Vicious

V. E. Schwab

Vicious

Description

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? In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn't automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.


Review

Book 1 of 2, Villians Duology

Have you ever found a quote so beautiful, you hunt down the book? That was what happened to me. On a random day scrolling through pinterest in 2020 I stumbled upon this

“Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.” ― Victoria Schwab

and I was hooked. I searched the internet and found the book. I'm writing the review now because I just got the physical copy and re-read it and it's still as beautiful as the first time I read it. It's the story of competition and friendship going sour and why delusions and power should never be allowed to mix. They say intelligent people have the most likelihood of turning evil but also the greatest ally you could ever have. This book perfectly explains the contradictions that exist in peoples' minds and how mental bias affects judgement.

Review date:5th May, 2023

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