Morally gray characters
V. E. Schwab is especially known for her use of morally gray character, meaning her characters are not fully good or evil, but somewhere in between. This allows her characters to feel more complex and realistic to the readers. In the novels The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Vicious, her protagonist s often make selfish, harmful, or questionable decisions, yet the reader can still understand their reasoning behind these decisions, such as loneliness, ambition, or a desire for power. Instead of making clear heroes or villains, Schwab blurs the line between the two, making it difficult to decide who to support. Schwab's writing also emphasizes that people are shaped by their past experiences and that morality is not always black and white, which forces readers to question whether actions can be justified. As a result, her stories feel more interesting and require deeper thinking, since readers must constantly reshape their opinions of each character rather than relying on simple labels.
For example, in Vicious, V. E. Schwab uses Victor Vale and Eli Ever to show morally gray characters. Victor is technically the "villain", yet readers often have sympathy for him because his actions are motivated by betrayal and revenge after Eli turns on him. However, Victor still kills without much hesitation, showing he isn't fully good. On the other hand, Eli believes he is ethical, killing other ExtraOrdinaries because he thinks they are unnatural and dangerous, despite being one himself. Even though Eli sees himself as a hero, his actions are extreme and cruel. This contrast makes it hard to decide who is right, further emphasizing Schwab's theme of morally gray characters.
Non-linear storytelling
V. E. Schwab frequently uses non-linear storytelling, meaning her narratives move back and forth in time instead of just going in chronological order. This technique allows her to slowly reveal important details about her characters and plot, which builds suspense and keeps readers entertained. In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the story shifts between Addie's life in the 1700s and her experiences in the present, showing how her past decisions continue to shape her identity. This allows readers to understand her present actions and feelings by seeing how past incidents have affected her thought process. By structuring her stories this way, Schwab creates a sense of mystery, since readers have to piece together parts of the stories as they are revealed. This also deepens the aspect of character development, becauzse readers see how past actions and decisions directly affect their present behavior. Overall, her use of non-linear storytelling makes her writing more complex and layered, encouraging readers to stay actively involved in understanding the story.
Dark tone