Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

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

231 reviews

wolvenheart's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

This is not a happy romance, it’s a tragic Les Mis type of romance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt

jess_noack's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Physical abuse and Gaslighting

hanlhs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

mixed feelings about this one. struggled through the first third of the book, was really invested by the second third, but not totally satisfied with the ending. pacing could’ve been better, was way too slow at some parts and too fast at others. 
overall, enjoyable and pulls at the heart strings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

daenesea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

assassinsweettea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: War

lunep's review against another edition

hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Mental illness and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Biphobia, Child death, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

saturnpersonified's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent and War

natnurdock's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: War

claudia_moreira's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.5

It's a great book. Maybe it was me that could not find the right mood to read it, maybe I just felt it drag in some parts, but I can't give it more stars than this, even thought I know I will remember this story many times in the future.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War

kaziaroo's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

I liked the beginning, and the very end, but the middle not so much. While it's not my usual kind of book, and I have no patience for this kind of "lyrical prose" and over-romanticisation of everything, I was intrigued by Addie's situation and the bitter sadness of her not being remembered by everything. I struggled with some of the plausibility of it; that she would really be so desperate to avoid a quiet, comfortable marriage that she would make a deal with a strange eldritch being, and that she would never stray beyond Western Europe and the USA in her 300 years. Her relationship with the demon that cursed her was interesting, and so were the ways in which she learned to cope with and manoeuvre within her curse. I did find it tedious reading about her endless one-sided one-night stands, but I was willing to push through that. 

But then Henry appeared. I honestly think I would have enjoyed the book more if I'd just skipped Henry's chapters. The story would have mostly made sense without them and I would have those hours of my life back. Although I related to some of his struggles with choosing his career path and specialism, and his situation is also sad, Henry's chapters were just boring. He mopes around all day and whenever he feels a little worse he just downs a mixture of drugs with gay abandon and no consequences the next day. His and Addie's "love" was totally unconvincing; compared to the other lovers we see her meet, Henry is by far the most dull and she only likes him so much because he remembers her. She becomes the only interesting thing about him.

I wish the book had either explored the world and history a bit more or been a couple of hundred pages shorter. I had no interest in watching Addie and Henry having nice days out and going to endless bars and clubs, or sleeping with everyone they meet. The flowery writing desperately tried to make me fall in love with the characters and settings, but it was all style over substance. My overall feeling about this book is disappointment after the hype.

I would recommend this to fans of Matt Haig's "How to Stop Time" and who want nice, deep-sounding quotes to put in their Instagram captions.

TL;DR: it was well executed for what it was but the writing was flowery, the male lead boring, the female lead unadventurous, and there was too much sex, drugs and rock & roll for my tastes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infidelity, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War