This Savage Song: Monsters of Verity, Book 1

Book review by Michael Berry, Common Sense Media
This Savage Song: Monsters of Verity, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Complex fantasy expertly explores good and evil.

Victoria Schwab Fantasy 2016
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 7 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

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What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that This Savage Song: Monsters of Verity, Book 1 is the first half of an action-packed urban fantasy by Victoria Schwab. It features main characters who struggle against their respective dark sides. The language is occasionally rough: a half dozen uses of "s--t" and its variants; one or two uses of "f--k," and a handful of "damn" and "hell." Some violent scenes feature stabbings, gunfights, and magic. Characters actively or passively participate in the deaths of their family members. There's a spark between August and Kate, but there is little time to pursue romance in this installment.

Community Reviews

OrthodoxJewishMom
OrthodoxJewishMom Adult
October 24, 2019
age 13+

Who is a Monster

At the beginning of this book I really wanted to have more background information to understand where it was heading, but in hindsight it was well paced for its revelations. However, a kid who likes more information up front may get frustrated. More than just that the storyline is interesting to follow, the development of the relationship between Kate and August is really enjoyable to read, especially since their basic natures remove my parental anxiety of whether this is leading up to something physical. I particularly enjoyed the character of August and his honest self-reflections. Some of the secondary characters, such as August's "siblings," could have used a little more development, but that was not a big negative for me.
Isabel F.
Isabel F. Adult
October 16, 2018
age 14+

Victoria Schwab never ceases to impress me

4.5 stars Schwab describes this duology as "Sin City PLUS Romeo and Juliet MINUS romance PLUS monsters. " I didn't know how badly I needed this book until I got my hands on it. I absolutely devoured these two books in about two or three days. There aren't many YA books that don't have a central focus on romance these days, though it does have a hint or taste here and there, really, it was almost refreshing for romance to play such a small role. This was the first Schwab book I'd ever picked up. I didn't read any reviews about them and I didn't know that there would be such a lack of romance. My first thought was, another monster/human romance? Really? In a repugnant, post-apocalyptic america, this had the potential to be another YA dystopian novel that would fade into the back behind books like the Hunger Games, The Giver and Divergent, But no more than 10 pages in I knew I was hooked. From the characters you hate to love and love to hate (and love to love), it is a wild ride of emotions. I'm pretty sure this book tore my heart out and shoved it back in more than once.I highly recommend this to any reader that loves fantasy, adventure and a bit of blood.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THIS SAVAGE SONG, when Kate Harker decides to burn down the chapel at her boarding school, she finally gets her wish to return to the divided city over which her ruthless father rules one side. When she transfers to a new school in Verity, she meets August, who looks human but is actually a monster working undercover for his family. The Harkers and the Flynns must abide by the shaky truce that governs the city, and there are forces that wish to tear the peace asunder. Kate and August must call upon their better selves to spare the lives of thousands of innocents, if only they can trust each other.

Is It Any Good?

Rich in character, original in its world-building, and unpredictable in its plotting, this offbeat urban fantasy finds nuance in the battle between good and evil. This Savage Song focuses on two characters who believe themselves to be villains and eventually see the good parts of themselves. Author Victoria Schwab keeps the narrative pressure on August and Kate as they attempt to protect each other against a deadly conspiracy, and their intense interplay makes this novel stand out. Schwab excels at this kind of immersive saga, and this volume's cliffhanger ending will leave her fans eager for more.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the ways in which This Savage Song depicts the concepts of good and evil. Can people redeem themselves after they've committed a terrible act?

  • What role does violence play in This Savage Song? How can people work together to prevent violence?

  • What might it be like to live in a divided city, where peace endures only under a fragile truce?

Book Details

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