Summary
Frustrated with the confining life of a woman in 1714 France, Addie makes a bargain with a devil to live forever and be free of the life chosen for her by society. Like all bargains, this one has a catch. She has been cursed to be forgotten by anyone she meets and can leave no mark on the world. After wandering for 300 years, her life changes when she meets someone who can remember her.
My Thoughts
This is definitely one of those books that will stick with you. The writing is beautiful and characters have so much depth and emotion to them, you feel like you are there with them through the good and the bad. Just a warning: this book does touch on depression/suicide.
Addie is a dreamer who longs for more than the life she has been given. She wants to see the world and not be shackled to a husband. I love how strong her character is. After realizing how lonely her life will now be, she learns to adapt instead of giving up. She manages to make the best of a bad decision. I’m needy, so I probably would have given up after the first day.
I think everyone in their 20’s can relate to Henry. Trying to figure out what to do with your life is hard. There is so much pressure to please everyone, to make everyone else happy, that you forget it’s your happiness that is important. Henry longs for love and wants to be enough for his friends and family.
Luc is one of those guys that you love to hate. He also isn’t your typical bad guy in the story.
The only thing I did not enjoy about this book, was how predictable the ending was. About 75% of the way through, I knew what was going to happen next and how it would end.
V.E. Schwab’s descriptive writing style is what really drew me into this book. You could tell that she put her heart and soul into writing this book. I can’t wait to see what she publishes next!
Favorite Quotes
“Being forgotten, she thinks, is a bit like going mad. You begin to wonder what is real if you are real. After all, how can a thing be real if it cannot be remembered?”
“Books are a way to live a thousand lives – or to find strength in a very long one.”
“Choosing a class became choosing a discipline, and choosing a discipline became choosing a career, and choosing a career became choosing a life, and how was anyone supposed to do that, when you only had one?”
Rating
I gave this book a 4/5.
This book review is of my own opinion. I hope you enjoy it!