Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.
Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?
5 STARS
I don't think I've really read anything like Vicious before. This is a re-read for me, and a lot of times when I re-read a book it's because I don't remember a lot. My memory isn't great and I read so many books that sometimes plots can get muddled after a couple years. But I was surprised at how much I did remember from the plot of Vicious. And I loved every second of it.
Although it is evident in her other books, I think Vicious is definitely one of the main reasons why people praise V.E. Schwab for her talent at writing complex morally grey characters. She's just so good at it! Although I know what side I am on when it comes to Victor and Eli, because of who they are as characters I could see how both of them have come to the opinions they have in the present part of the story. It's intense and really dark but I liked the lighter moments too. I really enjoyed the bickering between Victor and Mitch, and how both of them interacted with Sydney. What I found really sneaky is that I didn't really realize how invested I was in the characters until things got dangerous for them, or when I found myself smiling at the dialogue and really loving the bonds forming between them.
The plot catches you by surprised and keeps you on your seat basically the entire book. I picked this book up when I was traveling with my fiancé. We were so busy that trip I couldn't really read but I was definitely thinking about it a lot. The events that happen takes you on a complete feelings rollercoaster and sometimes you're not sure what side your on. The whole thing is super clever but I expect nothing else from Schwab. I think Victor and Eli definitely gave me Professor Xavier/Magneto feels with how morally grey the characters can be and what side they're fighting for.
Schwab is probably my favorite writer, I've come to that conclusion in the last month or so while binge-reading all of her books. I cannot get enough of how beautiful her writing is, how amazing her characters are, and how unique the plots she comes up with can be. I may have stepped onto the Schwab fangirl bandwagon but I rarely see any problems with her books because they are all so beautifully put together. Maybe it's also because I have been following her on social media for a really long time and I know how much work she puts into writing all of her books but I feel like its evident when you read them.
I am so incredibly excited for my copy of Vengeful to arrive in my mailbox in just a couple weeks. You can guarantee I am dropping EVERYTHING to find out what happens next. This book is five years in the making and I cannot wait. I don't know Schwab personally, so it feels weird saying this. But I am so proud of her. I remember her talking about how hard it was for her to figure out how to write Vengeful and that she almost decided to call it quits. And now we are just a couple weeks shy of it being released! I cannot be happier for her, she deserves the world.
If you have not read Vicious yet, definitely pick it up before Vengeful comes out! You have enough time and if you're into superpowers, morally grey characters, beautiful writing, and you love dogs then this is the book for you.
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