Huge thanks to TOR and V.E. Schwab for the ARC!

V.E. Schwab has been a favorite of mine since The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. While I’ve enjoyed her other works, nothing quite matched the emotional impact Addie had on me…until now. This book is absolutely phenomenal. At its core is female rage, portrayed with raw power and nuance. Queerness is also woven deeply into the narrative, enriching the story and adding layers to the character’s pasts, relationships, and ultimately their endings. 

I was captivated by Charlotte and Sabine’s early stories and loved watching them unravel into something beautifully unhinged. Charlotte’s journey of self-discovery (in her human years) in particular felt deeply poignant and resonated with me personally. 

Alice, while less fleshed out than the others, seems that way by design since her tale is just beginning . She’s caught in the middle of something larger than herself but chooses to seize control of her own story… and I found that incredibly well done.

Schwab delivers a narrative that celebrates the messy, aching beauty of life, urging us to live not just for ourselves, but for those that surround us.