The Invisible Life Of Addie Larue - REVIEW
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- My review of Victoria Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie Larue!
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Ordered the book once I saw your Tweet. Can't wait.
Cool intro bro. I'm not the biggest Schwab fan, but this book does sound intriguing so might check it out some time. Also, check out The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton when you can. It's pretty great. I haven't seen a lot of booktubers talk about it, and I'm trying to get people to read it, lol. Hence why I'm replying to your pinned comment :)
I listened to the audiobook and they pronounced it like "Luke" by the way. 😊 Not sure how it's spelled in the text.
Just finished...I LOVED IT SOOOO MUCH...it’s definitely not my normal read but I trusted your review...SO WORTH IT.
I know im randomly asking but does anyone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..?
I stupidly lost my password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me
We readers are a strange people - we consider post-book depression to be a GOOD feeling, something we actually seek, and is the highest praise you can give a book.
YES YES YES THIS
Book hangovers. I am a handful of chapters in and already am just dreading it being over.
I have 40 pages left and I am so afraid to finish it
THIS!
I finished the book at work yesterday and my pain made my colleagues want to read it... 😂
I really liked the last chapter. I thought it turned the book from the story about Addie and Henry to the story about Addie and Luc, which to me is the more interesting and complex relationship.
great point of view, i haven't thought of that!! in my opinion i also found this scene pretty boring but reconsidering it, since my favorite character was luc i agree
Yeah, I too enjoyed it. And somehow I really needed that reassurance that Addie has not given in although I already knew it.
THIS! The entire time I was reading I kept wishing for a book of this size solely based on the intricacies of Luc's story and his subsequent relationship with Addie.
I’m about 60 pages into this book and I’m so impressed with the writing style
The prose is just so beautiful. It’s so nice to read a book with pretty language and writing sometimes.
I always call it literary cheesecake, where the language is so rich and decadent it’s like a mouthful of the best cheesecake ever.
I agree with you . I just loved the writing style. The audiobook it's also so beautiful and poetic.
I dont know why but i thought it was better in the first 100 pages
@@RelaxxationStation yeah, I think it had to do with luc and addie being much more interesting characters than henry was, that is just my opinion though
Daniel: I'm a typical dude.
Also Daniel: the intro.
are you saying that typical dudes don't do that? how dare you, as a toxic masculine man, I can say I also jam out without knowing the lyrics
As a toxic male I assure you with one hundred percent sincerity, that the only time I ever jam out to a song is when I don't know the lyrics.
@@Elijah_Gillard But have you ever done it while adding your own self-aware lyrics, filming yourself (but still standing to the side and looking away), hunching over a table, AND wearing a Dick the Birthday Boy shirt? If not, I'm afraid you haven't reached the level of masculinity Daniel has.
@@caterpillar1936 Daniel isn't like other disheveled goblins hosts.
The world would be a far better place if a typical dude was like Daniel
I had speculated that Henry had been placed in Addie's life to show her what true love was, and how painful it is to eventually lose it. I thought that perhaps then, she would tell Luc that she had truly lived and was ready to die, because she got to experience that love and then true loss - but how it actually ended / turned out was totally opposite lol. I'm kind of okay with this. I like that she turned out having a different drive in the end - a different purpose other than just loving a mortal boy.
“We’re back in like 1840 and you’re speakin’ like a rapscallion today.”
I appreciate Daniel criticizing anachronistic dialogue while simultaneously thinking rapscallion is a real 2020 “fellow kids” word!
I found this hilarious as well 😂
I think the issue with the book is the characters. Addie never felt like much of a person, she was so empty and so much of her character depended on how memorable her face was but I could never understand what it was about her that made artists through history want to think of her. Luc was also so empty, never did I feel like there was any link between Addie and Luc and I think the biggest issue with the ending reveals that Luc really was into Addie and wasn’t just playing a game with her. It again made it so hard to feel like it was real. Addie also had instances of I’m not like other girls which is such an immediate deal breaker to me. I also felt like the side characters were terribly written, they were cardboard cutouts of people and it felt like they could’ve been just cut from the story. I think the longer I spend away from it the more I appreciate Henry and the dynamic his perspective brings because it helps balance out the aspects of the book that don’t really give me much
(Spoilers ahead) I thought Addie was a compelling character. I'm genuinely curious, what do you think the "I'm not like other girls" instances were? I can't think of anything outside of her human life, which I think makes sense because it's less "not like other girls" and more like, "I don't want to be what all girls are expected to be in this very patriarchal small town in the 1600s." I also don't think that the ending meant to say that Luc was really in love with Addie, just that he thought he was because he was mistaking possession for love. He and Addie argue about this a bit. I think their dynamic makes a lot more sense if you look at it as an emotionally abusive relationship.
Luc never loved her lol the point of the book is that abusers will possess you and then call it love
I agree with this! I felt like Luc was a real missed opportunity, and I felt like Schwab hinted earlier that he had true feelings (in the fight in New Orleans, there is a moment when he looks hurt and confused by Addie's accusations that he's just playing with her), and I expected this to come back. I also felt like the relationship with Henry was a bit odd, because there's a moment when Addie says she loves him, but inside she says she wants it to be true, which implies that it's not. Then, later that night when Luc shows up (I went back through the book to nitpick, and it was the exact same day!), suddenly she starts talking about Henry as if he was the love of her life, but if that was the case then why the hesitation earlier, and why wasn't there any transition? Anyway, this is my long, ramble-y way of saying I felt like this book didn't reach its potential.
@@austinm8334 I’m not so sure about that. I think it’s an aspect, but I do think he loves her in his own fucked up way. She’s the only human he gave immortality to. They’re each other’s only romantic option. They say it many times that they’re meant for each other
@@matilda6851 I just know he was written as an allegory for depression. So when he said certain things (“I’m the only one who will ever truly know you”) or (“I’m the only one you’ll ever belong to”) and that kinda shit it was basically just depression personalized so for me I hate the interpretation that they are each other’s only romantic option but to each their own
I pronounce it as “Luke” but with a slightly shortened K sound because it is the French pronunciation (ie Jean Luc Picard)
Same!
I listened to the audiobook and it was pronounced Luke. :)
I just finished this last night and sat there in the cold grasp of post book depression for a good while. I’m glad you enjoyed it! I want to offer my take on a couple of your criticisms.
The modern dialogue in flashbacks made sense to me. Not just for pacing, but because I view it as a translation, like you’re viewing Addie’s memories through her thoughts. She would have been speaking French (and other languages) anyway, so it would have been weirder to me to turn that into old-timey Englishspeak than just have it be congruent with her modern voice.
And while I see your point about that last scene of the book, I personally loved it, because it cemented what I feel is the most emotionally striking point of this book.
SPOILER
Addie’s story is probably familiar to a lot of women. Raised in a home where you are told to be less of everything that you are, and more of everything you don’t want to be, wishing all the while for freedom. You might meet a person who appears to grant you that, only to find that they don’t care about your freedom, they just want to be the one who holds the reins.
This is a story of abuse; Luc cut Addie off from the entire world so he could be her whole world. I didn’t read the last scene as a sort of revenge promise, but rather as a beacon of hope for anyone who sees themselves in this part of Addie’s story. It’s a reminder that you are not invisible, and you will be free.
I appreciated Schwab’s choice to leave the last scene in despite knowing that a lot of people would disagree, because stories like this are sometimes prone to romanticization. And I think that’s what you mean by the hand holding comment, but emotionally, it just hit differently for me. It is a reminder that this is not a love story, it’s Addie’s story.
Yeah I also have the “I wanna feel things” book category. Most people separate books by genres or categories. My shelf starts out that way and then ends on an eclectic collection of books that I labeled the “made me cry obnoxiously”. Even have a warning label on that shelf for books will bring extra feels
I'm curious, what fantasy novels feature on this list because i so badly wanna read something that gives me a whole lotta feels
@@a.a5589 same
@@a.a5589 Yeah I would be interested in that list to ;)
Haha wow this sorta blew up. Okay so quick rundown of the fantasy books in that eclectic bunch and just ones that made me cry in general and a quick reason why it made me cry (it’s not just fantasy but I’ll limit it to that):
Invisible Life of Addie Larue- latest addition and totally worth it
The Tawny Man Trilogy and Fitz and the Fool Trilogy- no spoilers but people who have read them will understand why
Deathly Hallows- taking out any opinions on JK Rowling as a person the Potter series is what got me into reading and to just have an aspect of my life come to an “end” plus the walk in the Forbidden forest talking to his parents and loved ones was heart wrenching
The Book Thief- some might not consider it fantasy but it’s literally narrated by Death so it qualifies as a subcategory. set in WW2 so prepare yourselves for that
His Dark Materials- another childhood favorite that caused the flood works and built a love of reading
The Dragon Rider- childhood favorite again, probably the most “basic” out of all the books here but the ending made me tear up a bit back then for whatever reason
Hopefully there’s something here you can enjoy it might be pretty basic though on a fantasy side haha
@@Topher0523 wooahh thank you so much for this! 🤍
We appreciate it!
I can see why the ending of ‘The Dragon Rider’ made you tear up. It’s like you’re saying goodbye to that world and it’s the end of a journey. It’s sad 😭.
Wait... you haven’t read vicious? You should definitely get on that.
I ordered a special edition and it got delayed. Ah you're killing me, I want to read it so bad!
You are still lucky. As a German i have to wait till May, to get my copy of the book. :(
That is always the worst feeling, when Daniel puts out a review of such an amazing sounding book, and when I want to buy it, I find out that it isn't even released here
@@user-kt7kj8cj2q I'm also in Germany and I got this book for Christmas...?
I finished it yesterday and this, I’m sure, is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. Some of the scenes, especially Henry’s, I felt like as if I was looking into a mirror in the sense that I saw my own emotions and thoughts about life reflected back at me. I haven’t thought about the ending that much but I do agree with your suggestion since it is already quite clear - I think - that Addie will never give in.
I loved Vicious by her. It’s like a low key X-men meets the Boys.
I haven't read it but there's a second book called Vengeful
That’s the best description of this book haha
Spoiler!
I also thought the book should have ended with “I remember you”
Same!! That would've been much better! But I like it nonetheless :)
Seee it’s interesting you say that, I actually wanted it to go farther set like 10 years later when she finally broke the deal with the devil and it ends with her walking into the bookstore. I’m biased tho cause I freaking loved her and Henry
Now that its been said, i think yeah, “i remember you” would have been an amazing way to end it, but i do want the final part to be in the book. So perhaps if there was a way to have the final addie and luc scene, but also end the whole story with “i remember u” then it wouldve been perfect
Daniel intros = *mwah* chefs kiss
I really feel like you didn’t 100% get the ending. She basically says that she changed the contract details between herself and Luc (a deal created to save Henry) because she understood how short of an attention span and how mercurial Luc was. Addie knew that eventually she would piss Luc off and he would no longer want to be with her, which would eventually allow her to gain freedom from him, due to the changes to the contract between them.
It was never “revenge”, but rather she had watched him methodically and came to understand him in a way that he could never understand her. She saw an opening and was using that vulnerability to gain her freedom.
I am still confused a bit on the freedom part since I last read the book. When luc decides that he doesn't want to have her around anymore, does that mean that she will be freed of him only, or does that include the whole remembering thing? Will people be able to remember her again?
@@fatimahg.6068”@@fatimahg.6068” If her soul is not his anymore, the “curse” will be lifted.
Exactly..you have precisely surmised the ending.. dialogue..
Actually I like it... If she had ended with Henry..this would have made story a simplton love story..she was never hungry for love ..she was hungry for untethered exploration... Love was part of human life not the end game... She herself admitted that she is no longer a normal human..that is why she made peace with the longing and love...
And I liked the ending more..coz if she had ended with Henry..than the curse would have to undo everything she suffered ... People around Henry does not about about her....Henry and Addie can not be together coz if one' s life starts making sense ,other's will stop.. then Addie would have to unlearn things ...she was constant..timeless but Henry wasn't.
So glad you liked this book! Another Schwab book i would recommend is Vicious, which I feel was her best work until Addie LaRue
I love the idea of the post book depression I’ve never been able to explain that before and that encapsulates it perfectly especially with this book
"OH, HEY HI WHO ARE YOU NICE TO MEET YOU"
~Daniel,2020
I read this book the day it came out and I still have post-book depression. Considering re-reading it again because I can't seem to get it off my mind, and every book I've had on my TBR seems extremely unappealing right now in comparison.
Same. I tried reading another book 2 days after finishing this but I just can't.
Same! I'm definitely going to reread it before end of the year. Loved it the first time around and I think I'll love it even more the second time.
Have you read A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik? It wont give you the same heartcrushing pain that The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue did, but it might help take your mind off this book.
@@cadencev5572 I have not but I will check it out. Thank you for the recommendation! I still haven't started another book yet honestly so thank you.
Dude the intro roflol what the heck
I feel like if they cut the last chapter it would have been that much more awesome. As sucky as cliff hangers are I think this one would have been acceptable because it would give that feel that Henry doesn’t know how her story ends and neither do we as readers. Also, the book kind of gave me the vibe that this was Henry’s published book. Obviously it’s not but it sounds like it could be all of Addies stories published, if that makes sense. Anyways I think it would have been so cool to just end it with the books dedication “ I remember you” and then leave it at that, because no one knows where she is now and what happened to her. I love this so much though 5/5
*SPOILERS*
I absolutely loved this book. It poses many philosophical questions about what existence really is and what it means to be human. Addie is able to physically experience living, but is human interaction what truly creates a life? That is the idea this book proposes. Does life lose meaning if you can’t share it with anyone else? Or if you can’t leave a single mark… A mark that, by nature, is meant for others?
There are positives with Addie’s curse, too. She can essentially go back in time and rewrite whatever she wants. Situations are not permanent. She can manipulate them as she pleases. She gets an endless amount of tries with a person until the outcome is what she was looking for. This ties her curse in with Henry’s in that essentially it is also creating a perception of perfection.
His curse also brings about provoking ideas. Does one have a purpose if everybody thinks you are unconditionally perfect? On the surface, being loved and/or wanted by every single person you meet sounds idyllic. But once we start to experience what that’s like through Henrys’ story, we realize how much of us it erases. It takes away conflict, faults, drive, and purpose. It reminds us that being human is supposed to be messy and imperfect. Otherwise it lacks so much substance.
There were some faults in this book. The exact boundaries of the curses and Gods could definitely be scrutinized, but I agree that that takes away the fun. The side characters were a little bleh. And Addie’s relationship with Luc, though well-rounded, did get repetetive and annoying sometimes. But overall I thoroughly it! Thought provoking, heart wrenching, and gorgeously composed!
Loved your review, could you do a more in-depth spoiler-filled one? I absolutely loved this book, and the audio was amazing. The first audiobook I have ever listened to. It was perfect, it had a simplicity to it I really appreciated while also being very complex. The curse was complex. This book has me wondering if there are Addy's among us and we just have no clue...because how could we?
Read Vicious It’s my favorite Schwab and I loved it. It is kind of like X-men we follow professor and Magneto and their group it’s so good ❤️I didn’t like this one much but happy you liked it 🙈❤️
I appreciate not nitpicking and engaging with the book in good faith. I wasn’t actually interested in the book after seeing so many lukewarm/negative reviews on booktube but mayhaps I will reconsider. It sounds a lot more intriguing than people were giving it credit for
People having a different opinion is bad faith? I don’t follow.
@@Mrbluefire95 Not necessarily, but I do think nitpicking certain aspects for the sake of having something negative to say is bad faith. Having different opinions is totally fine. I hope that distinction makes sense :)
@@r1ddhima All I’m saying is that the most common criticism I see right now is characterization, and that’s far from a nitpick, honestly.
@@Mrbluefire95 pussification of youth, can't help it
I just finished it yesterday and I really enjoyed it as well.
This book made me feel all types of feels and the message behind the story was so inspiring and real that I know I'm never going to look at life the same way again lol
This book has been haunting me. I loved your review. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on it.
Heyyy ummm, since you mentioned it. Could you, eventually, just maybe, make a Video about your "I want to read it some nights where I want to feel things"- list? That would be awesome (, just like you aaand this review). Thank you for your attention, bye. ;)
I cried reading this book, causing ripples in the river is something that no one can erase or forget. The Earth remembers your foot in the Sand and your life will be felt for all time to come. There are different types of memory and more than humans to live for. As a person who never feels Seen and extremely solitary in nature this book really touched me. Live for breath and moment and the caress of the sun. Live for the smell of grass and the turn of a page. Even if no being remembers you it doesn’t mean you are alone or that your life has no meaning. Ideas are stronger and wilder than memories. We are the whispers and the feeling you cannot describe.
I am soooooo conflicted about this book!!!!! Because I agree with literally everything you said about this book... and yet still finished reading it feeling unsatisfied. I think a huge part has to do with the way that it ended though, because it really hit when you said what you said at the end of this video! ****SPOILERS AHEAD SPOILERS AHEAD****
I feel like it got twisted into a revenge tale at the end and it made me feel like Henry was just another one of her flings that turned into an inspired art project rather than someone who was truly important to her. Like she wasn't concerned about Henry at all whatsoever she was just excited to plot some revenge lmao I have no idea, but it totally pissed me off! Other than that though the book was sooooooo beautifully written and UGH I was just so mad at how it ended. Endings can really make or break a book for me sometimes!
Maybe Addie was almost trying to convince herself that she didn’t know if she loved Henry since she knows how patient the devil is and how long it could take to finally break the curse so she has no idea when she’ll see Henry again?
But also....."SPOILERS"-KIND OF maybe Luc wasn't wrong....she really doesn't belong anymore, she isn't human at this point. Perhaps this book was never supposed to be about the idea of a perfect romance with Henry. But actually the toxic Romance between Addie and Luc.
@@KidCodybro That is definitely something that I have thought about as well!!!! It definitely can be interpreted as a toxic relationship and if that's more what she was going for I do like that outlook on it! I heard that a lot of people liked this more after listening to Victoria Schwab elaborate on it a little bit more so I'm curious if I should try to do that and see if it changes my thoughts a bit!!
Hahah I pretend the England bit wasn't a part of the book. Like a part they forgot to remove in edits 😂
The best part of the book is its writing, loved how magical it felt
Wait...Schwab wrote a book on me?
😰It’s true I was voted most forgettable in school yearbook
That's a superlative, wow that is really mean. I'm sure you're a lovely person.
Trust me if you got voted into the yearbook there’s definitely someone who’s more forgettable than you out there.
@Ali Turk now that is sad
That’s so cruel :( I’m sorry that happened, I’m sure you have a lovely smile, or pretty eyes, or something striking about you that stays with people even when they don’t realize it.
@@starkillerthatoneguy6128 I never looked at it that way
Who r u by the way?
this is a great review and made me want to check out the book then come back for the spoiler part, but also my mom was watching the review with me and kept comenting that you're a very handsome young man and how much she likes your hair so I thought I'd let you know
I think you would love Vicious by her, it is an excellent character study on how to write anti-hero/villain main characters + it has people that gain superpowers through an interesting twist
I have to say I am so happy that I am not the only one that felt that they should have ended what's the last line I remember you. The last part felt pretty weak to me. But I absolutely love story. I read the words to myself slowly every time so I can immerse myself in the book. Very impressive review thank you!
I do see what you mean about the final scene - it was obvious that Addie wasn't one to give up throughout the novel even though she had her stumbling moments. If that scene was cut I would've found it to be much stronger!
Personally, I had a bit of a middling take on Addie, but I really really did love the discussion of how literature and muses intertwine throughout history. That was something I really really enjoyed! Loved all the points you made though :D
I really appreciated your comment about how we’re readers here, we like to have fun reading! I have a few book reviewers I like to listen to but sometimes it seems like people hate just to hate and nitpick just to nitpick. I tend to stay off of good reads as well for this reason. Why can’t we appreciate a good book for being a good book? One review harped on the lack of Addie’s growth as a character, to which I thought, why not? I wasn’t expecting a perfect character and stories are often more interesting with a flawed character. Anyways, enough of my rambling. Thank you for this video and your honest review.
Great to hear a guy's perspective as well! Typically emotions just hit differently, so this definitely gives me a bit more hope that I can relate with this book!
Thanks for the review. I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed the book. It's one of this year's favourites for me. I loved the ending as it was because it underscored Addie's agency and for me the most interesting relationship in the book was Addie and Luc's. So it felt natural that they were the last thing we saw. Sorrow of parting vs hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.... rather the latter.
Hi! I've seen that some channels use amazon affiliate links that take you to your country's amazon website, and I find it super useful as a way of supporting since not everything on the US website can be delivered wolrdwide! (just thought I'd suggest it)
I would love to read a deliciously dark version of this book. Wish it had delved into the details of her changing/maturing personality and mental state as she progresses to become more independent within the confines of the curse and therefore her failures and successes when interacting with humans. Also more metaphysical bedroom chat with Luc.
I totally agree with your statements. In my review, I said that it is a truly unique story with a compelling lead character. I just found myself not attached at all to the second lead character introduced 25% of the way into the book.
Great review, Daniel!
I agree the other lead did not land, and Addie never felt like a wise 300 year old either. She felt like a twenty something. The flashbacks weren’t a hit for me because they didn’t really capture the essence of the periods.
Addie was compelling? Wtf? Bro name a single character flaw she has LMAO
Yesssss been waiting for this one 😍
As someone who's taken 8 years of french, I'm pretty sure "Luc" is pronounced the same as "Luke" 😊
It isn't. There's s slight but real difference.
I'm french.
Almost.... but not quite
@@ChristmasLore that's fair, but to someone who doesn't speak French the difference is small. I'm Flemish btw
@@Okapeep , actually, it isn't that small, cause that vowel is like the main thing in the name, so if you get it wrong...
Hi fellow European 🎋
@@ChristmasLore it's all in the way you pronounce things, I bet it would sound really weird if Daniel said 'Luc' with a proper french accent. 'Luke' is just easier to pronounce in english
Great review! I agree with your thoughts about the last scene. The story is beautiful without it and it downgrades her "sacrifce"
I meant it cheapens her sacrifice, not downgrade^.^
Really like that graph at the end! Nice visual to see the individual ratings for pacing, tone, etc.
so i just finished it. i started about a month ago but it took me a while because i didnt want it to end. I fell in love with the book and Addie as soon as i read the first line. I became so attached to her and i loved all of the flashbacks and i got sucked into her world as if i were there with her. I personally didnt love (i liked him) henry, i mean he was nice and it was cute that he remembered her but after all that was just the curse too. i just liked the dynamic between her and luc better. He even said so “even if everyone would remember, i’d still know you best” and thats the truth. She did love him at one point and I wish she’d come to realize that as long as she’s cursed she’ll have to live with him and he’s the one for her. I reaaaaaally did not like the whole “henry wrote the book” thing. Idk it takes the magic of the actual book away for me. I really expected i’d cry at the end but i didnt. I do feel empty though because it definitely is my favorite book ever. Theres just a few things near the end that i wish had ended differently
So freaking good!!! I LOVED this book. Like it’s a new favorite status. Granted, I don’t nitpick books all that often and just read for enjoyment.
I definitely saw what you were saying about the language in the scenes from the past, but it was also explained in the later chapters, why her voice sounds different. To me, that’s perfectly fine. However, I can see how more critical readers find it a cop out.
My problems with the book are many.
1) The constant flashbacks don't really add much to the story. I would cut a great many of them tbh. They often just repeat things we already know.
2) I am that guy and I am distracted by the plotholes. Do Addie's dates never go to the toilet? Never? I doesn't feel like it was thought through
3) Style. Constant repetition of quite banal things is constant repetition of banal things, beautiful language might be able to cover it up for a while, but at some point you've got to realise that most statements in this book just aren't that deep.
4) Very predictable at many points. The watch? Come on, I saw this coming. At no point was this book able to surprise me.
As a result this book felt very YA and I absolutely mean this as an insult.
I just set this book down and picked up my phone and saw this notification. Perfect timing!!
I agree with you with the ending. If I new better, I would not have read the part of Addie. It would have left it's reader with something more with an open-ended ending rather than a concept/idea that is planted.
Kinda spoileryyyy: I personally liked the last part because of my own projection onto it... I went through a pretty toxic relationship that ended earlier this year after 7 years.. and omg that ending was so satisfying for me lol!! But that’s meeee! I totally see your point tho!
Daniel looks like he has alot to say but evidently holding himself back from screaming.
Same feeling I had in your spoiler section. I was already where I wanted to be and chosen my final emotion...then the shift
I finished the book yesterday. This book make me super sad and anxious because it reflects a lot of the fears I have and I don't like to be reminded of that ;;. But I like it anyway, is beautiful and like u said makes me feel things.
Major props for the RLM shirt.
Shipping to my country takes forever so I haven't received this book yet and the wait is killing me, I'm really glad you liked it! I'll run over that last part with the spoilers when I can
Just finished it...such an incredible book 😭😭 wasn't particularly stoked on the ending as a whole, but loved literally everything else about it. Highly recommended!
"I'm a hardened toxic male." - Daniel Greene, cancelled October 2020.
I read this book based on your review and I really enjoyed it. I'm not an avid reader and I've been in a slump recently. I was surprised how invested I was in continuing this book even though it wasn't the typical adventure, high stake books I usually gravitate toward.
The prose is beautiful, but I like that every sentence is still written with intent and purpose. The writing style alone gave me that overwhelming feel in my chest, but Addie's life, her curse, her grief hit me harder than I thought it would. And I didn't expect to relate to both Addie and Henry so much. I also like that this book made me feel, without making me sad. If that makes sense?
lol Daniel Greene singing in the intro :-)
I just finished this book and the writing style was everthing for me. I found myself re-reading parts of every page, just to taste the brilliant literary prose one more time. THIS is my new all-time favorite book!
So it’s the basically “The Silents” from Doctor Who 😂
tears. just sobbing at the end. and you're right the end is like, hahah! I got something out of this that you don't know... and I'll continue to outsmart you .... but like sobbing over here?
I like your visual graph of how you rated the book by category.
Love this review!!! I’m putting out my reading vlog for this book this weekend. It’s one of my new favorites!!
I literally went and bought this book right after seeing your first tweet about how much you were enjoying it, so I'm really looking forward to starting it now!!
Sounds like Reverse-Memento. Just saw this book in the bookstore and came back to look for reviews, will get it asap.
I have just finished this book, maybe an hour ago, and I think that it's one of my favourite books this year. The concept was something I didn't realise that I've been looking for and I thought the execution was amazing. Personally, I enjoyed the last scene and was glad it was there but completely personal preference. Really enjoyed the review.
Great review. I have to go back and re-read the last chapter now...
Read it, loved it, going to read it again once I have a physical copy. ❤️❤️❤️
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
I sort of agree with you about the last scene. I don´t feel I needed it. Or rather that I needed all of it. I loved the fact Addie saw the book in person, I would not give that bit up. But I agree that the very last conversation with Luc was not necessary. However, I did not see it as future revenge, more like a promise that she has not given up, and will win the game in the end. To me, it wasn´t about her breaking his heart, but to get him to accidentally free her. It´s like the fact that she effectively sacrificed herself for someone else does not mean she is going to lie down and take a life sentence, she´s not done fighting for herself. I could have done without this scene, but at the same time, I am fine with it being a part of the narrative. It kind of mitigated my own post-book depression :)
The worst post book depression I had this year was from Nation, by a parsec. This book was so beautiful and the ending so moving, and then everything multiplies by 10 when you are done and realise this is one less Pratchett book you can read.
Wow I'm really suprised you liked this! I agree with you on a lot of the points, the writing is stunning and the ideas and themes are explored really well in the book but I actually had a problem with the two main characters, who in my opinion completely lacked charisma and somehow I couldn't be invested in their relationship at all. That tends to be my problem with all the Schwab books I've read so maybe it's just me. Unlike you, I actually completely loved the very last scene lol. I blame this book for wanting to read more books with Faustian premise now.
I loved this book so much! But I think I agree with you about that last scene. Otherwise one of my new top favorites.🖤📚
Great review! I felt exactly the same regarding the last scene. This book was a solid 5 ⭐️ for me. The way you describe feeling mind blown afterward for the first time in a long time was exactly how I felt. I thought it would end with a similar semantics discrepancy where she decides to give up her soul, (after having saved Henry) and get off the hamster wheel. How powerful would it have been to see Luke taking her soul as she gave it willingly even though he didn’t want to?
2 seconds into the video.. why did I think you were going to hate on this book haha! I've already ordered The Invisible Life Of Addie Larue and I'm even more excited about it after your glowing review! ^_^
Great review! I have been thinking about picking this one up for a while, since I really like Schwab's books. The only problem I have with her books is that her female characters very often are the "not like other girls" kind of characters, which I really don't vibe with. Can anyone tell me if this is the case with this book as well?
Keep up the great work, Daniel!
Yes
I definitely got that vibe from Darker Shades of Magic. I’m not sure about from Vicious/Vengeful because I feel like Syd wasn’t bad but I can see a little bit of that from Serena
@@elizaearhart4533 I agree, Vicious actually was actually good on that part.
I saw this curse before in Kiss of the Night (Dark-Hunter #4)
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
I absolutely adored this book. Definitely one of my favorites from this year!
Ooof this book ANNIHILATED ME. This is somewhere we disagree, because I liked the last chapter and think without it the book would have left too much to the imagination (I can't say here, but I think it leaves enough about the central relationships and their future ambiguous enough to satisfy me, personally, but I do agree that the tonal shift felt a little weird to me) and the ending would have felt way way way too bleak for me, but when I realized how the story was being presented and what that meant for its characters, I literally stopped, closed the book, pressed it to my chest, and just SOBBED. And then finished, obv. Ugh. Just a triumph. So clearly written by a gifted writer who is in her prime.
I haven't watched it (except skipping forward to what your overall score is for the book) because I am currently listening to it thanks to Audible. I've finished part 1 of the book and damn it's so good so far. I can't wait to continue. And I also started "To sleep in a sea of stars" after putting it on my TBR after you put out your review and your interview with Christopher Paolini and that's also such a page turner. I feel spoiled.
I had the exact same feeling when I finished it. It felt like such a personal story to be it’s become my new favourite and that’s not something that happens often. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! I don’t think it’ll be for everyone but I do think it’s a gorgeous story that a lot of people will fall in love with
I just finished it an hour ago and it was only the second book of hers that I've read but is easily one of my favorite reads of this year. It felt like a really magical book and I found myself as well relating the one of the characters a lot more than I thought I would. Definitely will be recommending this to people
I totally get what you are saying here. I never thought I could see existential dread so honestly and beautifully explained.
Just finished. What an incredible read. Very strange though... we had a meeting today with someone from a different branch and I had to double take when he came. He looked exactly like luc is described. My spidey senses and gut are telling me something
Does anyone speculate that Estelle is Addie as an old woman placed back in her original time after she’s free of her new deal? I like to imagine that Luc, got it, she outsmarted him and as a sign of admiration sent her back in time. To die among the people she loved, even if they didn’t know who she really was underneath the old age. She tries to warn her younger self but fails.
The concept sounds pretty similar to The Silence from Doctor Who, and to several SCPs. Still a neat idea though, worth writing a proper book about.
Hi there Daniel. I have only listened to 2 of her books, which are This Savage Song, which I found to be forgettable, and A Darker Shade of Magic, which every time I started listening to the audio book, the narrator made me fall asleep. So, I have not found a book by her that stuck with me. I did want to let you know, that I have just finished listening to the Shadow Rising and I am now a few chapters in the Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan, which I am loving so much. I am also making lots of headway into listening to Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson, which I am loving too.
*SPOILERS*
Yeah I feel like as a stand-alone it should’ve ended with “I remember you.” The way it actually ended feels like there could b a sequel but that’d b hard to do since the story ended in 2016 so there’s only a few years that the sequel could take place in unless it became futuristic..
Ever since I heard of this concept I have been excited to read it and I am jusr getting more excited as reviews come out
I am about 75 pages from finishing this book and 100% agree!!! Such a great book! The feelings that she provokes and the poetic quality of the story....captivating!!! I may just start reading again as soon as I finish.
I agree that the book COULD have ended there, and it would have been great. I must admit that I enjoyed that last bit. Luc showing up and still doubting her strength after all she's managed to cheat out of him: centuries of artwork depicting her (albeit vaguely), and now a "novel" with her name on the cover. He's giving her a "nice trick, but it doesn't matter" speech while she is smirking behind his back. It was cathartic.
I just finished Addie LaRue, and point for point your review was exactly what I thought, even your feelings about the ending scene, but overall just very satisfied and glad to have read it. :)
the relationship between Addie and Luc blows your mind, fascinating
7:48 SAAAAAAAAAME UGH I FELT THE SAME ABOUT THAT PART
Read this recently, I loved it! I had never used the word beautiful to describe a book before. I did like the ending.
My problem with the book:
1. The similies in the book, at some point, gets a little tiresome, and I felt that the author was overcompensating for a lack of plot
2. I will compare this book with, in my opinion, the best character-centric book, Circe; I did not feel that Addie went through any character arc, there was no development in her as a person, and that, to me, was a waste because there was a lot of potential
3. When I read the blurb, I thought it would be a first-person account from a woman's point of view, three hundred years of history, but it was limited to her conversing with Luc. Is it a love story? Yes, I think so. So, in a way, she is invisible because, like Luc said, she did not leave her mark
4. The number of time they mention her freckles, and black curls..