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meganelizbaker's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Listened to on audiobook. Cringe/childish characters at points and felt quite repetitive, but some sweet moments and relationships between characters and interesting life lessons, nothing amazing but not awful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Terminal illness, Death, Sexual content, and Violence
ivi_reads_books's review
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I was intrigued by the concept of living forever at the cost of being remembered by anyone one meets. I imagined the book would focus more on how the protagonists feels being isolated and without connections to other human beings.
Instead it focussed more on the practicalities of getting by at various stages in history if no one remebers you after you leave their sight. The protagonist seemed distant to me.
Julia Whelan, the audio book narrator, did an amazing job giving the characters distinct voices.
Instead it focussed more on the practicalities of getting by at various stages in history if no one remebers you after you leave their sight. The protagonist seemed distant to me.
Julia Whelan, the audio book narrator, did an amazing job giving the characters distinct voices.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Medical content
thirza_joy's review
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: War, Drug use, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Addiction
larbster90's review
adventurous
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: War, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
wowsmeows's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"...history is something you look back on, not something you really feel at the time. In the moment, you're just... living. I didn't want to live forever. I just wanted to live"
Addie LaRue follows the story of a girl who has been 23 for the last 300 years, cursed to be forgotten until she meets a man who remembers.
I don't normally pick up books that are so long, but the premise had me really intrigued. I'm so glad I decided to read this as I absolutely loved it. I thought it was written so beautifully and I was desperate to consume the story.
I will admit that this is a very slow book, so I definitely wouldn't recommend if you're looking for a fast-paced adventure. It's slow and thoughtful and the story really only begins at around the 50% mark. It takes a while for the initial set up and for the book to really explain what is going on and how the curse works. But, even in these slower moments I still found myself absolutely hooked.
I know that this was a 5* book for me, as its been staying with me even after I finished each of my reading sessions. The story has really burrowed into my brain and I feel like I've been thinking and reflecting on it a lot.
It's not one for everyone, but I will definitely remember Addie LaRue.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, and War
persephonefoxx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
“But isn’t it wonderful,” she says “to be an idea?”
So this book wins the award for first book this year to make me cry. It has curled up in my brain (where I am sure it will stay) like the echoes of an idea, the secondhand mark, that Addie LaRue leaves behind.
I don’t think I’ll be forgetting this story or the multitude of feelings it evoked in me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Biphobia, Violence, and War
koplomps's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Grief, and Misogyny
Minor: War, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, and Confinement
caelfind's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Grief
feliciaguestwrites's review
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
kelly_e's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Title: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: October 6, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Imaginative • Quiet • Tragic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
💭 T H O U G H T S
It's quite possible I am the last person to read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, as this book took Bookstagram by storm upon release. Personally, I was glad some of the hype had receded, as it afforded me the opportunity to go at my own pace and develop my own thoughts and feelings free of being bombarded with reviews and hype. And to be quite honest, the whole experience was rather dizzying and don't exactly know how I ended up feeling.
On the one hand, V.E. Schwab's writing was mesmerizing, atmospheric, and haunting. Although I didn't always know what was going on, I was transported into the story so vividly. Addie, herself, is a fairly unlikeable character, yet I could find myself empathizing with the why. There's such a strength in what this unique and clever story attempted to do.
Yet on the other hand, because of the structurally necessary repetitive descriptions I was never compelled to keep reading. I never found myself thinking about the narrative or characters when I wasn't reading. It lacked a depth I craved so badly. This sense of detachment made it feel longer than it actually is.
And finally, I found myself completely satisfied with the ending, meaning I finished on a high note and that's kind of what I focus on when I think back to my time with Addie. Taken in pieces, there are a lot of mixed feelings, yet it is a real testament to making the most of the time we have.
I do certainly understand why The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is beloved by so many. It's such a unique and fascinating idea, yet for me the reading experience was tedious. I am not sure I have been convinced to explore more of V.E. Schwab's work, but you just never know.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife
• readers who like unique stories
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'Nothing is all good or all bad,' she says. 'Life is so much messier than that.'"
"Live long enough, and you learn how to read a person. To ease them open like a book, some passages underlined and others hidden between the lines."
"And perhaps it is just that happiness is frightening."
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: October 6, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Imaginative • Quiet • Tragic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
💭 T H O U G H T S
It's quite possible I am the last person to read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, as this book took Bookstagram by storm upon release. Personally, I was glad some of the hype had receded, as it afforded me the opportunity to go at my own pace and develop my own thoughts and feelings free of being bombarded with reviews and hype. And to be quite honest, the whole experience was rather dizzying and don't exactly know how I ended up feeling.
On the one hand, V.E. Schwab's writing was mesmerizing, atmospheric, and haunting. Although I didn't always know what was going on, I was transported into the story so vividly. Addie, herself, is a fairly unlikeable character, yet I could find myself empathizing with the why. There's such a strength in what this unique and clever story attempted to do.
Yet on the other hand, because of the structurally necessary repetitive descriptions I was never compelled to keep reading. I never found myself thinking about the narrative or characters when I wasn't reading. It lacked a depth I craved so badly. This sense of detachment made it feel longer than it actually is.
And finally, I found myself completely satisfied with the ending, meaning I finished on a high note and that's kind of what I focus on when I think back to my time with Addie. Taken in pieces, there are a lot of mixed feelings, yet it is a real testament to making the most of the time we have.
I do certainly understand why The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is beloved by so many. It's such a unique and fascinating idea, yet for me the reading experience was tedious. I am not sure I have been convinced to explore more of V.E. Schwab's work, but you just never know.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife
• readers who like unique stories
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'Nothing is all good or all bad,' she says. 'Life is so much messier than that.'"
"Live long enough, and you learn how to read a person. To ease them open like a book, some passages underlined and others hidden between the lines."
"And perhaps it is just that happiness is frightening."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Grief, Sexual harassment, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexism, Addiction, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, War, Violence, Blood, and Cancer