Monsters, monsters, big and small

They're gonna come eat you all

Corsai, Corsai, tooth and claw,

Shadow and bone will eat you raw

Malchai, Malchai, sharp and sly,

Smile and bite and drink you dry

Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal,

Sing you a song and steal your soul

Monsters, monsters, big and small

They're gonna come eat you all!

Book Title: This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity Book #1)

Author: Victoria Schwab

Pages: 427

Synopsis: There's no such thing as safe in a city full of monsters.

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 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?

This was the very first Victoria Schwab book I've ever read, and I know why people love her books. I am a huge fan of morally gray characters and This Savage Song definitely delivers on that.

The theme that was underlined throughout the entire book is what truly makes us human? Kate and Harker have both killed monsters in the name of them being lesser creatures than them. Leo has done the same proclaiming that the Sunai are the great Reckoners of life and death for those that have sinned.

There were many times reading this book when I was sympathetic to both August and Kate. August because all he wants is to be human, to not have this unknown hanging over him that one day he may blink out of existence as if he had never existed, and to Kate because she wants her father's love so desperately that she hardened herself to those around and isolated herself from her peers. 

Both characters had traits that I could relate to which is what made reading their story all the more enjoyable. 

"You don't do everything you can to be a good person only to have it constantly thrown in your face that you're not a person at all." - August Flynn

By the end of the book the line between human and monster has disappeared and both August and Kate have made decisions that have completely changed not only their lives but the lives of every citizen of Verity. Both characters have grown to understand and respect each other. The short moment at the end where August lays his hand on top of Kate's after all they've been through says so much with so little. 

Besides that the concept of this book is unique. The reality of crimes creating physical manifestations floored me. It was executed wonderfully in this book and the relation of each monster is more in line with how people would normally react to said situation rather than the monsters being an actual manifestation of the crime itself. Corsai, mindless killers, are born from assault and heinous acts of violence towards another. Malchai, which are vampires that can walk in the sun and not sparkle, are born from murders. Sunai are born from mass tragedy. 

The world that Victoria Schwab created is very flushed out. But I can not say the same for the plot. There were quite a few instances when I was like "hmmm....I don't think so." The lack of adult interference at the school and the fact that Kate figured out (kinda) who was trying to kill her at the beginning of the mystery put me off a little. 

But overall the pacing, characters, plot twists, and theme of this book made up for any moments where it was inconsistent or didn't match up. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a story that will make them question themselves, who loves shades of gray in people, and who loves to see characters struggle but be stronger because of it.

RATING

★★★★☆