A review by rosefl
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.75

I absolutely adored this book. I'm not usually one for books where characters reflect on their lives (or so I thought), but I loved reading about how Addie fluctuated between wanting to leave a mark on the world, to just wanting to be remembered by one lover. This book does a great job at glossing over what a curse to live but not be remembered might actually be like. Learning the intricacies of one's curse, and finding loopholes, no matter how small. However, I am a bit disappointed that we didn't get more of Addie's story.

I want to know about each of her seven lovers, and how long she spent with them, and what they meant to her. I want to know more about her time with Luc,
in New Orleans and at the end of the book. If she ever learns how to break her curse. How Luc is more careful with the curses/wishes he grants. Did Luc actually feel more than desire for her during their time in New Orleans
. I know a lot of these musings are vaguely answered in the book, but I enjoyed being immersed in the world of Addie LaRue and would like something a bit more concrete. Or maybe I just want more of this universe that could be so carefully tucked within our reality.

I do like how Schwab approaches the topics of grief, family loss, and "invisibility." It reminds me of the idea that grief comes and goes, and that we learn to live with it in our lives rather than grieve and move on. It is something that I've learned to process myself, and comforting to know that it's not a terrible way to approach these things. 

This is a great read for those who loved The SevenHusbands of Evelyn Hugo, it just has a touch of magic.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings