Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

107 reviews

zonnestraal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Vicious. No wonder it's called that. This book is certainly no walk in the park, unless the park is dark and you get stabbed by someone while walking through it. This was a really well written book, with complex thoughts, as 'is there really good or bad?' I liked how the book switched between different timelines and wasn't a chronical recounting. The supernatural system was well explained and fascinating. A lot of murders. A lot of death (but there is a cheat in the game, so not all deaths are definitive). It's a very good book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, Blood, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Gun violence

Minor: Self harm and Suicide attempt

katbotelho's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

theres a lot going on in this book but i really enjoyed it,, there were times where i had to put the book down bc it was just straight up overwhelming how much was going on, but i will be reading the next one anyway. also i think this book wrote the definition for morally grey characters. 

also  couldve done without so much self harm tho but alas

anyway im taking away half a star simply for serenas annoying ass

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Drug use, Violence, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Animal death

mcoder_music's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Torture, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

ceruleanheather's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a deliciously dark, twisted tale of what can happen when people get super powers. Sometimes it is difficult to tell who the villains and heroes are. 

The story goes back and forth between the present (ish), and ten years ago. Ten years ago Victor and Eli were friends in med school with a crazy theory about people gaining super powers called EOs (ExtraOrdinaries). Their bond is already an odd one in this time, but it works somehow. There is much jealousy though, and inevitable betrayal.

In the present, Eli and Victor are anything but friends. One has a god complex, and one seems self aware yet not quite caring. The betrayals have been festering and everything is heading to a climax at midnight.

Along the way we meet Mitch, Sydney, Serena, and a host of other characters. Each one being drawn into the epic conflict. Through each perspective we get to explore that fine line between what makes a person a hero or a villain, and so many gray areas. I love that there are no true background characters, as each one has their own demons to wrestle and their own role.

The two main characters are a psychopath and a sociopath, so fair warning. I was utterly fascinated by the way their minds worked though.

*TW* animal death (but keep reading)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, Mental illness, Death, Addiction, Torture, Toxic friendship, Blood, Drug use, Medical content, Murder, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Gun violence, and Alcohol

foggyoblio's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Animal death, Gore, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Medical trauma, Suicide, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Death, Alcoholism, Child death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Confinement

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Ok amazing! Schwab does it again! This story of power dynamics and friendship is a powerhouse and i'm glad theres a second book. Victor and Eli are so similar in ways and yet fundamentally different morally. I usually hate multiple pov and third person writing but Schwab does it so well you dont even notice it. I think all the individual storylines were crafted so beautifully and connected so well. I think this just suffers from what every multiple pov book does: a lack of connection to the characters. You feel for them yes, but when the end approached I didn't really care what happened to them, or I knew it would all be ok (either or). Im so excited to read the second installment and I hope its just as good if not better than the first! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Slavery, Stalking, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Suicide, Abandonment, Animal death, Mental illness, Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Violence, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Toxic friendship

cosmicwillow's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i really really enjoyed this!! it was very fun and twisted, and i love the concept of this. i didnt love that the female characters in this were much more underdeveloped than the males as it made them feel like afterthoughts. i also think victor and eli’s friendship could have been fleshed out more to give more of an emotional juxtaposition with the ending. but overall this was really fun and im excited to read the sequel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death, Alcohol, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Self harm, and Gore

strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

This book was so good! Go into it knowing nothing! Just go read it! I’m literalLu screamed at the last line and at least 12 others in the book. It’s just so so so so so so good!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, Addiction, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Child death, Toxic friendship, Torture, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Murder, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Alcoholism, Self harm, and Suicide

Moderate: Cursing

haveyouseencass's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic friendship, Torture, Body horror, Gaslighting, Gore, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Murder, Animal death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Blood, and Death

Minor: Drug use, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

aftgtrash's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Victor Vale is a maniac 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, and Animal death

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Drug use