Vicious

second read (november 2021): such a fun time! cannot wait to finally read the sequel

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first read (july 2017):

CONSIDER ME FREAKIN WOWED
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???There are no good men in this game.???

key words: x-men but BETTER, relatable uni struggles, always go back for the dog

Okay so I absolutely LOVED this book. I loved all the characters - and Sydney the most from the moment we heard she has rainbow leggings (so like... the third sentence). I loved how basically none of them were good. How many times do you really read a story that revolves around antagonists? And interesting, developed ones at that?

V.E. Schwab makes us care about awful people. And by awful people I mean Victor because Eli is a piece of garbage. A piece of garbage that functions as a fantastic villain though, you gotta give him that. The style is great, the way Schwab switches between casually funny to dead (hah) serious is masterfully done. The way she carves out her characters with ease, making them feel like they're actually breathing, is just wonderful. It's such an absolute joy to read something that fits together so well as this book does.