Reviews tagging 'Grief'

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

294 reviews

jelkebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

This is a book that I've seen so incredibly hyped, and that hype has actually scared me off a little bit despite being quite excited to read it. Therefore I am indeed incredibly mad at myself for putting off reading this one for so long, as I absolutely loved it. Now, I don't think it is going to be for everyone. It is a quiet book, a slower moving one, and if it doesn't click I can imagine this one being quite a bore, but I thought it was incredible.
I was just almost immediately enamoured with Addie. I thought she was such an interesting character to follow, and I loved the switches between the present day, and past timelines. Seeing Addie make the deal, and then figuring out her life (how it looks like, how to survive), and that contrasted with her almost 300 years later having learned so much, was incredibly interesting. I also feel like Addie's desires were very simple, and also very relatable. I love how V.E. Schwab added in art, and storytelling into the story. The discussions around creating, and wanting to leave your mark on the world was absolutely incredible, and really well done. 
The story does fully kick off however when Addie meets Henry, and I absolutely adored their relationship, and how it developed. They had an incredible meet cute, and I loved the moment Addie realised someone could remember her for the first time ever. Henry was also just a really interesting character, quite different from Addie in so many ways, but ultimately they are also really similair. They just made a really great match. Their love story throughout the book was just so beautiful, it had its difficult moments, but overall it was just so sweet, and pure.
The ending to this book wrecked me. I mean, I did see something emotional happening coming, but it still wrecked me. It's incredibly sad, but there's also something beautiful to it, and overall it just made my heart ache, even hours after finishing this book. So yeah, I adored this book in case it wasn't obvious.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Drug use

reneek's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, Cancer, and Classism

k8lynn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

daniofthewood's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Grief, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent, Biphobia, Cancer, Toxic relationship, War, and Terminal illness

jrow's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.25

The first half of the book was really engaging

but I was a little let down that it turned out to be just another case of a woman sacrificing herself so a man can “reach his full potential.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief and Sexual assault

Minor: Murder, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders

julieslifelately_'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Toxic relationship, War, Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

casira's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

This book will doubtlessly be better the second time around.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, War, and Violence

bethaniesherwood's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

unboundbooklover's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death

Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual content

Minor: War, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Grief, and Alcohol

julierambaeck's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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

Soooo this was unexpected... Not to be dramatic or anything, but this is the most well written book I have ever read... and one of the best books in general that I've read...
Everything about this was perfect! The beginning was heartbreaking, the middle was thought provoking, the ending was bittersweet and perfect!
This book tackles so much. It is about grief, grieving the life you could have had, grieving the loss of people you love. It is about love, love in humans, love for the world, love for art and the little things in life. It is about finding your purpose in life and in the world. It is about being invisible and seen. It is a book about life and everything that comes with it. It is a very slow book, nothing really happens but at the same time everything happens.
V.E. Schwabs writing is incredible in this book - it could literally be studied in school.
Addie was such a strong, cool and amazing character. AND HENRYYYYY! Oh the love of my life! Both characters are so incredibly real.
All in all, I really loved this book, and I have never read anything like it before.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: War and Fire/Fire injury