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Venomous
Locke Vinetti is a high school junior, disenchanted and more than a little hostile. In fact, for years he’s had a lousy social life because of a problem he has with his anger—a force he calls “the venom.” Ever since he was eight years old and bit off a piece of a classmate’s nose, he’s been something of a loner.
But all that is about to change when he goes out with his one friend, Randall, to meet some of Randall’s crew hanging out at Riverside Park. Because in addition to meeting his kindred spirit, Casey—who has his own problems with his own kind of venom—Locke meets the spikey blue fairy-haircut Goth girl of his dreams. And if their relationship is going to work, he knows he has to rid himself of the venom once and for all.
Interspersed with comic book adventures of the fantasy anti-hero alter-ego Locke has invented for himself, Venomous is a fast-paced, funny, and ferocious read about one teenage boy’s struggle with his inner demons.
But all that is about to change when he goes out with his one friend, Randall, to meet some of Randall’s crew hanging out at Riverside Park. Because in addition to meeting his kindred spirit, Casey—who has his own problems with his own kind of venom—Locke meets the spikey blue fairy-haircut Goth girl of his dreams. And if their relationship is going to work, he knows he has to rid himself of the venom once and for all.
Interspersed with comic book adventures of the fantasy anti-hero alter-ego Locke has invented for himself, Venomous is a fast-paced, funny, and ferocious read about one teenage boy’s struggle with his inner demons.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2008
48 people are currently reading
1144 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Krovatin
22 books157 followersI'm Chris Krovatin, author of DARKNESS, RED ROVER, FREQUENCY, VENOMOUS, HEAVY METAL & YOU, the GRAVEDIGGERS trilogy, and HELLRAISERS).
I'm also a journalist for multiple heavy metal press outfits, specifically The Pit, Kerrang!, Noisey, Invisible Oranges, and MetalSucks.
I'm a horror enthusiast, Halloween worshipper, husband and dad living out in New Jersey. My favorite musicians are Slayer, Rob Zombie and Frank Sinatra, and my favorite food is gnocchi (it's made of potatoes!).
I'm also a journalist for multiple heavy metal press outfits, specifically The Pit, Kerrang!, Noisey, Invisible Oranges, and MetalSucks.
I'm a horror enthusiast, Halloween worshipper, husband and dad living out in New Jersey. My favorite musicians are Slayer, Rob Zombie and Frank Sinatra, and my favorite food is gnocchi (it's made of potatoes!).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
September 13, 2020
I had trouble putting this book down. I was hooked from the very beginning. Locke, which is my maiden name, was a very relatable character due to the fact that we all have a dark side that we try to hide. The Venom tries to take over his body; his soul. Then he meets Renee, which happens to be my middle name. She's struggling with her own demon, even though she medicates hers. The Venom is always waiting to rear it's ugly head. Waiting in the darkest part of yourself and it's our choice whether we decide to keep that part of ourselves hidden or to unleash it completely.
June 12, 2009
This book is awesome. Hands down. It is the perfect marriage of comic book heroism and reality, of normalcy and blinding anger. And, beyond the deeper meanings, it is funny. No joke, you'd think a book that was about one kid's anger and self-loathing and inner-conflict would be an angsty trip through the very core of the soul. But it wasn't. Sure, you had some of that here and there, but it's more of an explosion of four-letter words mixed with the cynical humor I can't NOT enjoy. I love it.
However, future readers proceed with caution. I wasn't kidding about the swearing. The f-bomb is dropped more often than I would care to count; probably enough to rival "Nick and Norah's" in profanity.
However, future readers proceed with caution. I wasn't kidding about the swearing. The f-bomb is dropped more often than I would care to count; probably enough to rival "Nick and Norah's" in profanity.
November 10, 2008
VENOMOUS was a really good book. My favorite character from this book was Renee, Locke’s (that’s the main character) girlfriend. She was take charge but at the same time she was warm and comforting to him. She had problems of her own though, and sometimes those problems made Locke upset. That is why she is both my favorite and least favorite character. This was also one of those books that were hard to put down. It was hard to put down because you were always wondering what Locke was going to do next. I was really drawn in when Locke found out that there was someone who has venom also. He wasn’t alone Casey had a Venom also. This book was just really exiting book to read. It kept you craving more. I really hope that they make it into a movie. If they made it into a movie I would want Michael Pitt, Seth Gabel, or Kyle Schmid to play Locke probably Seth and I would want Gina Holden to play Renee because she play a really good Goth on Blood Ties so she would probably be a good in this book if it became a movie. I really think the author would love it if this became a movie because when he wrote this I think that he might have been expressing part of himself in this book. Maybe like a fictional very tough version of himself. I really think that the author has a lot of talent. I didn't really expect how the last quarter of the book turned out, but that wasn't a bad thing. I just means that it was more of a surprise. I really don't have a favorite line from the book, the whole book was good. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2010
The cover is what made me buy this book. I thought the muscles, grit, and spikes would appeal to some of my male students. It was laying on the table and my 18 year-old son took one look at it and proclaimed, "I'm taking this book."
My son devoured it in 2 days and told me it was really good-one of his favorites. He's kind of a book snob, so believe me this was a high compliment.
After I finished, I asked him what he liked about it. He told me that it is the most realistic book about teenagers that he's ever read. He remarked that people "try" to write about teenagers, but few can. Krovatin, according to him, got it right.
I have to agree. There is something special about this book. Like a bite from a rattlesnake, Venomous strikes quickly. The characters seem to leap off the page and wedge themselves firmly into your existence. The story gets into your blood and just takes over.
Reading becomes painful as characters' words, thoughts, and actions take hold. The heartbeat quickens as the venom spreads from Locke, to Lon, to Renee, to Casey and back again.
Relief comes slowly to the reader, if at all. Can anyone ever be the same after such a bite? I would argue that everyone who experiences it will be changed in some way.
In this case you can judge a book by its cover. It looks provocative and frightening--and it is. There is plenty of sex, language, and violence. What makes it special though, are the parts in-between. The anti-venom is what keeps you going.
My son devoured it in 2 days and told me it was really good-one of his favorites. He's kind of a book snob, so believe me this was a high compliment.
After I finished, I asked him what he liked about it. He told me that it is the most realistic book about teenagers that he's ever read. He remarked that people "try" to write about teenagers, but few can. Krovatin, according to him, got it right.
I have to agree. There is something special about this book. Like a bite from a rattlesnake, Venomous strikes quickly. The characters seem to leap off the page and wedge themselves firmly into your existence. The story gets into your blood and just takes over.
Reading becomes painful as characters' words, thoughts, and actions take hold. The heartbeat quickens as the venom spreads from Locke, to Lon, to Renee, to Casey and back again.
Relief comes slowly to the reader, if at all. Can anyone ever be the same after such a bite? I would argue that everyone who experiences it will be changed in some way.
In this case you can judge a book by its cover. It looks provocative and frightening--and it is. There is plenty of sex, language, and violence. What makes it special though, are the parts in-between. The anti-venom is what keeps you going.
November 15, 2012
Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com
Locke Vinetti has anger issues. Except these are not just regular anger issues. He's plagued by the venom: a monster-like character that takes over whenever something gets him angry. When the venom releases its power there's no stopping Locke. Locke tries to control the venom, but he simply can't.
Then Locke meets some new friends and the girl of his dreams, Renee. She is able to control this beast inside Locke by just simply being around him. But nothing this good can last for long.
Soon, the venom starts to come between Locke and Renee, and now Locke is more afraid than ever that he'll lose control and hurt someone he loves.
Krovatin writes an interesting tale about a teenage boy trying to overcome a monster within himself. The author creates a world that any reader can delve into, and he also captures the personality of Locke perfectly, to create both sympathy and loathing for the main character.
VENOUMOUS is a good read for any teenager trying to overcome the bad pats of themselves, the monsters that lurk within.
Locke Vinetti has anger issues. Except these are not just regular anger issues. He's plagued by the venom: a monster-like character that takes over whenever something gets him angry. When the venom releases its power there's no stopping Locke. Locke tries to control the venom, but he simply can't.
Then Locke meets some new friends and the girl of his dreams, Renee. She is able to control this beast inside Locke by just simply being around him. But nothing this good can last for long.
Soon, the venom starts to come between Locke and Renee, and now Locke is more afraid than ever that he'll lose control and hurt someone he loves.
Krovatin writes an interesting tale about a teenage boy trying to overcome a monster within himself. The author creates a world that any reader can delve into, and he also captures the personality of Locke perfectly, to create both sympathy and loathing for the main character.
VENOUMOUS is a good read for any teenager trying to overcome the bad pats of themselves, the monsters that lurk within.
December 7, 2022
This was an interesting read, a good concept and lots of mentions of spiderman (no complaints on that end). Lots of swearing and smoking, which is okay in some respects, just a lot happened in this book.
July 21, 2009
Venomous is about a boy named Locke who has extremely bad anger issues. It started out when he was 8 and this boy named Tommy was bullying him. Locke bit the tip of his nose off. When he started getting older, he would get in fights and get really agressive. When Locke was in 8th grade he found out the anger is a health issue, its poisinous, Its not the kind where you die, its the kind of illness that you get sticked with but doesnt effect you physically. Locke never had any friends accept for Randell. Randell introduces him to others he can actually connect to and one of them, his name is Casey, has the same illness as Locke. Locke is happy that he has friends who understand his illness.
While reading this book, Ive made a text to text connection. In the book, Locke calls his illness "The venom" and he starts hearing this other voice in his head like someone else is in his body. When Locke gets angry, he can barely control it, like the venom has a mind of its own. It does. This reminds me of the movie or book Spider-Man 3. In it, the venom takes over Spider-Man and he cant control what hes doing when he wears the venom on him, just like Locke. The only difference though is that Spider-Man has the venom physically. Locke only has the venom mentally.
I would definitly give this book five stars. Its so much different than other books. In other books there are problems with people physically but in this book Locke has to deal with this mentally and no one can help him. Locke has to learn how to control his anger. This book shows that the chracter is actually trying to get the strength and you can see that while your reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes constant violence.
While reading this book, Ive made a text to text connection. In the book, Locke calls his illness "The venom" and he starts hearing this other voice in his head like someone else is in his body. When Locke gets angry, he can barely control it, like the venom has a mind of its own. It does. This reminds me of the movie or book Spider-Man 3. In it, the venom takes over Spider-Man and he cant control what hes doing when he wears the venom on him, just like Locke. The only difference though is that Spider-Man has the venom physically. Locke only has the venom mentally.
I would definitly give this book five stars. Its so much different than other books. In other books there are problems with people physically but in this book Locke has to deal with this mentally and no one can help him. Locke has to learn how to control his anger. This book shows that the chracter is actually trying to get the strength and you can see that while your reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes constant violence.
January 20, 2013
I fucking loved this book. From the moment I saw it on the shelf, to the moment I finally read it. It was pure brilliant.
The thing about this book were the metaphors and descriptive adjectives that really drove this book. The actual story gave it gas, but the descriptions actually went behind the wheel to drive it along.
This book was about a young man named Locke Vinetti who deals with an anger drive in his system that he refers to as "the venom", er as mum likes to call them, "angries". He'd been dealing with them since he was a young boy, and has a best friend who can only do so much, but he stays through it all, when one day his friend, Randall, introduces Locke to the Tarot Gang. The Tarot Gang is a group of teenagers who like to hang out at the playground at night and sing and smoke and just chill. From then on it's a whirlwind of meeting his gay best friend who has angry drives similar to Locke's who he calls "the black", meeting the girl of his dreams, and just an all out acceptance battle.
This book is about anger, this book is about acceptance, about love, about the deep importance a little brother can mean to you, and about control. This book teaches you so much in only 356 pages, and I would honestly read it again. I recommend this book to young readers because this book understands and teaches to you, becomes a friend to you, and that's all people ever really need at the end of the day.
The thing about this book were the metaphors and descriptive adjectives that really drove this book. The actual story gave it gas, but the descriptions actually went behind the wheel to drive it along.
This book was about a young man named Locke Vinetti who deals with an anger drive in his system that he refers to as "the venom", er as mum likes to call them, "angries". He'd been dealing with them since he was a young boy, and has a best friend who can only do so much, but he stays through it all, when one day his friend, Randall, introduces Locke to the Tarot Gang. The Tarot Gang is a group of teenagers who like to hang out at the playground at night and sing and smoke and just chill. From then on it's a whirlwind of meeting his gay best friend who has angry drives similar to Locke's who he calls "the black", meeting the girl of his dreams, and just an all out acceptance battle.
This book is about anger, this book is about acceptance, about love, about the deep importance a little brother can mean to you, and about control. This book teaches you so much in only 356 pages, and I would honestly read it again. I recommend this book to young readers because this book understands and teaches to you, becomes a friend to you, and that's all people ever really need at the end of the day.
March 8, 2023
Grr me angry and violent, Mets another grr me angry teen guy they fight become friends.
MC finds troubled goth chick with suicidal tendencies. Main guy and friend fight again. Realize they both got anger issues and probably shouldn't be friends
Goth gf tries to kill herself, MC fucks the pain away or something.
Theres short parts with comic book like pages that MCs brother creates as a way to deal with his older brothers anger.
Found those parts cringey. I honestly don't remember too much else.. theres great party scenes i vaugely remember. Read it twice and got rid of it. Not terrible. I think the other guy with anger issues was gay. That's honestly all I remember of the book.
Update remember the cool parties the richer angry guy threw were fun.
MC finds troubled goth chick with suicidal tendencies. Main guy and friend fight again. Realize they both got anger issues and probably shouldn't be friends
Goth gf tries to kill herself, MC fucks the pain away or something.
Theres short parts with comic book like pages that MCs brother creates as a way to deal with his older brothers anger.
Found those parts cringey. I honestly don't remember too much else.. theres great party scenes i vaugely remember. Read it twice and got rid of it. Not terrible. I think the other guy with anger issues was gay. That's honestly all I remember of the book.
Update remember the cool parties the richer angry guy threw were fun.
November 13, 2025
The TL;DR is that I read this book forever ago and it's not my cup of tea AT ALL. I don't remember the specifics to write a real review and I'm not going back to read a book I hated just to be able to remember more about why I hated it so much.
Read
November 2, 2018the best book by far i reaad
October 16, 2010
Oh my my my!! IT's time for another song : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jtacw2...
(and yeah, I am a Meat Loaf fan and yes indeedy that is Angelina Jolie -- oh!! NOw you want to click my link, don't you?)
Venomous - The Review
Remember those dark mysterious boys back in high school? The ones that wore dark clothes are rarely spoke. The same boys that hung way back in their crowd like they didn't care whether they were accepted or not. That they were just there.
I remember those boys. I used to follow them into the bowels of the lunch room... and then.. well, they'd glare at me, and act like they were dodging at me, normally scaring the crap out of me, and because I was such a smooth person I'd normally turn on my heel, ram into my best friend, and get the hell out of there as quickly as possible.
You remember those boys?
YOu remember the ones that had a temper? You remember how it would fire up over the littlest thing and die out when the last punch was thrown. I remember those boys too. Have you ever been to the house of one? I have. THey're quite a different person when they are within their own walls. Out in the openness of the school yard they pose as the regular bad ass, but within their kitchen with their little sister at their feet... well, you can almost pass them off as human.
That's what this story is about. THe main character's name is Locke. Yeah I know... Locke. I actually dug it but I also have a thing for Thor (ohh!! Who gets that? lolz!).
Locke is both of the boys I described up above. A bit of a loner with a blaring temper. A dark brooding boy that will go all heavy metal on you if you look at him wrong. Ok... he's not that bad... but his problem is - he's got the venom.
The venom is 'basically' what he calls his rage. My brother was like that. He didn't like to be told no. With Locke it's more of a 'hulk smash' kind of thing. You won't like him when he's angry.
He can actually feel the venom taking over him. I would say it's a bit like a multiple personality disorder with the author doing no research. And since this is a YA novel, I figure that's ok. SHort, simple, and packed full of hormones ;)
Locke has been dealing with his inner demons since his Dad left the house. His biggest concern is that he'll let the venom slip with his little brother, Lon, too close. Lon is his rock. Lon in 10 years old but to me sounds more like a 13 year old and good gravy is Locke ever so proud of him. I mean, the pedestal he has this kid on is unbelievable. But there is about a 7 year age gap so maybe that's the way it is in real life. My brother is pretty close to me in age and well, our venom was shown everyday lolz.
On a teenage mondo cool outing with Locke's friend Randal, we get to meet a ton of cool punk kids. Everything from ravers to rude boys to metal heads to skaters, stoners, and probably a drag queen. A regular hyper color ocean of misfit toys. Where were these kids when I was growing up?
While, mingling with society Locke meets Renee. A blue haired goth girl that is about to change his life. All of the sudden, Locke has feelings for someone and the venom is quieted for a bit.
It's a very interesting story. It's rather unique considering there aren't many stories out there that revolve around misfit boys written by (what I am going to assume) a misfit boy.
This book was written (in 2008) by a 23 year old!! Omg!!! Seriously!! I bow down to him. I mean sure there are a couple of places that should have been revised (one part talks about Locke smoking and then the next sentence says he lit his cig) but looking past that... a boy got to tell a really kick ass story about a really kick ass boy.
Now, if a girl would have wrote this there would probably be a ton of FEELINGS involved. Maybe.... I say this because Locke breaks down countless times. DUDES! He openly weaps!! So this gets me to wondering... is that what boys do? Do they hide it all but really... is that what they want to be able to do? I found that fascinating.
This is labeled as YA but I will warn you. There's smoking, cussing (omg! at the cussing), drugs, smoking, and other no nos involved. I don't think I'd let my 13 year old read it. I would let a 15 year old read it.
I was so impressed how a BOY author (omg! Squee!!) wrote about the love between Locke and Renee. There were times when it was simply breathtaking. Now, the whole book isn't like that... but just knowing that a boy can write swoon is just amazing to me.
I think the normal reader would give this 3 stars.... but considering his age, and the world the author let us in... I'm going to give it 4.
And... he thanked SATAN in his acknowledgements page. That was most awesome!
2 Devil horns way way up!!
(and yeah, I am a Meat Loaf fan and yes indeedy that is Angelina Jolie -- oh!! NOw you want to click my link, don't you?)
Venomous - The Review
Remember those dark mysterious boys back in high school? The ones that wore dark clothes are rarely spoke. The same boys that hung way back in their crowd like they didn't care whether they were accepted or not. That they were just there.
I remember those boys. I used to follow them into the bowels of the lunch room... and then.. well, they'd glare at me, and act like they were dodging at me, normally scaring the crap out of me, and because I was such a smooth person I'd normally turn on my heel, ram into my best friend, and get the hell out of there as quickly as possible.
You remember those boys?
YOu remember the ones that had a temper? You remember how it would fire up over the littlest thing and die out when the last punch was thrown. I remember those boys too. Have you ever been to the house of one? I have. THey're quite a different person when they are within their own walls. Out in the openness of the school yard they pose as the regular bad ass, but within their kitchen with their little sister at their feet... well, you can almost pass them off as human.
That's what this story is about. THe main character's name is Locke. Yeah I know... Locke. I actually dug it but I also have a thing for Thor (ohh!! Who gets that? lolz!).
Locke is both of the boys I described up above. A bit of a loner with a blaring temper. A dark brooding boy that will go all heavy metal on you if you look at him wrong. Ok... he's not that bad... but his problem is - he's got the venom.
The venom is 'basically' what he calls his rage. My brother was like that. He didn't like to be told no. With Locke it's more of a 'hulk smash' kind of thing. You won't like him when he's angry.
He can actually feel the venom taking over him. I would say it's a bit like a multiple personality disorder with the author doing no research. And since this is a YA novel, I figure that's ok. SHort, simple, and packed full of hormones ;)
Locke has been dealing with his inner demons since his Dad left the house. His biggest concern is that he'll let the venom slip with his little brother, Lon, too close. Lon is his rock. Lon in 10 years old but to me sounds more like a 13 year old and good gravy is Locke ever so proud of him. I mean, the pedestal he has this kid on is unbelievable. But there is about a 7 year age gap so maybe that's the way it is in real life. My brother is pretty close to me in age and well, our venom was shown everyday lolz.
On a teenage mondo cool outing with Locke's friend Randal, we get to meet a ton of cool punk kids. Everything from ravers to rude boys to metal heads to skaters, stoners, and probably a drag queen. A regular hyper color ocean of misfit toys. Where were these kids when I was growing up?
While, mingling with society Locke meets Renee. A blue haired goth girl that is about to change his life. All of the sudden, Locke has feelings for someone and the venom is quieted for a bit.
It's a very interesting story. It's rather unique considering there aren't many stories out there that revolve around misfit boys written by (what I am going to assume) a misfit boy.
This book was written (in 2008) by a 23 year old!! Omg!!! Seriously!! I bow down to him. I mean sure there are a couple of places that should have been revised (one part talks about Locke smoking and then the next sentence says he lit his cig) but looking past that... a boy got to tell a really kick ass story about a really kick ass boy.
Now, if a girl would have wrote this there would probably be a ton of FEELINGS involved. Maybe.... I say this because Locke breaks down countless times. DUDES! He openly weaps!! So this gets me to wondering... is that what boys do? Do they hide it all but really... is that what they want to be able to do? I found that fascinating.
This is labeled as YA but I will warn you. There's smoking, cussing (omg! at the cussing), drugs, smoking, and other no nos involved. I don't think I'd let my 13 year old read it. I would let a 15 year old read it.
I was so impressed how a BOY author (omg! Squee!!) wrote about the love between Locke and Renee. There were times when it was simply breathtaking. Now, the whole book isn't like that... but just knowing that a boy can write swoon is just amazing to me.
I think the normal reader would give this 3 stars.... but considering his age, and the world the author let us in... I'm going to give it 4.
And... he thanked SATAN in his acknowledgements page. That was most awesome!
2 Devil horns way way up!!
Read
October 2, 2018i loved the book
November 13, 2012
(3,5/5) Mám-li být upřímná, tuto knihu jsem si vybírala výhradně kvůli obálce. Pro někoho možná nezajímavá, pro mě nesmírně přitažlivá. Miluji mužské ruce a tohle bouchnout na obálku byl prostě skvělý tah.
Kniha vypráví příběh o středoškolákovi jménem Locke. Je to milý kluk, syn a bráška svému mladšímu sourozenci Lonovi. Ve svých raných školní letech byl Locke často šikanován, vždy si nechal vše líbit, až mu jednoho dne rupnou nervy a svému trýzniteli způsobí ošklivé zranění. Locke v tu chvíli objeví svoji druhou temnou stránku osobnosti, je to zlost, kterou si pojmenuje po svém - Venom. Zloba, kterou Locke při svých "záchvatech" prožívá, je však tak silná, že ji téměř nedokáže ovládat a má strach, aby v jednom ze svých zachvátů neublížil i svému malému bratrovi. Držet své emoce na uzdě se mu daří v přítomnosti dívky jménem Reneé. Tu s Lockem seznámí jeho nejlepší kamarád Randall, který je snad jediný, který svého kamaráda chápe a v době šikany mu byl oporou. Vše se však zvrtne v momentě, kdy Randall přivede Lockeho do své party, kterou vede nejlepší přítel Reneé jménem Casey. Casey a Locke si velmi brzy padnou do noty díky společnému problému jménem Venom, spřátelí se a vše se zdá v nejlepším pořádku. Pak se ale na Caseyho od své Reneé dozví jedno tajemství, které za žádnou cenu nesmí říct svému nejlepšímu kamarádovi Randallovi. Když se však Locke dostane do bitky, v záchvatu naštvanosti a zloby a vlivu Venomu, Caseyho tajemství Randallovi prozradí. Nastane tak katastrofa, která v partě nemá obdoby. Nastane boj, na život a na smrt. Casey a Locke.
Dovede se napravit to, co je na dobro zničené?
Zbaví se Locke někdy své zloby tak, jak si to kvůli svému bratrovi slíbil?
Je Reneé připravena milovat násilníka?
Je Locke schopen napravit všechna přátelství, která zničil?
Venomous je prostě skvělá knížka s naprosto odlišnou tématikou, než jakou známe. Sice jde o YA literaturu, ale v příběhu je až příliš "fuckování", násilí a občas i té krve. Přesto zůstáváme obklopeni mladými lidmi, kteří jsou prostými dětmi ulice.
Locke není vůbec špatný kluk, naopak se mi velmi líbilo jak tíhl k Lonovi - svému bráškovi, jak se dvořil své "gotické" lásce Reneé a jak si je plně vědom všech svých chyb, jen nemá ponětí, jak je napravit. Číší z něj občas zoufalost, zklamanost nad vlastním jednáním, ale je v něm také hromada lásky, a snaha držet Venom hluboko pod povrchem.
Z příběhu jde velmi cítit, že jej psal muž. Nevím, zda si někdy nějakou jeho další knihu přečtu, v každém případě, tohle absolutně nebylo špatné, dobře se kniha četla a já se bavila. A navíc, když muž do příběhu zaplete lásku a romantiku, tak nějak po svém, křehne mi srdce.
Kniha vypráví příběh o středoškolákovi jménem Locke. Je to milý kluk, syn a bráška svému mladšímu sourozenci Lonovi. Ve svých raných školní letech byl Locke často šikanován, vždy si nechal vše líbit, až mu jednoho dne rupnou nervy a svému trýzniteli způsobí ošklivé zranění. Locke v tu chvíli objeví svoji druhou temnou stránku osobnosti, je to zlost, kterou si pojmenuje po svém - Venom. Zloba, kterou Locke při svých "záchvatech" prožívá, je však tak silná, že ji téměř nedokáže ovládat a má strach, aby v jednom ze svých zachvátů neublížil i svému malému bratrovi. Držet své emoce na uzdě se mu daří v přítomnosti dívky jménem Reneé. Tu s Lockem seznámí jeho nejlepší kamarád Randall, který je snad jediný, který svého kamaráda chápe a v době šikany mu byl oporou. Vše se však zvrtne v momentě, kdy Randall přivede Lockeho do své party, kterou vede nejlepší přítel Reneé jménem Casey. Casey a Locke si velmi brzy padnou do noty díky společnému problému jménem Venom, spřátelí se a vše se zdá v nejlepším pořádku. Pak se ale na Caseyho od své Reneé dozví jedno tajemství, které za žádnou cenu nesmí říct svému nejlepšímu kamarádovi Randallovi. Když se však Locke dostane do bitky, v záchvatu naštvanosti a zloby a vlivu Venomu, Caseyho tajemství Randallovi prozradí. Nastane tak katastrofa, která v partě nemá obdoby. Nastane boj, na život a na smrt. Casey a Locke.
Dovede se napravit to, co je na dobro zničené?
Zbaví se Locke někdy své zloby tak, jak si to kvůli svému bratrovi slíbil?
Je Reneé připravena milovat násilníka?
Je Locke schopen napravit všechna přátelství, která zničil?
Venomous je prostě skvělá knížka s naprosto odlišnou tématikou, než jakou známe. Sice jde o YA literaturu, ale v příběhu je až příliš "fuckování", násilí a občas i té krve. Přesto zůstáváme obklopeni mladými lidmi, kteří jsou prostými dětmi ulice.
Locke není vůbec špatný kluk, naopak se mi velmi líbilo jak tíhl k Lonovi - svému bráškovi, jak se dvořil své "gotické" lásce Reneé a jak si je plně vědom všech svých chyb, jen nemá ponětí, jak je napravit. Číší z něj občas zoufalost, zklamanost nad vlastním jednáním, ale je v něm také hromada lásky, a snaha držet Venom hluboko pod povrchem.
Z příběhu jde velmi cítit, že jej psal muž. Nevím, zda si někdy nějakou jeho další knihu přečtu, v každém případě, tohle absolutně nebylo špatné, dobře se kniha četla a já se bavila. A navíc, když muž do příběhu zaplete lásku a romantiku, tak nějak po svém, křehne mi srdce.
June 10, 2011
First of all let me say one thing about this book--this is definitely a book for the older teens! I almost couldn't believe that this book would even be considered a young adult book. It touches on subjects that could possibly be in a young adult book, but the whole context and style of writing would lead you to believe that it is better suited for the adult genre. There is a huge amount of cursing within the pages, subjects involving extreme violence, gay relationships, mood disorders, and overall anger. All of this I could have handled fine, but the way it was written was not what I was expecting.
It starts out okay and actually holds your interest for the first chapter or so. Then the story seems to fall apart and starts to get really out there. It also has a little comic book within the story as well including comic illustrations between each chapter. Honestly, I was not a fan of the comic book sections of the book. To me they gave no real substance to the book. It was more like filler pages just to make you feel like the book was longer. I never really bought the whole "Venom" classification that Locke used. Everyone has a dark side and anger issues, we just all have deal with it in different ways. We learn to control our moments of anger, but Locke calls it Venom and that was suppose to give him justification for biting someone's nose off. I don't think so.
I can see this book being better suited for older male teens than for the women. It has the appeal that the male's would like better especially with the comic book feel inside of it. However, I would not recommend this book for the younger teens. It may be too dark for the younger ones to handle.
It starts out okay and actually holds your interest for the first chapter or so. Then the story seems to fall apart and starts to get really out there. It also has a little comic book within the story as well including comic illustrations between each chapter. Honestly, I was not a fan of the comic book sections of the book. To me they gave no real substance to the book. It was more like filler pages just to make you feel like the book was longer. I never really bought the whole "Venom" classification that Locke used. Everyone has a dark side and anger issues, we just all have deal with it in different ways. We learn to control our moments of anger, but Locke calls it Venom and that was suppose to give him justification for biting someone's nose off. I don't think so.
I can see this book being better suited for older male teens than for the women. It has the appeal that the male's would like better especially with the comic book feel inside of it. However, I would not recommend this book for the younger teens. It may be too dark for the younger ones to handle.
September 27, 2016
I am doing my book report for Mrs. Orona’s English IV class. My book is called Venomous by Christopher Krovatin. Venomous has 323 pages and is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. I chose to read this book, because the main character, Locke, has a temper and he deals with it in certain ways and I wanted to see if I could relate to him in some ways.
The main characters in Venomous are Locke and Renee. Locke and Renee are important, because they don’t let an issue get in the way of their relationship. Randall is Locke’s best friend. He has been there for Locke through thick and thin. Locke’s little brother, Lon, is a sweet kid who loves comic books. Andrew is the school bully who just so happens to be his girl friends brother.
Venomous is a drama. The story takes place in New York City. The story does get very intimate, violent and explicit. Locke is trying to overcome his anger issues and build a better relationship with his family and girlfriend. Locke ends up being able to control his anger better.
My final thoughts on Venomous are that it is overall a great book. I like how Locke had to overcome an adversity in his life. I really enjoyed the descriptive writing from the author, it makes the story that much better. I didn’t really like how the story was a little slow and boring at times. I didn’t like how there weren’t a whole lot of conflicts in the book, there were only a few. I learned that you don’t have to let the little things ruin your good times. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a new book to read.
The main characters in Venomous are Locke and Renee. Locke and Renee are important, because they don’t let an issue get in the way of their relationship. Randall is Locke’s best friend. He has been there for Locke through thick and thin. Locke’s little brother, Lon, is a sweet kid who loves comic books. Andrew is the school bully who just so happens to be his girl friends brother.
Venomous is a drama. The story takes place in New York City. The story does get very intimate, violent and explicit. Locke is trying to overcome his anger issues and build a better relationship with his family and girlfriend. Locke ends up being able to control his anger better.
My final thoughts on Venomous are that it is overall a great book. I like how Locke had to overcome an adversity in his life. I really enjoyed the descriptive writing from the author, it makes the story that much better. I didn’t really like how the story was a little slow and boring at times. I didn’t like how there weren’t a whole lot of conflicts in the book, there were only a few. I learned that you don’t have to let the little things ruin your good times. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a new book to read.
December 11, 2011
Venomous is a book about a teenager in high school. Locke has this thing in him he calls "Venom", its like the venom takes over him and all he want to do is hurt others. He's had it since he was young, even his parents feared it and thats about the time his father left him and his mom. When ever Locke gets mad, he falls under venoms control. He's been through therapist and they don't seem to help. And it affects everyone who is around him, his friends and family as well. When Locke seems happy, he's with his friends and girlfriends, the Venom manages to tae that all away from him. But somehoe through it all he manages to ge his life bac together and put a lid on the venom.
Venomous is a very interesting boo, this might be my new favorite. Especially the protaganist Locke, I want to meet this kid if he was real. The Venom sounds pretty cool, espcially when he fights, he looks for a way to cause the most pain to a person. It would be fun to watch this guy fight, pushing him might be a little risy, but I think the book exaggerates his abilities. And seems like this guys lucky, has a hot girlfriend, but then again her brother wants to beat him to a pulp. I can sorta relate to this guy, but the venom does seem like a mental problem at times. Its a great book over all and people should read it.
Venomous is a very interesting boo, this might be my new favorite. Especially the protaganist Locke, I want to meet this kid if he was real. The Venom sounds pretty cool, espcially when he fights, he looks for a way to cause the most pain to a person. It would be fun to watch this guy fight, pushing him might be a little risy, but I think the book exaggerates his abilities. And seems like this guys lucky, has a hot girlfriend, but then again her brother wants to beat him to a pulp. I can sorta relate to this guy, but the venom does seem like a mental problem at times. Its a great book over all and people should read it.
December 31, 2023
Venomous is another one of my Dollar Tree finds. This one is about a boy named Locke Vinetti who lives in New York with his mother and little brother. He suffers from intense anger issues that he refers to as "angries" at first and then renames his anger "The Venom" after the Spiderman villain. The book follows his struggle to live a normal life despite the fact that he feels like he has a creature living inside of him waiting to destroy his life.
His best friend, Randall, introduces him to his friends, their tarot club and a pretty goth girl named Renee. Things seem to finally be looking up for him but it doesn't last long. The book deals with mental illness, drinking, medications, therapy, family issues, anger management, love, friendship and death. It also has lots of swearing and has some sex, so this isn't for younger kids.
I like that each chapter starts off with a drawing that's a page from a graphic novel with a bit of story and it's supposed to be one that Locke is writing. Even though the book can be pretty dark at times, it ends with a hopeful scene. The other thing that I like about the book is that it doesn't make the idea of taking pills (like Zoloft) or seeing a therapist a weakness. Even though the characters themselves might have some issues with it, their friends don't.
His best friend, Randall, introduces him to his friends, their tarot club and a pretty goth girl named Renee. Things seem to finally be looking up for him but it doesn't last long. The book deals with mental illness, drinking, medications, therapy, family issues, anger management, love, friendship and death. It also has lots of swearing and has some sex, so this isn't for younger kids.
I like that each chapter starts off with a drawing that's a page from a graphic novel with a bit of story and it's supposed to be one that Locke is writing. Even though the book can be pretty dark at times, it ends with a hopeful scene. The other thing that I like about the book is that it doesn't make the idea of taking pills (like Zoloft) or seeing a therapist a weakness. Even though the characters themselves might have some issues with it, their friends don't.
October 22, 2008
I was really looking forward to this book because the author's first book "Heavy Metal and You" is a favorite of mine. There are similar themes in "Venomous", but it wasn't as memorable as the Krovatin's previous book. I'd rate it at 3 stars. It's worth a look for readers who are interested in a dark examinations of teen rage, that's the emphasis of this book. There are also interesting relationships between the characters in the book, involving many fringe cliques of teen society. This book is darkly memorable, but not for fans of light fiction- as the title and cover illustration imply, this book is hardcore.
November 9, 2009
A disturbing and frightening novel for older teens. Locke Vinetti has a sinking feeling in his gut—that the “venom”, the uncontrollable rage that is hibernating within him, will rear its ugly head soon. And the venom is no joke—the first time it happened, Locke was 8 and he tackled the school bully and bit off the tip of his nose. In order to cope, Locke has created an alter-ego for his venomous self. But he finds, as he begins to develop real relationships with people, that he needs to accept that he and the venom are one and the same. With smoking, drinking, violence, excessive swearing, save this for the older teens.
January 1, 2010
Equal parts darkness, violence, cuteness and romance. All the characters are adorable and complete messes. More F words through the whole book than I can count yet I didn't really find them gratuitous. (Not for the faint of heart though) But, I loved loved loved this book and am now a Chris Krovatin emo fangirl mom.
Be sure to take into consideration, your own personal level of sensitivity before reading this one. It's like a naked statue in the middle of a park- depending on the individual, you either appreciate it or it's offensive.
I'll have a full review on www.evesfangarden.com Jan 11, 2010.
Be sure to take into consideration, your own personal level of sensitivity before reading this one. It's like a naked statue in the middle of a park- depending on the individual, you either appreciate it or it's offensive.
I'll have a full review on www.evesfangarden.com Jan 11, 2010.
January 20, 2009
Okay----I liked this book. Locke (main character) was so funny! Lots of my friends hate books that are written from a guy's viewpoint----and sometimes they have reason to hate them----but this was REALLY GOOD. I liked how at the end of a chapter (all of the chapters?) there would be a story where Locke sort of imagines himself as "Blacklight"---a hero. It sort of puts things into perspective for him because it changes as he learns to control the venom inside.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2010
This is ne of the all time best books i've ever had the plessure of picking up. Being part of the MetalHead and Goth scene allows me to see the beauty and dark swirling glory that is this book.
November 2, 2019
i’ve read this book every year for five years now, always at the beginning of school, always in conjunction with freefall by ariela anhalt. and like....this book is definitely Trash for sure, because Locke is almost unbearably Emo and just....so angsty....but at the same time like, we were all teenagers once. we all been through that. don’t kid yourself.
and also like legitimately i love this book even though it is completely trash. and i’m not actually convinced that it is entirely completely trash. it’s like, lowkey actually good. like for real. lots of honestly healthy conversations about friendships and relationships and how to continue being friends when serious fucked up shit happens. lots of like super emotional stuff that actually hits hard even tho it’s all through the lens of a fucked up angsty emo kid. like.....lowkey i almost cried. shit hurts, man. this is the first time rereading this book for me that i’ve felt anywhere near ok, too, so it’s interesting to see how my opinion of it has changed. there’s a lot in there that i didn’t necessarily realize was super important to me, but now looking back i’m starting to see why this book sat with me so much. like, i read it for the first time in like 6 or 7th grade, just a random book i picked from the library. by all accounts i should have hated it just because it portrayed this dude with anger issues in a sympathetic light (can u spell Trauma?) but for some reason i really fucking loved it and i read it twice in the time i had it out from the library. and it stayed with me, until i picked it up again freshman year of high school and i’ve read it every back to school season since. i never used to read contemporary novels, i still kind of Hate contemporary novels, the world is kind of sucky enough on the daily that i’d much rather read about things that are impossible. and yet, this book was kind of like magical realism and also completely real. I think because it was so dramatic and gritty and edgy and angsty that it made the real life setting more palatable. and it was the first time i’d read about lots of things, like people being gay and people being bi and high schoolers having sex and smoking cigarettes and drinking and going to therapy and being fucked up but kind of finding a way to live anyways. for middle school me reading this the first time, it wasn’t super relevant, perhaps, but it was magical. and then later on it got more relevant bc i got Big Sad and was figuring out sexuality and dealing with That Bitch Trauma and trying to be ok. and i guess i didn’t realize how relevant this book was to me until reading it this time. now that i’m better than i have been in a long while. and like, kind of the great irony of all my lived experiences, i suppose, that i think i know shit and then end up realizing what was actually going on but only after it’s over. and like, it’s comforting. to read abt people who are fucked up and still manage to be ok sometimes. and lowkey i’m jealous of their friend group, ngl, i think i missed a big opportunity to be Emo and Angsty and fully embrace that hashtag edgy lifestyle. there’s something to be said about not being embarrassed to be entirely over the top dramatic and dark just for the heck of it. the older i get the more i realize how edgy and dramatic and over the top i am on the inside. who’s gonna come with me to a big rock in riverside and light candles and sing stupid songs and get drunk? accepting applications. i’m giving this book four stars only because the weird blacklight story sections have never ever made even a little bit of sense to me.
and also like legitimately i love this book even though it is completely trash. and i’m not actually convinced that it is entirely completely trash. it’s like, lowkey actually good. like for real. lots of honestly healthy conversations about friendships and relationships and how to continue being friends when serious fucked up shit happens. lots of like super emotional stuff that actually hits hard even tho it’s all through the lens of a fucked up angsty emo kid. like.....lowkey i almost cried. shit hurts, man. this is the first time rereading this book for me that i’ve felt anywhere near ok, too, so it’s interesting to see how my opinion of it has changed. there’s a lot in there that i didn’t necessarily realize was super important to me, but now looking back i’m starting to see why this book sat with me so much. like, i read it for the first time in like 6 or 7th grade, just a random book i picked from the library. by all accounts i should have hated it just because it portrayed this dude with anger issues in a sympathetic light (can u spell Trauma?) but for some reason i really fucking loved it and i read it twice in the time i had it out from the library. and it stayed with me, until i picked it up again freshman year of high school and i’ve read it every back to school season since. i never used to read contemporary novels, i still kind of Hate contemporary novels, the world is kind of sucky enough on the daily that i’d much rather read about things that are impossible. and yet, this book was kind of like magical realism and also completely real. I think because it was so dramatic and gritty and edgy and angsty that it made the real life setting more palatable. and it was the first time i’d read about lots of things, like people being gay and people being bi and high schoolers having sex and smoking cigarettes and drinking and going to therapy and being fucked up but kind of finding a way to live anyways. for middle school me reading this the first time, it wasn’t super relevant, perhaps, but it was magical. and then later on it got more relevant bc i got Big Sad and was figuring out sexuality and dealing with That Bitch Trauma and trying to be ok. and i guess i didn’t realize how relevant this book was to me until reading it this time. now that i’m better than i have been in a long while. and like, kind of the great irony of all my lived experiences, i suppose, that i think i know shit and then end up realizing what was actually going on but only after it’s over. and like, it’s comforting. to read abt people who are fucked up and still manage to be ok sometimes. and lowkey i’m jealous of their friend group, ngl, i think i missed a big opportunity to be Emo and Angsty and fully embrace that hashtag edgy lifestyle. there’s something to be said about not being embarrassed to be entirely over the top dramatic and dark just for the heck of it. the older i get the more i realize how edgy and dramatic and over the top i am on the inside. who’s gonna come with me to a big rock in riverside and light candles and sing stupid songs and get drunk? accepting applications. i’m giving this book four stars only because the weird blacklight story sections have never ever made even a little bit of sense to me.
July 18, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
I was honestly so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I much prefer the fantasy side of YA, so when my cousin recommended this book to me, I was skeptical. But this book was actually a really great read!
Venomous is the story of Locke Vinetti, a high school junior with major anger issues. He has dubbed his anger "Venom" and considers it to be a separate side of himself, and it's something he's constantly trying to control. Locke's battle with the venom intensifies as new friends enter his life. The book follows Locke as he struggles to control his anger outbursts and fights to prevent the "Venom" from pushing his friends and family out of his life.
There were so many characteristics about this book that I adored. And I loved that a lot of them were YA stereotypes that got flip flopped. I loved that there was both a loving relationship between Locke and his brother, and Locke and his mother. So many YA protagonists seem to have crappy familial relationships, and while Locke did have a father who left him, it was refreshing to see a caring bond with his mother and brother, who both actually got screen time.
Another what I consider to be a "flip flopped YA stereotype" was the romance. Yes, it didn't escape the insta-love vibe, but I liked how for once in the was the guy (Locke) who was the virgin and the girl who was the experienced one (and she was bisexual! yay diversity!). Both Locke and his love interest had problems/traumas they were dealing with, and I enjoyed seeing how they were both able to help each other emotionally, inside of one sole beneficiary.
Now the friendship. Friendship played an important role in this book, and wasn't pushed to side as so many cliche YA novels do, and I valued that. Now I will say that the friendships weren't the healthiest, and they weren't without their screwed up parts, but nonetheless I found myself caring about them anyway.
Another interesting thing about this book was the mini superhero "comics" at the end of each chapter. Every night Locke imagines himself/the Venom as an anti-hero using his darkness to battle other evils. I thought that these fantasies added a unique dimension to the book and allowed for some good foreshadowing and for an unusual, but engaging additional view into Locke's struggle with his anger.
Okay now the main premise of the book; the Venom. I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about this part of the book. I didn't like that for a good chunk of the book, Locke didn't take responsibility for his extreme anger/rage and that he considered it a separate being. I felt like this was a mental health issue that Locke was just expected to "learn to control". Yes, Locke saw a psychologist, but I was expecting more attention drawn to the importance/seriousness/awareness of mental health.
That being said, I felt that the resolution occurred too quickly. Locke struggled with the Venom right up until the end, then he suddenly had this realization and was on the mend. I don't know, I felt such a serious issue deserved a more drawn out and complex struggle before improving.
Overall, I really liked this book and I'm glad I read it. It was nice to step outside my usual fantasy reads and find a book I enjoyed. This book has made me feel a lot more motivated to try out other contemporary reads. I would recommend this book for anyone intrigued by the synopsis. Definitely go for it!
I was honestly so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I much prefer the fantasy side of YA, so when my cousin recommended this book to me, I was skeptical. But this book was actually a really great read!
Venomous is the story of Locke Vinetti, a high school junior with major anger issues. He has dubbed his anger "Venom" and considers it to be a separate side of himself, and it's something he's constantly trying to control. Locke's battle with the venom intensifies as new friends enter his life. The book follows Locke as he struggles to control his anger outbursts and fights to prevent the "Venom" from pushing his friends and family out of his life.
There were so many characteristics about this book that I adored. And I loved that a lot of them were YA stereotypes that got flip flopped. I loved that there was both a loving relationship between Locke and his brother, and Locke and his mother. So many YA protagonists seem to have crappy familial relationships, and while Locke did have a father who left him, it was refreshing to see a caring bond with his mother and brother, who both actually got screen time.
Another what I consider to be a "flip flopped YA stereotype" was the romance. Yes, it didn't escape the insta-love vibe, but I liked how for once in the was the guy (Locke) who was the virgin and the girl who was the experienced one (and she was bisexual! yay diversity!). Both Locke and his love interest had problems/traumas they were dealing with, and I enjoyed seeing how they were both able to help each other emotionally, inside of one sole beneficiary.
Now the friendship. Friendship played an important role in this book, and wasn't pushed to side as so many cliche YA novels do, and I valued that. Now I will say that the friendships weren't the healthiest, and they weren't without their screwed up parts, but nonetheless I found myself caring about them anyway.
Another interesting thing about this book was the mini superhero "comics" at the end of each chapter. Every night Locke imagines himself/the Venom as an anti-hero using his darkness to battle other evils. I thought that these fantasies added a unique dimension to the book and allowed for some good foreshadowing and for an unusual, but engaging additional view into Locke's struggle with his anger.
Okay now the main premise of the book; the Venom. I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about this part of the book. I didn't like that for a good chunk of the book, Locke didn't take responsibility for his extreme anger/rage and that he considered it a separate being. I felt like this was a mental health issue that Locke was just expected to "learn to control". Yes, Locke saw a psychologist, but I was expecting more attention drawn to the importance/seriousness/awareness of mental health.
That being said, I felt that the resolution occurred too quickly. Locke struggled with the Venom right up until the end, then he suddenly had this realization and was on the mend. I don't know, I felt such a serious issue deserved a more drawn out and complex struggle before improving.
Overall, I really liked this book and I'm glad I read it. It was nice to step outside my usual fantasy reads and find a book I enjoyed. This book has made me feel a lot more motivated to try out other contemporary reads. I would recommend this book for anyone intrigued by the synopsis. Definitely go for it!
December 6, 2022
I had to check to see if the publisher is a vanity publisher or not. I could not believe that an actual publishing company would print this.
It's garbage.
The author has no idea what age group he's writing about, no don't get me wrong the little in-between chapters and the artwork is definitely for kids.
But the words and the characters are not. They are all delinquents, all of them are over-sexed, smoking, drinking, and violent delinquents.
The back of the book reads like something interesting, someone learning to deal with their rage and grow. I thought that this was going to be a slice of life It's not. The other way that it could have gone is that he's actually a superhero and this is an origin story. It's mostly not that either. It's just some asshat that enjoys being an asshat blaming something inside himself that 'kinda makes him strong'. It doesn't actually make him any stronger or faster, just ruder and more prone to acting on his darker impulses.
Whatever. That's fine, it's going to be an interesting story, but it's not. The writing is aimed at young readers with small words and an easy plot. Then swearing and violence. More swearing than you get in a book for adults. There is more swearing and sex than is wanted or necessary. Also, where do these kids get all this money? Even Locke and Lon seem pretty well off but their mother is killing herself to pay bills, and yet he's smoking a pack a day or more.
Okay, whatever, get through this it's no worst than any other book that's been misrepresented, and then we get to the italicized pages at the end of each chapter that has the super-powered comic-y character. If the story was entirely about him it would have been acceptable because that's something that a middle-grade/YA can get behind, but even with the rudimentary black-and-white art, it's still not for kids because it goes back to the completely confusing main story.
Even the end does not make much sense. A lightbulb flashes on and then it's over and we don't see the interesting part, the part that the book is picked up for in the first place.
In the end, the only thing that I could even say I liked about it was the use of Tarot cards as class dividers.
It's garbage.
The author has no idea what age group he's writing about, no don't get me wrong the little in-between chapters and the artwork is definitely for kids.
But the words and the characters are not. They are all delinquents, all of them are over-sexed, smoking, drinking, and violent delinquents.
The back of the book reads like something interesting, someone learning to deal with their rage and grow. I thought that this was going to be a slice of life It's not. The other way that it could have gone is that he's actually a superhero and this is an origin story. It's mostly not that either. It's just some asshat that enjoys being an asshat blaming something inside himself that 'kinda makes him strong'. It doesn't actually make him any stronger or faster, just ruder and more prone to acting on his darker impulses.
Whatever. That's fine, it's going to be an interesting story, but it's not. The writing is aimed at young readers with small words and an easy plot. Then swearing and violence. More swearing than you get in a book for adults. There is more swearing and sex than is wanted or necessary. Also, where do these kids get all this money? Even Locke and Lon seem pretty well off but their mother is killing herself to pay bills, and yet he's smoking a pack a day or more.
Okay, whatever, get through this it's no worst than any other book that's been misrepresented, and then we get to the italicized pages at the end of each chapter that has the super-powered comic-y character. If the story was entirely about him it would have been acceptable because that's something that a middle-grade/YA can get behind, but even with the rudimentary black-and-white art, it's still not for kids because it goes back to the completely confusing main story.
Even the end does not make much sense. A lightbulb flashes on and then it's over and we don't see the interesting part, the part that the book is picked up for in the first place.
In the end, the only thing that I could even say I liked about it was the use of Tarot cards as class dividers.
October 19, 2017
Link to my blog's review: https://wordpress.com/post/thatreadhe...
So I finally got around to reading this, and man it was incredible! Totally regretting not reading this one earlier! I had no idea what to expect, as I'm not a blurb-reader. After reading the book the cover makes sense, but it was rather different from what I had anticipated.
The venom: Wow I loved this idea, and to be completely honest I loved the whole venom! Particularly how honest it made him. It totally made him speak his mind, and I believe it's how we should all be all of the time. Well, not the violent side, but the honest side for sure. Each time the venom popped up I was rooting for it.
Locke: I kind of want to say I couldn't differentiate him from the venom, but I really do love how concerned he was, and how protective he is, towards his friends and family. He's really caring underneath the venom, he's just worried. And the way
Renee: I cannot believe her back story!
Casey: Well he was an interesting character, that's for sure!
Lon: What a sweet little kid he is!
Overall, this was an amazing book with an amazing cast of characters, each of them so diverse and memorable. The Goth chick with the mental disorders, the one with anger management, the gay one, the normal best friend. So good! I feel like the ending didn't clarify much though.
So I finally got around to reading this, and man it was incredible! Totally regretting not reading this one earlier! I had no idea what to expect, as I'm not a blurb-reader. After reading the book the cover makes sense, but it was rather different from what I had anticipated.
The venom: Wow I loved this idea, and to be completely honest I loved the whole venom! Particularly how honest it made him. It totally made him speak his mind, and I believe it's how we should all be all of the time. Well, not the violent side, but the honest side for sure. Each time the venom popped up I was rooting for it.
Locke: I kind of want to say I couldn't differentiate him from the venom, but I really do love how concerned he was, and how protective he is, towards his friends and family. He's really caring underneath the venom, he's just worried. And the way
Renee: I cannot believe her back story!
Casey: Well he was an interesting character, that's for sure!
Lon: What a sweet little kid he is!
Overall, this was an amazing book with an amazing cast of characters, each of them so diverse and memorable. The Goth chick with the mental disorders, the one with anger management, the gay one, the normal best friend. So good! I feel like the ending didn't clarify much though.
July 4, 2019
Christopher Krovatin’s book “Venomous” revolved around Locke Vinetti, a high school junior. Locke had a lousy social life resulting from his anger issues and claimed he had "the venom" inside of him. He was a lonely boy since his childhood after biting off a piece of a classmate’s nose. However, everything changes when he meets the girl of his dreams. If he wants their relationship to work, he’s going to have to get rid of the venom.
Krovatin uses the story to show us that everyone has problems of their own. He explores these ideas through the mind of a high school junior and his different adventures which his problems take him on. His venom is a mix of good and bad, it’s an uncontrollable force. Locke loves the venom when it empowers him, helping him fight off bullies. However, he doesn’t feel the same way when the venom gets uncontrollable. Sometimes if another person did something which pissed Locke off, the venom would unleash its unbearable force on that person. For example, when someone merely nudged Renee, the girl he loved, the venom tore them apart.
The book has underlying themes about how everyone has their inner demons and problems. It exemplifies that we can take control of our own demons and problems, and define them as what we want them to be. Locke’s inner demon was his venom, and he let it take control of him. Renee’s demons and problems trauma resulting from her parents’, murder. She stopped that from controlling her by surrounding herself with friends, people she loves, and taking medication, thus showing how she grasped with her demons to ensure they don’t destroy her mental health.
I really enjoyed this book. It did get violent and gory at stages but it had an awesome description and allowed me to relate better with him since he was a high schooler. My favourite part of the 323 page novel was when Locke fought Casey in a fight of The Venom vs The Black. This part of the book had excruciating description and made me feel like I watching the fight take place. The first person writing style allowed me to better understand what Locke was going through, and I almost felt like I was going through his journey and fights alongside him. I would recommend this book to people at a mature young adults, as it is a good book, but it contains bad language and gore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2019
Ohhh boy... where do I begin.
Okay.
I am going to first begin with this is all /my/ personal opinion. My view on the book could be and probably is completely different than somebody else’s. So.. just a heads up.
Alright now to the review.
I really wasn’t impressed with this book..
The concept seemed very cool but the delivery to me came off sloppy and cliché, certain aspects of the book however were noteworthy but were not enough to have me rate a 2 star.
The writing came off quick and rushed to me,
The main character’s “venom,” or evil demonic entity of some kind, was just so plain and pretty dumb to me.
The characters were basic, the story really didn’t have a plot, and the choice of wording for specific events seemed unnecessary and caused the event to drag on and on..
I wouldn’t recommend this book because it’s hard to put and age group to it, the book is graphic and talks about mature themes but seems to be written to keep the attention span of a middle schooler. On top of all of this, Locke is basically the copy and pasted version of Eddie Brock. The book does acknowledge this, on /several/ occasions, but to me this detail just has the book lack originality and the book itself won’t leave a huge impression on me like other books have in the past.
Of course, this is all just my opinion. Personally,
I really wasn’t a fan of the book but you could be! If you want to read the book, honestly, go for it. It won’t make a difference to me one way or another. You do you fam
TL;DR-
I’m gonna forget I read this book in about a month. ;/
Okay.
I am going to first begin with this is all /my/ personal opinion. My view on the book could be and probably is completely different than somebody else’s. So.. just a heads up.
Alright now to the review.
I really wasn’t impressed with this book..
The concept seemed very cool but the delivery to me came off sloppy and cliché, certain aspects of the book however were noteworthy but were not enough to have me rate a 2 star.
The writing came off quick and rushed to me,
The main character’s “venom,” or evil demonic entity of some kind, was just so plain and pretty dumb to me.
The characters were basic, the story really didn’t have a plot, and the choice of wording for specific events seemed unnecessary and caused the event to drag on and on..
I wouldn’t recommend this book because it’s hard to put and age group to it, the book is graphic and talks about mature themes but seems to be written to keep the attention span of a middle schooler. On top of all of this, Locke is basically the copy and pasted version of Eddie Brock. The book does acknowledge this, on /several/ occasions, but to me this detail just has the book lack originality and the book itself won’t leave a huge impression on me like other books have in the past.
Of course, this is all just my opinion. Personally,
I really wasn’t a fan of the book but you could be! If you want to read the book, honestly, go for it. It won’t make a difference to me one way or another. You do you fam
TL;DR-
I’m gonna forget I read this book in about a month. ;/
December 9, 2018
This was an interesting book. I thought it set a good pace at the beginning, explaining his past and a description of the Venom. However, once he met Renee, I think it goes almost a little too fast. Though this could be based on teenage....stupidity? Declaring themselves boyfriend and girlfriend after meeting twice. Regardless of its quick pace from there, I liked the format of this book. The end of every chapter contains a snippet into the "comic book" fantasy Locke has accompanied with a picture. It seemed to add more complexity as it gave the notion that he did understand what he was doing and affecting, but couldn't readily defeat it. The story overall was a fairly good one. I liked the descriptions of Locke's anger or "Venom" as it paints a pretty clear picture for its audience. Enjoyed the ending, even if it seemed slightly rushed on some parts.
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