Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication date: June 7, 2016
Genre: YA, paranormal, dystopian
Pages: 431
Series: Monsters of Verity #1
1. This Savage Song
2. Our Dark Duet
Synopsis:
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.
From Goodreads
I loved the world that Victoria created in this story. Monsters created from acts of violence and tainting people’s soul’s red – SO good. It took me a while to realize that it was a dystopian world, but it’s not even that important to the story. What is important is the fragility of the truce between North City and South City, the constant fear in which people live from the city’s monsters. It was all written and described perfectly and I absolutely love Verity (but please don’t ask me to move there).
I think I have a weakness for emotionally vulnerable male characters these days. It happened with the last book and it happened with this one, too. August is by no means a vulnerable character – he’s literally one of the most feared monsters in Verity – but he has this innocence about him. He just wants to have a family and keep people safe and avoid war breaking out between North City and South City. He wants to be good for himself and for the world. August consistently pulled on my heartstrings in this book.
On the other side, there’s Kate Harker. She’s sharp and pointy and wants to be just like dear old Dad (who manipulates all of North City using fear). She tries to be tough so he’ll welcome her home and love her, but her humanity always manages to filter through and make her a better person than him. I didn’t really like her, but I think that’s okay. Kate isn’t a girl who cares if she’s liked or not, she just wants the truth.
I will definitely be picking up Our Dark Duet soon to see what’s coming next for the city – and the monsters – of Verity.
