Actual rating: 4.5 
 It's been a long time coming for me to finally read a Victoria (V.E.) Schwab book, and if Vicious is any indication, I'm going to love every single one! 
 Vicious is the story about two college kids and a shared experiment gone wrong. After attempting to create an environment in which to gain super powers, Victor is sent to prison for ten years, while Eli becomes bent on eradicating every other ExtraOrdinary (EO) he can find. Once Victor escapes prison, everything for him becomes focused on finding Eli and killing him. After a personal message delivered to Eli from his former best friend-turned-foe, it's clear that both are willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate the other. 
 The story bounces back and forth between POVs and time periods but I never found it interrupted my reading experience in the slightest. Schwab somehow expertly weaves several story lines together seamlessly, culminating in a final showdown between Victor and Eli. Additionally, the story is filled with so many details but every single piece of information carries its own weight and importance throughout it. I'm just so impressed with the writing and how simple she made such a complicated plot look. 
 The overarching themes in Vicious are about morality, and it brings up some really interesting points. Is Eli evil because he is attempting to eliminate all EOs? He sees them as unnatural and is simply completing a task given to him by God. Is Victor evil for wanting to stop Eli and not particularly caring about what happens to those who try to intervene? These and so many more questions are asked throughout the book. 
 My only small gripe with the story is that while Eli is noted to be religious during his college years, his acceleration to turning almost zealous happens very, very quickly. Maybe it's his close call with death that pushes him - I can't say as I've never been religious or had a near-death experience - but I just found it sudden. 
 Vicious is simply awesome and deserves all the hype it's gotten.