Author: Victoria Schwab
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: Greenwillow via Edelweiss
Goodreads
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.Review by Nara
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.
The premises of Victoria Schwab's books are always so incredible. I mean, a monster that steals people's souls through music to feed? And said monster doesn't want to be a monster anymore? Heck. Yes.
Authors these days keep surprising me with how quickly they move their plots forward, with events that you know are coming occurring earlier than expected. And Victoria Schwab is no exception- I do like it when authors do this, because then there's more room in the book left to explore other developments.
Also surprising was the fact that there was no romance. As is the way with any YA book with one male and one female protagonist, I was expecting there to be a romance and was pleasantly surprised when there wasn't really one. I mean, there's definitely the beginnings of a friendship which could potentially evolve into a romance, but there hasn't been a romance as such. We'll see what happens in book two. (I kind of ship it.)
August and Kate are both great characters, but I have to say, it was August who really won me over. It's hard not to like characters with some sort of tragic background/secret, and a monster who doesn't want to be a monster definitely qualifies. He's such a sweet character, and his love of playing violin only wins him more points (despite the fact that if he plays in front of a human he could potentially suck out their souls. Awkward.)
As was 100% expected, Victoria Schwab does not disappoint in This Savage Song. I definitely can't wait to see what is to come in the Monsters of Verity series.
Incredible
RatingsOverall: 9/10
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
