Villains (Vicious and Vengeful) | BOOK REVIEW

Vicious (#1) : 4.5 ⭐

Vengeful (#2) : 4⭐

Genre: Fantasy or Paranormal Fiction 

TW: Suicide, Self-Harm, Death, Child Abuse

Villains is an ingenious series written by V.E.Schwab (Victoria Schwab). It's her indirect take on the comic book stories like DC and Marvel, sans the illustrations. It can even give you X-Men Vibes. It's thrilling, engaging and will keep you entertained.

Villains Series has revenge, questionable morality, crazy science experiments, superpowers, action, emotions. It's a winner !! 

What is the book about ?

The story revolves around two central characters: Victor Vale and Eli Cardale. They are pre-med university students, roommates, and know each others deepest darkest secrets. They both compete with each other silently and when an opportunity comes to become something more than human, they go to extreme lengths to out perform against one other. 

They discover something unique. A theory which if put to practical purposes can have two options - gain of superpower or loss of life !

They both have different intentions, different faiths but ultimately they find a common goal - To become an EO. 

" Extraordinary. The word that started, ruined, changed everything."  

The story keeps juggling between present and past with Victor and Eli. Both of them aren't your quintessential Hero or Villain. The lines are pretty blurred and they both have a wicked sense of right and wrong. Schwab creates this world of Villains, along with other interesting characters and chronicles the journey of each of these characters quite brilliantly.

 "I want to believe there's more. That we could be more. Hell, we could be heroes."

The quote sumps up what the book aims to convey. The quest which these characters found themselves revolved around the need to become more than human. In real life as well, we strive to project ourselves as someone who is likable, appreciated by all. we are hungry for adulation and attention and aim to become a 'hero' figure in the eyes of our loved ones, our friends! But what's the limit, where and when do we stop! 

What I liked -

The book delicately handles the topic of that precarious balance between life and death, faith and science, fiction and reality. Schwab left it to the readers to decide who is their Hero or Villain or If I dare to say - who's lesser of the two evils !

What I didn't like -

I wanted more originality. The superpowers were pretty much the same as those from X-Men and a lot of things were repetitive.