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This Savage Song: Monsters of Verity, Book 1
Common Sense says
- Victoria Schwab
- Fantasy
- 2016
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
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.
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Savage Song review
Victoria Schwab never ceases to impress me
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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
- Author: Victoria Schwab
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Misfits and Underdogs, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Greenwillow Books
- Publication date: June 7, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 464
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.