Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

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

24 reviews

amre23's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

parfait52's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This book barely has a plot. It is almost entirely a character study that then adds an additional smaller character study later on. If the writing were not as effortless and beautiful as it is, I probably wouldn't have finished this book. It was kind of tedious to read through over 400 pages of exposition and flashbacks and ponderings. The plot points that do exist are all very predictable and played out, so there wasn't really anything there to tantalize or excite. And I also can't exactly tell if this banal disappointment betrayed the book's themes or exemplified them. The characters were all fairly interesting and likeable and real (within the setting), with Henry being a personal highlight for me.

If you enjoy reading gorgeous, languid writing that feels almost burdensome at times, with some insightful peeks into the mind of an unfortunate soul, this is the book for you. If you enjoy a clear plot with characters that are revealed through actions instead of long ramblings, this is not the book for you. Ultimately, I am glad that I read this book but I probably wouldn't want to do it again. Kind of like life itself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol, Drug use, War, Death, Abandonment, and Stalking

Minor: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Confinement, and Cursing

marissasa's review against another edition

mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I loved the start and central premise of this book - a woman's desperate plea to the gods in search of freedom from a life where she would belong to someone else is only answered by a devil in the dark, and she accepts a deal as her only way out. She receives immortality, for the price of her soul and the catch that no one will ever be able to remember her and she cannot leave her own mark on the world. However, the rest of the book that followed was lackluster to me. V.E. Schwab writes beautifully with rich descriptions and atmosphere, but the plot ached along so slowly and I never found Addie compelling or interesting enough to root for her. She had her clever moments, but that's a bare minimum trait for any person who lived for 3 centuries and remembered and learned from every day of it. I didn't find Henry super compelling either and didn't enjoy them as a couple since the only reason they liked each other was because he was the only one who remembered her, and she was the only one who wasn't already affected by his deal to be loved. The best character in the story was Luc, and we didn't get to see much of him until the last 10% of the book when the plot really picked up. Although I liked the beginning and the ending, the story overall left me wanting more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Violence, Mental illness, Cursing, Suicide attempt, War, Alcohol, and Confinement

decie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: War

Minor: Death of parent and Confinement

sefab764's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

I think this was a great concept and overall it was an entertaining read. It did drag in some places but Adeline's passion for art and the cruel realities she experiences gave lots of emotional depth that pulled at my heartstrings. It glossed over some details I felt should've been explored more over what was brought to the forefront but I read it in one day and would revisit it, perhaps for an anniversary ;) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism

Minor: Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Grief

laurendenton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, and Sexual content

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and War

Minor: Blood, Biphobia, Confinement, Gun violence, and Pregnancy

emilyf333's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

alyssasaurus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? No

5.0

I’d give it 5,000 stars if I could. This is a perfect book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, War, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Blood

rosefl's review against another edition

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,

Spoiler

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.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, War, Confinement, Sexism, and Blood

ashleybakerwrites's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Easy 5 star. Addie LaRue is the book I've wanted to read in New adulthood. I'm 25, and there is something so enchanting about this story. All the way down to the 4th wall breaking at the end. If I could remeet Addie every day I definitely would. Great read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, Confinement, Addiction, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Sexism, Rape, Abandonment, War, Violence, and Stalking