Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

88 reviews

madmadmaddymad's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I opened the book, and for the majority of the first chapter, thought I was reading a Frankenstein retelling. I’ll just say that it was actually kind of a fun ride to go into this book, fully blind. 

Really liked Victor, despite his sinister-ness. But boy am I’m sick of villains like Eli using “God” as their motivations. He’s my least favorite aspect of this book. 

The pace of the story was intense, high stakes, and also non-linear, (which I loved.) I’m definitely invested in picking up the second one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gore, and Gun violence

Minor: Confinement, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

mcoder_music's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

soph22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I didn’t know what to expect but this was gripping, thrilling, so dark with so many twists and turns. Loved it!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ceruleanheather's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a deliciously dark, twisted tale of what can happen when people get super powers. Sometimes it is difficult to tell who the villains and heroes are. 

The story goes back and forth between the present (ish), and ten years ago. Ten years ago Victor and Eli were friends in med school with a crazy theory about people gaining super powers called EOs (ExtraOrdinaries). Their bond is already an odd one in this time, but it works somehow. There is much jealousy though, and inevitable betrayal.

In the present, Eli and Victor are anything but friends. One has a god complex, and one seems self aware yet not quite caring. The betrayals have been festering and everything is heading to a climax at midnight.

Along the way we meet Mitch, Sydney, Serena, and a host of other characters. Each one being drawn into the epic conflict. Through each perspective we get to explore that fine line between what makes a person a hero or a villain, and so many gray areas. I love that there are no true background characters, as each one has their own demons to wrestle and their own role.

The two main characters are a psychopath and a sociopath, so fair warning. I was utterly fascinated by the way their minds worked though.

*TW* animal death (but keep reading)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

obfuscatress's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

To be honest, this book did not live up to my expectations based on some of the reviews I had heard of it prior to reading it. Until about 75% into it, I was looking at rating it just about (if not less than) three stars. My main issue lies with the fact that one of the main characters seems to suddenly acquire very strong motivations for their actions that are not foreshadowed nor are they ever explained or explored in any detail. To me personally, this change made no sense and made it difficult to connect with the story. That being said, there are several clever little twists added to the plot in this final quarter of the book, that I felt it ultimately deserved a better rating. In addition to that, virtually every other character is interesting and fairly complex considering the limited time we get to explore each individual and relationship within such a fast-paced plot.

While I can't say I regret reading this book, I could not in all honesty recommend it to someone else. However, now having read the book and found so much of the later plot and character development interesting, I will probably read the sequel too. If you're happy to be infuriated with the way one of the central characters is written for most of a book, maybe this one is for you too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Blood, and Abandonment

Minor: War

foggyoblio's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Confinement

katerina_l's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ribbenkast's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

V.E. Schwab strongest writing is when she's writing villans. In vicious all characters are villains.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

There's a sexual relationship between two characters that isn't consensual/the concent is extremely dubious. This is because

one of the characters has mind controling powers which makes everyone do as she says

carmineslamp's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

CURRENTLY a 4.5 I'd need to reread to definitively decide,,, or maybe just sit on it also. It probably is a 5. I loved it so much.

I was screaming I was clutching the book I was burying my face in my pillows.

I LOVE THESE LITTLE GUYS!!! eli's religious focus, victor's revenge focus, sydney just wanting to live,, mitch just drinking that choccy milk,,, Dol,,,,,

AHHHHHHHH

losing my mind. probably is a five. omg

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

grizzlysnack's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Torture and Toxic relationship

Minor: Stalking