Title: V is for Vivian: Vengeance hath no Fury…
Author: Lawrence Burk
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1648035814
Genre: Fiction/Thriller
Pages: 200
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
It comes as no shock that at one point in every person’s life, they ask themselves what kind of impact they are leaving on the world. For some having a family or pursuing a dream and just living life is fulfillment enough, but others strive to become something more. Some strive to become legends in their own right. As transgressional fiction author Chuck Palahniuk once said, “The unreal is more powerful than the real, because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it, because it’s only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles, wood rots. People, well, they die. But things as fragile as a thought, a dream, a legend, they can go on and on.”
In author Lawrence Burk’s book V is for Vivian, the author explores the fictional legend of protagonist Vivian Bouvier. A sequel to the book The Harem, this novel explores what happens when Vivian must take up the mantle of justice and revenge once more to expose and take down abusive and powerful men. After attempting to leave her life of seduction, vengeance and danger behind, Vivian thought she’d finally found her dream of love in Paris. However, the man she thought she knew proved to be just as dark and dangerous as those who had come before. Memories of her past and the actions of this latest man send her down a path which makes her known to all those who would try to abuse another. Leaving a calling card in her wake, soon she becomes a legend which a predator would fear.
A sequel should always elevate the story that was originally being told and take it to the next level. That’s what V is for Vivian does, as the author elevates protagonist Vivian from a lone woman seeking revenge to a full-blown vigilante which becomes the stuff of legends. A mix between Marvel Comics’ The Punisher and the film Promising Young Woman, the story highlights the never-ending struggles of harassment, violence and even death that women face at the hands of abusive men in this world, and the desperate need for change in society to stop the violence overall. Reading Vivian’s evolution as a character was the highlight of this novel, as she transforms herself fully into a vigilante killer who strikes fear into the hearts of abusers everywhere.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy vigilante justice style revenge stories. As a fan of the genre, this thriller did an amazing job of highlighting the startling struggles women face each and every day, while also bringing a healthy mix of action and suspense that kept the story entertaining and fresh throughout the narrative. The author also does a great job of jumping straight into the action right away, immediately showcasing the training and transformation Vivian willingly puts herself through to become this vigilante. Combined with a unique group of friends and allies that become her support system, Vivian’s rise from vigilante to legend is something not to be missed.
Adrenaline fueled, action-packed and character driven, author Lawrence Burk’s V is for Vivian is a must-read thriller. Although a fairly short read, the author creates an engaging and memorable narrative in which readers will instantly connect with, especially in a day and age when more women are speaking out against the kind of injustice that Vivian fights throughout the novel.
