An Education in Malice

By: S. T. Gibson

Narrated by: Stephanie Cannon

Sumptuous and addictive, An Education in Malice is a dark academia tale of blood, secrets and insatiable hungers from S.T. Gibson, author of the cult hit A Dowry of Blood.

Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua’s College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold.

On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.

But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.

For more from S.T. Gibson, check out A Dowry of Blood.

Critic reviews

"An Education in Malice is an ode to girlhood; ribbons, blood, poetry, and rage. Gibson’s fang-sharp prose and unflinching honesty create a delicate and fearless exploration of loneliness, love, and—as the bridge between those two absolutes—longing." —Sydney J. Shields, author of The Honey Witch

Praise for A Dowry of Blood:

"A dizzying nightmare of a romance that will leave you aching, angry and ultimately hopeful." —Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

"A thrilling and seductive Gothic rife with spine-tingling tension and dark romance. A Dowry of Blood left me breathless." —Alexis Henderson, author The Year of the Witching

"Dark, seductive...A messy, in-depth portrait of emotional abuse that nails Constanta’s complex intermingling of love, pain, fear, and anger in mesmerizing prose. Thorny, fast-paced, and unabashedly queer, this is sure to draw readers in." —Publishers Weekly

"Dark, lush and heartrendingly romantic." —Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

"A powerful take of possession and liberation. This is a Dracula retelling unlike any other—undeniable and unforgettable." —Rose Szabo, author of What Big Teeth

"Stunningly gorgeous and devastatingly romantic, you won't want to miss this one!" —Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods

"Atmospheric and lush...it will haunt you in the best possible way" —Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart

"A Dowry of Blood is an intoxicating perfume that lingers—an undying love story where beauty and horror clasp hands." —Rachel Gillig, author of One Dark Window

“Seductive, lyrical, and rich with period detail, this daring retelling casts the Harkers' story aside to follow Dracula's medieval bride and her tangled romance with his consorts over the centuries. The horror—pulsing and beautiful—comes as much from Constanta’s insights into her husband’s psychology as it does from bloodlust. A dark triumph.” —Mary McMyne, author of The Book of Gothel

"A Dowry of Blood is a delectable jewel of a tale, shimmering with dark, beautiful prose. Gibson balances mournful gothic possession with heartfelt emotional authenticity for a thrilling ride from start to finish." —Tori Bovalino, author of Not Good for Maidens

Satisfying ending!

Great sapphic read I wish it had more spice but overall really good quick read

couldn't finish

the reading is so annoying, I cannot finish this book. So I gave it 3 stars, because I'm not sure if the book sucks or if I just couldn't get past the narrator.

Artistry in its true dark form

Loved how the story was depicted with this constant struggle of the unknown yet unrestricted. Loved the style of writing & story telling. Definitely recommend.

amazing narration for a pointless and meaningless story.

The story focuses on two wallflower characters with no impact on the story as it happens around them. the characters inner dialogue and backstories are completely meaningless and have no bearing on their decisions or actions.

could save a lot of time by saying Laura is an empty doll who is hot and carmilla is an empty doll who is hot and then move on with the story. lots of frustrating things like serial murders not leading to any sort of response or reaction the world is as empty and hollow as the characters the story follows.

Narration and writing are amazing

Writing this subject matter can very easily feel vulgar and cringey. The author manages to do nothing of that. It's just so good!! Despite the plot not having much to do with the source material, the author implements little easter eggs that will certainly please the ones who enjoy Le Fanu's Carmilla.