This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)

by Victoria Schwab

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city, a grisly metropolis where the violence has begun to create real and deadly monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the inhabitants pay for his protection. August just wants to be human, as good-hearted as his own father-but his curse is to be what the humans fear. The thin truce that keeps the Harker and Flynn families at peace is crumbling, and an assassination attempt forces Kate and August into a tenuous alliance. But how long will they survive in a city where no one is safe and monsters are real...

• ISBN10: 0062983393
• ISBN13: 9780062983398
• Publish Date: 28 April 2020 (first published 7 June 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 480
• Language: English

Reviews

[Jo]

4.5 Stars.

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

V. E. Schwab's books have been raved about for so long now, and after having a customer at work recommend me her books, I decided it was time to give her books a go, and picked up This Savage Song. And I absolutely loved it.

August is a Sunai, one of the monsters formed through acts of violence, who feeds on the souls of sinners, but all he wants is to be as human and good. When Kate Harker comes back to Verity, August is sent to spy on her at school; as the truce between Callum Harker and Henry Flynn is just about to fail, the Flynn's think it would be a good idea to keep an eye on Kate, as Harker's daughter. But then there's an attack on the school, an attack that is made to look like it was committed by a Sunai, and an attempt on Kate's life is made. August saves Kate's life and the two go on the run; Kate's life is in danger, and August's family are being made to look like the ones orchestrating the attack, that it was August who attacked. They form an unlikely alliance to keep each other alive and find out the truth. But when monsters are coming at you from every direction, how do you keep yourself safe, let alone discover the truth?

This Savage Song is so good! It's fast paced and action packed! I loved the world building; how violent crimes now create demonic monsters, and how the two sides of Verity are keeping their people safe; the Flynn's by fighting the monsters with their task force, and Harker by controlling the monsters, and making the people pay for his protection - no protection, the monsters can do as they please and Harker won't stop them. Then there's the mystery behind the attack. I do think it was kind of obvious, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment as August and Kate try to keep themselves alive and figure out the truth.

I also really loved August. He is such a good guy, really fighting against who he is. He has to feed on the souls of the sinners - souls that are brought to the surface of the body by music August plays on his violin - but he hates it. But if he doesn't feed, he will slowly become his true self, a real monster, and it won't be just the sinners who die. August was just adorable, always trying to do the right thing, and not wanting to be defined by what he is, but who he is. He has a heart of gold, but he's haunted by his demons.

I loved Kate, mostly. She's so kick-ass, having learnt multiple forms of martial arts and self-defence at all her previous schools. But she's got her father on a kind of pedestal, even though he's so cold, distant, and can be so cruel. She wants to be just like him, and show she isn't weak - weak like her mother who tried to escape with her when she was 12, and died in the car crash that left Kate deaf in one ear and with scars on her face - that she's a real Harker, one who is worthy of following in his footsteps. She's desperate for love and affection, and it blinds her to what her father is really like. Both characters are dealing with their own issues, and they're just pretty wonderful.

Although This Savage Song was really good, I was a little disappointed. If there had been no hype about V. E. Schwab, I wouldn't have a single problem with this book. But there was a huge amount of hype, and although This Savage song was so good, I was expecting more... because it's no better than other urban fantasy series I've read. I expected to be wowed more than I was. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, and will continue the duology and read Schwab's other books, but I expected something special, something that would stand out among the other urban fantasies I've read, and it didn't. It's what I'm used to. It was just as good, but not better.

Even so, as I said, I loved This Savage Song, and the cliffhanger was fantastic! I'm really looking forward to seeing where the story takes us in Our Dark Duet.

[Joséphine]

Even better the second time round. I first read the hardcover edition last year, and somehow felt the urge to listen to the audiobook this time round. Knowing the major plot points allowed me to lose myself in the moments, to soak in the atmosphere and once again marvel over the brilliant ways Victoria Schwab strung up words and how she built the tension leading to mind-bending plot twists. I really look forward to the sequel, which is bound to be every bit as amazing.

[Leigha]

Two archenemies learn to trust each other in this young adult dystopian fantasy.

This book had some really wonderful main characters. Their archetypes are not new to the genre - the tough girl and her "monster" counterpart. However, their personalities felt unique and their arcs ended in a satisfying way. I enjoyed their burgeoning friendship. I could see the second book in the series taking their relationship romantic, but in this novel no romance brews between them. I LOVED the author putting them in dangerous situations, and it actually being dangerous. Usually main characters are placed in dire circumstances, yet escape it at the last second. Not this book. You will feel every painful hit, emotionally and physically, Kate and August receive.

If I loved the characters so much, why am I only giving it three stars? Reasons - world building and pacing. The beginning of the novel is so...very...slow. Honestly, it didn't actually get interesting until 58% into the book. That means over 50% of the book is buildup. In regards to the buildup, the book needed better world-building. I found myself really confused about the actual setting of Verity - the layout of the city, the different types of monsters, and the history behind the setting. I don't need everything explained, but the world-building seemed very jumbled. This book felt very uneven, but I do plan on checking out the next in the series.

tl;dr Great characters, slow pacing, and jumbled world-building.

[Rinn]

Review to come.

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

View on The Audiobookworm
5★ Audiobook⎮This wasn’t my first Victoria Schwab book, but it was by far my favorite. She’s been a popular author for sometime now. I’ve always been a little disappointed that I haven’t seemed to like her previous works as much as everyone else. This Savage Song has officially made a Schwab fan out of me.

I connected with This Savage Song immediately and in ways that I never did with Vicious or A Darker Shade of Magic. Firstly, This Savage Song was nothing like Victoria Schwab’s other stories. There’s no traveling in time or between worlds. The plotline for This Savage Song was incredibly easy-to-follow. I also found it quite convenient for daytime listening.

As almost any audiobook listener knows, every title requires a different degree of listening effort. Some prove to be more difficult to follow while multitasking. As much as I love Fantasy, that genre typically demands more concentration. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to follow This Savage Song while completing other tasks. But Victoria Schwab’s writing was so smooth and seamless. I had no trouble whatsoever adjusting to the world in This Savage Song.

I was also surprised with how well I connected with her characters. Kate is my kind of girl. She’s tough, violent, ruthless, and independent, yet still vulnerable enough to be relatable. I thought she was the most well-written character in This Savage Song. Actually, all of the characters were pretty brilliant. They each had a very distinct personalities and backgrounds. Schwab’s concept of how the monsters came to be was both horrendous and beautiful, just like the monsters themselves.

Victoria Schwab’s world-building skills have always been her hallmark writing trait to me and This Savage Song further solidified that. The make up of this fictional world reminded me of that in Marie Lu’s Legend series. Kate and August also reminded me a little of the protagonists in Legend, but much more dynamic. The stand out difference between the two series was the presence of monsters in Monsters of Verity. It added a layer of Paranormal to the Urban Fantasy setting and it really pulled me in.

Schwab has a way of taking something that has been done before and adding her own personal twist. For example, how many times have you read about vampires? Sure, every vampire story is a little different. Each respective author picks and chooses which pieces of vampire lore to include. But there aren’t any vampires in This Savage Song, only certain monsters vaguely reminiscent of them. Schwab creates her own legends surrounding these creatures. She turns what you think you know upside down, just like she did in A Darker Shade of Magic. I’m telling you, it’s brilliant.

Narration review: I thought this was my first time hearing Therese Plummer narrate, but it actually isn’t. She also narrated Magonia, which I heard last year. From what I recall, I definitely think I enjoyed this performance more. Plummer’s narration skills absolutely wowed me. Her characterization was wonderful. The added emotion in her voice enhanced my attachment to the story. She captured the personalities of Kate and August easily. Even the way she voiced the minor characters further developed them in my mind.

If I like a narrator’s performance enough, the first thing I do after finishing a book is search for the narrator’s other works. That’s how I discovered the Magonia connection and that Therese Plummer has narrated quite a few YA titles on my TBR list. This will definitely factor into my decision on when to get to those books. It also caused me to add a few others to my list that I hadn’t previously given much consideration. ♣︎

[tweetybugshouse]

this was a very interesting story with great characters that draw you in i listened to it via audio book and really got lost in the story.

[ross91]

I dunno exactly what it is about V.E. Schwab that makes me love her books so much, but I can honestly say that I very much enjoyed everything that she has written so far (I haven't got to the Archived yet, but it's on my TBR shelf).
This Savage Song is not my favorite book written by her, but I still liked every single page.
I always find Schwab's plots very creative and I was curious about the premises of this books: monsters who can eat your soul with music... Off course I had to get it as soon as possible!
I love the fact that with a few words this author can create a world that feels real and complete and whole. Her books don't need to be long or overly descriptive to make themselves believable, she has this great gift that with just 2 or 3 lines everything just clicks.
I loved the premises, I loved the male main protagonist (August is my new fictional child and I will protect him with my life!) and I love the setting, I'm not totally sold on Kate, but I'm sure she will grow on me later!

[ellieroth]

Original de: El Blog del Gato - El Extraño Gato del Cuento

This Savage Song tiene una historia impresionante, eso es algo que a la autora siempre le voy a envidiar, como es que sale con estos argumentos tan geniales solo es posible tras un pacto con el mismísimo diablo, estoy segura.

El problema que tuve con el libro es que no lo entendí 😂😂😂 Siento que me faltó información o quizá esa fue la meta de la escritora, porque quería saber de dónde y cómo se originaron la clasificación de los monstruos, estuve muy interesada en eso porque la escritura me recordaba un poco a las lenguas nativas de aquí de Perú, pero eso al menos en el primer libro no se explica.

This Savage Song tiene la calidad que quienes hemos leído a Victoria Schwab esperamos, solo que para mí no ha sido la obra maestra que esperaba, aunque quizá a la hora de leer el segundo libro cambie mi opinión.

Twitter • Tumblr • Tvtime • Goodreads • Instagram • Blog

[jnikkir]

This review was originally posted on There Were Books Involved...

------------------

I've been putting off finishing this review for so long, you guys. This is a tough one. But not because I didn't love it. It's tough becuase I did love it. Way too much.

Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal,
Sing you a song and steal your soul...

I first read This Savage Song back in December, and I fell completely head-over-heels for it. But like many books I love, This Savage Song is not easy to explain, and neither are my feelings about it. I tried writing down some vague notes after the first time I read it, but honestly? I was in such a state of "oh my god this book how why i just can't ugh," and those notes didn't make much sense. So I re-read the book in May, hoping it would help clarify my earlier notes and give me a better idea how to express my feelings. ...It didn't. But what it did do is solidify my very firm belief that Victoria Schwab's books are all incredible, and they just keep getting better and better. This Savage Song is no exception. It is phenomenal.

This Savage Song does so many things so, so well. This is a violent, and violently beautiful, book. There is a lot of darkness—it's set in a city where violent acts create literal monsters—but the way that darkness contrasts with hope and light is just... achingly gorgeous. The writing is incredible, as well. Victoria Schwab strikes the perfect balance for me, between words that simply disappear in favor of the story, and beautiful prose that reaches out of the pages and grabs me and doesn't let go.

Other than those constants in Schwab's works, there are three other things I want to talk about that This Savage Song does so well: its characters, its emotions, and its message.

The heart of this book is its main characters. I mean, to be fair, everything about This Savage Song is amazing, but if you're a reader who is primarily drawn to books where the characters are the focus, you need to read this book. Kate Harker and August Flynn are two of my newest all-time favorites. This Savage Song alternates between their (third-person) viewpoints, and this is done so, so well. We see them from their own perspectives, and from each others'—which is so important to how these two characters contrast with each other. And their character development is just... incredible. All Kate wants is to be accepted by her father (who basically rules half of V-City). She wants to prove to him that she is tough enough, ruthless enough, that she has what it takes to run the city with him. All August wants is to be normal, but that's impossible when the only way for him to feel that way is to regularly consume people's souls. Kate and August are so different, but at their cores, they are so similar...

He didn't belong there, the way she didn't belong there, and that shared strangeness made her feel like she knew him.
But she didn't.
Not yet.

When there's an attempt on Kate's life, she and August are forced to go on the run. And in spending time together, they both come to realizations about who they are, what they want to be, and who they need to be. The emotional journeys they both take are so heart-wrenching. And here's where we come to the second thing that I want to talk about: the emotions. These are inextricably linked to the characters—because these characters make me feel.

"I just wanted . . . to be strong enough."
"This isn't about strength. It's about need."

Here's a fact: when I re-read this book last month, it lost absolutely none of its emotional impact. First-reads are usually the ones that hit you hardest, right? But This Savage Song stood up to a reread so well because my emotional response—the response of the reader—isn't tied to shock-value (shock-value disappears once you know what happens). Rather, the emotions are tied to the characters, what they do, what happens to them, and why.

"It hurts. Being. Not being. Giving in. Holding out. No matter what I do, it hurts."

Finally, I want to talk about this book's message. And by "message," I don't mean "the moral of the story," or anything that Victoria was specifically aiming to write—I obviously can't speak to that. By "message," I mean the way this book spoke to me, personally. I love This Savage Song for its story and characters and plot and worldbuilding and great writing, but I also love it for what it makes me think about, and how it touches on emotions that I am super familiar with. August and Kate both want to be something they're not; but to an extent, they both need to learn how to be what they are. They both want to be accepted by the people they look up to, but they haven't learned how to accept themselves. They both have this fear that comes from holding back, holding things in—holding their emotions so close to their chests that it hurts. And their struggles made me think about some hard questions: If you're living in an environment that doesn't fit who you are—or who you think you should be—what needs to change? You? Your environment? And if you're able to finally accept yourself, how do you figure out how to fit into things then...?

These are tough emotions to convey, tough questions to think about—and I love (I cannot express how much I love) that This Savage Song touches on them. It doesn't offer any easy answers—it just exists with these feelings, but it exists with strength and hope... And sometimes that's all you need.


In conclusion...

If you're like me, and you're already a fan of Victoria Schwab's books, I have no doubt that you will love This Savage Song. It exemplifies everything Schwab is so good at, and explores themes that are so important. If you're unfamiliar with her work, and you're in the mood for a beautiful, dark novel—one that will make you think as it punches you in the feels—you need to check out This Savage Song.

[Amber]

This review was originally posted on Books of Amber

Apparently I just don't get one well with Victoria Schwab's YA books. I don't know what it is, but I felt fairly neutral about The Archived books, and unfortunately I felt the same way about This Savage Song. Schwab's adult books? Wonderful. I adore Vicious, and ADSOM was excellent. Can't wait to finish the trilogy. But her YA just doesn't click with me.

Now, I enjoyed the dystopian world in which this was set. I didn't have a problem with it at all. I loved how gritty Verity City is, and I liked that the two characters are from two different sides. So the setting was intriguing, and it helped that I really like post-apocalyptic worlds in both books and TV shows.

I think my main problem was the story itself. I didn't connect with either of the characters, although I did feel for Kate as she tried to make her father finally accept her, and that meant that I didn't really get into the plot either. The story was a bit of a slog for me. I wasn't invested.

I'll probably read the sequel eventually. Maybe. If I ever get through my massive TBR backlog. But it's not going to be top of my list because I'm just not emotionally invested at all.