Review: Vicious

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely darker than I was expecting, but a lot of fun!

It's a fresh take on Heroes vs Villains and it asks a lot of moral questions in amongst revenge-y plotting and superpower action. Victor and Eli are our Hero and Villain, but which is which? All we know is that they were once friends, now they're enemies, and both are intent on taking down the other.

Initially, I enjoyed the base in science. It grounds fantasy in reality and allows you greater belief in what's happening, which is a lot more fun. It's kind of like X-Men, only the X-Men are corrupt and soulless, and a lot of people die around them.

The story does jump back and forth through time so we get the origin stories mixed in with the present, and it helps to keep the story interesting, though it wasn't quite as addictive as I'd anticipated. I thought I'd smash through it in a day but it was easy to put down, so it took me three (Then again, maybe that's also part restlessness on account of being stuck indoors all week).

I enjoyed the cast of characters immensely and loved them all, though of course I have a soft spot for Victor. I also like that he was NOT a hero. These characters are all shades of grey so prepare to have your own morals questioned.

The story did seem to drag a little but there was always something happening so I can't put my finger on why. I think I just wanted more, whereas this never seemed to properly climax. I think I wanted less talk and plotting and calmness and more savagery and action. But Eli and Victor are very chill about their evil-doings.

This was a great read that took a familiar trope and twisted it around so that you're constantly questioning your own moral choices. I liked that there was so much grey, and that I was able to really get to know and love these characters.

Nothing particularly exceptional for fantasy lovers, but excellent, intriguing material for those interested in heroes and villains. Great characters, plenty of darkness and a touch of superpowers thrown in for fun.

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