Vicki - Victim or Deserves it?

[Howlan]

There is a sentence or two (I may be getting it a little wrong here) where he's listing all his supplies and he makes a comment about "this is what I'm supposed to have" or something about being prepared... (I'll have to look it up when I get home) He really did his homework on this kidnapping thing.

I dont think I remember that after a month but still is pretty disturbing nonetheless.

Ditto

Such a tasteful youth we have here!

[Howlan]

Not really sure, if I would term Dauma and Carl as entirely "good", as what they really take things a bit too far.

I agree, they seemed to take a lot of pleasure in "interrogating" Vicki.

They were taking out enough frustation.

[Howlan]

I just want a rollercoaster ride from this book!

This book certainly gives you a roller coaster ride!

More like a haunted house ride

Or like a freak show!

[Howlan]

Vicki did not deserve to be treated in this way. It was disappointing to see Dauma, the adult, approve and participate in this kind of behavior. She is giving Adam and Carly her approval to use this kind of tactic in the future to achieve their goal.

Yes it is definitely sad to see an respected adult Dauam behaving in this way. but I think she was way over her head for her concern about her husband. It could have played a major role in her acting this way.

which is a valid point.

Dauma is really relatable despite her stone-cold exterior.

[Howlan]

I honestly didn’t like Vicky throughout the beginning, till almost the end, of the book. But I do agree, that once I read her story she became another person. She wasn’t just that irritating girl, but a lonely person that is used as a means to an end by her own father. That is messed up.

Agreed! I did think that it was weird that no matter how mean Adam could be to her, she would just keep coming to him for attention (obviously now I know why) But you are right, hearing her story and knowing more about her stuggles changed my perception of her as well!

Yeah it was a major 180 for me too. Suddenly she is this sympathetic girl.

[Howlan]

But I'm the end Adam does have compassion for her and feels bad when he sees her condition and realises she is only human

Running her a bath and giving her food show that his hatred for her is gone.

As for the others they seemed desperate to try and save Carlys father. She seemed to be part of tgst

Which is a valid point. It's strange to see Adam as the "voice of reason" in this situation, especially considering everything else he had done...

Yeah Adam suprisingly as his moments.

[Browlyns]

It is a standard way of treating the enemy if you ask me, had she been welcomed with joy and feast would have renerd this book illogical.

[jahagen]

I definitely agree with you. For the good guys, they are a bit too comfortable with torture and murdering people. Usually those things are what separates the good guys from the bad guys. But I certainly think that what they did to her was out of line and way over the top.

[Howlan]

It is a standard way of treating the enemy if you ask me, had she been welcomed with joy and feast would have renerd this book illogical.

Yes true you should definitely be wary of the enemy. But with Daruma's brokenness and Adam's flashback there were better ways to get information out of her than illogical emotional torture.

[Howlan]

I definitely agree with you. For the good guys, they are a bit too comfortable with torture and murdering people. Usually those things are what separates the good guys from the bad guys. But I certainly think that what they did to her was out of line and way over the top.

Yes true. Conisdering Dauma's and Adam's abilities surely something less crude could be done.

[Rwill0988]

That scene bothered me as well. Carly did offer to do her mind altering thing that she did when her mother read Adam. It was Dauma who said not to. I find that a lot of Dauma's decisions are made in anger or seem selfish (which is ironic as she tells Carly to control her emotions). It was cruel how they treated Vikki.

From the excerpt of Split Adam at the end of the book, it seems like they are trying to redeem Adam's complacency during these part of the book.

[Odette Chace]

I think this just represents another way this is very much a young adult book and not an adult book. The way Vicki is treated is very much a teenager fantasy for being able to deal with an evil peer, the mean girl. In an adult book, we would have had to deal with not just the action but the emotional reaction from making that choice. And it absolutely is a big deal.
And I think it will feel even more squicky over the rest of the series when Vicki develops Stockholm Syndrome and comes to see her captors as "right" and wants to help them against her father. (I haven't read the next book, this is just my suspicion of what will happen in her character arc.)
But it is obvious that we as a reader are never really meant to see Vicki as a whole person. We never get in her POV, no matter how many POV jumps we have. She is a plot device given a name and nothing more. And so, by that standard, we shouldn't even be having this conversation.

I gave the book a good review. I did enjoy it, but there were plenty of things that bothered me. This is actually one of the weakest points of the book.

My thoughts exactly, though I couldn't get over the bad points of the book and gave it a 2.

[Kayla+Nelson]

I would say Vicki is a victim. She was used for the purpose of the Iksha's plot to capture Adam. Her father lied to her, and the Iksha would've just killed her had they gotten her back. If she had known the truth from the start I still believe the only reason she would've turned them over was out of fear. I haven't been able to read the next book, but hopefully Vicki plays a more active role in that book. I'm interested to know more about her true character when she's left to make her own decisions rather than being controlled by the Iksha with their lies and threats.

[Bookreviwer2020]

I think they did over do it although they were desperate to get her husband back. Yet in the end they were good to her and realised she was innocent

[Alice Festo]

Vikki was treated unfairly, it's a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nikolay used her, whereas Carly, Adam, Dauma believed she knew the whereabouts of Carly's father and time wasn't on there side it was a matter of life or death they were ready to use any means possible to be sure she was telling the truth. Its unfortunate it turned to torture. Food for thought to what extent would you be willing to go to save your loved one?