Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

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

44 reviews

jocelynec's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

I found the first half of the book incredibly boring, slow and sometimes repetitive. I had to force myself to keep reading bc the overall concept of the book was intriguing and I had to know how it ended. The second half of the book i actually enjoyed. I cried and felt things along with the characters. For the first half of the book, 2.75; for the second half of the book, 4. I know this is Addie’s story but would’ve liked more background on Luc. Although, that could probably be it’s own book. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: War, Suicide attempt, Death, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

moonchild_cos's review

emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Grief, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Death of parent and War

saricostanzo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-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: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

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

avie_j's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Misogyny and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, War, and Sexism

lizcastner's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, War, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexual content

the_books_music_life's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

The invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a love letter to/for artists of every kind. This book holds so much in it’s pages, not just a story of a girl who made a deal; but of grief, guilt, stubbornness, love and loss, power dynamics and struggles of everyday life.

Addie LaRue might be one of my favorite characters ever written. She is stubborn, wise, loves with her whole heart and tries to make the best out of bad situations and has grown stronger because of it. She makes mistakes but she shows growth from those mistakes, she takes responsibility for them and while she may regret them she doesn’t wallow in the unfairness of it all.

The prose in The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is so incredibly beautiful and the many, many, many quotes I’ve tagged in this book that made me feel something or made me think could fill up a whole other book.

Every character -no matter if it’s a main character, a side character, or a character we meet once- is written like a real person. They have wants, needs, problems, passions and you hardly ever see that in a book. Especially one that spans over so much time as Addie’s story does.

I don't think I have the words to express my thoughts on this book, not really. This book touched something in me and broke something in me; if my 10 minute cry fest at the end of the book says anything.

I will admit I’ve restarted this book 3 times, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the story itself, I’ve just been getting over a reading slump and I still have my moments where I don’t read for a bit and I forget and have to start over. Which I honestly don’t mind because I really love what I’ve read (3 times so far 😂) so far. 

I love the narrator of the audiobook, she does a wonderful job and the fact she can speak and can do a french accent is perfect. (I don’t know if the narrator is in fact French or not)

Overall I would recommend this book a million times over and it deserves all the awards in my opinion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Addiction, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Cursing, Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, War, Self harm, Violence, Mental illness, and Biphobia

minor prostitution, attempted rape,

elwan_enchanted's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Suicide, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Sexual violence

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Gaslighting, Suicide, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Sexual content, Blood, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, and War

Minor: Pregnancy, Child death, Biphobia, and Cancer

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