Reviews tagging 'Death'

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

541 reviews

tibbarasden's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I wish I had read this sooner, but at the same time, this was the perfect point in my life for this story. Addie LaRue is an all-time favorite. I'm already looking forward to reading it again. I loved Addie. Her strength and resolve. Even though I saw the twists, it wasn't in a way that felt obvious, more in a way that it made sense, and there was still enough unknown to keep me intrigued until the very last page. The other characters in the book were also dynamic and enjoyable, the atmosphere top-notch, and the ending perfection.
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tiffanielle's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

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kbairbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

Wow. Phew. I need a moment to collect myself. When I first started this book, I’m gonna be honest; I did not have the highest of hopes and it took me some time to actually get into it. I really wasn’t in the mood for it but it is my book clubs monthly pic so I thought to read it quickly and move on.

D**** that got my goat. I don’t know if it was the book, the writing style, or the fact that I’ve been thrown into the deep end of grief recently. But the last like 45 minutes of the audiobook had me absolutely sobbing. The ending ending I thought was really cool but wow are my eyes swollen from crying so hard. Really cathartic but also really sad for me. 

This was my first experience with this author and I’m glad to say I really enjoyed this read. Thanks for the tears/release V. 
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sorcha's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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saturnpersonified's review against another edition

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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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natnurdock's review against another edition

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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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fionamatilda's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

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msradiosilence's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

TLDR; 4.5 rating rounded up, I love monkey’s paw wishes, I love queer women, and I’m not gonna lie this book almost had me crying.


Full review to come. :)
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bookellys's review against another edition

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

3.0

I did enjoy this book but unfortunately, a bit like Addie’s life, it seemed to go on forever! I’d sit and read for a chunk of time but never seemed to feel like I was making progress. It felt repetitive at times and I found the ending a little predictable once Henry’s truth was on the table.

There’s good character development as you are switched between the timelines to understand both the past and the present and I genuinely wanted to read on and find out what was going to happen, what would Luc do next, but it just seemed to drag on.

I so wanted to love this book and there are glimpses of 4 star material in there and I can understand why it has so many 4 and 5 star reviews but for me it was just OK in the end.
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myleejmiller's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

It is not often I find myself without something to say after concluding a story written and published, or otherwise yet to be printed on paper. I have so many words to explain my absolute astonishment at this novel and what it entails, but not enough words to scribe my thoughts properly. Thinking of my own writing, I often consider the benefits of certain methods leading to literary excellence. This novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, made me question for the first time the benefit of writing a story in one popular way or the other, quieter way. One method, in which the author focuses on the plot, and the characters, and weaves a story of epic wonder and magic that makes you jump out of your seat while reading to evoke exclamations. Or, alternatively, a story which provokes such deep reflection and thought while and after reviewing it, that it changes lives due to its outstanding lean towards overarching theme and moral tension. Both, I feel are outstanding in their own ways. However, one provokes excitement while the other provokes memory. And unlike the thousands of books I've read over the years, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was merely the second book, and the absolutely better book, to ever channel tears from my eyes. The characters are exquisite in their anguish, the story is profound and encompassing in its bluntness. The world within it is deep and vivid and real, so much so that it makes for an un-put-downable standalone from start to finish. It is life-changing. Though it does have it faults, as every story (even with five star ratings) does, it is a book I am not likely to forget. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue paints the pictures of life so brutally real and in such vivid color that it is both memorable and provoking, long after its completion. V.E. Schwab, and her writing of this masterpiece, tells me that she is an author of deep thought and even deeper meaning. I cannot wait to dive into her future and past works, and let these alongside other stories like hers better my own perspective on reality, and also my writing of real and fictional worlds.

I could say so much more, and explain how much a story like this means to a person (of many flaws) like me, but I will simply end with this: Thank you. Thanks to V.E Schwab, the book itself, the agent who took it on, the publisher who printed it, and the readers who praised it so highly. You have made, altogether, an unforgettable tale of change, hope, and devastation. Thank you, from a reader who is just beginning to understand the impact a story can have.
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