Vicious is a dark supernatural fiction novel published in September 2013. It earned a ton of praise since its release, including being the top fantasy book on the American Library Association’s 2014 reading list. The author, Victoria “V.E.” Schwab, wrote an additional sequel and a spin-off graphic novel series for the book.
The story revolves around the main character Victor Vale and his friend (soon-to-be enemy), Eliot “Eli” Cardale. They started as roommates in college working together to research the phenomenon of EOs, ExtraOrdinaries, who are people that develop powers for unknown reasons. A discovery reveals that the small minority that obtains these abilities share one thing in common: surviving near-death experiences. Things take a turn for the worse when the thesis becomes experimental, and now a decade later, Victor has the plan to take Eli down.
The timeline switches between flashbacks from 10 years ago to the present while it reveals the blanks between the two eras. The point-of-view changes from character to character but is mainly from Victor’s perspective. Even though this narration form seems like a recipe for disaster, it is done well with a consistent non-confusing pace and is easy to follow. The entire story can be shown from everyone’s outlook.
My favourite character was Mitch Turner, Victor’s partner in crime. His muscular appearance and tattoos on every inch of his skin contrast with his quiet personality. People assume he is dull-witted and always picking up a fight when he is actually extremely smart and can hack into anything. I feel sorry for him always ending up at the wrong places at the wrong times, even though he isn’t an EO. Misfortune has followed Mitch for his entire life leading him to think he is cursed. The police have assumed he is at fault for crimes he didn’t do and has been sent to jail countless times.
Vicious has got to be the best book I have ever read. No other piece of fiction has impacted me as much as it did. I got hooked immediately upon reading, from the realistically written characters to all the twists and turns. Each page is filled to the brim with drama that keeps the reader turning for more. If you like unpredictable twisted fantasy books that dive deep into complex characters and their dynamics with others, this is the read for you.