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Vicious Paperback – Jan. 1 1600
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Purchase options and add-ons
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJan. 1 1600
- Dimensions13 x 1.85 x 19.81 cm
- ISBN-109781783290215
- ISBN-13978-1783290215
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Product details
- ASIN : 1783290218
- Publication date : Jan. 1 1600
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 9781783290215
- ISBN-13 : 978-1783290215
- Item weight : 1.05 kg
- Dimensions : 13 x 1.85 x 19.81 cm
- Book 1 of 2 : Villains
- 鶹 Rank: #117,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
VICTORIA “V. E.” SCHWAB is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the acclaimed Shades of Magic series, the Villains series, the Cassidy Blake series and the international bestseller The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Her work has received critical acclaim, translated into over two dozen languages, and optioned for television and film. First Kill – a YA vampire series based on Schwab’s short story of the same name – is currently in the works at Netflix with Emma Roberts’ Belletrist Productions producing. When she's not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, she lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is usually tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters.
Victoria "V.E." Schwab is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including the acclaimed Shades of Magic series, This Savage Song, Our Dark Duet, City of Ghosts and Vicious. Her work has received critical acclaim, has been featured in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Washington Post, and more, has been translated into more than a dozen languages, and has been optioned for television and film. When she's not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, she lives in Nashville and is usually tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters.
Customer reviews
Customers say
Customers find the book awesome, fantastic, and effortless. They appreciate the structure of the narrative, which alternates between philosophical layers. Readers also describe the plot as impactful and complex.
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Customers find the book awesome, fantastic, and effortless. They say it's entertaining while reading, compelling, and enhanced the overall reading experience. Readers also mention the book is a perfect Halloween read.
"Good book." Read more
"...and necessary backstory in an interesting way and enhanced the overall reading experience...." Read more
"If you’re looking for a perfect Halloween read, this is it...." Read more
"A fantastic debut novel looking at what it means to be a hero or villain. I look forward to the next chapter of this story." Read more
Customers find the structure of the narrative interesting. They appreciate the impactful and complex characters. Readers also appreciate the philosophical layer to the story. In addition, they say the book is a fabulous example and an amazing writer.
"...Another thing I enjoyed was the structure of the narrative, which alternated between the present and the past...." Read more
"...story starts, and where it goes--but suffice it to say, the characters were rich, diverse, and layered in such a way that it was impossible to label..." Read more
"V.E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors. She is an amazing writer. This book is a fabulous example...." Read more
"A great story...." Read more
Top reviews from Canada
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- Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2015Verified PurchaseVictor Vale and Eli Ever are sworn enemies, but they weren't always that way. In fact, they started out as best friends until a tragic incident drove them apart but also made both of them vow to exact their revenge. They're also both EOs, gaining enhanced abilities after experiments, similar to the mutants in X-Men. And they're not the only ones.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that although Eli is the villain (in the more traditional sense of the narrative anyway), and the reader will most likely root for Victor, as I did, Victor is no saint. They're both essentially the same person split up into two halves--one of which thinks it's okay to kill EOs because they're an unnatural abomination against God and the other who thinks that they're people with wonderful gifts. People he can use to his advantage.
Both characters have done things that are bad, but Eli has racked up quite a few murders and attempted murders in his day. The novel becomes a race against the clock to see who will prevail after ten years of cat and mouse. Another thing I enjoyed was the structure of the narrative, which alternated between the present and the past. It unfolded information and necessary backstory in an interesting way and enhanced the overall reading experience.
Overall, "Vicious" is a great fantasy novel, not what you would expect, and perfect for those who are bored with the glut of comic book adaptation movies, few of which are doing anything as inventive as this book.
- Reviewed in Canada on September 25, 2018Verified PurchaseIf you’re looking for a perfect Halloween read, this is it. Someone phoned me while I was in the middle of reading it and it surprised me half to death. It’s a dark take on supernatural powers. You can tell middle grade from YA from adult books written by Schwab based on how dark they are. City of Ghosts is atmospheric, The Archived has more edge and danger, and Vicious has you looking behind your shoulder and not wanting to be alone. I’m a bit of a wimp and this is the limit for how much fear/blood/anger I can handle in a book. I rate this as a four star not a five star just because I don’t enjoy being afraid, not because the book is missing anything. His was a reread for me and I’m looking forward to Vengeful being released in a few short hours!
- Reviewed in Canada on April 7, 2018Verified PurchaseV.E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors. She is an amazing writer. This book is a fabulous example.
Throughout the story, the setting switches between the present, two nights ago, ten years ago, and other time periods in between. In many stories, this is confusing, but it made sense in this book. In each chapter, the main character was introduced quickly, so I knew exactly where we were in the storyline.
The information in the story is unraveled slowly, but it made it so addicting to read. I had lots of questions right from the beginning, and the answers were slowly given. It was enough to keep me intrigued but I also didn’t have any idea where the story was going.
I loved the way that the disinction between good and evil are blurred in this story. It isn’t clear who is a villain or a hero, or even if there isn’t a hero or villain. Victor and Eli both have reasons for hunting out people, and they both think they’re right, but who are they to decide who lives or dies? I loved this philosophical layer to the story.
I’m glad I read this story now, because the long awaited sequel is coming out later this year. I loved this book!
- Reviewed in Canada on August 22, 2019Verified PurchaseA breezy read that claims to have a brand new take on the super-powered genre, for adult readers.
Unfortunately this "Adult Debut" definitely reads as YA.. with main characters being motivated by unexamined psychopathy or loyal sidekicks whose reason for loyalty remains unclear, despite a whole chapter being devoted to their origin. Although the origin of the super-powered is novel, a "dark take" on the super powered has its beginnings in the mid 80's.. a genre staple by the early 90's... and repeated ad nauseam ever since.
If you enjoy YA fiction I think you will very much enjoy this book. As I was expecting a new take and a "Adult debut" I was a little disappointed, but still enjoyed this effortless read.
- Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2019Verified PurchaseA fantastic debut novel looking at what it means to be a hero or villain. I look forward to the next chapter of this story.
- Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2016Verified PurchaseFrom start to finish, it was all I could do to put this book down and go about my day-to-day life. From the first page, it drew me into a dimmer, more dangerous world of super powers and endless possibilities. I love how V.E. Schwab took a theme that many people love, and crafted from it something wholly its own--giving a darker, more realistic view of just what people would do, if they had the means to grant themselves super powers. I won't give anything more away--people ought to read the story for themselves, or at least the summary to get an idea of where this story starts, and where it goes--but suffice it to say, the characters were rich, diverse, and layered in such a way that it was impossible to label one "entirely evil" or another "entirely good". The characters were incredibly realistic; in their mannerisms, personalities, motivations, and everything else that makes a living, breathing person. So much so, that even the characters I found myself hating (Eli and Serena) I couldn't help identifying with, from time to time.
If you have a liking for darker stories--or if, like me, you enjoy the occasional one, here and there--I highly recommend you give Vicious a try.
- Reviewed in Canada on September 17, 2020Verified PurchaseGood book.
Top reviews from other countries
- Ariana (The Quirky Book Nerd)Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute masterpiece!
Verified PurchaseI am finding it extremely difficult to come up with the right words to accurately describe just how much I adored this novel. I completed it well over a month ago and I am still constantly thinking about it. This was my first experience with Victoria Schwab’s work, and I was completely blown away by her talent. It has been quite a while since I was so quickly pulled into a novel. I found this incredibly hard to put down once I started reading; it’s one of those stories where you sit down to read a chapter or two and, before you know it, you’ve read a third of the book. This is due primarily to Schwab’s impressive abilities in character development and storytelling.
Vicious follows the story of two best friends turned archnemeses, with a narrative that jumps between the present day and their time in college together ten years prior. During their study of extraordinary abilities, things get out of control, landing Victor in prison, bent on getting revenge, and Eli attempting to wipe out every super-powered person in existence. In alternating time periods and perspectives, the story of their falling out is gradually filled in, and the mystery pieced together in a fast-paced and suspenseful way.
Victoria Schwab is an absolutely brilliant writer with an incredibly addicting writing style that flows beautifully. Her innovative ideas, particularly in the depiction of the super-human abilities, make a well-loved topic into a remarkable and unique reading experience. It is extremely difficult to base a story around villainous characters and requires major skill—which she clearly has—to do so. She is spot on with her level of detail and description when it comes to her world and character building, and she masterfully creates a dark, chilling mood and atmosphere all the way through. Her words, her details, her plot points, everything just flows so nicely.
Early on, I had my doubts about the way the novel jumped around in time so often. That is something I typically do not enjoy, as I have found that I tend to get lost and confused easily in books that skip around too much. However, this did not happen at all as I was reading this book, and I actually ended up loving the style. In general, this can be a rather dangerous and risky way to write a novel, but Schwab executes it perfectly and completely nails this method of storytelling.
Since the plot is so connected to the past and the history of the characters, being able to jump back and hear first-hand what happened to them definitely contributes a lot to the novel as a whole. Schwab does this in a way where she essentially creates two storylines—a past one and a present one—and the jumping between them alternately causes tension and suspense in both. There is also plenty of suspense within each chapter to boot. All of this really succeeds in fully immersing the reader in the story and making them want to read on.
The character creation and development is one of the strongest and most important aspects of this novel, and is definitely some of the best I have ever come across. This is not your typical tale of good versus evil—in fact, what makes this story so intriguing is the lack of clarity and specificity when it comes to the definitions of both. It is a novel about villains, revenge, and the dangers of extreme power. The characterization relies heavily on moral ambiguity, and no one is truly heroic in the traditional sense of the word; there is typically an ulterior motive behind each character’s actions.
Schwab works hard to create vivid and complex characters, and she presents the reader with a comprehensive portrayal of every single one. This is one of my personal favorite elements to see in a story. Clearly displaying a character’s good qualities as well as their flaws will always make for a far more memorable and three-dimensional character that your reader will take an interest in. And whether they are hero or villain, this connection is essential. No matter what side their loyalties lie on, every character needs to be relatable in order to have an impact on an audience.
Vicious contains a very flawed group of individuals, and none of their negative qualities are sugar-coated. Their flaws are a driving force in the plot. This is the type of story that requires messed up and imperfect characters—ones who are not distinctly good or bad and whose motives are questionable. That is exactly what she has succeeded in creating here, and it adds a great amount of depth to the story. Whether you like them or not, they are utterly fascinating, and you find yourself fully captivated by their plotlines, constantly wanting to know more.
This book is filled with many magnificent examples of antiheroes, and what comes from this is an absolutely enthralling character study. Victor is one of the most amazingly well-imagined characters I have ever read about in my life. His characterization was brilliantly done, and his storyline was absorbing from the very first page. He is that villain that you hate to love, and potentially even love to hate—and though his actions are not always entirely permissible due to his focus on revenge, you find yourself siding with and rooting for him anyway. Overall, Victor is a surprisingly relatable and likeable villain, and an impeccable choice for a main protagonist. He was by far my favorite character in the novel.
On the opposite side of this, from the very first time we see Eli and Victor together, something about Eli immediately rubbed me the wrong way—and as the story progressed, my opinion of him most definitely did not improve. Though he is an intensely dislikable character, his plotline was fantastically well executed. Schwab wrote it in an incredibly interesting way, making it one of those stories where, depending on one’s point of view or position, Eli might not necessarily be a villain in everyone’s eyes.
As a reader, we are meant to feel that he is entirely immoral. His actions are not at all condonable, nor is there any justification for anything he does. And we as the reader are correct in thinking this, because his inhumane actions are not and should not be justifiable; he is a monster. However, it is also easy to understand why he justifies his own actions to himself.
Eli believes that he is doing right, that he is being heroic and fulfilling God’s will, and it would be impossible for anyone working under that type of extreme delusion to see their own—or potentially someone else’s—immorality. While neither Eli or Victor are truly heroes, Eli’s delusion of heroism and inability to see his own inhumanity makes him not only more villainous, but also far more dangerous.
Victor is much more aware of what he is doing and, though he does questionable things primarily for his own motives, that is not the definition of all of his actions. He has far more restraint and humanity left in him—more of a conscience than Eli has. There are certain actions each do individually that it would be hard imagining the other doing. Victor is certainly more aware of the consequences of his actions, and though that might not prevent him from ever doing evil, he has limits and never has any misconception about his purpose in life.
Schwab also fills this book with an all-star set of secondary characters. Sydney is a downright lovely character, and by far the most purely endearing and innocent of the bunch. On top of this, the role that she played in the story was fascinating, and her powers were an element that served to create a lot of mystery and suspense throughout. Another character that added to the huge amount of suspense in the plot was Mitch. Mitch is one of the only other truly lovable characters in the novel, and the juxtaposition of his natural talents against the others’ powers was a highlight for me.
Serena falls more toward the Eli side of the scale of villains. She is quite dislikable from the very start, and while she remains that way throughout the novel, you begin to understand her actions as more information about her is revealed. As with Eli, it is impossible to condone what she does, but you do begin to get an understanding of how aspects of her life—such as her powers—would cause her to act in the way that she does. All in all, though these three are all supporting characters, they are no less vivid or complex than the protagonists, and their plotlines are fully conceived.
Victoria Schwab has produced an absolute masterpiece with this novel. Her three-dimensional characters and unique plotlines work together to create a truly engrossing and addictive read that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. Whether or not you are a superhero/supervillain fan like myself, this book holds something for everyone to enjoy. If you have not read this yet, I very highly recommend giving it a go. I’m not sure what to expect from the sequel, but I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next; I cannot wait to be back in this world with these characters. Vicious, without a doubt, now holds a place on my list of all-time favorite novels.
- Kyris ClarkReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Read
Verified PurchaseI loved this book. If you like questions about good and evil, morally grey/complicated characters, a good back and forth of characters trying to outsmart each other then this is for you. Schwab really put a lot of thought into the EO's and how they were made, I really enjoyed seeing the experiment part and it seemed really realistic, relating to the characters and how they would react. The characters are quirky and messed up in their own ways, and none of them were overpowered really, each had their limits. The pacing and structure was fantastic, never confusing, and there was always a goal pushing each character forward which meant it was hard to put down this book. Really well thought out and unique spin on superheros.
I was expecting a little more from the ending. It was a great confrontation, don't get me wrong, but in the sense of a period of calm and reflection afterwards... but now that I saw there's a sequel, I don't mind. I ordered it immediately.
10/10 would read again.
SPOILERS. The characters were intriguing, my favourite character I think had to be Victor, despite his flaws. The fact he took away everyone's pain, and then it came back for them when he.... that really got me emotional at the end. How Sydney saw him as a safe place, no matter how twisted that is. And he ended up having motivation beside a grudge to stop Eli. There were a lot of elements I really enjoyed, such as Victor and Mitch's relationship. And Dol! Who doesn't love a good dog sidekick?
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Laura MachadoReviewed in Brazil on June 21, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Personagens complexos, enredo inteligente e uma escrita maravilhosa!
Verified PurchaseDepois de ter uma relação de amor e desgosto com a série Tons de Magia da mesma autora, realmente considerei me manter longe dos livros dela. Mas foi esse, Vicious, que quis primeiro e não conseguiria aguentar a curiosidade sobre ele. Muitas pessoas em quem confio o recomendaram loucamente. Alguma coisa tinha que ter aqui.
É difícil classificar este livro. Ele tem ficção científica, tem muito dos quadrinhos de super heróis, mas também é bastante realista e se passa hoje em dia, com protagonistas adultos e personalidades complexas. Ele fala sobre vilões, mas fala mais sobre humanos, sobre crenças, sobre limites e ambição. Tem um tom mais sério, mas ainda assim consegue ser divertido. Não tem muita ação, mas são tantas peças interessantes se montando em uma narrativa fora de ordem cronológica, que é muito fácil ficar viciado na leitura. É um livro muito único e excelente.
Victor Vale me conquistou logo de cara, confesso, desde sua primeira cena no livro. Ele está longe de ser uma boa pessoa, e talvez essa seja sua melhor característica, mas é extremamente carismático e seus "companheiros" e ele acabaram se tornando uma das minhas equipes favoritas. Adoro a Sydney e espero que ela apareça no próximo livro. Do outro lado, Eli é realmente um dos personagens mais complexos que já encontrei, mas fez total sentido desde o começo. Sua loucura (é assim que vejo, não tem jeito) me assustou muito, mas também fiquei impressionada com o jeito da autora de assumir o personagem e suas atitudes, ainda deixando muito nas entrelinhas.
Outra coisa excelente é a relação do Victor com o Eli, principalmente na época da faculdade. Essa questão de amizade e rivalidade, inveja e admiração, que é tão complexa e difícil de definir, mas que a autora conseguiu acertar em cheio.
Sobre o enredo, não é tão movimentado e cheio de ação como um livro "de super herói" costuma prometer, mas definitivamente foi muito bem feito e melhor ainda por isso. O jeito da autora de contar essa história, intercalando linhas do tempo sem muita ordem, mas com bastante lógica, foi o ponto alto para mim. Tudo apareceu na hora exata, sem me fazer ficar torcendo para voltar para outra hora ou até para outro ponto de vista.
Sinceramente, é um livro completo e perfeito. Claro que fico feliz de ter uma "continuação", mas também estaria bem satisfeita com esse final. Ainda bem que meu incômodo com os outros livros dela não me impediu de dar uma chance para esse livro incrível!