The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

I'm not sure how much of my joy in this was caused by Julia Whelan reading the story so wonderfully, but the story itself was also great. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is very creative fantasy and parts of the ending definitely made me cry. Yes, I agree with JFernly@bookwyrm.social about Addie's character arc being stagnant and a slightly different ending for her could have been more fitting. Additionally, in the middle the whole story felt a little stagnant as well, and I was getting impatient to get to see how it ends. Overall I loved the book, though, and I'm contemplating getting a copy to read as well, so I'm still.giving five stars.

I picked this book up because it is so popular and gets so many rave reviews, and I was somewhat disappointed. I enjoyed the book, it is sweet and melancholy. But it was also unnecessary long, often slow, the character development wasn't particularly deep or nuanced, and the writing didn't strike me as particularly brilliant.

I don't regret reading it, but I don't get what all the hype is about.

I have not fallen in love this quickly and completely with a book in a good long while. I knew from the first few chapters that I was going to tear through it because I was immediately enchanted by Addie and the intricacies of the way she moved in the world. This was my first time reading Schwab's work and it definitely won't be my last. Her writing is eloquent and so full of brilliant thoughts and ideas. What a treasure this was to experience.