This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

Pages: 427

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Urban fantasy / Dystopia

Notes for Parents: Contains violence, some coarse language, and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Kate Harker wants to be as ruthless as her father, to prove she’s worthy to stand beside him and lead their city. August Flynn wants to be human. But he isn’t. He’s a monster, one that can steal souls with a song. His own father’s secret weapon.

Their city is divided. Their city is crumbling. Kate and August are the only two who see both sides, the only two who could do something. But how do you decide whether to be a hero or a villain when it’s hard to tell which is which?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in the Monsters of Verity duology. The second book is called Our Dark Duet.

What’s good?

We’ve all heard the saying, “Violence breeds violence.” In this story, it’s literal. Monsters are born from the transgressions of humans. It’s a compelling premise that delivers a story full of action, tension, fear, and brutality. Kate and August live on opposite sides of the city – and on opposite sides of the war. Kate wants to be a villain like her father. August wants to be human, not the monster that he is. The twisting plot brings them together and forces the question – what makes something evil? The writing is fluid, the pace is steady, and the ending is strong.

Best Part: Isla.

What isn’t good?

My biggest problem was the lack of worldbuilding. The premise is great, but I wanted to know the history, how things got to be how they are, and why. I needed answers and felt cheated when I didn’t get any. I was also disappointed with the two main characters. I liked them, but they were no one special. Kate was a typical bad-ass girl with no regard for others. August was a typical quiet, angst-ridden boy.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

There was a lot of potential in this story, but the results were…mediocre. The idea of monsters rising from the sins of people was promising, but not explored enough. The ambiguity between good and evil was better handled in Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone. In the end it was good, but not great.

Schwab, Victoria. This Savage Song. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2016.