[Review: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab]

"This Savage Song"
Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: Monsters of Verity #1
Pages: 464
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Dystopian
Date Published: July 5th, 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

To begin with I wasn't all that excited about This Savage Song. I felt like the beginning of the novel was pretty slow, and I wasn't really reading anything that I hadn't read before. Monster trying to be good, girl trying to impress her evil mastermind of a father, it's all been written before. But then something shifted, and I realized that Schwab set out to turn those stereotypes on their heads, by first presenting them in a well known way. It was a brilliant move, and by the end of this book, I was singing it's praises (see what I did there?) to anyone who wanted a book recommendation.  

I have to admit that I'm a Schwab newbie, which is strange, because I own a majority of her books. I've just been too busy to get around to them. After completing This Savage Song, that needs to change, and quickly. Schwab is twisty writer who isn't afraid to take the story in the least expected direction. But she also knows when to play right into your pocket. 

The beginning of the novel focuses on the main characters individually. We see August and Kate in their own worlds, surrounded by their own problems, and dealing with their own insecurities. I see now that Schwab took her time introducing her characters because once the action hits, it never lets up. It was when the two story lines come together that I got really excited about the novel. The way August and Kate interact is brilliant, and though there are moments of spark, I liked that this book didn't become all about a love story, but rather two characters learning to love themselves side by side.

Okay, don't get me wrong, August is cool. I like him a lot, but he pales in comparison to Kate. She's become my little anti-hero queen. Seriously, she's got some mad chops, and it didn't take long for me to become of fan of her. 

All in all this book is about what makes us human, and what turns us into monsters. I liked that there isn't a clear hero or villain. The lines are muddied, and even when you close the book, you can't be sure who the good guys are, but you sure as hell can figure out who you're rooting for. 

I highly suggest that you read this book. It's a good one, and I can't wait for the next novel in the series!

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hand on this NOW!