Book Review: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Books are a huge part of my identity. As such, I decided to start sharing my thoughts about my adventures in fiction here, in addition to my account on Goodreads. Enjoy!

Criminal Minds meets X-Men, and it's as Vicious as promised.

All I knew about this book when I picked it up were two things: 1, I loved A Darker Shade of Magic and its sequels beyond belief, so I was willing to give just about anything else by V.E. Schwab a good chance; 2, I remembered hearing a rumor that this particular book was about villains (I hadn't seen the series title, yet). Having failed so far in my reading adventures to find a decent book from a villain's point of view, I was stoked to find out Schwab had given it a shot. I was not disappointed.

Vicious is like Criminal Minds meets X-Men. Psychosis and superpowers, intertwined and inseparable... or are they? In this aspect, Schwab's world reminds me of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere, especially his Stormlight Archives, where a mind's pain creates the opening in a soul for power to come in and help mend the cracks. Vicious, however, feels sharper. It is quick, violent, and unrepentant. The characters know that they are not normal, perhaps not even healthy, but they embrace it or find ways to justify themselves instead of seeking to heal. Perhaps they can't. It's hard to say what's possible when dealing with characters who could be psychopaths, yet seem capable of caring on rare occasions; or deluded serial killers who want to believe in something greater than themselves, who are lured by the idea that they could perhaps fall in love again, even though they find inner peace in violence.

Schwab seems to have a talent for creating multi-dimensional characters. For the first few chapters, you think you get an idea of who these people are... and then, halfway through, you realize you've come to like them, and by the time you're flipping through the ending, you suddenly realize that you care. It's like wading into a pool from the shallow end, taking step by tiny step, and somehow not noticing that you're getting any deeper until the water is up to your nose. And, I'll add, that isn't just the case for the main character. Schwab manages it with almost the entire cast. Protagonist, sidekicks, antagonists, that Poor Shmuck, and That Guy Around for Two Scenes. She is unafraid to delve into each character's dark sides, and it creates a vivid world pulsing with varying desires, conflicts, and tensions. Don't dismiss anyone, because anyone can become a threat.

If you're in the mood to glimpse into villainous minds, this book will deliver as promised. Don't hesitate. Dive in.

Has anyone else read this? What were your thoughts? 

P.S., I can't figure out how to get Blogger to format this text properly, so, apologies. It bothers me too.