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bengaliyaoi's review against another edition
1.0
You’d think a book with a premise like a woman from 18th century France makes a deal with a devil who is literally her customizable male love interest, like some sort of Sim, and she lives through historical moments would have more excitement in it, but it unfortunately does not. I don’t know why all the unfavorable reviews of this book are whining and saying stuff like “THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A ROMANCE BETWEEN ADDIE AND LUCCCC” but frankly speaking Luc is about as interesting as drying paint, and his only saving grace is that he’s behind the accomplishments of most historical figures somehow, which just makes him more akin to a comedic figure than anything else.
Addie is boring. She is bland white bread. Not sure how that’s even possible when you’re a bisexual immortal from the eighteenth century, but this girl has had three hundred years of living and the book shows us her life only in France and America. There is constant allusion made to her escapades in other parts of the world—Turkey, Argentina, Portugal—and the fact that she’s gone mad multiple times, and maybe this is the SJW in me speaking but I would like to see how and when a 300 year old woman discovered she was bisexual, but alas. All of that, the potential storytelling anyway, is thrown away in favor of hopping between Luc’s tortured, emo, broken
heyashleyrae's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
cateconut's review against another edition
5.0
This story touched home. Addie feels so much like me and my unbalanced desire to live & experience everything; to love, to laugh, to cry, to do a million things at the same time, to want more and to LIVE. I feel Addie and I felt so incredibly close to this fictional character that could easily be me. Or any of us.
This was my first V.E. Schwab book and I knew I would love it, I just knew it deep in my soul. I knew I’d fall in love with her writing, her characters, her words. I just knew it and I did not get disappointed. V. E. Schwab is a wonderful storyteller and I don’t remember the last time I read something so complex yet so comforting at the same time.
Addie was amazing. Henry was wonderful. Luc was captivating. All the side characters were just as interesting. I could read about ALL of them for the rest of my life.
I’m in awe. Now let me just go and re-read my favourite quotes all over again! I miss the story already!
morgan_dinger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
whiterubys's review against another edition
5.0
asriram's review against another edition
5.0
Overall, a 5/5 star review, and definitely one of my top books of the year, if not my favorite so far. It's going to be tough competition to displace this book, though.
glisteningstarfish's review against another edition
- 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
emmabrooklyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
addieisreading's review against another edition
4.0
“Because time is cruel to all, and crueller still to artists. Because vision weakens, and voices wither, and talent fades. […] Because happiness is brief, and history is lasting, and in the end,” he says, “everyone wants to be remembered.”
I started reading with high expectations, which seemed like a bad idea at first because a lot of things seemed poorly executed (although intriguing and interesting to follow). Being from the perspective of an immortal character, it wasn't a surprise that the writing could become slow and reflective at some point, which some point might not like—but it was right there that this book took a turn for me.
The plot started to move around the impressions of humanity, art, our wish to be eternal (even if it's only in pictures or poems or photography or literature), and what's love for real (you love someone because you chose that person or you love someone because you don't have anyone else to fall in love for?). Is more of a philosophical journey mixed with fiction, resulting in a “love it or hate it” type of book.
yureisilhouette's review against another edition
5.0