy-covered boarding school haunted by its history of witchcraft and two girls dangerously close to digging up the past. The dangerous romance and atmospheric setting makes it a perfect read for fans of dark academia.

The history of Dalloway School lives in the bones it was built on. Five violent deaths in the first ten years of its existence. Sometimes you can still smell the blood on the air.

It wasn’t until Felicity enrolled that she fell in love with the dark. And now she’s back to finish her senior year after the tragic death of her girlfriend. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the spirits of the five Dalloway students who died there—girls some say were witches.

It’s Ellis Haley’s first year at Dalloway. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, Ellis is …

A dark, twisty thriller about a centuries-old, ivy-covered boarding school haunted by its history of witchcraft and two girls dangerously close to digging up the past. The dangerous romance and atmospheric setting makes it a perfect read for fans of dark academia.

The history of Dalloway School lives in the bones it was built on. Five violent deaths in the first ten years of its existence. Sometimes you can still smell the blood on the air.

It wasn’t until Felicity enrolled that she fell in love with the dark. And now she’s back to finish her senior year after the tragic death of her girlfriend. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the spirits of the five Dalloway students who died there—girls some say were witches.

It’s Ellis Haley’s first year at Dalloway. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, Ellis is eccentric and brilliant, and Felicity can’t shake the pull she feels to her. So when Ellis asks for help researching the Dalloway Five for her second book, Felicity can’t say no.

Dalloway’s occult lore is everywhere, and the new girl won’t let Felicity forget it. But when the past begins to invade on the present, Felicity needs to decide where she stands. The soil under her feet is bloody with Dalloway’s history. But so is the present. Is it Dalloway—or is it her?

6 edizio

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A Lesson In Vengeance - Review

3 izar

The book does a good job building atmosphere. The gothic melancholy and mystery, laced with is-it-real-or-not supernatural happenings, is delightful. Between that and the ability to create a few vivid images that really stick in my mind, there are some definite strengths here.

A few of the twists and turns were also solid, with the tension of the final act being the strongest piece of the writing.

I wish that were true of the rest of the book.

Frankly, the characters were generally unlikeable, though Ellis at least was interesting due to how much of an enigma she was.

Felicity was a wet blanket. I get her grief, and the more you learn the why the more understandable it becomes. That doesn’t make it interesting to read. I don’t know how realistic her mental issues were, but they felt like a convenient excuse to hide information buried in her memory, …

The book does a good job building atmosphere. The gothic melancholy and mystery, laced with is-it-real-or-not supernatural happenings, is delightful. Between that and the ability to create a few vivid images that really stick in my mind, there are some definite strengths here.

A few of the twists and turns were also solid, with the tension of the final act being the strongest piece of the writing.

I wish that were true of the rest of the book.

Frankly, the characters were generally unlikeable, though Ellis at least was interesting due to how much of an enigma she was.

Felicity was a wet blanket. I get her grief, and the more you learn the why the more understandable it becomes. That doesn’t make it interesting to read. I don’t know how realistic her mental issues were, but they felt like a convenient excuse to hide information buried in her memory, and a bit ham-fisted at that.

The rest of the characters just don’t have presence to them. I couldn’t remember their names if I tried. They are most useful as devices and background dressing.

I have no idea how the school itself operates. As far as the book is concerned the only locations of consequence on campus is Godwin House, the library, and one advisor’s office.

The themes and ideas are muddled. The representation is present but feels token. The sapphic romance is a bit unconvincing and lacks the spice I wanted from a wlw book.

A final note on the book’s weaknesses, it feels like it is trying too hard. The atmosphere was good, usually, but sometimes the author went a bit heavy on adding particularly gothic words to descriptions. It couldn’t just be as cold as dirt, it had to be as cold as graveyard dirt, etc.

I don’t want this to be just a big old pile of negatives. The thriller aspect is satisfying, and there are particular scenes and reveals that we’re very well done.

I wasn’t taken for a ride or anything, but I enjoyed my time with the book. I give it a hesitant recommendation for anyone who thinks the premise or genre sounds interesting, just be aware that your mileage may vary.