Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

165 reviews

hazelbcap's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It’s poetic, and heartbreaking, and inspiring, and I didn’t want it to ever end. A sweet unique read that I’ll cherish forever. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Death, and War

mrsdragon's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I like magical realism, pretty prose, and slow burn stories so this one has popped up in a lot of places as I book I might like. And I did greatly enjoy the pieces of it, but it just didn't quite live up to what it could have been.

The author uses flashbacks and dual story lines to slowly dole out information and uses that mechanic well to up the intrigue and the mystery of the book.  Unfortunately, sometimes she got so wrapped up  in the details that even I started to wish she would move it along already. There were also "mysteries" that were so obvious it was painful how long it took for the truth to be recognized/explained. 

I was here for the "dark mysterious god of the woods, maybe devil, kinda conjured from your drawing" trope, but aspects of Addie's relationship with the dark seemed forced, illogical, or contradictory. Despite the prose, there was a heavy-handed bit of "telling instead of showing".

And then there's the fact that while the main story follows Addie, a large chunk of the story follows another main character who is never mentioned in the jacket descriptions which...isn't really *wrong* but did seem weird. 

The author also sets up a narrative device within the story that mimics the structure of the book (clever!) but which makes the first couple of chapters in the last section seem weirdly navel-gazey and self-referential. And the final chapter left me...sad.

Addie, saves Henry and instead give herself over to tormenting Luc. And yes, I get the "finally free!" arc, but there is nothing that says that counteracts her first contract, she didn't renegotiate for her soul, so she will still be cursed to be invisible?

I also just, generally had a lot of questions about

Addie + Henry (300+ year old + 29 year old find love because...they are curse compatible?), Addie's humanity (is she turning into a god? If that's true, how does the whole Henry thing square?), Luc's nature (he's a god not a human! No, but he loves her! No but he's incapable of love!).

I can squint and see answers, but I think it could have been handled more gracefully in the story.

That said, the conceit was a fun one, the "holes" the author found in the curse, she did a fabulous job with how the dark both granted and twisted wishes in a way that felt both natural and inevitable once the downsides were understood. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug abuse

Minor: Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Child death, War, Death of parent, Addiction, and Sexual content

laurenology's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This draaaaaagged. I know it took me six months to finish it, but still. Felt like a chore to listen to sometimes, even though Julia Whelan is always a good narrator. The last quarter or so was great and kept me interested the whole time. Not bad, but not great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Grief

alivotta's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content

barbarianmissy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Took me a while to fully get into this book cause I didn’t understand why some of the characters acted the way they did and suddenly EVERYTHING CLICKED and oh my gawd is this book amazing. So beautiful and unique and tragic. It was an excellent, excellent read. So GOOD!

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Content Warnings

Minor: War, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Suicide attempt

smleeth93's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug abuse, War, and Sexual violence

Minor: Addiction

youthofpandas's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse

Minor: War, Rape, and Sexual harassment

epellicci's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I'm incredibly grateful to the friend who recommended I read this book. What a story. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is clever and heartbreaking and playful and beautiful. It made me cry, and it reminded me the importance of looking for moments of beauty and wonder every day. An unforgettable masterpiece.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault

asagetheskater's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is magical!! I have re-read it multiple times, and yet each time it seems to get better!!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Cursing

helfire124's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Confinement, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Police brutality, Death of parent, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Violence