Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

77 reviews

wheeliebridge's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I was genuinely surprised by how gripping and insightful this book is. This was the first book I read where the narrator is definitely a villain, or at least nowhere near a good person, yet I found myself still so interested in seeing their development. The major themes of this book really challenge our ideas of what a villain looks like and how trauma can change you in many ways depending on who you choose to be and what you believe in. Totally recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

on_your_raedar's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was so good! Once I got into it, it was really hard to put down (the library due date helped some too 😂😂). 

Fastest summary: this book is about Eli, a college student, that does his thesis on extraordinary (EOs) people and his roommate Victor, the POV you spend majority of the book in, work together to test Eli’s theories into practice to see if they can make EOs. Victor accidentally kills someone with his gift and Eli turns him in and goes on a self righteous kick using religion as his motivator. You spend the whole book waiting for the V and E show down. 

I’m not sure if the intent was to make Victor a likeable character but I really liked him. Mitch was easily my favorite character, I really hope the6 make this into a movie or tv show and get his character right because I’d love to see him. Sydney was a solid character, she’s really young so I’m excited to see her growth if she’s in book 2, especially with

her not knowing that Victor killed her sister, not Eli. I can already feel the tension there, but I hope it works out.

 

Needless to say, I have book 2 ready to start and also another book by the author. I could easily see V.E. creeping into my top 5 authors and I’m ready.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Suicide, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Gun violence

Minor: Drug use, Grief, Gaslighting, and Ableism

bean_7088's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Ooh! I loved the dark of this one. 
Sometimes books that jump around time wise can be annoying and frustrating, but this was done really well. Never staying too long in any flash back, and satisfyingly dished out information. 
The ending was very satisfying.
Narrator was fantastic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

It's two fucked up people trying to kill each other, it gets nasty.

ahpets's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Torture, Animal death, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

vael's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

You all don’t understand how much I love books about morality especially were the characters could eased be villains or heroes if we see thinks white and black, but thinks are never like that.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed the book, but I’m not sure if I want to read the second one.
I’m happy with the way things ended.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Car accident, Blood, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic relationship

atomicrobin's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, and Gun violence

beeontoast's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Body horror, Self harm, Murder, Violence, and Torture

jgalla's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Bullying, Gore, Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Cursing

willow_sinclair's review

adventurous challenging dark funny inspiring 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

TALENTED, BRILLIANT, INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, SHOW STOPPING, SPECTACULAR, NEVER THE SAME, TOTALLY UNIQUE

I am so NOT NORMAL about this book, I swear. I didn't think I'd love it this much, but here we are, with Vicious now being in the list of my absolute favorites.
I loved the story, I loved how well developed the characters and their evolution (speaking for Eli and Victor especially) were, I love the DIVERISITY of the characters and how the dynamics going on and linking them to one another were not that obvious. I love that

I hated young Victor and I loved him with all my heart as an adult, and that I loved young Eli and DESPISED HIM after the 10 years skip. I loved their constant contrast and obsession with one another, their pull towards the other, it was super intense and captivating.

Victor's party - no, Victor's family owns my heart: Victor is so messed up but honestly, I love him and his humor and his finger guns and sarcasm and half dad jokes the fact that he's absolute FATHER MATERIAL; Sydney must be protected at all costs, she's so sweet and I was in tears for her, she's amazing

(Serena you BITCH)

; and Mitch, oh, don't get me started on my man Mitchell. He's the absolute best, deserves all the chocolate milk in the world.
Eli is CRAZY AS FUCK, I loved his character as much as I hated him as a person. He's insane.
Honorable mention for Daddy Detective Stell. I knew you were a real one.

One of the easiest five-star rating I've ever given, I swear.
LONG LIVE VICTOR VALE

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Murder, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug use, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore

dennyiii's review

adventurous challenging dark funny medium-paced

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

3.75

Me if i was a blonde man. 
Absolute batshit coocoo main character. Definition of morally grey or even straight up not good. Found family somehow as well?? Kaz brekker but older, blonde & asexual.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship