Vicious

Vicious is a novel that was written in 2013 by author VE Schwab. VE Schwab has written other works such as The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the Darker Shade of Magic series, and Gallant. The genre of the novel is dark academia. Books similar to it include The Secret History by Donna Tart, If We Were Villains by M.L Rio, and The Atlas Six by Olivia Blake. A synopsis of the novel from Goodreads states: “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?”

I read this book a few months after reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which I thoroughly enjoyed. When picking it up, I was not expecting this masterpiece -- no hate to Addie LaRue, but it just does not hold a candle to this novel. Vicious wastes no time giving readers insight into the tone of the novel by having the first setting be a graveyard. From then on, you are on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. When I hear the phrase “I couldn’t put this book down,” I roll my eyes and assume the person is exaggerating, but I am not exaggerating when I say that I could not put this gem down. The book is fast-paced and there is always action happening. You will find yourself excited to turn the page-- or scared, depending on how the last chapter left off-- to the point where you realize you’ve read half the book in one sitting (that did in fact happen to me). 

It’s very hard to say that I have just one favorite aspect of the novel so I shall instead give my top three: VE Schwab’s writer’s voice, the characters, and the plot. VE Schwab’s voice is, to put it simply, amazing. I have read many books, possibly too many, and I can confidently say that VE Schwab’s author’s voice is by far my favorite. She always writes with this slightly unsettling, beautiful, and eerie tone that entices the readers. Schwab also does a phenomenal job of balancing between descriptions of external events and how her characters internalize them. 

On the topic of characters, this book contains two of my favorite (literary) characters of all time: Victor Vale and Eli “Evernever.” Schwab wrote these characters with such care and precision that you cannot stop thinking about them. Not only are the characters by themselves interesting and intriguing, but the dynamic between the two keeps the readers on their toes throughout the entire novel. These complex characters will fill your mind with love, hate, and everything in between. Ever since I read Vicious, I have not been able to get them out of my head (I even dedicated an entire playlist on Spotify to their relationship). Schwab’s world-building skills are nothing short of extraordinary. As previously mentioned, I was constantly on the edge of my seat and was pleasantly taken aback by the amount of twists and turns in the book. I hate cliche plot twists but they were nowhere to be found in Vicious. Nothing felt out of place or “too crazy” for this world; everything felt perfect. Things were unexpected, but never out of place. 

I have read a ton of books in my life but this novel holds a very special place in my heart. I have never before read a novel quite like this and that is a lot of the appeal; it is unlike anything you have experienced before. If you read Vicious and love it as I do and want to keep reading, do not fret! There is a sequel titled Vengeful that picks up right where Vicious leaves off. It is also rumored that Schwab is in the middle of writing a third book for the villains series as well. If you enjoy the villains series, I strongly recommend reading VE Schwab’s Darker Shade of Magic series along with her other stand-alone books. 

I have been searching for years to find a novel like Vicious and it is likely that I will never find another due to Schwab’s unique and engaging writing style and characters. If you enjoy messy relationships, action-heavy novels, and books that will make you feel sad, this book is for you