Druidan reviewed A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
A Lesson In Vengeance - Review
3 stars
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.
