Scan barcode
aleareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book swept me off my feet from the first few pages, and I’m still not ready to come down! It’s one of those rare books where every word is precious AND it’s also a page turner! It’s thought provoking and thrilling. Schwab’s writing is simply beautiful, and the changing timelines are incredibly fluid and effective to the story.
It has me thinking morality and what makes a hero vs villain, and I love that the motivations of the characters are so fleshed out.
I would absolutely recommend for anyone, but especially if you love:
🦸♀️ superheroes, villains, and super powers
🦇 the Dark Knight trilogy
✨ thought provoking and thrilling fantasy
I absolutely cannot wait to read book 2; I will
be getting my hands on a copy soon!
It has me thinking morality and what makes a hero vs villain, and I love that the motivations of the characters are so fleshed out.
I would absolutely recommend for anyone, but especially if you love:
🦸♀️ superheroes, villains, and super powers
🦇 the Dark Knight trilogy
✨ thought provoking and thrilling fantasy
I absolutely cannot wait to read book 2; I will
be getting my hands on a copy soon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
earth_to_dani's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
livist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 rounded up!
I started reading this because I saw Victoria was rereading it as she prepares to write the final in the trilogy. I had always wanted to read this series so decided to read along side her (though she’s long since finished and moved on to the second book).
I loved all of these characters, and loved the premise. It very much parallels X-men which is my favorite marvel series, with each EO having their own unique power and origin story.
The characters were deeply flawed but more or less lovable. You can’t help but root for Victor as he has struggled so hard. He’s at least honest about his feelings whereas Eli lives in denial and instead of taking any accountability chalks everything up to God’s hand. So I like the bit of social commentary regarding religious fanaticism.
Eli is such a good bad guy, purely delulu and Victor is just a guy who has just found himself on the wrong side. Angie’s tragic death never being addressed again was a bit frustrating but not so much so that it detracted from the ending for me.
I loved Sydney and Serena with their complicated sibling love. Serena oddly falling under Eli’s own spell despite her own abilities to put under hers. She failed to see how she was be-spelled to her detriment. Ending in the tragedy of Sydney which helps kick off the rest of the book. Her betrayal of her younger sister makes her death satisfying even though when she releases her sister you sympathize with her a bit, but mostly with Sydney as she processes her love for her older sister and how she’s no longer who she thought she was.
A lot of found family moments. The plot pretty cleanly tied up. I just loved it.
I started reading this because I saw Victoria was rereading it as she prepares to write the final in the trilogy. I had always wanted to read this series so decided to read along side her (though she’s long since finished and moved on to the second book).
I loved all of these characters, and loved the premise. It very much parallels X-men which is my favorite marvel series, with each EO having their own unique power and origin story.
The characters were deeply flawed but more or less lovable. You can’t help but root for Victor as he has struggled so hard. He’s at least honest about his feelings whereas Eli lives in denial and instead of taking any accountability chalks everything up to God’s hand. So I like the bit of social commentary regarding religious fanaticism.
I loved Sydney and Serena with their complicated sibling love. Serena oddly falling under Eli’s own spell despite her own abilities to put under hers. She failed to see how she was be-spelled to her detriment. Ending in the tragedy of Sydney which helps kick off the rest of the book. Her betrayal of her younger sister makes her death satisfying even though when she releases her sister you sympathize with her a bit, but mostly with Sydney as she processes her love for her older sister and how she’s no longer who she thought she was.
A lot of found family moments. The plot pretty cleanly tied up. I just loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Murder
kellymacbrown's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I couldn’t put this book down. Mitch was probably my favorite character.
There are definitely no good guys or bad guys in this story. At all. Maybe Dol. Dol is a good boy through and through.
There are definitely no good guys or bad guys in this story. At all. Maybe Dol. Dol is a good boy through and through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Blood, and Murder
mformato's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
An enjoyable fast-paced story with enough tension for what will happen as well as what did happen through the flashbacks that it will keep you thoroughly engaged. I enjoyed that there were no good guys in this story, just bad and worse. I also enjoyed the limitations on people's powers as well as how those powers were pushed and worked together. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy or scifi, stories about moral dilemmas, and cat & mouse chases.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
teaxx's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Murder
ellenwm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Interesting concept, good pacing, some lovable characters, lots of moral ambiguity. Starts a little dark academia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Addiction, Suicide, and Abandonment
meganemarshall's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I don't really know how I feel about this book. I loved the setting. I loved the idea. I love Victor and the strays he is picking up and making a family out of. The side characters were awesome, except Serena. Honestly, Serena deserved worse.
I don't understand how anyone could read this book and not root for Victor. Maybe I had the wrong idea going in. I thought it was going to be hero vs villain or 2 villains against each other. Instead, it was a functioning psychopath against a religious crazy psychopath.
I feel like we're supposed to see both Eli and Victor as villains, but I don't see Victor as a villain at all. Sure, he's killed people, and maybe in the next book, he goes full super villain. Instead, he gets out of prison with his bestie, hunts down a monster, and adopts a little girl and a dog. He is the perfect morally grey protagonist. Good - no, but not the worst of humanity.
Unlike Eli, who, on the other hand, is the worst. He is a villain. He is the bad guy. He's crazy. He acts like he has the moral high ground, but he's just a religious fanatic, like many serial killers before him. Relying on religion for his motives felt weak.
People really raved about this book, and maybe it just didn't hit for me. It was a good time, but it didn’t blow me away. I'll put the sequel on my TBR, but i'm not gonna pick it up immediately.
I don't understand how anyone could read this book and not root for Victor. Maybe I had the wrong idea going in. I thought it was going to be hero vs villain or 2 villains against each other. Instead, it was a functioning psychopath against a religious crazy psychopath.
I feel like we're supposed to see both Eli and Victor as villains, but I don't see Victor as a villain at all. Sure, he's killed people, and maybe in the next book, he goes full super villain. Instead, he gets out of prison with his bestie, hunts down a monster, and adopts a little girl and a dog. He is the perfect morally grey protagonist. Good - no, but not the worst of humanity.
Unlike Eli, who, on the other hand, is the worst. He is a villain. He is the bad guy. He's crazy. He acts like he has the moral high ground, but he's just a religious fanatic, like many serial killers before him. Relying on religion for his motives felt weak.
People really raved about this book, and maybe it just didn't hit for me. It was a good time, but it didn’t blow me away. I'll put the sequel on my TBR, but i'm not gonna pick it up immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse
cchaney876's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Wow! This is a dark book. Definitely a thriller, but there is a lot to watch out for when it comes to trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder
triley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Self harm, Blood, and Suicide attempt