Release Date: August 3rd, 2021

Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Thriller, LGBT

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 384

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

A Lesson in Vengeance follows Felicity Morrow, a student at Dalloway School – the school she called home until the death of her girlfriend. After a year off-campus she returns to graduate, inhabiting her old dorm room that is rumored to be haunted by five witches that died mysteriously on the campus grounds. Felicity is determined to leave this world behind and focus on graduating. But when first-year Ellis Hayley requests Felicity’s help researching the Dalloway Five, Felicity can’t say no.

Review

I’ve been eyeing A Lesson in Vengeance since I first found out about it in anticipated lists and I’m so glad I finally read it. Lee’s writing was mesmerizing, the setting was absolutely atmospheric, and I just could not put this book down. 

After reading this book, I find myself wanting to look for more dark academia books to read. But so much of that love for me comes from the setting and the writing, which Lee did an incredible job of portraying. From page one this book delivers just the right amount of unsettled feelings at the right time, combined with the cozy atmosphere of books, candles, records, and overall a place seemingly free of modern technology. It became a hauntingly comfortable escape to immerse myself in this story. 

Not only that, but A Lesson in Vengeance had me hooked all the way through. Not only did I find myself wanting to stay up to find out what happened next, but I also found myself reaching for the book first thing in the morning – and as someone who seldom reads this early, this says a lot. The last quarter of the book was especially addicting, so much so that I had to delay my current plans so I could know the ending. 

While this story describes the Dalloway Five and the presence of witches, I should note that this book isn’t as full of magic as the synopsis might imply. The story was great regardless, but the story definitely focuses more on the history of possible magic, and less so on the modern-day incarnations.

My one only critique of this book was the perceived age and maturity of the characters in this book. The characters are high-school age, and while it’s possible that being at a boarding school for so long can call for the characters to be this mature at a young age, there were times I questioned whether their behavior was realistic for their age. I think this story would have made more sense set as college seniors. While I loved this alternate view of a school where the students were rejecting technology and devoting themselves to their studies, there were times where I was reminded this might not be as plausible for their ages. 

Regardless, I really loved reading A Lesson in Vengeance and highly recommend it. I think any fans of dark academia will want to pick this one up soon. 

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