Wrath

Wrath. Victoria Christopher Murray. 2021. Simon & Schuster. 384 pages. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.]

Absolutely loved all of these characters!! Let me start by saying, I’ll be needing a Sisley and Kareem prequel because there seems to be plenty to tell in that redemption story. The main characters’ back story played a vital role in the dynamics of Chastity and Xavier’s relationship and I appreciated how the supporting characters were used to further enhance your understanding of their perspective and subsequent decision making. I love how VCM did a spin on people’s use of scripture to support what they may innately want to do…the notion that there’s a scripture for everything (good and bad) was clearly shown. The ending took me by surprise … but it was delightful stray from the expected. Additional favorite points:

• Bryce knowing and calling Xavier on his BS – too often in stories like this, you find friends that border on being accomplices. I appreciated that it was a clear depiction of how men MUST hold one another accountable and encourage each other to do better.

• The underlying theme that it’s not how people see you, but how you see yourself. Xaviers self-loathing did him more harm than anything … his negative thoughts were often the furthest thing from truth others saw/thought.

Overall, this is another hit for Victoria Christopher Murray. I think this may be my favorite so far in the Seven Deadly Sins series.