A review by the_creepy_geek
Vicious by V.E. Schwab

5.0

SpoilerFirstly, forgive me. I haven't really written a review on here before so this may be a lot of rambling and it is very late but I have just finished it and...wow, I have so much love for this book.

The wonderfully flawed, violent characters and the themes of religious fanaticism; the innocence of youth and the quickness of society to judge, all come together to provide one heck of a narrative.

Victor is wonderful. So violent. So angry. So filled with the need for revenge. And yet, he saves Sydney in so many ways and becomes this ideal of safety that she's never really had. His power is perfect, it fits his character completely and mirrors his desire to make Eli suffer.

Mitch is a wonderful look at how society can judge you on your appearance. His whole backstory comes from being looked upon as a criminal and deciding he might as well be one. To me, it shows the pressure of society to fit into preassigned little boxes. Even when he tried to break out of it, everyone just assumed he was the brute and not that brains.

Sydney is so innocent and just wants to be like her big sister. Even after her NDE she still kept that hero worship and innocence. When she was betrayed by her sister she gained strength, fearlessness but she kept her kind heart. Her power works perfectly for her and her attachment to Dol and Victor illustrates the warmth of her character.

Now Eli. Oh Eli. A character I love to hate. He is the epitome of religious fanaticism and the way it can bring out the worst in some people. He has focussed on one group of people and decided it is God's will that he wipe them from the face of the earth. Even though he is one! The hypocrisy and the self righteousness of him had me shaking my head so many times but he is a great antagonist and his ability leaves you wondering how the hell Victor thinks he could possibly beat him.

And lastly, Serena, the siren. She brought some lovely little twists to the story. Her inner struggle over accepting Eli's cause and letting her sister live, was great to read and having her back Eli just made him a more formidable foe, but she was ultimately his downfall.

The characterisation and storyline are flawless. V.E Schwab is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and I cannot wait for the sequel to this book!