This Savage Song

📘 About This Book

#1 New York Times Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of the Year There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from acclaimed 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, This Savage Song is a must-have for fans of Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor. 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. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, one worthy of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side—including the monsters within.

📖 Summary

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab plunges readers into a dark, divided urban fantasy world where violence literally breeds monsters. Published in 2016, this young adult novel spans a concise 181 pages but delivers a rich and atmospheric premise that has captured the attention of readers and earned a place as a number one New York Times bestseller. The story takes place in a city at war, a dangerous place where safety is entirely nonexistent and the inhabitants live in the constant shadow of terror. In this fractured metropolis, two distinct factions have risen to power, each dealing with the supernatural threat in fundamentally different ways. At the heart of the narrative are two young people, Kate Harker and August Flynn, who happen to be the heirs to this divided city. Kate Harker has a singular ambition. She wants to be just as ruthless as her father. Her father is a man who allows the monstrous creatures to roam free, capitalizing on the fear of the populace by making ordinary humans pay him for protection. Kate believes that in a cruel city, softness is a liability, and she strives to prove her toughness and independence in a world governed by power and manipulation. On the opposite side of the divide is August Flynn. August harbors a secret and a deep, aching desire that contrasts sharply with Kate's ambitions. Despite being a monster himself, August simply wants to be human. He longs to be as good-hearted as his own adoptive father, wishing for a normal existence where he can play a bigger role in bringing peace and genuine safety to their home. As the heirs of opposing forces, Kate and August are naturally positioned as adversaries in a city teetering on the edge of total collapse. However, fate brings them together, forcing them into a precarious alliance. As they navigate the treacherous streets and confront the horrors of their environment, they must make critical choices that will define their futures. They stand at a crossroads where they must decide whether to become heroes or villains, and whether they are destined to be lifelong friends or bitter enemies. With the fate of their shared home hanging in the balance, their individual desires and loyalties are put to the ultimate test. Drawing comparisons to the works of acclaimed authors like Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor, This Savage Song establishes a compelling world of dark fantasy, complex morality, and character-driven tension. It serves as the first installment of a two-book series, laying a strong foundation for an epic conflict where the line between humanity and monstrosity is constantly blurred.

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✍️ About the Author

V.E. Schwab

V.E. Schwab (b. 1987) is an American author known for genre-blending fantasy, including 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue' and the 'Shades of Magic' series.

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