Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

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

91 reviews

boba_n_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. 

I love the personification of the devil through Luc and the Faustian bargains that took place. It was incredibly interesting and showed a lot of history. 

That being said, it took me quite a while to get into the story. It wasn't until maybe the last 50% of the book that I really got invested in the characters and their fates. It just felt TOO slow-moving sometimes, focusing on one century over the other, and rushed in others. 

I enjoyed the banter between Luc and Addie and their characters, but Henry is the one character I felt was well developed since we got to see his life played. With Henry, the reader gets a peek behind the curtain at his motivations while Addie's true motivations aren't revealed until the very end. I guess that just adds to the enigma that is Addie LaRue. 

Overall, I did enjoy this novel and will be thinking about the plot for a while. It's one I need to delve into and could definitely reread at some point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: War and Cursing

thereadinghammock's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I didn't quite know what to expect when I dove into this book finally. I was surprised, curious, intrigued, satisfied, and wanting more at every stage. I loved Addie's resourcefulness and tenacity, but was frustrated by her hubris and how it took her so long to learn how fickle Luc's moods and inclination to kindness could be. I was nervous for Henry almost every step of the way. I was so afraid Henry WAS Luc or some kind of specific obstacle put in Addie's path to cause her to misstep on her deal. 

Spoiler

While I should have seen it coming, and eventually I did, Luc falling in love with Addie still managed to surprise me. I think the vehemence that Luc fell for her was what managed to surprise me. I thought he would fall in and out of love with her, or once he finally had her, he would quickly grow tired of her. But he didn't. Once he finally had her, he wanted her more. Wanted to keep her for himself. A Persephone to his Hades. And Addie only saw the betrayal of it; the malicious intent behind his actions, to lure her into a false sense of security and make her give up her soul to him before she was ready. 

When I realized that this book was supposed to be a version of Henry's book, telling Addie's story, I loved that plot device. Subtle and witty. I legitimately cried when Addie read Henry's dedication to her in the finished novel, "I remember you." My heart broke and mended and grew and ached for them all at once. It was truly beautiful. And I love that it was perfectly paired with Addie's renegotiation with Luc at the end. She played his game of semantics with aplomb and I'm so proud of her. And Schwab kept us on that string until the very last sentence.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death, and Toxic relationship

marsmonny's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, War, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

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

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

Minor: Death of parent and War

msradiosilence's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Addiction, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Classism, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Biphobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and War

Minor: Kidnapping, Stalking, Cancer, Confinement, Rape, and Religious bigotry

halliot's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

chasingpages1's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

ericius's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.75

a bit too long, somewhat slow to read and a bit sad, but i forgive it because it was an emotional journey it made me cry and smile and i loved it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders

throwback682's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense

• 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 was so scared to finish this book. I almost quit because I couldn’t bear the idea of the sad ending I imagined.

Spoiler

I’m so glad that I stuck it out. The ending wasn’t what I expected at all (although some might see through it more easily) and it wasn’t happy but it was very satisfying. Henry’s last pages had me near tears.

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.

Spoiler

I knew almost right away that Henry had also made a deal, but there were plenty of details I didn’t foresee, too.

This book made me  want to savor every moment of life and love. It was entertaining but also thought provoking and heart-fire stoking. 

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Content Warnings

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

booksandteatime's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt