Vicious by V. E. Schwab

Vicious

Photo Credit: Barnes and Noble

   
Synopsis 

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?


Review

Going into this book, I was really nervous because of all the hype, especially with the news of the sequel coming out soon ( which I CANNOT WAIT FOR ). I really wanted to like this book and after reading, and loving, the Shades of Magic Trilogy by V. E. Schwab, I had really high expectations, which, let me tell you, is never a good way to go into a book, but it did not disappoint!!

Vicious by V. E. Schwab is a dark, gripping novel that challenges our views of what it means to be a hero and a villain. V. E. Schwab tackles the concept that "every villain is the hero of his own story" head-on with her antihero protagonists and captivating plot. 

Vicious is about two unlikely best friends, whose curiosity and egos take things a little too far. Backs are stabbed, loyalties are questioned, and bonds are broken. Vicious truly is not a story of good versus evil, but of bad versus worse. 

I loved how the story went back and forth between the past and the present. I thought it was really cool and fun to read the past chapters because we got to see how all the characters came to be who they are now. I especially loved Mitch and his backstory. I think his "curse" was especially interesting and kind of funny to read and is something that could definitely be expanded on more in the next book. It was also nice to be able to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.

The characters are really what made this novel so special to me. I love the squad! I loved each and every character and really enjoyed being able to read from each point of view. I thought Schwab did an amazing job of rounding each character. They were all so fleshed out and real. The villain wasn't really a villain. The big tough guy had a soft inside. The little girl had an unfathomable power. I was, however, hoping for a little more development from Eli's character who was pretty much a jerk throughout the whole book.

I really loved Mitch. I thought it was so funny how despite his size and how everyone seemed to see him as this big brute, he was the most rational and humane member of the group. In my mind, I keep thinking of him as like this friendly giant. The criminal with a heart of gold. He was just so interesting and I can't wait to see him in the next book!

Overall, I absolutely loved Vicious and will definitely be adding it to my favorites list!

Theories, hopes, and thoughts for Vengeful

Mitch becomes an EO?

I am so excited for the new addition to the squad Dominic! 

Rating 

5 / 5