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sebnia_05's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Mental illness, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
erebus53'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
I have found it really hard to sit down and write a review about it. I really enjoyed the book. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes curses, prophesies, the movie Labyrinth, pansexual characters, book shops, art and music, and croissants. (if that's you, don't read the review, just go and get the book)
Addie La Rue is a semi-mortal person who has been gifted and cursed by an old god, to have all the time she wants, but never be remembered by anyone longer than she is in contact with them. This includes writing anything down, breaking things, or appearing on cameras, but does not include people drawing her or writing down things about her. It's a really cool premise for a story and provides a lot of scope for her interactions over the centuries. The story is not told in fully chronological order, but you don't get lost.
How would you react if you ordered a coffee but couldn't get it unless it was delivered to your table number, rather than you personally, because you are literally "out of sight, out of mind"?
Addie develops a perverse relationship of sorts with the one entity who can remember her; the one who cursed her in the first place. This creature of Darkness who she names Luc, has a definite Goblin King vibe and much of the feel of their relationship, and the crap he pulls, could easily have been straight from the movie Labyrinth.. the parallels are not lost on me.
Running into someone who can remember her is incredibly emotional and goes against all the things Addie has learned in her last centuries of life. They spend time figuring out the limits of her curse, and why it is that it doesn't work on him.
Honestly, the story, the growth, the recurrent nature of having to go through first-time meetings (over and over again) is a captivating puzzle. My son who is interested in SCP found himself spending time pondering about the limits of such magical restraints, what she can or cannot do, and what might happen if she encountered someone else with different powers or limits.
I really love this book.
Graphic: Gun violence, Body horror, Blood, Physical abuse, War, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexual content
esme_may's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Misogyny
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, War, Classism, Drug use, Blood, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Child death and Cancer
chasingpages1's review
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Stalking, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Confinement, Homophobia, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Self harm, War, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Religious bigotry
miaaa_lenaaa'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
A bit predictable at times but made me cry and felt original plot wise
‘History is a thing designed in retrospect’
‘"It did not feel like courage… it felt as if I had no choice.”’
Graphic: Blood, Death, Body horror, Misogyny, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts
throwback682's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I think the concept of the plot is really creative, and the author keeps track of a thousand little details of Addie’s curse that could’ve created a thousand plot holes.
At times it was predictable, but not in a way that spoiled my enjoyment.
This book made me want to savor every moment of life and love. It was entertaining but also thought provoking and heart-fire stoking.
Graphic: War, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Addiction, Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gaslighting, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cancer, Classism, and Dementia
sarahbiegelsen's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Torture, Confinement, Suicide attempt, and Death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, War, Alcohol, Blood, and Death of parent
jayknowsit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Violence, Alcoholism, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Drug use, War, Blood, and Cancer
raelinton's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: War, Blood, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
amre23's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Self harm, Stalking, Dysphoria, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Rape
Moderate: Grief, Cursing, Suicide, Emotional abuse, War, Sexism, Terminal illness, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Drug abuse
Minor: Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement