By V. E. Schwab
Desperate to experience more than her provincial life, Addie offers her soul to an old deity in exchange for immortality. For three hundred years, she has lived a life of freedom and adventure, but in return, she is never remembered by those she meets. She moves through time like an invisible muse, leaving her mark where she can as the world evolves around her, until she meets Henry: a man who remembers her.
The book is written in third-person present tense, and the sentences are snappy, so you are thrown into each scene, watching as events unfold. If you are a visual reader, it will feel like you are watching a movie. Although Schwab writes fast-flowing sentences, the story does move at a slower pace, especially as it weaves back-and-forth between the past and present to show Addie’s life. This doesn’t make the story drag, nor will you find yourself skimming; the descriptions are engaging, and the slower pace allows you to take in what Addie has experienced, creating emotional depth.
Addie experiences many loves throughout her life, but the main romance is a love-triangle involving Henry and the deity. Her affair with Henry is wholesome, and her affair with the deity is exciting, but both fall short of swoon-worthy moments and long-lasting impressions, leading to an ending which is somehow both anti-climactic and leaves you wanting more. But even though the romance falls short, it is still a wonderful read.
This book will break your heart multiple times; it will strike a chord with those who know what it’s like to make a sacrifice in your personal life for the hope of something more.
Descriptive writing: 8/10
Character depth: 7.5/10
Pace of the story: Slow, but enjoyable.
For fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.