The Invisible LIfe of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
6 October 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V.E. Schwab
My Five word TL:DR Review : A work of pure genius
I have to say I loved this book. It’s an absolute tour de force. On the face of it it isn’t a new concept, in fact it takes an old idea and gives it a life of it’s own. We’ve all read books or watched movies where someone makes a deal with the devil right? So, what makes this book stand out. Well, I suppose it’s the nature of this particular deal – the devil is in the detail after all.
The year is 1714 and Adeline LaRue awaits her marriage with feelings of dread. Addie doesn’t want to marry. She’s lived in the same small village, Villon-sur-Sarthe, all her life. She wants to travel, she wants to see Paris. She doesn’t want to give up her freedom to fit in with others expectations. Instead, she runs into the forest, calling on the Gods to help her, not realising that the sun has slowly set and that the only deities who answer during the darker hours are not the ones you want to strike bargains with. But, the deal is done. In return for her freedom Addie promises to give up her soul when she grows weary of the world. What she doesn’t realise is her new found freedom is absolute. Addie cannot make a mark on the world, people forget her as soon as they look away, she cannot be caught on camera or film, she can’t even write her own name. She is indeed free but at the same time she can make no bonds, she can’t work or earn a living, buy a place to call her own or have a family. Addie is cursed to go through life alone.
What I really loved about this book. Well, firstly, the writing. This book is a joy to read. It took me probably a week to complete it which feels unusually slow, but that was simply a result of my wanting to savour the words. This is polished, it’s confident and it’s absolutely beautiful. On top of this it’s as though you can almost see how the kernel of an idea blossomed into something so lovely. We all have sayings, we bandy them around more than we realise. Be careful what you wish for. The grass is always greener. Live every day as though it was your last (or in Addie’s case as though it was your first). Out of sight out of mind. What if you took one of these and really built upon it, gave it wings and watched it take off. Clearly, I have absolutely no idea where the original idea came from but I love the idea that such a wonderful story could come from such a simple beginning.
Secondly. The main character, Addie. She is just so good to read and it’s just as well because she is the MC and her timeline is split between her humble beginnings and the current day. The two timelines eventually converge but in the meantime half of this reads like a work of historical fiction. There are descriptions of clothes and places, all changing as the years pass, none more so than Addie’s home town which she is consistently drawn back to. Addie witnesses death, the plague, wars, destruction and invention. She is a witness to so much and although she can’t leave her own mark she finds that she can influence others. Addie is a muse. She appears in many paintings, her face usually turned away from the viewer or blurred as though through movement. She has influenced music and art through the course of her 300 years and in spite of living so long, experiencing many difficulties and enduring loneliness, she manages to hold onto an innocence and childlike delight in the most simple things and it’s this that gives her such a special quality and timeless appeal.
In terms of characters. There are of course many ‘small parts’ as the story progresses. People who play a role in Addie’s life but are ultimately doomed to forget her as soon as the sun rises on a new day.
Henry Strauss is a young man who Addie meets in 2014 and who surprises her by remembering her the following day. The two become involved in a beautiful, but at the same time, almost sad, relationship. No matter which way you look at it, things are not going to be easy for any number of reasons.
Then we have Luc, the darkness, or the devil – although he certainly doesn’t refer to himself as such. I’m not going to lie – I really liked this character even though I’m not sure if you’re supposed to like him. He’s manipulative, powerful, full of menace, trickier than the fae, a fleeting thought, as elusive as shadow. He wears a form that he knows is pleasing to Addie and every year he appears to ask for her soul – and every year she refuses to give it to him. This is one of the really amazing ideas. Addie has lived so long that in a strange twist it turns out she has much more in common with Luc than she ever imagined. They are both immortal, both without friends, both lonely and as the years pass, they both look forward to their strange encounters and the battle of wills that has become their routine. Both Addie and Luc enjoy great character growth as the story and their relationship progresses.
The settings. Well, what can I say. This is like an ode to travel. I defy you to read this and not long to visit some of the places described. New York, Paris, Munich, Venice. They’re not overly described but they’re evocative nonetheless. There is theatre, museums, galleries, cafes and secret clubs. Rooftop bars and underground concerts. Another wonder of reading. The ability to escape momentarily to fantastic places whether of this world or not – and this book is brilliant in that respect.
Anyway, I think I’ve probably waxed lyrical enough. If you can’t figure it out for yourselves, then the long and short of it is that I really enjoyed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Rating 5 of 5 stars
Top Ten Tuesday : Autumn Covers
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic :
Book Covers with Autumn/Fall Covers
Easy this – lots and lots of covers – yay:
The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
5 October 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: SA Chakraborty, The Daevabad Trilogy, The Empire of Gold
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Will it all work out?
You’ll just have to read it and find out!
Okay, first things first. Empire of Gold is the third and final instalment in the Daevabad Trilogy. Let me be absolutely clear, this is not a series where you want to jump in mid series and for sure you cannot read The Empire of Gold without having read the first two instalments. This series has plenty of lush worldbuilding, lots of history and plenty of well drawn characters. The inspiration and motivation is palpable and you will miss out on a veritable wealth of goodness if you try to jump on board at this point – well, at best you’ll miss out – at worst you’ll be in a positive world of hurt with absolutely no idea what’s going on. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
So, this isn’t an easy review to write being the final in the series. I seriously don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’m just going to chuck a few random thoughts and feelings around and let them land where they may.
At the end of book 2 I was quite literally gobsmacked. You could have knocked me over with a feather with that ending. I had no idea how this was going to go, in fact I just couldn’t see how the author was going to get out of the hole this one found itself in. But, I think I can safely say this ending managed to blow me away.
Still in Daevaba Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and Dara are trying to recover from the outcome of No.2. They’re trying to rally, magic has vanished although certain parties still have power.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (aka Cairo) Ali and Nairi are also trying to regroup. Both of them are struggling but they mind to find help in an old ally and in fact there is almost a rosy future for them should they choose to take that path. The choices. Stay in Cairo, learn how to make a living as an apothecary, enjoy life, become a couple, live happily ever after, or return to Daevabad and live under the tyrant who is now in control and who has made such despicable choices. Now, let me think? Peace, happiness and love or death and destruction. Well, obviously this would be a much shorter book if they took the easy route wouldn’t it?
Characters. Well, everyone is back in force and then some and I’m pleased to say that the character growth is great. These are such great characters because they’re not simply good or bad. Who is after all? They’ve made mistakes – some of them are very big, huge, bloopers. But, some of them are trying to work through these and make reparations of sorts. Some are bitter. Some are guilty. You get the picture I’m sure.
World building. I loved this world. I love the juxtaposition between the everyday world sitting alongside the magical and mythical Daevabad. The thing is, both have their pluses, both have their minuses and it gives a new meaning ‘to the grass always being greener’ – because maybe it isn’t. You cross over from one to the other and still life goes on. People live, people die, people fight and people love. But, I do love the way this author manages to conjure a sense of place whether you’re in the mundane or the magical.
In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have anything, I think this maybe could have been a bit drawn out in places, but I can’t say that made me hesitant to continue reading and I love the way that one of these storylines could lead to something quite different if the author chose to go in that direction.
Overall, this was a very satisfying ending. If pushed I would say that the middle book was probably my favourite (what middle book syndrome?) but this is an ending that I simply couldn’t foresee.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 out of 5 stars
#SPFBO – My Next Steps
4 October 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #SPFBO - next steps, Andrew Marc Rowe, Benedict Patrick, Calico Thunder Rides Again, Incursion, James Alderdice, Joseph O'Doran, Knightmare Arcanist, Mitchell Hogan, Rachel Neumeier, Shami Stovall, Stacey Trombley, TA Hernandez, The Child of Silence, The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon, The Hammer of the Gods, The Usurper, Trial of Thorns, Tuyo, Voice of War, Zack Argyle
300 books 10 Judges 1 winner
The 1st of June marked the start of the sixth Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (details here.) My Introductory post is here.
You can find my updates for batch 1, batch 2, batch 3, Batch 4 and Batch 5 by clicking on the links.
So, this is slightly new territory for me in that this year I’ve left all my possible books to the final month to read and review and I’ve decided to leave things fairly loose. To be honest I’d like to read all 10 books before choosing semi-finalists but I’m also conscious that time is moving on and I need to keep on top of things and not leave everything to the last few days. With that in mind I’m going to provide an update after I’ve completed the first five books,
And, the following (not listed in any particular order) are the books that I will be reading (slight spoiler alert, in case you’re thinking this seems like a lot to get through I can say I’ve already completed three of these so hopefully my first update will come on swift wings
- Tuyo by Rachel Neumeier
- Voice of War by Zack Argyle
- The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon by Benedict Patrick
- The Child of Silence (The Burning Orbit Book 1) by Joseph O. Doran
- Trial of Thorns (Wicked Fae #1) by Stacey Trombley
- Calico Thunder Rides Again by T.A. Hernandez
- The Usurper (Brutal Saga #0.50) by James Alderdice
- The Hammer Of The Gods: So You Want To Be A Star (The Druid Trilogy #1) by Andrew Marc Rowe
- Knightmare Arcanist (Frith Chronicles #1) by Shami Stovall
- Incursion by Mitchell Hogan
On a final note – if any of my authors have audio versions available and would like me to check those out then just leave me a comment.
Good luck to everyone.
#SPFBO : My Fifth/Final Batch of Books – Update
3 October 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #SPFBO 6, My Fifth Batch of Books, Update
300 books 10 Judges 1 winner
The 1st of June marked the start of the sixth Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (details here.) My Introductory post is here.
You can find my updates for batch 1, batch 2, batch 3 and Batch 4 by clicking on the links:
As with previous years I will read a batch of books each month. I will read at least 30% (or 100 pages) and hopefully will choose one or two books from each batch to roll forward and read fully and review before choosing semi finalists and a finalist.
This batch of books made for good reading and some very difficult choices. Unfortunately I can’t carry all the books forward so as ever there will be cuts with my sincere apologies to those authors.
Long Stories: Early Immortals and the Birth of Death by) by Evan Witmer
This is an unusual story primarily focusing on Death. Basically, God created Death to kill the Immortals. Primarily these immortals are made up of vampires, but there are also witches, and others that are swelling the numbers of long lived bodies down on Earth. Death teleports round the world finding his next victims and eliminating them swiftly before burying the bodies.
Eventually, all the immortals bar one have been eliminated. Lucy. Lucy is a very strange case, over 100 years old but she is still a child and Death finds it impossible to kill her.
Unfortunately this one didn’t quite work out for me. I struggled to get a feel for the characters or understand where the story was going. To the point I read up to it felt like a series of anecdotes that jumped back and forth in time relating Death’s encounters. There’s a tongue in cheek tone and a very surreal feel and I’m surprised that this didn’t work out for me given all the fantasy elements but I was unable to connect with it.
Conclusion : Cut
Tuyo by Rachel Neumeier
I’m not reviewing Tuyo at the moment as I’ve decided to carry this one forward.
Conclusion: roll forward
Voice of War by Zack Argyle
I’m also not reviewing Voice of War as I want to read further.
Conclusion : roll forward
The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon by Benedict Patrick
Again, no review at this point as I would like to continue reading.
Conclusion : roll forward
Warbringer by Aaron Hodges
I must say that I enjoyed reading War Bringer to the point I read up to. This is a world inhabited by creatures known as the Tangata. The Tangata seem intent on destroying mankind, they are strong, fast and feral and they are gathering their forces to launch what feels like a final attack.
The story has three clear threads. Romaine is a warrior. His homeland has been invaded and destroyed by the Tangata. We first meet Romaine whilst he’s on a foray into the wild. He and his captain and party follow Tangata tracks into the wild where they manage to survive an attack and rescue a woman who is alone in the wild. Erika is an Archivist for the Queen. She believes that ancient artefacts are the key to defeating the Tangata and seeks these artefacts out. Whilst on such a mission Erika finds what appears to be a map that provides the location of other ancient sites. She also finds a magic gauntlet although it’s unclear what the gauntlet can actually do at this point. Finally, Lukys. He’s a new recruit, sent to the frontier. After surviving a brutal Tangata attack he has decided that his best hope is to seek help from Romaine.
I thought this had a good pace and the three storylines worked very well in taking the story forward. I enjoyed the style and I’m definitely curious about the history and would like to know more about the Tangata.
In terms of criticism. The only thing that occurred to me was that considering how deadly the Tangata were Romaine seemed to deal with them remarkably well – which kind of belied the threat a little for me.
Overall I would like to read this one at a later date and review more fully.
Conclusion : cut
Exile was another enjoyable read. It has a slightly generic feel with a mediaeval backdrop, castles, nobles and an old school swords and sorcery feel.
The MC, Aron, is a sell sword. He gets into bother as the story sets off when he kills a man and is taken prisoner by the local Earl. The Earl of Nandor’s son has been kidnapped and is being held hostage by their enemy. Aron has unwittingly killed the Earl’s champion and so finds himself pressed into service as part of a rescue party.
I didn’t have any trouble getting into this story but I had a couple of issues. Firstly, I was puzzled by the Earl – he sends another noble on the mission to lead the party, but this same noble is hoping to marry one of the Earl’s daughters and basically, if the Earl’s son and heir fails to return, said marriage will result in this noble becoming the next Earl. This seems like a real conflict to me, surely this man would be more than happy for the mission to fail and if the Earl can’t see this himself then I don’t understand why not.
Also, there are a number of romantic threads so far – which I don’t have a problem with as such – other than it seems that the Earl’s wife and both his daughters are making a play for Aron and it felt a little over the top. It also gave me misgivings about Aron as he seemed just to go with the flow making out with whoever/whenever.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, I enjoyed the writing and was actually starting to like Aron at the point I concluded reading but it didn’t stand above the other books from this batch that I’ve decided to roll forward.
Conclusion : cut
Mid-Lich Crisis by Steve Thomas
This was another enjoyable book. I dual read and listened to this one as I had a copy of both versions and I must say that the audio version is very well done.
I’m not reviewing at this point as I would like to conclude the book and review fully but at this stage I won’t be rolling this forward in terms of the competition simply because this batch has some very strong contenders.
Conclusion : cut
My thanks to all the authors who have taken part. I’ve had some very good books in my lot and will be providing an update tomorrow about the rest of my process going forward.
Books and travelling with Lynn 