Book Review – This Savage Song

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, if you click one of them and make a purchase we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank You.

Reading ‘This Savage Song‘ made me so unexpectedly happy!

First of all, can we talk about the cover?
It is so stunning😍

“I mean, most people want to escape. Get out of their heads. Out of their lives. Stories are the easiest way to do that.”

The story is set in Verity, a city overrun with monsters. The Northern part of the city is ruled by Callum Harker, who buys protection for people living there, and gives them a locket to ensure their protection from the monsters. He trades with those monsters, while Henry Flynn governs Southern part of the city and runs a task force to stop the monsters inhabiting his part of the city.

In the midst of the city at the brink of war, August Flynn, son of Henry Flynn and Kate Harker, daughter of Callum Harker cross paths. And it takes them on an adventure fighting monsters, uncovering lies and the dark secrets that will change the future of their city forever!

Such a unique world, with beautiful main characters, a good plot, and some thought-provoking messages with this story. An interesting take on the monster and humans dystopian world. I loved it.

I think that’s the charm of Victoria Schwab’s books, the stories aren’t something way extraordinary or grand it’s rather a simple take on a unique concept or trope (such as parallel Londons in Shades of Magic Series and now a dystopian world with monsters of different kinds living among humans.) with likable main characters, a slow start and an adventurous second half. They are beautifully written and the elements in them are pretty well crafted, which makes it easier for the readers to understand her world. The one thing I missed the most in the Shades of Magic series was the in-depth growth and struggle of characters. It was good in the Shades of Magic but This Savage Song has it way better.

Characters: This was a character-driven book for me. Our main protagonists, August Flynn, who is a Sunai monster, the deadliest one of the three kinds present in Verity, and Kate Harker are both well-rounded characters. Kate reminded me of Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska, feisty, bold, adventurous and constantly fighting her inner battles. Kate has anxiety, and I felt good when that was acknowledged in the book. I was annoyed by her at first but as the story progressed we got to see Kate’s inner struggles and beliefs, and my opinion changed.

Now let’s talk about my babe, August Flynn! Plz he was such a softie for a monster. But that is not the only reason, it was his will to keep his humanity alive, his internal struggles with morality and his true monstrous nature. Which one to embrace?

I could relate to him on a different level and understand his perspective. (yes I could relate to a monster’s thought process😭) It was so refreshing to read this side of a monster. He seemed so fragile, moral but also brave and deadly when needed to be. Kate described him the best here!

This wasn’t the boy from the bleachers or the one folded in on himself in her car. This wasn’t the one coughing black blood onto the pavement or tied to the half-constructed wall. This was a different August Flynn. Confident. Mesmerizing.

And, their chemistry was so soft…? Does it makes sense? haha
I mean to say, they were pretty heartwarming together and not in a mushy way, but rather a friendly one.
I guess, it is because they both connect at the level of strangeness and detachment from the world they are in.

It hurts,” he whispered. “What does?” asked Kate. “Being. Not being. Giving in. Holding out. No matter what I do, it hurts.” Kate tipped her head back against the tub. “That’s life, August,” she said. “You wanted to feel alive, right? It doesn’t matter if you’re monster or human. Living hurts.”
(my babies🥺)

Plot: Honestly, while reading the first few chapters I thought shit! is it going to be another high school story and investigation.. ugh I did not want that. The cover looked so appealing and I expected some mature story, since it included monsters. And damn! we did get that, a dark dystopian fantasy. It had a slow start but all worth it. I also like how the storyline of Monsters was structured, simple yet interesting.

Monsters, monsters, big and small,
“They’re gonna come and eat you all.
Corsai, Corsai, tooth and claw,
Shadow and bone will eat you raw.
Malchai, Malchai, sharp and sly,
Smile and bite and drink you dry.
Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal,
Sing you a song and steal your soul.
Monsters, monsters, big and small,
They’re gonna come and eat you all!

The plot twists were actually quite predictable, and that’s why I’m lowering one star. I literally guessed who was behind it all from the start and all the clues too. So, I wasn’t much surprised by the revelations. Still, the main characters and their storyline together kept me engrossed.

I cannot imagine not loving this book! There’s just something so special about this one;)

This Savage song wasn’t some extraordinary book with complex world-building and all. In fact, it was pretty simple yet so impactful. An absolutely enjoyable read!