It all started off with Sarah Rees Brennan's Seasons of the Witch. One minute I'd gone lukewarm on YA paranormal fiction and the next I couldn't get enough of it. I discovered Victoria Schwab next and tore through the Cassidy Blake novels, City of Ghosts and Tunnel of Bones. I wanted more. I decided on Schwab's Monsters of Verity series next, fully expecting to be slightly disappointed with it when compared to the aforementioned books.
I love it when I'm wrong.
I loved This Savage Song in the obsessive fan-girl-kind of way that had me impatiently searching for news of a rumoured film option and nervously considering when was too soon to pick up the sequel. Sarah Rees Brennan's second Chilling Adventures of Sabrina book is out in December, as is the long-awaited sequel to Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone. There are so many good books to read and only one overworked me.
This Savage Song is set in a world of monsters; grotesque, larger-than-life, walking nightmares roam the streets and the citizens of Verity swear fealty to one of two warring factions in a vain attempt at self-preservation. Kate Harker is the daughter of Callum Harker, a ruthless warlord who has somehow managed to bend monsters to his will. She wants nothing more than to be like him.
August Flynn is a monster by name, loyal to Harker's enemy Henry Flynn and on a mission to get close to Kate Harker. It doesn't take Kate long to discover August's secret but she soon learns that there are two kinds of monsters in this world.
This Savage Song is a lot of fun, set in a fascinating future world and featuring one hell of a flight for survival. The future is bleak and it's all down to human nature. The best part of the novel is undoubtedly the chemistry between Kate and August, their curiosity, friendship and trust. Kate is tough, kickass and often violent and is perfectly balanced by careful and conflicted August. I can't wait to pick up Our Dark Duet and I'm as delighted as I am devastated that the series is a duology. I definitely want more of Kate and August but I'm a big fan of series finishing before my interest runs out.
I listened to This Savage Song on Audible, narrated by Thérése Plummer. Thérése is such a fantastic narrator, perfectly capturing Kate and August's voices as well as the numerous monsters and other characters in the book. I see that she narrated Amanda Hocking's Trylle trilogy. I might just revisit that in the new year!
I give This Savage Song a superb five out of five stars. Despite my overflowing bedside table pile, I suspect it won't be long before I start listening to Our Dark Duet after all.
★★★★★