Vicious by V. E. Schwab

Author: V. E. Schwab

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

Date: May 29, 2018

Pages: 400

Format: Hardcover

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Purchase Links: [Chapters/Indigo] [Amazon] 

Goodreads 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?

My Review:

Wow...Just... Victoria Schwab did it again! Right from the first chapter, I was sucked into its villainous world, never wanting to leave. Every aspect of Vicious was compelling, the story, plot, characters, all of it. There is so much depth in the story and the characters. Victoria is a master of suspense! She reveals the backstories and motivations of the characters little by little, dropping hints of a deeper reason, making you crave the need to fill the gaps. It was paced perfectly and kept me turning the pages! One of my favourite things were the chapter titles. They helped so much with the timeline and countdown, I was never confused by the flashbacks and the order of things happening. It was like watching a game of chess, anxiously waiting for the next move and seeing how the other opponent reciprocates. My heart was beating fast and loud and had me on the edge of my bed, stressed and anxious for what was to come during the climax of the conflict. The characters are complex, and intriguing. One thing that I was constantly battling with was how I felt about the choices the characters make, since some were shocking to my own moral compass. The things they do are just not right but you can’t help but root for them and keep reading. I never knew what I was going to expect and feel for them. I had deep feelings for each character, whether it was love or hate, but I enjoyed every moment of it. If you think Vicious has loving heroes that wants to save the world for the better, then you're in for a twisted surprise. Vicious is a truly villainous story and it I one if the best ones I have ever read. The characters are VILLIANS. They are DARK and TWISTED in every sense of the word. I especially have to make a point about Victor. Victor Vale is in no way a hero, he's not even a good man. He is a selfish bastard that I couldn't help love. Victoria Schwab is one of my favourite authors and she never disappoints no matter how high my expectations are. She exceeded my expectations way beyond my imagination. I am excited and ready for Vengeful for when it comes out in September and all the twisted villainy it will contain! 

#VictoriaSchwab #5stars