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

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.75

This is my first V.E. Schwab book and a lot different from what I usually read but I ended up loving it. 

Addie is a really free spirited girl who was facing a very restrictive future and made a very difficult choice -- one she didn't fully understand -- in order to live the life she wanted. I don't think this is a romance novel but romance, love, and human connection becomes core concerns after Addie's curse takes hold; it was really easy to connect and empathize with Addie both for her decisions and for her struggles. I liked all the other characters as well; Luc and Henry were really the only other two that mattered, and I found interesting aspects to both (especially Luc, although we never get a perspective from him) that made reading about them enjoyable.

I think there's a lot of similarities here with fairy tales and folk tales of the older variety, with a lot of tropes that aren't super unique; in that way this feels a little forgettable (ironically) as a story. After finishing, I'm surprised that it didn't make as big of an emotional impact on me as I thought it would. 

Really great. Definitely a story I'd recommend to friends