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witcheep's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This Vicious Grace is a book that explores the themes of duty, belonging, and connection through FMC Alessa's character and offers different points of view with different characters. Even if the themes are heavy and the subjects often near traumatic, the tone of the book is quite lighthearted and makes it an easy and fast read.
"I'm tired of being a title rather than a person, I guess."
The main character Alessa is the Finestra, a goddess-chosen magical person who holds the highest rank of the country, but in return is required to give up everything from her previous life, including her name, family, and even the ability to touch people. The Finestra is also expexted to fight an army of foes of the enemy god together with another magical person, a Fonte. She hasn't found that other compatible Fonte yet, and time is running out. Because of this, Alessa has become a secluded young woman who has been touch-deprived for years – a husk of a person, really. This seclusion and touch-deprivation echo the struggles familiar to so many from the pandemic, and makes Thiede's writing more powerful because of it: so many of us can relate to the extreme situation that Alessa is in.
When Alessa gets the chance to touch again by trying to connect with a Fonte, she takes it ravenously – and it ends in the death of the Fonte too many times because her magic is too strong for the touch. This grants the secondary foes in the book, a religious group of men, a somewhat justified claim to want to murder her as a false Finestra. After multiple attempts on her life, Alessa doesn't trust anyone, and seeks for protecion from a disinterested party by hiring a lone street fighter Dante as her body guard.
Dante says he is not kind, but Alessa decides his actions show otherwise: Dante builds Alessa's confidence up by gentle bullying, and Alessa begins to regard them as friends with the potentiality for more.
When Alessa gets the chance to touch again by trying to connect with a Fonte, she takes it ravenously – and it ends in the death of the Fonte too many times because her magic is too strong for the touch. This grants the secondary foes in the book, a religious group of men, a somewhat justified claim to want to murder her as a false Finestra. After multiple attempts on her life, Alessa doesn't trust anyone, and seeks for protecion from a disinterested party by hiring a lone street fighter Dante as her body guard.
Dante says he is not kind, but Alessa decides his actions show otherwise: Dante builds Alessa's confidence up by gentle bullying, and Alessa begins to regard them as friends with the potentiality for more.
Dante squinted, and she smiled brighter. If he was going to tease her about reading smutty novels, she'd fight back by working innuendo into every conversation.
They both are lonely teenagers with recent years in their lives holding such dark times for them that they both have had to grow up fast and become as adult-like as they can to fill in the roles that keep them alive. They open up to each other about their secrets and offer each other support.
Quote in spoiler:
She patted his arm with a perky, "You're doing fine."
"You're desperate, and I'm here, eh?"
"Exactly." She paused. "Thank you."
In the plot, slowly, the concrete truths and rules of ancient sacred texts are questioned by finding alternative translations and interpretations, and Alessa pieces together that the core of the sacred text is community: "Together, we protect. Divided, we unravel." This has traditionally been interpreted to mean the connection between the Finestra and their one Fonte. Gradual spoilers of plot progression: 1.
Hope is what must be found in a YA book, and that is what is drizzled throughtout This Vicious Grace to finally be bathed in at the end. The ending of the book sets up the premise for the sequel, and I'm interested to see where Thiede takes the main characters from here.
Review written 17.3.2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Hate crime, Sexual content, Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, and War
Minor: Bullying, Classism, Child abuse, and Death of parent
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, War, Vomit, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Body horror, Physical abuse, Murder, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Stalking, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Police brutality
mikaelaandherbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Bullying
Minor: Grief and Sexual content
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
For years, I have been someone who doesn't buy a book unless I've read it already, loved it, and know I'll read it again. However, I broke my own rule when I saw this at Barnes & Noble, signed by the author (who happens to be a local). I had already heard fantastic things from people with very similar reading tastes and I just had this inkling I would love it. After skimming the first few chapters in the B&N café, I brought it home... and promptly devoured it.
This book was brilliant.
I've always been a sucker for forbidden love, especially when it happens to be with the bodyguard. There's just something really appealing about that particular trope. Add in the fact that our protagonist literally can't touch the person she's drawn to without the potential of killing them and it gets even more interesting!
The combination of the unique plot plus a subtly steamy romance plus a ton of fantastic action gave me everything I wanted and needed from this fantasy novel. I've found myself slightly disappointed by YA fantasy recently, feeling as though it all reads the same - but this didn't feel that way at all. It was unique and easy to read.
There was also an element of found family that I really adored. The Fontes surprised me a lot as the story went on and by the end, they were some of my favorite characters. I'd love an entire spin-off about Kamaria! Alessa and Dante were precious and I can't wait to see what happens to them next. Things seem a little daunting but also really exciting!
This book was brilliant.
I've always been a sucker for forbidden love, especially when it happens to be with the bodyguard. There's just something really appealing about that particular trope. Add in the fact that our protagonist literally can't touch the person she's drawn to without the potential of killing them and it gets even more interesting!
The combination of the unique plot plus a subtly steamy romance plus a ton of fantastic action gave me everything I wanted and needed from this fantasy novel. I've found myself slightly disappointed by YA fantasy recently, feeling as though it all reads the same - but this didn't feel that way at all. It was unique and easy to read.
There was also an element of found family that I really adored. The Fontes surprised me a lot as the story went on and by the end, they were some of my favorite characters. I'd love an entire spin-off about Kamaria! Alessa and Dante were precious and I can't wait to see what happens to them next. Things seem a little daunting but also really exciting!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Blood, and War
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
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