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meheehee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
fierygecko's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The more I read V.E. Schwab’s work, the more I like it. I love that the themes that both the characters and the readers are presented with in Vicious are shown in this book, too. Vengeful felt like a true continuation of Vicious, even though the first book ended in such a way that it could have stood alone. While this book felt less dramatic to me I thought that having more characters with spotlight was really interesting and that kept me hooked. I do wish Dominic Rusher had more “screen time” but that’s just because I really like him. If I could highlight every other line in this book without the action losing all meaning, I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
seastheday's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I wanted to read this an entire night but alas, I have a newborn, and she comes before books. However, this was a great sequel to Vicious. I absolutely loved Vicious, and thought it was perfect so I was hesitant to go on with the trilogy. But V.E Schwab is one of the most artful and meticulous authors I’ve come across and will only put out work that does her characters, plot, and world building justice. This novel not only expanded the world and what we know about EO’s but also introduced a new villain while continuing the heart of the story: Victor Vale vs. Eli Ever. I enjoyed getting to understand Eli & his backstory. But, I will always root for Victor, since he has redeeming qualities and is loyal. Whereas Eli is a cold-hearted fraud with no allegiance to anyone except himself. I’m incredibly excited for Victorious- which they confirmed they’re working on currently. (Confirmed at the end of 2023!!!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism
capsandclauses's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
“Maybe we are broken. But we put ourselves back together. We survived. That’s what makes us so powerful. And as for family—well, blood is always family, but family doesn’t always have to be blood.”
Look I'm going to say it.
This book dragged on a LOT more than the first book.
Vengeful is the not-really-needed sequel to Vicious, which was published years before. We follow the continuation of the events of the last book, which left superpowered 'villain' Victor Vale on the run with his found family of a resurrected dog, resurrecting little girl and loveable brute and superpowered 'hero' Eli Ever locked up in room without a key. Now, years later, new powered villains are emerging, and the government is determined to track each and every one of them down.
I loved reading more about the characters from the first book. The found family is what drew me into this series and I loved seeing them grapple with their own humanity, and the costs of their crimes. However, I couldn't get myself to be invested in the new characters June and Marcella, and their stories ended up occupying what felt like a majority of the text.
This book continued to have the vicious (ha!) violence of the first book, and I do love an antihero. Unfortunately, the pacing and new characters of this just meant that it didn't quite come together how I'd hope.
“Perhaps she was glass. But glass is only brittle until it breaks. Then it’s sharp.”
Look I'm going to say it.
This book dragged on a LOT more than the first book.
Vengeful is the not-really-needed sequel to Vicious, which was published years before. We follow the continuation of the events of the last book, which left superpowered 'villain' Victor Vale on the run with his found family of a resurrected dog, resurrecting little girl and loveable brute and superpowered 'hero' Eli Ever locked up in room without a key. Now, years later, new powered villains are emerging, and the government is determined to track each and every one of them down.
I loved reading more about the characters from the first book. The found family is what drew me into this series and I loved seeing them grapple with their own humanity, and the costs of their crimes. However, I couldn't get myself to be invested in the new characters June and Marcella, and their stories ended up occupying what felt like a majority of the text.
This book continued to have the vicious (ha!) violence of the first book, and I do love an antihero. Unfortunately, the pacing and new characters of this just meant that it didn't quite come together how I'd hope.
“Perhaps she was glass. But glass is only brittle until it breaks. Then it’s sharp.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Suicide attempt
amfrtsedi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A worthy sequel to Vicious. Vengeful introduces new characters that are as interesting as the holdovers. There is a bit too much stuffed into the end with abrupt reappearances, sudden departures, and not enough focus on either the denouement or its coda.
In a lesser book by a lesser writer this would tank the whole experience. Instead, Vengeful’s ends is a mild disappointment after an engrossing duology.
In a lesser book by a lesser writer this would tank the whole experience. Instead, Vengeful’s ends is a mild disappointment after an engrossing duology.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide
beansprout344's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
fantastiskfiktion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Blood
whit_lovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
How do I even write about V.E. Schwab books without jumping up and down, screaming, crying? Genuinely, I am amazed EVERY SINGLE TIME I read another of her books. She is just sooo good at what she does, and I will never EVER get tired of it.
Vengeance is the second in the Villains series, continuing 5 years after the events of Vicious. The story itself is a spiderweb of threads that connect just so to weave together a complex story, but it was easy to follow and thrilling to unravel.
I’m so thoroughly impressed at how everything came together and how everything concluded. The writing skills to do all that, as well as expand on and add to the intricate and complex characters?? If I ever meet V.E. Schwab, I fear I will froth at the mouth and pass out (ATLA style).
Spoilers for both Vicious and Vengeance below this:
I do have to say, this installment was darker than the first. In Vicious, Eli and Victor were basically morally black, but it was easy to understand their motives and where they were coming from. I caught myself rooting for Victor. In this story, it didn’t seem quite as easy as that. Victor made desperate choices that made it extremely difficult to root for him (but he was actually a pretty small part of this book, only really being involved at the beginning and the end of the story). We got more of Eli’s backstory, and his motives and feelings made more sense and helped me view his actions from the first book in a different light. In this book, I was almost rooting for ELI. how that happened, I couldn’t tell you. All I can say is…I don’t know how I feel about the ending of this book. It was good, but it wasn’t a full closure to the story. Obviously there is a third one being written now (hella excited about that), but I’m much more concerned about fates of Sydney, Mitch, and Victor. None of them seemed entirely in their right mind.
I’m also not convinced that Eli will stay dead. I’m gonna be so for real right now- I kept hoping and hoping through this whole book that Eli and Victor would find a way to be okay with each other. I know that was wishful thinking, but there was a teensy moment there at the end where I got a little bit of hope…and then it was dashed.
Anyway. All I can say is- cannot wait for the third book. I love you deeply V.E. Schwab.
Vengeance is the second in the Villains series, continuing 5 years after the events of Vicious. The story itself is a spiderweb of threads that connect just so to weave together a complex story, but it was easy to follow and thrilling to unravel.
I’m so thoroughly impressed at how everything came together and how everything concluded. The writing skills to do all that, as well as expand on and add to the intricate and complex characters?? If I ever meet V.E. Schwab, I fear I will froth at the mouth and pass out (ATLA style).
Spoilers for both Vicious and Vengeance below this:
I do have to say, this installment was darker than the first. In Vicious, Eli and Victor were basically morally black, but it was easy to understand their motives and where they were coming from. I caught myself rooting for Victor. In this story, it didn’t seem quite as easy as that. Victor made desperate choices that made it extremely difficult to root for him (but he was actually a pretty small part of this book, only really being involved at the beginning and the end of the story). We got more of Eli’s backstory, and his motives and feelings made more sense and helped me view his actions from the first book in a different light. In this book, I was almost rooting for ELI. how that happened, I couldn’t tell you. All I can say is…I don’t know how I feel about the ending of this book. It was good, but it wasn’t a full closure to the story. Obviously there is a third one being written now (hella excited about that), but I’m much more concerned about fates of Sydney, Mitch, and Victor. None of them seemed entirely in their right mind.
I’m also not convinced that Eli will stay dead. I’m gonna be so for real right now- I kept hoping and hoping through this whole book that Eli and Victor would find a way to be okay with each other. I know that was wishful thinking, but there was a teensy moment there at the end where I got a little bit of hope…and then it was dashed.
Anyway. All I can say is- cannot wait for the third book. I love you deeply V.E. Schwab.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
katbotelho's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
marcella is crazy and i liked reading her chapters but i do wish there was more victor in this book bc i felt like he took a bit of seat,, also funny how the first book ended with victor dead and this one ended with eli dead but no way hes dead for good right ? like ms schwab is writing a third book either way i sat
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Blood
tannerisboring's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder