A masterful, twisted tale of ambition,
jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world.
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?
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Date Published: September 24, 2013
Pages: 368
Genres: Adult, urban fantasy, science fiction
Vicious has been
sitting on my shelf since January in a nice TBR pile. I baffle myself sometimes
for waiting so long to read some books. This is the first novel I read by V. E.
Schwab. Vicious is one of those books
that you expect it to be something mediocre and instead you’re exposed to the extraordinary!
“Life – the way it
really is – is a battle not between Bad and Good, but between Bad and Worse.”
This quote by Joseph Brodsky is undeniably fitting.
The point of view is mainly Victor and Eli with Sydney,
Serena, and Mitch telling their tales in a few chapters. First half of the book
is in mainly Victor’s perspective and second half has both Victor and Eli POVs.
The story effortlessly alternates from ten years in the past when Eli and
Victor went to school at Lockland University to the present. The characters are
distinct, each with unique personalities and insightful back stories showing their
complexity. There is darkness and light to each character and you can’t get
through the pages fast enough to see where their ideals will lead them and to what
extent they will go to for revenge. The plot is inventive in that it truly
makes you question where you draw that invisible line. How far will you or can
you go for your ideals or retribution?
I was fascinated with Victor’s character. He was
intelligent, competitive, and analytical. He seemed emotionally stunted and
rather stoic. Not only is he obsessed with Eliot, but he feels as if he is
always second to him and vehemently refuses to be “Eliot’s sidekick.” Eliot on
the other hand was naturally intelligent, quick witted, and charming. Unlike Victor, Eliot wore his façade in the
opposite manner trying to be the all American boy. Victor realized something
about Eli was wrong, which made him all the more fascinating. The two men
gravitate towards one another seeing something similar — something familiar.
Vicious is quite
the page turner with characters that you can sympathize with, an invigorating
plot and writing that leaves an impression. With the novel’s fluidity I can
easily picture it as a movie and what a movie it would be!
Rating: ★★★★★
Rating: ★★★★★
