Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

37 reviews

innae's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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

5.0

I loved this book.   It took a bit to get the time changes straight, but the story and characters is just great.   Victor and Eli — not sure I could ask for better main characters.   I need to hunt down the second book. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Death, Grief, and Animal death

ladynavalon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Religious bigotry, Murder, Mental illness, Medical content, Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Torture, Physical abuse, Gun violence, and Grief

donatio's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

As always V. E. Schwab did not disappoint.
I loved the writing style and how she skipped back and forth between the past and the present. The characters were well-crafted and I found a connection to every one of them, especially Victor's group of strays. 
It was not really action-packed but I still loved how the story evolved. 
Before reading one should check the trigger warnings, because it gets dark at points and "There are no good men in this game" is quite true. The mix of flashbacks and present might be annoying for some people too. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

paulinabemu's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Physical abuse

mraddd's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Toxic friendship, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Drug use

nadias_littlelibrary's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Minor: Animal death

nie_fertig's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Shoutout to my friend Elian for recommending this book, and my friend Myla for wanting me to read it as well! Let me just say, the pacing is slow - especially in the beginning - but then it all comes together and everything crumbles chaotically in the end - I LOVE it!! These characters are so, so flawed too and it's really interesting how Schwab writes the two main characters (Victor and Eli) to not be likable and for the audience to not really pick a side between the rivalry because they're both horrible people and only think of themselves (except when they think of each other - you CANNOT tell me victor and eli aren't gay for each other - even though they want to kill each other, they think about one another ALL THE TIME like they literally woundn't have a purpose in life without one another - it's similar vibes to Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Aufidius).
Anyway, I also wanted to mention even though you're not supposed to be Team Victor or Team Eli, I'm still Team Victor because at least he doesn't say "I'm going to kill in the name of God," unlike Eli, which is terrifying and gives me The Batter from OFF vibes (wanting to "purify" the entire land, even if that means he has to kill his "monstrous" wife and child UGH). So, I'll see how the second book goes and see if I'm still Team Victor.
P.S. Mitch is a big softie and I love him <3 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Emotional abuse

aliyachaudhry's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Torture, Cursing, Death, Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism

harmonique's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Death, Torture, Religious bigotry, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Murder

Minor: Alcohol

anthasplans's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

It fascinates me every time I read it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Gaslighting, Violence, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship