Is How We Became Wicked Worth Reading? Review

2026-03-08 03:40:33
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3 Answers

Isla
Isla
Favorite read: Wicked
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I picked up 'How We Became Wicked' on a whim after seeing its eerie cover art, and wow, it sucked me in like a dystopian vortex! The premise—where society splits into the 'wicked' (infected by a parasite that twists morality) and the 'true' (uninfected but hunted)—is chillingly fresh. Yates crafts this world with such visceral detail that I felt the paranoia creeping into my bones. The dual POVs of Natalie (a 'true') and Astrid (a 'wicked') create this delicious moral ambiguity; you start questioning who’s really monstrous. It’s slower-paced than typical YA dystopias, but the tension simmers like a pot about to boil over. The ending left me staring at the ceiling for hours—partly because it’s open-ended, which might frustrate some, but I loved the lingering unease. If you’re into psychological horror spliced with societal collapse, this’ll haunt you in the best way.

What really stuck with me was how the book mirrors real-world divisions—us vs. them mentalities, the cost of survival—but cranks it to eleven. The prose isn’t flowery, but it’s sharp enough to draw blood. Minor gripe? Some side characters feel undercooked, but Natalie and Astrid’s arcs more than compensate. Bonus points for the creepy-as-hell wasps (you’ll understand).
2026-03-10 14:31:38
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Scarlett
Scarlett
Favorite read: WICKED INHERITANCE
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I had sky-high hopes for this one. 'How We Became Wicked' delivers a solid punch with its unique virus—one that doesn’t just kill but rewires people into performatively 'good' monsters. The setting, a crumbling island town, oozes atmosphere; I could almost smell the saltwater and decay. Yates isn’t afraid to let her characters make ugly choices, which I appreciated—no shiny heroes here. Astrid’s chapters, especially, are a masterclass in unreliable narration. That said, the middle sags a bit with repetitive survival scenes, and the science behind the parasite feels hand-wavy. But when it hits its stride? Chilling. The climax had me white-knuckling my Kindle. It’s not perfect, but it’s leagues more inventive than most cookie-cutter dystopias. If you loved 'The Girl With All the Gifts' or 'Station Eleven,' give this a shot—just don’t expect tidy resolutions.
2026-03-11 13:06:00
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Frequent Answerer Electrician
This book messed me up—in a good way! 'How We Became Wicked' isn’t your typical infection story. The 'wicked' aren’t mindless zombies; they’re eerily polite, which somehow makes them scarier. Natalie’s struggle to protect her family while doubting her own morality hit hard. The world-building’s sparse but effective, relying on dread rather than exposition dumps. I wish we’d gotten more backstory on the virus’s origins, but the ambiguity feeds the horror. That final scene with the lighthouse? Pure nightmare fuel. A solid 4/5 for me—flawed but unforgettable.
2026-03-13 15:37:42
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