Saga: Compendium One by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Fiona Staples (Artist)

Published August 27th 2019 by Image Comics

Goodreads Synopsis

THE ULTIMATE BINGE-READ

Collecting the first nine volumes of the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling series into one massive paperback, this compendium tells the entire story (so far!) of a girl named Hazel and her star-crossed parents. Features over 1,300 pages of gorgeously graphic full-color artwork, including a new cover from Eisner Award-winning SAGA co-creator FIONA STAPLES.

Collects SAGA #1-54

My Review

“Once upon a time, each of us was somebody's kid.

Everyone had a father, even if he never provided anything more than his seed.

Everyone had a mother, even if she had to leave us on a stranger's doorstep.

No matter how we're eventually raised, all of our stories begin the exact same way.

They all end the same, too.”

Oh. My. God.

I don't know where to begin. I don't know what to say. So I'll try to keep it short or I'll end up gushing.

You know those books that reduce you to a blubbering mess and leave you empty because you can't believe it's over (or in this case on a hiatus) and you love the characters so much that it's a little insane and the withdrawal after the book ends is so bad that you're driven to the dark recesses of the internet in search of fanfiction?

Yes, Saga was one of those books.

First of all, I think this compendium is the best way to read this series because:
1. It's way cheaper than buying individual volumes.
2. You can read it one go (which is pretty much the only way you should read it).

At >1200 pages, it's bulky and can possibly be used as a weapon to inflict some serious injury and it's impossible to lug around. But these are minor inconveniences.

Okay, now let me begin by talking about the story. It's unlike any other that I've ever read. Brian K. Vaughn just understands fantasy. It's the kind of fantasy that at the first glance is absolutely ridiculous in its absurdity. There are trees that are basically sentient rocket ships, there are inter-species romances, there are giant eggs in space that hatch to give birth to blackhole like creatures...the list is endless. But everything, absolutely everything, fits together so beautifully. All these crazy things become the new normal as you read on. You see giant sex workers with just heads attached to mile long legs without a torso and you're like, okay, this makes sense.

Secondly, the narration style was sooo captivating. Everything that happens in the book has deep psychological undertones and is totally relatable to our real world at large. The characters were so finely fleshed out that you grow to love them and hate them and root for them.

Last but not the least, the ART! Oh my Merlin, the art! Such breathtaking, beautiful images. Yes, the number of penises and dead bodies is pretty high throughout the series, but then again this is an adult graphic novel. But hats off to Fiona Staples for making me appreciate the guy who has a tv for a face. Not kidding, he has a literal television screen instead of a face. And somehow, as I read on I swear I could see expressions on his blank tv face. Also, Marko is such a hottie! And just when I thought he couldn't get hotter, Fiona Staples gave him a beard.

There are so many things I can gush about but I think the best way to go into this series is to go in blind and be very pleasantly surprised. And this series needs to get out of hiatus asap, because that cliffhanger is EVIL.

Highly recommended for everyone!

Review: Watchmen by Alan Moore

Published 2005 by DC Comics (first published September 8th 1987)

Goodreads Synopsis

This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.

One of the most influential graphic novels of all time and a perennial best-seller, Watchmen has been studied on college campuses across the nation and is considered a gateway title, leading readers to other graphic novels such as V for Vendetta, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and The Sandman series.

My Review

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?”

This year I had resolved to read all the graphics novels on the essential graphic novel reading list. That included everything from manga to comic books to graphic memoirs. And so far, I haven't been disappointed at all. In fact, as someone who kind of looked down on the entire concept of graphic novels, it has been quite an intellectual awakening for me. Because there is SO MUCH GOOD STUFF out there!

Watchmen by Alan Moore was naturally on top of the list. The premise itself was so interesting to begin with: dissecting the concept of super heroes, what it means to be a vigilante, do these heroes suffer from the same human failings as common folk do, and who watches these watchmen? It reminded me of the Prime TV show The Boys, where the superheroes are commercialized and are giant assholes who believe that the are not answerable to anyone. Highly recommended show by the way!

But I digress. We're here to talk about Watchmen. Watchmen tells the story of the rise and fall of self proclaimed vigilantes or super heroes in America during the 1940s to 1980s. Mr. Moore cleverly take historical events like the Vietnam War, World War 2, etc and intertwines these events with the involvement of these vigilantes. He presents entirely human reasons which made these people take up crime fighting in the first place - selfish human reasons like power, thrill, adventure, money, publicity. He examines the murky backdrop of the mundane lives of these heroes behind their costumed public figures. He also tells the story of their interpersonal relationships with one another and how this super group is plagued by the same human problems as the rest of us.

The story is very beautifully told through vibrant comic panels, newspaper clippings, excerpts from another comic book inside the story and a retired vigilante's autobiography. The characters are distinctly unlikeable and entirely unforgettable and extremely human. It is a dark, dreary and gory dystopia which somehow feels too close to the truth to be comfortable.

I would highly recommend this brilliant piece of fiction to EVERYONE. And I'll probably go and check out the movie now and crib about how it does not match up to the magic of the book. 

“Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor...I am Pagliacci.”

**shivers**

Review: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Published February 19th 2019 by Vertigo (first published October 1st 1998)

Goodreads Synopsis

Half a crusading epic, half based in Tolkien-esque mythology, Neil Gaiman's award-winning graphic novel fantasy is now back in a brand-new edition!

Life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall—named after the imposing stone barrier which separates the town from a grassy meadow. Here, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester and for the coveted prize of her hand, Tristran vows to retrieve a fallen star and deliver it to his beloved. It is an oath that sends him over the ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining...

Neil Gaiman's Stardust features the New York Times best-selling author (The Sandman) and one of the industry's best illustrators at the height of their creative powers. 

My Review

“A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really..."Do the stars gaze back?" Now, that's a question.”

I'd been wanting to try out graphic novels for a very long time. It was just one of those things that I told myself that I would do and I kept procrastinating due to sheer lack of enthusiasm for it. So when I received an illustrated copy of Neil Gaiman's Stardust for my birthday, it was the perfect happenstance. I started reading it with no small amount of reluctance though, because I believed graphic novels were for children. I didn't need nor want pretty pictures in my books to make them more readable.

But I was in for a pleasant surprise. I've always been a big fan of fairy tales: beginning from the sweet, innocent stories of Rapunzel and Cinderella when I was a little girl, to the magnificence of the Arabian Nights, to the the still darker versions of these tales in the original Grimm Brother's stories. There's a certain magical charm to these stories that is timeless.

In Stardust, Gaiman channels the same charm and tells the story of young Tristan Thorne who sets out on a quest to win his one true love. On the first look, the premise is nothing new or special. There are evil witches, castles on cliffs, royal politics and backstabbing, face off with monsters, and of course, romance that ends in a happily-ever-after. All the ingredients that would make up a good old fairy tale! But Gaiman manages to take these ingredients and weave it into a fantastic story of adventure and intrigue. His writing style is quite unique, unlike anything that I've read before. He writes like he is one of the bards in a Royal Court who is narrating a saga. The beautiful drawings by Charles Vess just accentuates the mystical quality of it all. I realized that having pretty pictures accompanying the splendid text isn't an irritating add on but an intelligent one.

This book isn't for children. There is gore and sex and violence. It can be safely classified as young adult though. I would recommend this book for everyone who loves fairy tales and like their fantasies peppered with romance and drama.

Rating: 4/5 stars!

Review: And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga #1) by Kiersten White

Published June 28th 2016 by Delacorte Press

“A dragon did not crawl on its belly in front of its enemies, begging for their help. A dragon did not vow to rid the world of infidels, and then invite them into its home. A dragon did not flee its land in the middle of the night like a criminal.

A dragon burned everything around herself until it was purified in ash.”

Goodreads Synopsis

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

My Review

“If we were not pushing, fighting, claiming what is ours and challenging what is not yet ours, others would be doing it to us. It is the way of the world. You can be the aggressor, you can fight against crusaders on their own land, or you can stay at home and wait for them to come to you. And they would come. They would come with fire, with disease, with swords and blood and death. Weakness is an irresistible lure.”

This was one book that made me feel ecstatic and ashamed in equal measure- ecstatic because it was enchanting in plot, characterisation, emotion and substance, and ashamed because it made me aware of my ignorance of Eastern European history. I actually mistook Wallachia to be a fictional place initially and only after a sound googling session was I made aware of my folly. The googling session acquainted me with the fascinating history of the Ottoman empire and mde me realise how cleverly Ms White has twisted a few facts and manipulated history to potray Vlad The Impaler as a girl.

Which brings me to the best part of the book- Lada!

“On our wedding night," she said, "I will cut out your tongue and swallow it. Then both tongues that spoke our marriage vows will belong to me, and I will be wed only to myself. You will most likely choke to death on your own blood, which will be unfortunate, but I will be both husband and wife and therefore not a widow to be pitied.” 

Even though I'm straight as a ruler, I'd be lying if I denied that I was totally crushing on Lada. I'd expected her to be a badass, but she was in a different class entirely. She was ruthless and efficient (almost to the point of being cruel and callous), independent and brave and fiercely protective of those she cared about at the same time. She was a chaotic mess of emotions and it was sooooo much fun to see her struggle to choose between love and duty, herself and her country. 

Radu, her brother, was another very interesting character. He was her stark opposite in almost every way- soft to her innate hardness, kind to her callousness, scared to her brash bravery. But his character development came as a complete surprise. It's commendable how flawlessly Ms. White melded his mouse of a character to be a smart, strategic, almost cunning man, while retaining all the essential qualities that made Radu Radu.  I can't wait to see how his character shapes up in the later books. 

Mehmed's character was also very captivating. It was entertaining to see his transformation from a nobody to an able emperor. The world building was perfect. Nowhere in the 400+ page journey was I bored. There was a subtle build up before any major plot twist, enough to make me squirm with excitement in my seat. Ms. White paints a very vivid picture of the dreary lands of Wallachia, of the opulent wealth of Edierne, of bloody battles and of sexy romantic scenes. It was a delicious mix of characters and emotions and I adored every bit of it. 

The ending was perfect and painful in equal measure. It was kind of meant to be, and at the same time I couldn't help hoping for an alternate one. 

I'm eagerly awaiting to get my hands on the sequel and read more of these characters to see them get the ending they deserve. 

Highly recommended: 5/5 stars!

Review: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Published July 26th 2016 by Crown

“If there are infinite worlds, how do I find the one that is uniquely, specifically mine?” 

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS

“Are you happy with your life?” 

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. 

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. 

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” 

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

From the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

MY REVIEW

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.” 

Oh. My. God.

This was me throughout the book, right from the very first chapter. 

And this was me near the end. 

Dark Matter is so artfully written, the plot so amazingly crafted; there really is not much scope for dislike at all. It was a total nail biting page turner from start to finish. And there's this sense of doom and paranoia that the author creates, that was palpable throughout the book. I was constantly at the edge of my seat, clutching my iPad with shaking fingers, almost afraid to find out what was to happen next.

And it made me feel oh-so-small, like an insignificant little blot compared to the infiniteness of the universe (or in this case, the 'multiverse'). The book begins with our MC, poor Jason Dessen, being abducted and tossed into an alternate reality that is nothing like his own. It's a topsy turvy place where he's a legendary genius but without his beloved family. And this is where shit hits the fan. Teemed up with an unlikely ally, Jason tried to make it back home- a job that is much more difficult than it sounds. The author writes Jason's rage, helplessness and determinedness very beautifully. I was moved by his suffering, by the very idea that he couldn't reach home, that he was trapped amidst infinite possibilities, unable to figure out which one is his.

The author has also written all the scientific explanations very thoughtfully. Everything makes sense and nothing is out of place. It is neither too abstract nor too detailed, but just the right amount. I also loved the entire concept of people being the sum total of their choices and the choices they might have made. 

“We're more than the sum total of our choices, that all the paths we might have taken factor somehow into the math of our identity.” 

The entire idea of an infinite reality tree, sprouting new branches every time a person is confronted with multiple choices was mind bogglingly awesome. Then there was also the irresistible but extremely questionable idea of having a clean slate. If somehow you could switch realities, having seen the consequences of an apparently wrong choice, would you? Or is it better to live with your choices and learn? That was a real toughie! And it led to me having sympathy for the negative characters in the book too, because regret is a very tangible thing, and I totally got where the crazy desperation was coming from. 

This book was scientific, mysterious and emotional rollercoaster and it rendered me breathless with it's pace and intensity. Highly recommended for everyone! 

And one last quote perhaps?

“It's a troubling paradox -I have total control, but only to the extent I have control over myself.” 

**slinks away to contemplate life, universe and everything.**

Review: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Published June 7th 2016 by HarperTeen

“On everyone’s lap rested a book. Any book. In case the wedding got boring.” 

Goodreads Synopsis

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane is about to become the Queen of England.

My Review

What an amazing way to kickstart 2017! Yeah indeed, this book pleaseth me greatly. ;-)

You know you've struck gold when the dedication of the book goes something like:

“For everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door.
And for England. We’re really sorry for what we’re about to do to your history.” 

I picked this one up because I was in the mood for something light and of course there's this whole fascination I have with modern retellings of the Tudor era. I expected some light hearted rom-com stuff, but nothing could have prepared me for the super cutesy fluff and hilarious laugh-out-loud jokes that the trio of authors dished out in this rib-tickling (and splendidly inaccurate) retelling of English history. People who are anal about not messing with history or to whom a healthy dose of entirely illogical and inappropriate humour does not appeal too much, will not be great fans of this book. But if you are looking for a quick comic read with a dash of endearing romance thrown in, this is the book for you. 

I loved how the book overrode gender stereotypes of the olden era; how every female character in the book was a definite badass and how the male ones were gloriously supportive and how they broke through their sexist ideologies to rediscover their beliefs. There were impossible situations and impossible solutions. There was subtle toe-curling romance and characters so enchantingly cute, that all I wanted was to bring them to life and then cuddle them to death. There was politics, backstabbing, power hungry royals, our favourite dish which is best served cold and tons of drama. 

“No horse jokes," he said.
"My lord, I apologize for the horse joke. If you put down the book---unharmed!---I will give you a carrot."
He brandished the book at her. "Was that a horse joke?"
"Neigh."
"Was that a horse joke?” 

*snorts indelicately* Just read it. :-)

REVIEW: FANGIRL by RAINBOW ROWELL

Published September 10th 2013 by St. Martin's Press

“To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.” 

Goodreads Synopsis

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

My Review

“There's nothing more intoxicating than creating something from nothing. Creating something from yourself."

It's not very often that I come across books that show me a reflection of myself, books that are so eerily relatable that it almost seems as if the author was thinking of me while writing it. This was one of those books. Every single fanboy and fangirl will be able to relate very strongly to the quirky protagonist Cath and the entire general theme of the story. 

“I'm the kind of girl who fantasizes about being trapped in a library overnight.” 

“The whole point of fanfiction is that you get to play inside somebody else's universe. Rewrite the rules. Or bend them. The story doesn't have to end. You can stay in this world, this world you love, as long as you want, as long as you keep thinking of new stories.” 

Cath's fascination with the Simon Snow franchise, her compulsion towards fanfiction, the bond she shares with fellow fans even when they're complete strangers, queueing up outside book stores hours before the book release to get a copy of the novel, the truckloads of Simon Snow merchandise that is the pride of her collection, having a completely different online persona amidst a fandom and getting teary eyed at the mere thought of the end of her favourite series- all of this and more made me nostalgic of the Harry Potter days. It wasn't long before I was reminiscing about that time in middle school where my little world revolved around JKR's franchise and the biggest problem in my life was the return of giant douchebag Lord Voldemort and his masked-and-pretentiously-named cronies. 

In short, this book was unlike anything I've ever read. The story of Cath begins with her arrival at college- a world completely different from the one she's used to. Her beloved twin sister no longer wants to share a room with her, her new roommate is an intimidating badass, her roommate's boyfriend constant presence is unnerving (especially since she's weirdly attracted to him), her fiction writing class is a disaster as it appears that the only thing she wants to write is Simon Snow fanfiction, her long absconding Mom wants to reconnect and of course there is the whole big issue of socialising. Out of her depth and comfort zone, Cath tries to flounder through it all, learning new life lessons along the way. I loved her bizarre analogies and the unconventional way in which she described things. Her peculiar adjectives had me conjure vivid imagery in my mind throughout the course of the novel. 

“Levi's eyebrows were pornographic. If Cath were making this decision just on eyebrows, she would have been "up to his room" a long time ago.”

“God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.” 

“His mouth was small, but bowed. Like a doll's. She wondered if he had trouble opening it wide enough to eat apples.” 

The writing was natural and engaging, the characters were absolutely adorable and while there wasn't much plot development to the story there was a certain realness to it that made the book unputdownable. Highly recommended with 5/5 stars!

Review: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Published May 9th 2006 

 Knopf Books for Young Readers 

“People with lost personalities will suffer a great deal more than those with lost virginities.” 

Goodreads Synopsis

A compelling story of romance, family, and friendship with humor and heart, perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Lauren Myracle.

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

My Review

“Comfort zones are overrated. They make you lazy.” 

Wow. This was amazing.

Never have I encountered such a gut twistingly honest version of teenage life in contemporary fiction.

There are no sexy beasts with six packs, no murderous bitches out for blood, no insta love and no same lame back stories.

No. There is Francesca, a reluctant transfer from an all girls school to the newly turned coed St Sebastian. And there is her feisty, always-ready-for-revolution mom, suddenly battling with acute depression; and her happy-go-lucky father who is not so optimistic anymore, and her little brother who huddles with her as they wait for things to go back to how they should be.

Then there is Francesca's group- just a bunch of grudging teens thrown together because there is nowhere else to go and a couple of teachers who say just the right things to perk up a student. 

And there are emotions. 

Merlin! So many emotions. Truckloads of them. And everyone of these emotions were so gloriously glorious because they were just so real.

“I miss the Stella girls telling me what I am. That I'm sweet and placid and accommodating and loyal and nonthreatening and good to have around. And Mia. I want her to say, "Frankie, you're silly, you're lazy, you're talented, you're passionate, you're restrained, you're blossoming, you're contrary."

I want to be an adjective again. But I'm a noun. 

A nothing. A nobody. A no one.” 

There are no perfect boys who say perfect things. There are just awkward, horny teenagers who fart and crack dirty jokes at inappropriate moments and make you laugh. There are boys who love sports they can't play to save their lives and boys who have hearts as soft as marshmallows and try to act as tough as nails.  There are boys who think with their penises, boys who think with their hearts, boys who think too much and boys who don't think at all. 

“For a moment I can't help thinking how decent he is - that there's some hope for him beyond the obnoxious image he displays. Maybe deep down he is a sensitive guy, who sees us as real people with real issues. I want to say something nice. Some kind of thanks. I stand there, rehearsing it in my mind.

"Oh my God," he says, "did you see that girl's tits?"

Maybe not today.” 

There are no bitchy girls or good girls or stupid girls or rebels. There are your average selfish teens in search of companionship, girls who roughhouse the boys at basketball and cry during cheesy romantic movies, girls who crush at the cute guy at the bus stop and fangirl about him over late night pillow talks and girls who stick together after swearing at each other in ugly fights, girls who claim that they've had enough with sexism and girls who'd rather have popularity than personality. 

“I think I'm a bit in love with these girls. They make me feel giddy. Like I haven't a care in the world. Like I'm fearless."

Ms Marchetta created such a colourful menagerie of characters and wove such a simple but heartfelt story around them that the book was absolutely unputdownable. The simplest, most childish phrases like killing ourselves laughing and duh brain had me grinning like a goof at the realness of it all.

An endearing feel good read!

Highly recommended : 5/5 stars!

Vicious (Vicious #1)- V.E. Schwab : Review

Published September 24th 2013 by Tor

“Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.” 

Goodreads Synopsis

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end? 

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.'

My Review

“The absence of pain led to an absence of fear, and the absence of fear led to a disregard for consequence.” 

There are some books which one often picks up with zero expectations and more than just a hint of trepidation. Nothing can be more satisfactory than these books turning out to be one hell of a roller coaster ride. 

Vicious was one those books. 

It provides a twisted view of the world- where superheroes are the bad guys, friend turns on friend, family members betray each other and no one can be trusted. The whole setting was majorly creeptastic with extremely well crafted prose which made me erupt in goosebumps several times during the course of the book. 

The story starts with two best friends and an apparently harmless research project about superheroes or the 'extra-ordinary' people. Eli and Victor- college roommates and best friends- with wild ambitions and multi layered personalities are the only ones who recognise the more animalistic sides in each other. When they are confronted with the possibility of a major breakthrough in their project, they decide to experiment on themselves to test out their theories about the possible existence of EOs. But things go horribly wrong when jealousy and a thirst for power overcomes rationality. 

Fast forward to 10 years later, when Victor escapes from prison aided by a prisonmate turned friend to go after Eli, his former friend turned foe. Along the way he finds a young girl with an astonishing ability, who has her own bone to pick with Eli and they join alliances to take revenge against the man who changed their lives forever.

The most alluring aspect of the book was the absence of the so called 'good' characters. Every character was layered in shades of grey with wildly contrasting personalities. All of them were equally dangerous, equally deranged and identical in their desire for bloodshed. It was easy to get carried away by the barrage of emotions which was so excellently put forth by the author. It was one those books which would make you question your beliefs. 

Should progress for the progress' sake actually be discouraged?

Is a superpower enough to make someone a 'hero'?

If faced between family, friends, love and the 'greater good'- which one would you choose?

The writing style was flawless and was obviously aimed to shock. The fast paced plot combined with such interesting characterisation along with the whole 'revenge is a dish best served cold' aspect made the book an absolute page turner. 

Highly recommended: 5/5 stars!