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A review by katiedykema
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.75
This book exceeded my expectations. I’ve always been a fan of V.E. Schwab but I can’t believe I didn’t read this sooner. The complexity of the characters’ motivations led to a very interesting plot that kept me engaged. I was at first worried about how the book was organized (there are many jumps forward and back in time) but it ended up being the perfect way to tell the story. To be organized, I’m going to split the rest of this into a review of what I did like and didn’t like.
What I liked:
- The relationship between Victor and Eli. From school roommates (with very gay undertones lmao) to rivals in a very short amount of time, this character relationship was always slightly competitive and hinted at further trouble from very early on.
- The religious undertones added to the story and Eli’s motivation, also making the story even darker than it already was.
- Serena. She was an amazing character regardless of if she was a good or bad person. Her relationship with Eli reminded me a lot of Piper and Colin Greenmantle from The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Steifvater. Serena was really the one in control the entire time.
- The pacing was fast enough to keep the story entertaining without skipping over important details.
- Who is really the bad guy? Both main characters are bad people. This makes the story intriguing and thought-provoking.
What I didn’t like:
- The lack of explanation about EOs. In this universe, it seems that everyone simply understands what EOs are, even without it being explained to the reader. This is difficult because up until realizing that everyone in the universe knew what they were, I had assumed that this universe was simply a mirror of real life, not a place where EOs are often discussed.
- Serena and Sydney’s background should have been given more time in the book. I still have trouble understanding why Serena was able to turn on Sydney so quickly when it seemed like they had been close.
- Fairly graphic. More of a personal issue with the book than an issue with the writing.
The pros of this book FAR outweigh the cons. This book was amazing and I hope the sequel is as well.
What I liked:
- The relationship between Victor and Eli. From school roommates (with very gay undertones lmao) to rivals in a very short amount of time, this character relationship was always slightly competitive and hinted at further trouble from very early on.
- The religious undertones added to the story and Eli’s motivation, also making the story even darker than it already was.
- Serena. She was an amazing character regardless of if she was a good or bad person. Her relationship with Eli reminded me a lot of Piper and Colin Greenmantle from The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Steifvater. Serena was really the one in control the entire time.
- The pacing was fast enough to keep the story entertaining without skipping over important details.
- Who is really the bad guy? Both main characters are bad people. This makes the story intriguing and thought-provoking.
What I didn’t like:
- The lack of explanation about EOs. In this universe, it seems that everyone simply understands what EOs are, even without it being explained to the reader. This is difficult because up until realizing that everyone in the universe knew what they were, I had assumed that this universe was simply a mirror of real life, not a place where EOs are often discussed.
- Serena and Sydney’s background should have been given more time in the book. I still have trouble understanding why Serena was able to turn on Sydney so quickly when it seemed like they had been close.
- Fairly graphic. More of a personal issue with the book than an issue with the writing.
The pros of this book FAR outweigh the cons. This book was amazing and I hope the sequel is as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicide, Violence, Death, Self harm, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Medical content and Animal death
Minor: Body horror