ALL OF US VILLAINS by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman is a novel I got from NetGalley, and ended up buying a hardcover for my shelf as soon as I could. By a third of the way through, I was hooked. This isn't a book I wanted to rush through, for fear I'd miss even one comment, so I took my time. It was a book that I wanted to focus on completely, where normally I alternate between 2-3 books at once.
". . . Villainy in the modern age was a delicate balance.
Originally described as the Hunger Games, with more blood and magic, this book was so much MORE, and I feel took things to a very original level.
". . . Blood before all . . . "
In the small village of Ilvernath, seven families have long had the tradition of a blood moon tournament, once every generation. Seven competitors were chosen, and the one that survived had the honor of their family being in control of the last source of "high magic" that the rest of the world thought long gone.
"The only part about the tournament that makes it a fairy tale is that it's definitely gone on ever after."
Only this cycle is different. Someone from the town wrote a book just prior, telling all about the town's previously "secret" traditions.
"Do not judge the champions too harshly. Survival could make villains of any of us."
Seven teenagers, armed with curse/spell stones, and their own knowledge of magical spells are pitted against each other--either until only one remained, or three months had passed....
What I enjoyed the most about this book was the intricate characterization. Each of the seven chosen "champions", along with many other characters, were so well fleshed out throughout the length of the novel that I never had trouble mixing any of them up--despite the rather large cast.
"The nightmares had not taught him to fear the dark. The nightmares had taught him to become it."
Everything from the individual family dynamics, the feelings of the competitors themselves, and the unique magical system was something I couldn't get enough of. I never felt as though something was missing, although I always wanted MORE. (This, to me, made a novel I would eagerly re-read, and one I needed to have a physical copy of).
"We're raised to call them champions, but I would argue there's a better word: sacrifices."
I know at least one other book is coming out in this series, and I can't wait for more news on that.
"Monsters couldn't harm you if you were a monster, too."
This was a story I was completely captivated by, with an ending that left me screaming for more. Is there any higher praise?
Highly recommended.
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Customer reviews
When I first read the description of this one - as a sort of darker, fairy tale-esque twist on THE HUNGER GAMES, I knew that I just had to read it! So I was thrilled to get my hands on the audio ARC! I also ended up getting a physical copy of it - while the performance of the female reader is great, the overly dramatic rendition of the male performer quickly became grating. I always listen to books at 2x speed, and because he didn't regulate his own speed or volume, it gave everything an odd emphasis and was really distracting. The sections that he narrated really made me feel like consistently like I was missing something. I really loved the female performer, though - if only she had narrated the whole book! I think I would only get the sequel on audio if there was a different male narrator (or none at all).As for the story itself, I loved it! It follows a curse laid on the town of Ilvernath - where the seven great families are cursed to provide a young champion for a fight to control the town's high magic every 20 years. There can only be one winner and each family maintains their own secrets and traditions for choosing their champions. The book opens just before the next cycle of the curse begins. Four members of different families narrate throughout- Alistair Lowe, the chosen champion of the family who most commonly wins, Gavin Grieve, a young man desperate for his family name to be great once again, Isobel Macasalan, thrust into the spotlight first as this is the first year that the curse fight has publicity rather than secrecy and Briony Thorburn, a confident young woman who feels ready to win at all cost.Like many YA Fantasies, there's some romance here - but also violence, bloodshed, and an ending that leaves the reader quite desperate for the next installment. The world-building gets this off to a bit of a slow start and some of the melodrama of it all does fit with the nature of the over-the-top performance of the male narrator... But as the characters develop and grow, this becomes a much more riveting read. There may be a few predictable turns, but there are definitely some surprises, too!I really enjoyed this! I think this author duo works quite well together and I am really excited for the next book. The characters are well-drawn - and I am not even sure which one I am rooting for in the end to be the last one standing! And I think the magic of the spell-rings and curses feels fresh and fun! I can't wait for more!
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Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2022
When I first read the description of this one - as a sort of darker, fairy tale-esque twist on THE HUNGER GAMES, I knew that I just had to read it! So I was thrilled to get my hands on the audio ARC! I also ended up getting a physical copy of it - while the performance of the female reader is great, the overly dramatic rendition of the male performer quickly became grating. I always listen to books at 2x speed, and because he didn't regulate his own speed or volume, it gave everything an odd emphasis and was really distracting. The sections that he narrated really made me feel like consistently like I was missing something. I really loved the female performer, though - if only she had narrated the whole book! I think I would only get the sequel on audio if there was a different male narrator (or none at all).
As for the story itself, I loved it! It follows a curse laid on the town of Ilvernath - where the seven great families are cursed to provide a young champion for a fight to control the town's high magic every 20 years. There can only be one winner and each family maintains their own secrets and traditions for choosing their champions. The book opens just before the next cycle of the curse begins. Four members of different families narrate throughout- Alistair Lowe, the chosen champion of the family who most commonly wins, Gavin Grieve, a young man desperate for his family name to be great once again, Isobel Macasalan, thrust into the spotlight first as this is the first year that the curse fight has publicity rather than secrecy and Briony Thorburn, a confident young woman who feels ready to win at all cost.
Like many YA Fantasies, there's some romance here - but also violence, bloodshed, and an ending that leaves the reader quite desperate for the next installment. The world-building gets this off to a bit of a slow start and some of the melodrama of it all does fit with the nature of the over-the-top performance of the male narrator... But as the characters develop and grow, this becomes a much more riveting read. There may be a few predictable turns, but there are definitely some surprises, too!
I really enjoyed this! I think this author duo works quite well together and I am really excited for the next book. The characters are well-drawn - and I am not even sure which one I am rooting for in the end to be the last one standing! And I think the magic of the spell-rings and curses feels fresh and fun! I can't wait for more!
As for the story itself, I loved it! It follows a curse laid on the town of Ilvernath - where the seven great families are cursed to provide a young champion for a fight to control the town's high magic every 20 years. There can only be one winner and each family maintains their own secrets and traditions for choosing their champions. The book opens just before the next cycle of the curse begins. Four members of different families narrate throughout- Alistair Lowe, the chosen champion of the family who most commonly wins, Gavin Grieve, a young man desperate for his family name to be great once again, Isobel Macasalan, thrust into the spotlight first as this is the first year that the curse fight has publicity rather than secrecy and Briony Thorburn, a confident young woman who feels ready to win at all cost.
Like many YA Fantasies, there's some romance here - but also violence, bloodshed, and an ending that leaves the reader quite desperate for the next installment. The world-building gets this off to a bit of a slow start and some of the melodrama of it all does fit with the nature of the over-the-top performance of the male narrator... But as the characters develop and grow, this becomes a much more riveting read. There may be a few predictable turns, but there are definitely some surprises, too!
I really enjoyed this! I think this author duo works quite well together and I am really excited for the next book. The characters are well-drawn - and I am not even sure which one I am rooting for in the end to be the last one standing! And I think the magic of the spell-rings and curses feels fresh and fun! I can't wait for more!
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Top reviews from other countries
Marta Cox
Easy to read but somewhat disturbing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2021
