A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

A Lesson in Vengeance

by Victoria Lee

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.

Felicity Morrow is back at the Dalloway School. Perched in the Catskill Mountains, the centuries-old, ivy-covered campus was home until the tragic death of her girlfriend. Now, after a year away, she's returned to finish high school. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the spirits of five Dalloway students—girls some say were witches. The Dalloway Five all died mysteriously, one after another, right on Godwin grounds. 
 
Witchcraft is woven into Dalloway's past. The school doesn't talk about it, but the students do. In secret rooms and shadowy corners, girls convene. And before her girlfriend died, Felicity was drawn to the dark. She's determined to leave that behind now, but it's hard when Dalloway's occult history is everywhere. And when the new girl won't let her forget. 
 
It's Ellis Haley's first year at Dalloway, and she has already amassed a loyal following. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, Ellis is a so-called method writer. She's eccentric and brilliant, and Felicity can't shake the pull she feels to her. So when Ellis asks Felicity to help her research the Dalloway Five for her second book, Felicity can't say no. Given her history with the arcane, Felicity is the perfect resource. 
 
And when history begins to repeat itself, Felicity will have to face the darkness in Dalloway—and herself. 
 

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

5 of 5 stars

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If you put a book in front of me and compare it to Ninth House, you better believe that I'm going to read it! A Lesson in Vengeance is the latest novel to come from the mind of Victoria Lee, and guys – this is not a book you're going to want to miss out on. Seriously, I'm going to be forcing all of my friends and family to read it.

The Dalloway School is famous for many things, not all of them good. They have witchcraft and death buried in the closets. Felicity Morrow can't get enough of the haunted nature of her school, which is why the lore has become part of her senior project.

That is until she found herself sunk too deep into legend. Now she's doomed herself, her friends, and who knows how many others to follow down the same path that witches in history once took.

"I understand the concept of sense memory. But understanding isn't preparation."

Words cannot express how much I loved A Lesson in Vengeance. I love Dark Academia novels, so I went into A Lesson in Vengeance expecting to love it. I simply wasn't prepared for the extent of that love.

Victoria Lee merged so many fantastic elements together to create this novel, and it shows. Dark academia meets mystery and thriller with a lesbian leading lady. Seriously, what more could you possibly ever ask for?

Best of all – better than the intrigue, the character development, or the dramatic twist – the writing. Victoria Lee's writing is enchanting. More than that, she wound a story in such a way as for it to be virtually impossible to spot the truth right away.

"You can still feel history in these halls. At any moment you might turn the corner and find yourself face to face with a ghost from the past."

Is this a ghost story? Is it a tale of teenage girls doing horrible things? Who knows? Only those that have actually read all the way until the end will be able to tell you that one. And I, for one, will not be spoiling it.

I loved the rich atmosphere of this novel. It wiggles into the bones and won't let go, and while that may be a graphic image for some, it is very much an accurate one. Felicity's story is harrowing and fascinating, dark and complex.

Part of me is quite sad that this is a standalone novel, but mostly because I am greedy. What Victoria Lee here is perfectly captured within one novel, and there is no need for her to continue. I just don't want to let the world or story go.

Thanks to Delacorte Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 August, 2021: Finished reading
  • 2 August, 2021: Reviewed