Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

20 reviews

rtherese's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Great, but falls short of the first one. Too many characters and plot points that made the web of stories too wide. I enjoyed the character of Marcella Riggins, but the addition of the Mafia in Merit city seemed a little uninspired especially since there was no foreshadowing of a crime syndicate in the first book.

With regards to June, I loved her character, but without a proper explanation of her relationship to Syd, it seemed to me at times that their friendship was a little predatory. I’m not sure yet if that was the intended effect of the writer.

I really wish there was more of the original trio, Vic, Mitch, and Sidney, and even a little bit of Eli, instead of semi-fleshing out several new characters that don’t seem to matter much in the end. In an ideal world, because I loved the first book so much, this second book would have revolved around fewer characters, fewer plot points. That would have given the story and the characters enough time to have resolved a more satisfying arc, especially since the new problems the “old” characters are dealing with are very interesting on their own. 

My criticisms about this second book are born out of love because of how much I loved the story, the world, the characters of the first book. Still, it was a blast to read, and many times through the novel did I audibly gasp. Thank you for this exciting book, and as always with readers, I only want more of what I loved. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Animal death

strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Why are murderous women so hot? 
I loved this book. This Duology is just amazing and everything that I needed right now and forever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Body horror, Gore, Murder, Blood, Self harm, Violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Torture, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Religious bigotry, and Gun violence

Moderate: Cursing, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Stalking

Minor: Child death and Sexual content

verpissdich's review against another edition

Step down in quality from the first book, which already was not particularly high. Relies excessively on violence, sexuality, and abuse to "hold" reader interest. Lacks nuance: many portions which would be better unwritten are instead very explicitly spelled out for the reader, destroying intrigue.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Child abuse

cowardlyteaman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Animal death, Medical trauma, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Confinement, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Cursing

Minor: Stalking

lizziaha's review against another edition

dark

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

The sheer breadth of this book is very impressive. There are so many moving parts and ve schwab manages to weave them together so intricately. That being said, because there are so many moving parts, there are still some loose threads that I desperately want to pull. I’m not sure if there will ever be another book, but I want one!!!! Part of the reason that these books are so compelling is because they have a very Batman-villainesque feeling to them and there’s not really a hero to hang your hopes on, so you have to decide which of your morals you will set aside as you choose who to root for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Body horror, Death, Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Self harm, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Addiction

donatio's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

This was just as intriguing as Vicious. 
The multiple POVs, the new characters, the writing, the plot... just brilliant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Drug use, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Violence

rae_kjise's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Gore, Drug use, Blood, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Death, Cursing, Child abuse, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Drug abuse

psliz's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

underdeveloped. would've been better if the two main storylines were split into their own books

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Blood, Gun violence, Death, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Murder, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Child abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Animal death

songbiirds'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Torture, Murder, Death, and Medical content

darkty's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.75

Can't stop thinking about it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Abandonment, and Blood

Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Death, and Drug use