Extraordinary: The Villains Trilogy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vicious and Vengeful carve out a space in speculative fiction where both science fiction and fantasy collide. In these books morality is always shifting under your feet. In Vengeful, Schwab deepens the world she built in the first book, threading together fantasy‑leaning superpowers with the cold precision of scientific inquiry. It’s a sequel that doesn’t just expand the plot; it expands the people at the center of it, forcing you to confront who they were, who they’ve become, and who they’re willing to be next.
In this review, I will be referencing Vengeful, because it’s the most recent book in the trilogy that I’ve read, but the overall scores apply to both Vicious and Vengeful. I will be back once I’ve read Victorious. 🥰
Characters: 9
One of the elements I love most about Vengeful is how easy it is to forget that Victor Vale is, at his core, a scientist. When I was locked into the story, I lost sight of the fact that Victor was once a med student on track to become a doctor, and an amazing one at that. It’s difficult to say that Victor was a genuinely good person before the events of Vicious rerouted his entire life. But during the events of Vengeful, he’s so brutal, so methodical in his violence, that it’s almost jarring to remember he once wanted to help people. But the way he thinks, the way he moves through the world, reminds you instantly that he is still a scientist at heart. The same is true of Eli, whose brilliance and detachment mirror Victor’s in unsettling ways.
The character growth in this sequel is subtle but meaningful. While many of them are still doing what they’ve done in the previous book, they’re also flexing their powers in new ways. Schwab keeps their motives close to the chest, making you question every alliance and every intention from beginning to end. It’s a cast of characters who are gifted not only in ability but in intellect. These characters were doing some heinous things, and I found myself rooting for a couple of them. If that isn’t near perfection I don’t know what is.
Atmosphere: 9
Merit is such a brilliantly crafted setting because it feels both entirely fictional and familiar. Schwab builds this made‑up city with so much intention—its neighborhoods, its shadows, its cold edges, that you can easily imagine it existing right alongside major real‑world hubs like New York. It has that same gritty pulse, that same sense of density and danger, but filtered through the lens of a world where Extraordinary people walk among the ordinary. Schwab’s blend of sci‑fi structure and fantasy energy makes Merit feel like a place where the impossible is just one experiment or one near‑death experience away.
It’s the perfect backdrop for a story about people who are extraordinary in every sense of the word.
Writing: 9
Schwab’s writing in Vengeful is, simply put, masterful. She has this uncanny ability to combine sharp, clinical precision with lyrical, atmospheric storytelling, creating a narrative voice that feels poetic. Schwab writes these morally gray characters so well that you understand them and their motives even when you don’t agree with them, and she builds their internal logic so convincingly that you can’t help but want to follow their shenanigans.
And then there’s the way she handles the science‑fantasy blend. Her writing makes the EO phenomenon feel believable, grounded in real scientific curiosity, while still maintaining the wonder and unpredictability of fantasy. She never over‑explains and never under‑delivers. She trusts the reader to keep up, and that trust makes the experience richer.
The one critique I have is the shifts between timelines and characters can be a little jarring.
Plot: 10
The plot of Vengeful is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Schwab structures the story like an experiment, layering timelines, motivations, and character arcs until they converge.
Schwab introduces new characters, new powers, and new stakes.
The multi‑POV structure is one of the plot’s greatest strengths. It allows you to see the same events from different angles, revealing the moral complexity behind every decision. You’re constantly re-evaluating who’s right, who’s wrong, and whether those labels even apply in a world like Merit.
It’s bold, it’s ruthless, and it’s brilliantly executed.
Intrigue: 9
Schwab’s signature slow‑burn storytelling is on full display in Vengeful, and it’s one of the reasons the intrigue lands so solidly at a 10. Knowing her style, I went in fully expecting that all these threads would eventually snap together in an explosive climax, and she absolutely delivers. The payoff is massive, dramatic, and deeply satisfying.
If you’re new to Schwab’s writing, the pacing might feel very slow at first, but that’s exactly what makes the final act hit so hard. She rewards patience. And when it all ignites, it’s the kind of ending that reminds you why her slow burn is so beloved.
The intrigue works not by overwhelming you with action, but by guiding you through a deliberate, finely tuned build of tension. There was one moment where I thought that the story was a little too long, but the ending made up for it.
Logic: 10
The logic in Vengeful is one of its strongest elements, earning a full 10 for how tightly Schwab structures every cause and effect. Schwab is meticulous about the internal rules of EO abilities, and she never breaks the system she builds. Powers expand in ways that make sense, motivations escalate naturally, and the consequences feel both inevitable and devastating.
Enjoyment: 9
As a long‑time fan of V.E. Schwab, I genuinely love everything she writes, and so far, the Villains series absolutely continues that streak. This series hasn’t disappointed me yet. But I’ll be honest: just like I mentioned in Intrigue, there was a moment fairly close to the end where I found myself ready for things to wrap up. Not because the story faltered, but because the slow burn had reached its peak and I was craving the final snap of resolution.
Thankfully, by that point Schwab was already tying everything together in a neat bow. It’s a deeply satisfying read. It kept me invested from start to finish, even if I was eager for that last page to arrive. A strong, heartfelt 9.
Vengeful is one of those sequels that not only expands the world, but it also deepens it. Schwab takes everything that made Vicious compelling and pushes it further.
As a fan of Schwab, this book hit all the notes I hoped it would. It’s brutal, brilliant, and beautifully constructed. Even in the moments where I was ready for the story to resolve, the ending tied everything together in a way that felt satisfying.
A powerful installment in a series that continues to prove why Schwab is one of the most compelling voices in fiction today.
Final Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vicious andVengeful lands at a solid 9.4, a near‑perfect continuation of the Villains series and a testament to Schwab’s ability to blend science fiction, fantasy, and moral complexity into something razor‑sharp and unforgettable.
