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graybat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
was alright ig?? preferred the first one, this just seemed to drag on a lot and the ending was a bit meh
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, and Medical trauma
Minor: Domestic abuse
kodi_rae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Gun violence, Sexism, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury
solouncapitulomas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
“Tell me, is it blasphemy, or simply arrogance, taking credit for God’s work?”
This was, like the first book, a perfect mix of X-Men, The Umbrella Academy and some of The Gifted perhaps. A perfect plot twist on the typical "superhero" story, feels like reading a comic or watching a movie about people with powers, characters that not only can be morally gray but usually cross the line to the dark side, no morals or qualms at all.
Took my long enough but finally finished this book, must admit that I didn't want it to end so I avoided the ending a lot. I knew we are getting a third book but my heart cannot resist more waiting for book announcement like with the second book of ninth house. I just want to end a series for once, that is all.
Okay, enough sobbing, time to talk about this wonderful book:
I was very excited to pick this sequel, not only because I liked the first book but also for the reason that I wanted to explore V.E. Schwab recent writing, the first book is from 2013 and her first adult novel, this is from 2018. More recent and, as I suspected, with a better writing than the first one and an amazing plot.
I really want to get this "out of the way" so regarding Eli's past, I must admit it hurt a little to read, he was just a child and I felt bad for that kid suffering so much, losing his mom, killing his abuser. Spending sm time hearing people saying he was "weird" and when he finally found a loving family, lost that too. I was so happy to finally see his pov on his first meeting with Victor (my fav character btw) and even tho what he did was still bad and I am not a Eli Ever apologist, he was fucking broken and I kinda respect that? still mad about how he killed a possible Magneto, more of a Polaris honestly, but I love those too and it hurt we didn't get to see so many powers he got rid of. I didn't even got to know about the NDE or the last thoughts they had before dying, that's just rude Eliot.
Moving on, the found family trope had me on leash, per usual, Sidney, Mitch, Dol and Victor are the weirdest family of them all and if Dol dies once again, I swear to god, I will throw a fit. Let that dog rest, I beg you, Victoria.
I want to take some time to address some of the characters we recently met, just the ones that stuck with me:
1. Marcella was our introduction, and when she said I will ruin you I just knew her power was going to be good, Marcus deserved it all, he had it coming! But also se was really unstable and she did remind me of Eli a lot sometimes. I love the throwback when she went to the party with her sucky husband and he said "let them men talk" but she called them boys, proving that her attitude was there already. The EO condition only gave her the power to get what she wanted, tho it went up to her head way too quickly. She went cray cray but I enjoyed her antics regardless of it all.
2. June, how to define her? we don't know much about her past, yet, but hopefully we'll get more insight in the next book (Victorious) but we do know she is a kind of Mystique, Laila from The Gilded Wolves and Tessa Gray from TID, that how I memorized her power (making things harder for my brain since 1999). Even tho her shapeshifting may shine as her "better" ability, she also can read memories, it's deeper than a single imitation, that is why I also add the Tessa Gray in, if you've read TID you'll know (if not, go read it rn). Her last scene made me feel like reading Evelyn Hugo marriage to Mick Riva all over again, women are just amazing and manipulation has no limits when you learned to wield yourself like a weapon.
3. Dr. Thomas Haverty, freaking creepy man, does not deserve the doctor on his name, truly hated him and it had me cringing how he treated every the EOs and kept saying it was for "the greater good" when we all know deep down he wanted the praise and to satisfy his ego. The audacity of some baffles me.
Next topic, now that I mention the creepy doctor I wanted to add that I'm so glad that neither Eli nor Victor finished their careers as doctor, those two do not belong in the medical field, had to be said. Eli for obvious reasons but Victor has a view of medicine that even though I get it sometimes feels kinda "disconnected" from the human side of medicine, the sensible part. He is so detached of it all it sometimes scares me but I know that's the whole point of he being morally gray. He's not a good guy and I know it. Also I don't feel like he would understand the side of the medicine that deals with mental health, mainly because of the relationship he has with his parents and their line of work.
I wanted to add that I added lots of notes across the book (funny ones) and I hope to someday go back to ti and laugh at it, most of them are vine jokes but that's my humor.
I'm kinda sad about Dominic's death, he really got his act together and helped Victor until the end, obviously he wanted to keep the pain away but he was nice to Syd so I liked him and he will be missed.
About Eli's death, I was not surprised, I got spoiled bc I was googling him the other day (rookie mistake) but I didn't know how he died and it only made me more curious knowing he could actually die. It felt kinda right, Sydney getting her revenge without meaning to, she was only defending Victor. Oh and thank god she didn't bring Serena back, we do not need the siren back. No thanks.
Cannot wait for the next book, even if I have the bad feeling it will cost Victor his life; he is still dying after all, the remedy is only temporary and will eventually run out. He should try and find and permanent alternative but I don't think he would, now that Eli is dead I don't think he cares anymore. Next book he will wreak havoc and destroy EON, killed Stell already and that's just the beginning. I can feel it.
I need the last book right now and we don't even have a cover (or a date) I will die.
I will leave this with a few quotes I enjoyed:
“Perhaps she was glass.
But glass is only brittle until it breaks.
Then it’s sharp.”
“It was like the break after a storm. A stretch of peace before bad weather built again. It was only a matter of time—which was why every silent second mattered.”
“I saw became I think I saw became I couldn’t have seen became I didn’t see. Eyes were fickle. Minds were weak.”
“Everyone thought of magnets as having pull, attraction, but turn them around and they repelled. You could spend ages trying to force them together, and you’d get there, almost, but in the end they’d slide off.”
“People looked at her and assumed a whole lot. That a pretty face meant an empty head, that a girl like her was only after an easy life, that she would be satisfied with luxury, instead of power—as if you couldn’t want both.”
“Once is chance, twice, coincidence. Collect a third, and you have a pattern.”
“Normal is overrated. Spoken like someone who didn’t have to work so hard at it. Who hadn’t needed normal to survive.”
“Doubt was a slow, insidious force, wearing away at solid things. ”
“Knowledge may be power, but money buys both.”
“You look like Snow White killed the queen and stole the mirror.”
“Every object had a shatter point, a limitation to its tensile strength.
Apply enough force, and it would break.”
Pd: Just thought I should add that both Eli and Dominic’s bodies staying frozen and the fact that we know they were not cremated may or may not be end in both of them resurrected. I saw this but hadn’t mentioned it thinking I was “exaggerating” but I saw some people on tumblr talking about it and maybe it is not so crazy a theory?
I was listening to Burning Pile by Mother Mother & The Fear by The Score while writing this review
'kay, I'm out
Bye
This was, like the first book, a perfect mix of X-Men, The Umbrella Academy and some of The Gifted perhaps. A perfect plot twist on the typical "superhero" story, feels like reading a comic or watching a movie about people with powers, characters that not only can be morally gray but usually cross the line to the dark side, no morals or qualms at all.
Took my long enough but finally finished this book, must admit that I didn't want it to end so I avoided the ending a lot. I knew we are getting a third book but my heart cannot resist more waiting for book announcement like with the second book of ninth house. I just want to end a series for once, that is all.
Okay, enough sobbing, time to talk about this wonderful book:
I was very excited to pick this sequel, not only because I liked the first book but also for the reason that I wanted to explore V.E. Schwab recent writing, the first book is from 2013 and her first adult novel, this is from 2018. More recent and, as I suspected, with a better writing than the first one and an amazing plot.
I really want to get this "out of the way" so regarding Eli's past, I must admit it hurt a little to read, he was just a child and I felt bad for that kid suffering so much, losing his mom, killing his abuser. Spending sm time hearing people saying he was "weird" and when he finally found a loving family, lost that too. I was so happy to finally see his pov on his first meeting with Victor (my fav character btw) and even tho what he did was still bad and I am not a Eli Ever apologist, he was fucking broken and I kinda respect that? still mad about how he killed a possible Magneto, more of a Polaris honestly, but I love those too and it hurt we didn't get to see so many powers he got rid of. I didn't even got to know about the NDE or the last thoughts they had before dying, that's just rude Eliot.
Moving on, the found family trope had me on leash, per usual, Sidney, Mitch, Dol and Victor are the weirdest family of them all and if Dol dies once again, I swear to god, I will throw a fit. Let that dog rest, I beg you, Victoria.
I want to take some time to address some of the characters we recently met, just the ones that stuck with me:
1. Marcella was our introduction, and when she said I will ruin you I just knew her power was going to be good, Marcus deserved it all, he had it coming! But also se was really unstable and she did remind me of Eli a lot sometimes. I love the throwback when she went to the party with her sucky husband and he said "let them men talk" but she called them boys, proving that her attitude was there already. The EO condition only gave her the power to get what she wanted, tho it went up to her head way too quickly. She went cray cray but I enjoyed her antics regardless of it all.
2. June, how to define her? we don't know much about her past, yet, but hopefully we'll get more insight in the next book (Victorious) but we do know she is a kind of Mystique, Laila from The Gilded Wolves and Tessa Gray from TID, that how I memorized her power (making things harder for my brain since 1999). Even tho her shapeshifting may shine as her "better" ability, she also can read memories, it's deeper than a single imitation, that is why I also add the Tessa Gray in, if you've read TID you'll know (if not, go read it rn). Her last scene made me feel like reading Evelyn Hugo marriage to Mick Riva all over again, women are just amazing and manipulation has no limits when you learned to wield yourself like a weapon.
3. Dr. Thomas Haverty, freaking creepy man, does not deserve the doctor on his name, truly hated him and it had me cringing how he treated every the EOs and kept saying it was for "the greater good" when we all know deep down he wanted the praise and to satisfy his ego. The audacity of some baffles me.
Next topic, now that I mention the creepy doctor I wanted to add that I'm so glad that neither Eli nor Victor finished their careers as doctor, those two do not belong in the medical field, had to be said. Eli for obvious reasons but Victor has a view of medicine that even though I get it sometimes feels kinda "disconnected" from the human side of medicine, the sensible part. He is so detached of it all it sometimes scares me but I know that's the whole point of he being morally gray. He's not a good guy and I know it. Also I don't feel like he would understand the side of the medicine that deals with mental health, mainly because of the relationship he has with his parents and their line of work.
I wanted to add that I added lots of notes across the book (funny ones) and I hope to someday go back to ti and laugh at it, most of them are vine jokes but that's my humor.
I'm kinda sad about Dominic's death, he really got his act together and helped Victor until the end, obviously he wanted to keep the pain away but he was nice to Syd so I liked him and he will be missed.
About Eli's death, I was not surprised, I got spoiled bc I was googling him the other day (rookie mistake) but I didn't know how he died and it only made me more curious knowing he could actually die. It felt kinda right, Sydney getting her revenge without meaning to, she was only defending Victor. Oh and thank god she didn't bring Serena back, we do not need the siren back. No thanks.
Cannot wait for the next book, even if I have the bad feeling it will cost Victor his life; he is still dying after all, the remedy is only temporary and will eventually run out. He should try and find and permanent alternative but I don't think he would, now that Eli is dead I don't think he cares anymore. Next book he will wreak havoc and destroy EON, killed Stell already and that's just the beginning. I can feel it.
I need the last book right now and we don't even have a cover (or a date) I will die.
I will leave this with a few quotes I enjoyed:
“Perhaps she was glass.
But glass is only brittle until it breaks.
Then it’s sharp.”
“It was like the break after a storm. A stretch of peace before bad weather built again. It was only a matter of time—which was why every silent second mattered.”
“I saw became I think I saw became I couldn’t have seen became I didn’t see. Eyes were fickle. Minds were weak.”
“Everyone thought of magnets as having pull, attraction, but turn them around and they repelled. You could spend ages trying to force them together, and you’d get there, almost, but in the end they’d slide off.”
“People looked at her and assumed a whole lot. That a pretty face meant an empty head, that a girl like her was only after an easy life, that she would be satisfied with luxury, instead of power—as if you couldn’t want both.”
“Once is chance, twice, coincidence. Collect a third, and you have a pattern.”
“Normal is overrated. Spoken like someone who didn’t have to work so hard at it. Who hadn’t needed normal to survive.”
“Doubt was a slow, insidious force, wearing away at solid things. ”
“Knowledge may be power, but money buys both.”
“You look like Snow White killed the queen and stole the mirror.”
“Every object had a shatter point, a limitation to its tensile strength.
Apply enough force, and it would break.”
Pd: Just thought I should add that both Eli and Dominic’s bodies staying frozen and the fact that we know they were not cremated may or may not be end in both of them resurrected. I saw this but hadn’t mentioned it thinking I was “exaggerating” but I saw some people on tumblr talking about it and maybe it is not so crazy a theory?
I was listening to Burning Pile by Mother Mother & The Fear by The Score while writing this review
'kay, I'm out
Bye
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Blood, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
sepitz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death
rottendollparts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Cursing and Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death, Rape, and Self harm
acrea17's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
While not as good as Vicious, Vengeful holds up as a decent sequel! This installment toes the line even more with our morally grey characters (Victor, Eli, and even Sydney) and gives a little more insight into the world of EOs and expands upon the idea of tracking EOs down for personal and possible governmental gain. We explore EON, where our old friend Stell captures, analyzes, and possibly neutralizes EOs as a way to both understand them and ensure they are not a threat to society. This part of the book takes on a dystopian quality and has A Brave New World vibes. I absolutely adore this series and was overjoyed when V.E. Scwab announced there would be a third installment in the next few years (along with the upcoming graphic novels!!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death
emohell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
victor vale my beloved asexual........ i really liked this one but i have mixed feelings on the marcella plotline.... i think in combination with both eli and victor's plotlines there just ended up being a lot going on at one time.... that being said once the third act hits it's all smooth sailing from there i still get chills when i think about "run" "chase me"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Animal death and Drug use
Minor: Domestic abuse and Misogyny
lilymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow, just wow! The ending felt satisfying yet unsatisfactory at the same time, like it was a fitting ending but I want so much more from these characters as well! Loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death
spearly's review against another edition
dark
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
Every action had been his own design, every step his own making.
If there was a way out of this, he would find it.
If there wasn’t, he would make one himself.
Vengeful follows our ragtag trio - Victor, Mitch, and Sydney (and Dol) - in the events following Victor's temporary death in Vicious. Sydney brought him back, and now he's... not quote whole. His episodes are getting worse, his deaths are getting longer, and he needs to find a way to stop it.
Meanwhile, Eli Ever is in a heavily guarded cell at the newly minted EON (ExtraOrdinary Observation and Neutralization) facility.
And there's a new Villain in Merit.
This was a really fun read! I enjoyed it even more than I enjoyed Vicious, which is saying something! The new characters were exciting, evil, powerful, and some real adversaries for our anti-heroes.
I've struggled with something about this series, and I think I just have to come around and accept it. I've never loved a character as much as I've hated them, but that's Victor. He's evil, man. Like, I'll murder you when you can't give me what I want, evil. But he's also so damn likeable sometimes. The way he is with Sydney and Mitch, the way he truly seems to care about their wellbeing, about keeping them safe... *chef's kiss*. Sure, they're safety comes at the expense of some perfectly innocent lives but... no-one perfect.
In book one I struggled with the blatant hypocrisy. Eli is some self-proclaimed messiah, murdering all the other EOs because they go against God's plan. Victor has a long-awaited vendetta against Eli, made worse by Eli's self-righteousness. The two come to a head, and out favourite villain is raised form the dead.
And then here, we have... Victor doing the exact same thing, albeit for different reasons. And it's suddenly okay because he's not
I think I will just have to be okay with the hypocrisy. In fact, that's the point. There are no good men in this game (okay, except for Mitch, though I'm sure he has blood on his hands, too). Honestly, Sydney might by the only good-to-her-core character. But what did I expect, reading a series called Villains?
Overall, an excellent duology. In fact, I could even go for a third book, if V.E. Schwab were so inclined. What happens to June? The formula? Victor and Mitch and Sydney?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
ksbrennan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"People had tried to bend June. Tried to break her. Tried to make her feel small. Perhaps it was time for them to understand how small they were. June could never be herself, not the self she was before, but she could be someone. She could be seen."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Animal death