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Review of An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
Dark Academia | Gothic Horror | Dark Romance | LGBTQ+ Fantasy
Standalone | Set in the world of A Dowry of Blood
“After all, what horror wouldn’t I tolerate, if it was meted out by the hand of my beloved?”
When Laura arrives on campus, she has no idea how far her new life will take her from everything she knows. Carmilla immediately sees Laura as competition in Professor De Lafontaine’s poetry class and refuses to surrender her place as the professor’s favorite student. Laura wants to succeed, Carmilla wants to protect her place within their academic circle, and De Lafontaine is hiding a secret that will change all three of their lives when the girls accept her invitation.
Should You Read An Education in Malice?
If you enjoy dark academia, fierce rivals, and interwoven story-lines, this book is likely a good fit for you. An Education in Malice is best for readers who want a character-driven story with horror elements, complicated relationships, and dark romance rather than epic world-building or action-heavy fantasy.
The writing draws the reader in from the moment Laura arrives on campus. An all-girls school in New England during the fall, chapels, and old questionable buildings all add to the underlying darkness of the book. It creates an immersive world that allows the reader to easily imagine themselves inside the walls of the school. No matter where the story goes, the atmosphere remains present.
The relationship between Laura and Carmilla follows an enemies-to-lovers arc, but the chemistry between them is supported by the writing. They both want Professor De Lafontaine’s attention, although for very different reasons. Laura admires the professor’s work and wants her academic approval, while Carmilla is searching for the parental connection she has been missing since losing her mother. De Lafontaine, meanwhile, pits the girls against each other in class, pushing both of them to do better.
Each relationship is driven by a different need, and none of them initially understand where those needs will take them. They’re focused on their individual goals and willing to do what they believe is necessary to reach them.
The tension works because several different relationships and secrets are developing at the same time. Laura and Carmilla move between rivalry and attraction while Carmilla becomes increasingly determined to uncover what De Lafontaine is hiding. Once Laura is pulled into that search, the academic rivalry begins giving way to something much darker.
The horror and romance build alongside one another rather than competing for space. Secrets surrounding De Lafontaine introduce the supernatural elements, while Laura and Carmilla’s changing relationship becomes increasingly intertwined with them. Blood, desire, obsession, and danger begin occupying the same space, allowing the horror to feel like a natural extension of the relationships rather than something added simply to make the story darker.
Overall, the writing is well done and while the story follows familiar enemies-to-lovers territory, the relationship between Laura and Carmilla has enough chemistry and character development to make it work. The sapphic romance, academic rivalry, and supernatural elements are woven together rather than feeling like separate pieces of the story.
There was enough intrigue to keep me engaged, and the pacing worked well. I never found myself waiting for the story to hurry into the next scene. The setting is immersive without requiring extensive world-building, allowing the campus, relationships, and underlying horror to carry the story.
For me, An Education in Malice worked because it knew exactly what atmosphere it wanted to create and stayed inside it.
If you love sapphic romance, dark academia, and a touch of horror, this belongs on your shelf.
If this story stayed with you, these reads belong on your shelf → Fantasy Books About Dangerous Invitations
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