Vicious by V.E Schwab

Science fiction novels aren’t something I normally read. I think the only science fiction novels I’ve enjoyed are Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter. Other than those, I avoid science fiction for reasons I’m really not sure of. I just assume it’s not something I’ll enjoy and I just normally go along with that assumption. But I finally challenged myself on that assumption last week. Vicious by V.E Schwab is one of the most highly rated books I’ve seen come across my Goodreads page over and over. This book isn’t new at all, it actually came out in 2013. You would think a book that old would somewhat fall from being on the forefront of people’s minds. Nope not at all. It’s a science fiction book and I knew it would take a miracle for me to read it. Well that miracle happened and it’s called being available at the public library.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates and best friends. They were both brilliant, arrogant, and lonely boys who recognized the same traits in the other. Ambition and sharpness. In their senior year, their research reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone can develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from academic to experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, accompanied by a young girl with a stunning ability. Victor is on a warpath headed right towards Eli, but Eli is on a mission of his own, trying to eradicate the world of every other super powered person in the world. Eli has a sidekick, a woman whose every wish is someone’s command. Both sides are full of power, driven by loss and revenge, but who will be left standing?

I just want to say I finished this book in two and a half hours. I couldn’t put this book down! I was hooked by the end of the first chapter! I couldn’t go to bed and not know how everything ended up. This book made me realize I was loud and wrong about not enjoying science fiction books. I love science fiction movies. Give me superheroes, aliens, people with superpowers, even movies with dinosaurs in present time! I do not know why I didn’t realize I would love anything like that in book form. A book about people with superpowers?!? Baby, sign me up ASAP!

I couldn’t stand the two main character Eli and Victor. Okay I thought Eli was absolutely terrible and evil. Victor I wasn’t a true fan of either, but at least Victor wasn’t so self righteous about what he was doing. Be as evil as you want I guess, but don’t try to make it seem like a good deed. Eli couldn’t stand others that had supernatural powers, but he himself was worthy of those powers? Sounds a lot like the pot calling the kettle black, if you know what I mean. I really enjoyed that the book really touched on the idea that having super powers immediately makes a person heroic. Because that turns out not to be so true. It explores how selfish people with horrible motives will still be those same people with superpowers. Most of the book follows Victor as he seeks revenge against Eli since he betrayed him. There is no good guy bad guy in this book. It’s just two characters doing whatever it takes to defeat the other. And that’s what makes it so good.

Today I am officially eating my words! I was WRONG! Vicious was a book I couldn’t and wouldn’t put down till I finished it. It’s easily a 5 star read for me. It actually reminded me of Count of Monte Cristo. That is a story of revenge and retribution. This is like that but what if both parties were evil and with fault? But saw themselves as the innocent party? Sounds good right? Then go read Vicious by V.E Schwab. You won’t be disappointed.