bean_7088's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Sometimes books that jump around time wise can be annoying and frustrating, but this was done really well. Never staying too long in any flash back, and satisfyingly dished out information.
The ending was very satisfying.
Narrator was fantastic.
Graphic: Murder, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
It's two fucked up people trying to kill each other, it gets nasty.ahpets's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Torture, Animal death, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
vael's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
In conclusion, I really enjoyed the book, but I’m not sure if I want to read the second one.
I’m happy with the way things ended.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Car accident, Blood, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic relationship
atomicrobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Child death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, and Gun violence
beeontoast's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Body horror, Self harm, Murder, Violence, and Torture
jgalla's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Gore, Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Cursing
willow_sinclair's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I am so NOT NORMAL about this book, I swear. I didn't think I'd love it this much, but here we are, with Vicious now being in the list of my absolute favorites.
I loved the story, I loved how well developed the characters and their evolution (speaking for Eli and Victor especially) were, I love the DIVERISITY of the characters and how the dynamics going on and linking them to one another were not that obvious. I love that
Spoiler
I hated young Victor and I loved him with all my heart as an adult, and that I loved young Eli and DESPISED HIM after the 10 years skip. I loved their constant contrast and obsession with one another, their pull towards the other, it was super intense and captivating.Victor's party - no, Victor's family owns my heart: Victor is so messed up but honestly, I love him and his humor and his finger guns and sarcasm and half dad jokes the fact that he's absolute FATHER MATERIAL; Sydney must be protected at all costs, she's so sweet and I was in tears for her, she's amazing
Spoiler
(Serena you BITCH)Eli is CRAZY AS FUCK, I loved his character as much as I hated him as a person. He's insane.
Honorable mention for Daddy Detective Stell. I knew you were a real one.
One of the easiest five-star rating I've ever given, I swear.
LONG LIVE VICTOR VALE
Graphic: Torture, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Murder, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug use, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
dennyiii's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Absolute batshit coocoo main character. Definition of morally grey or even straight up not good. Found family somehow as well?? Kaz brekker but older, blonde & asexual.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
thedulcineaeffect's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
- I really liked some of the side characters, particularly Mitch, Sydney, Serena and Dom. I think in the case of the first three, we got a more throrough look into their lives and how circumstances changed their lives. Are they the most interesting characters of all time? No, but they were better than the two men who were supposed to be the focus of the book in my opinion.
- It did get interesting with the countdown to Vic and Eli's showdown towards the end of the book.
- I think Dom's powers were very interesting (reminded me a little of Homura's time stop powers from Madoka Magica) and my favourite of the bunch, and I would have liked to have seen the full extent of their powers.
Cons
- The two main leads felt kind of generic and cookie-cutter compared to characters and I feel like I've seen characters based in this concept of intimate enemies done infinitely better in other pieces of media. These guys feel like all edge, little substance (mostly on Vic's part with the latter).
- Eli's religious bigotry compounded with his mental health issues just came off as a lazy excuse to make him "the truly evil character" and frankly ableist concerning the latter (i.e. the "he's evil because he's crazy" stereotype). With the former I feel like there wasn't much exploration into what made him that way, and I feel like he just ended up repeating the same hollow sentiments of God wanting EOs dead because they're freaks etc. over and over. This could have been improved by exploring his religious upbringing more, which I think could have lended some more opportunities for darker moments.
- Speaking of, I don't like how Dom was introduced so late into the story and ended up being treated more as a get-out-of-danger-free card instead of a fully fledged character which is especially damning when he is physically disabled.
- I think the timeline constantly jumping around harmed more than helped the narrative. I think the book took longer for me to read than it actually did because I had to do mental gymnastics to keep track of who did what that I feel like I forgot some important details along the way.
Spoiler
I think the way Serena was killed was kind of out of nowhere and felt cheap. Then again I might be biased because I really liked her character and the ways in which she was lowkey terrifyingSpoiler
On a similar note Angie felt like she was just there to be the generic love interest that got fridged partway through the story.
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Police brutality, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
wizardingwisteria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.75
I absolutely devoured this. I never wanted to put it down because in every single chapter a new piece of information is revealed or something shifted in a way that made the plot more interesting. It is certainly a good story.
The characters really make this one. Their experiences, their morals, and their motivations (and their powers lol) drive every single plot point.
Although, as much as I enjoyed this, I would be lying if I said I didn't get bored at some points. In the last 100 ish pages I had become impatient. The entire book set up this massive fight that almost felt like it was never going to happen. When it did eventually happen it was quite satisfying.
Some of the characters have special powers that can essentially undo things that would ultimately be fatal which knocked down some stakes in a story that was designed to have the highest stakes possible. I stopped mourning my favorite character after they seemingly died for the second time. By the end I had a grasp on how things were going to play out and it became a bit easy to predict.
Death itself was something that was tossed around with varying degrees of severity. Without spoiling too much, there is a character that dies in the beginning whose death is set up to be this massive shock but is kind of brushed under the rug in a few chapters. This character's death was in some ways the catalyst for the primary antagonist and yet at some point they just kind of get forgotten.
Even with these things I still greatly enjoyed this. I would have quickly DNFed it if I hadn't. But it is definitely a book I had to be in the right mindset to read. The story and the characters are exceedingly dark. If I only had one word to describe this book it would have to be dark. Not to say it was not enjoyable, but it was a heavy one.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
Minor: Drug use and Alcoholism