Reviews tagging 'Violence'

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab

63 reviews

tania_mybookishsecret's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Vomit

abby_can_read's review

adventurous 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

4.0

📱
This book was an unexpected joy. I wasn't sure if I would like this when I started it. I liked the lore and the worldbuilding. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, and Blood

Moderate: Torture, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Grief, and Mass/school shootings

mockingjayx16's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Car accident, and Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent and War

bootrat's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

It took me ages to get through the first couple of chapters of this book, but once the story proper got going (when they went to school) then I absolutely devoured it. V.E. Schwab has such a talent for writing books that I really love, and this was no different! Off to read book 2 asap

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Suicide, Torture, Grief, and Car accident

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Vomit, Car accident, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mass/school shootings

swiftpool's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book had me HOOKED. Highly recommend the audiobook. It had me wanting to savor every chapter while also wanting to race ahead to see where the plot went. The twist at the end totally surprised me - and then there was another twist which was so obvious and yet completely caught me off guard (in a good way).

p.s. this is why we double tap, folks!!

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Mental illness

Minor: Mass/school shootings

ilostmygrace's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

I think I have to give this book a 5 star since I read it in a day. Im just such a huge fan of fantasy and thriller. I kind of wish there was an actual romance between the two main characters but I was also very refreshing that there wasnt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Minor: Body horror

theresamothinmyroom's review

adventurous dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Child death and Drug use

queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-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? No

4.0

4 ⭐ CW: Violence, death, death of a parent, blood 

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab is book one in the Monsters of Verity duology. Although I did enjoy this dark urban YA fantasy, I don't think it is my favorite of Schwab's work. Maybe because it's YA it lacked a certain resonance that her other stories have had, but it didn't make it a bad story. 

We follow August Flynn, a monster that wishes he were human. He's a Sunai, a monster born from a massacre that eats the souls of humans who have killed. But he hates that to keep control over who he is, he must kill. We also follow Kate Harker, the daughter of Callum Harker who rules over North City in Verity. She's full of anger, and wants to be ruthless to prove herself to her cruel father. 

When the Flynns send August to a school in North City to keep tabs on Kate to use her as leverage against Harker, they both become embroiled in a conspiracy to end the truce between North and South Cities, putting them in danger from the Malchai and Corsai monsters. Along the way, they forge a friendship, helping to keep each other alive. 

I really liked the way the world-building of the monsters was set up in this. Each type of monster has its own origin and abilities, and the way they are created tends to reflect their personalities as well. I also really liked how music was used in the story. Usually, music is peaceful or healing, but in this it's used to kill. To me it seemed the theme is that life is pain, the best you can do is live it one day at a time. I appreciated that this wasn't a love story between August and Kate. It was a platonic story about survival and what you can live with. 

Looking forward to book two! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Death of parent

speterson47's review

dark emotional mysterious

4.0

Living in a world where monsters are born from violent crimes isn't easy. Being the child of one of the powerful people that run each side of that city can be even more complicated. Kate wants nothing more than to be back at home instead of exiled outside the city limits, even though it means being in danger. August wants so badly to be human, when his instincts make that impossible because he is in fact a monster. Fate is now bringing them together, and August tries to keep his secret, but that may not be possible while both of them are targeted for assassination. 
Highly suggest for fans of other V.E. Schwab stories, even though this one has more of a YA feel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Gun violence and Violence