Vicious by V.E. Schwab is the first book in the Villains trilogy, and that is exactly what this story is about: villains. Almost every character is morally gray. I love that the main villain in this story could be the hero in another story, while the hero is still kind of a villain himself.
The writing is top notch. The story is told out of order, but I was never confused. The way the story is structured actually made me understand the characters even more. It especially adds to Victor’s character because we know he lies, and the order of events gives us more insight into why he does it.
The pacing never slows down. There was no point in the story where I was bored or felt like I was missing something. Schwab gives every important character a backstory, and each one feels purposeful.
Vicious is V.E. Schwab’s adult debut. She writes middle grade under the name Victoria Schwab. This is one of those books that has adult themes but still feels like a book a teenager could sneak into, much like The Lost Boys or Flatliners. Both are rated R but feel like movies teenagers would sneak into the theater to see. Vicious has that same feeling. It is an adult novel, but I could easily see a teenager loving it.
The book is X-Men meets Flatliners. Superpowered individuals, referred to as EOs, are created when they survive a near death experience. Their powers are connected to what they were thinking about as they were dying.
Every character we spend time with is well thought out. Their actions fit their personalities, and there was never a moment when I thought a character would not do something they did. Everyone has layers, motivations, and their own ideas about what makes someone good or evil.
The ending was everything I wanted. So many things come together, and what Schwab pulls off with Victor’s plan is a masterstroke because it doesn’t go the way it is supposed to. Everything is not wrapped up in a neat little bow either. There is something hidden from one character, and another character is defeated but still very much in the game.
Vicious was first published on September 24, 2013 by Tor.
Why did I read Vicious by V.E. Schwab?
Vicious is a reread for me. It was my first V.E. Schwab book, and in my opinion it is still her best. It remains my favorite book of hers after this reread. Is anyone else planning a reread?
I reread it to prepare for the final book in her Villains trilogy, Victorious, which comes out on October 6, 2026. Jamie Fok on YouTube has already read it and says it is her favorite. We have very similar tastes in fantasy, so that has me extremely excited.
I tried to get an ARC but was denied. I met V.E. Schwab this year when she toured for The Ending Writes Itself. Sadly, she is not coming anywhere close to me for the Victorious tour, but I might still try to get a signed copy.
Plot Summary:
Victor and Eli are roommates and best friends. Eli discovers that people with Extraordinary abilities, or EOs, are not created through genetics but by surviving a near death experience.
Victor volunteers to test the theory, but it doesn’t work. Eli tries and develops rapid healing. Victor wants to try again, but Eli wants him to wait and becomes too preoccupied with his own powers.
Victor doesn’t want to wait, so he convinces Eli’s girlfriend and Victor’s friend to help him. Victor gains the power to control pain, but Eli’s girlfriend dies when Victor cannot control his new ability. Eli fights Victor and leaves him for dead, while making the accident look like murder.
Victor is arrested and spends the next ten years plotting his revenge. During that same time, Eli has been hunting down people with abilities because he believes their powers are a curse and that he is God’s instrument for eliminating them.
Victor eventually comes up with a plan to stop Eli and get his revenge.
What I Liked:
I loved the way the story switches between different dates and times with every chapter. The writing is so good that I never became confused, and the structure gave me a deeper understanding of the characters and their current situations.
The characters are not black and white, good or evil. Everything is blurred. My standout characters were Sydney and Mitch. They are the glue that gives Victor some of his humanity, and I loved seeing how they affected him.
The book is incredibly cinematic. Everything was easy to picture in my head. Tim Burton would be the perfect director for this dark, gothic version of X-Men.
I also loved that there are unresolved issues and a secret involving a powerful ally. I like when a book doesn’t wrap everything up at the end. There are still questions that make me want to continue with the series.
The characters are amazing and extremely well thought out. Their struggles with good and evil are what make the book so captivating. Even if they didn’t have powers, I think these characters would still be fascinating.
I also loved the way people get their powers. The idea that your power is connected to your final thoughts before death is such a clever concept.
What I Disliked:
I wanted one scene where Eli realizes that he can’t feel for his girlfriend anymore and has to confront the emptiness that is taking over him. I would have liked to see him fight against that feeling instead of just watching it happen.
That is extremely nit picky, though. This book is almost perfect in my eyes.
Recommendation:
Vicious is amazing. I think it is V.E. Schwab’s best book. The writing, characters, plotting, pacing, and ending all work incredibly well together. I did not want the book to end.
If you like stories about morally gray characters, superheroes, villains, or characters who don’t fit neatly into good and evil, I highly recommend this one. It is X-Men meets Flatliners with a little bit of The Lost Boys blood and violence thrown in.
I will be reading the second book, Vengeful, next month. I did not like it as much the first time I read it, but Vicious set an extremely high bar.
The novel deals heavily with near death experiences because the characters have to go to the edge of death to gain their abilities. There is a pill scene that could be triggering for some readers. There is also an animal death, although a character’s power makes the scene less horrible than it otherwise could have been.
If you can handle those trigger warnings, do yourself a favor and read Vicious.
Rating:
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
5 out of 5
Ranking:
- 1. Vicious
- 2. Bury Our Bones In the Midnight Soil
- 3. Gallant
- 4. A Darker Shade of Magic
- 5. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
- 6. Vengeful
- 7. The Ending Writes Itself written as Evelyn Clarke
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