V.E. Schwab
American
1987 - Present
Victoria Elizabeth Schwab is an American writer. She is known for the 2013 novel Vicious, the Shades of Magic series, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which was nominated for the 2020 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. She publishes children's and young adult fiction books under the name Victoria Schwab. She is the creator of the supernatural teen drama series First Kill, based on her short story of the same name originally published in the 2020 anthology Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.
1
Books ReviewedAsk LuvemBooks about V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab is an American author whose work LuvemBooks has reviewed, beginning with The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — a novel that uses an immortality bargain to examine what it means to be remembered, and what gets lost when no one can. Across that book, Schwab's prose is structured around a tension between grand mythological stakes and quiet, intimate loss, a combination that has earned the title a reader rating of 4.7/5 from over 1,600 Amazon reviews.
- Where should I start?
- Based on what LuvemBooks has reviewed, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the natural starting point — and it happens to be an ideal entry into Schwab's work regardless. It is a standalone novel, so there is no prior reading required, and its blend of historical sweep, mythology, and emotional intimacy gives a clear sense of what Schwab does at her best. With a reader rating of 4.7/5 from over 1,600 Amazon ratings, it is one of the most consistently praised fantasy novels of the past decade.
- What's their writing style?
- Schwab writes in a style that sits between literary and genre fiction — her prose is controlled and image-conscious without being dense, and she tends to anchor large fantastical conceits in very specific emotional and sensory detail. In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the immortality premise works less as a plot engine and more as a structural device for exploring loneliness, art, and the human need to leave a mark. She is particularly interested in what people sacrifice to survive and what that survival costs them.
- Books we've reviewed
- LuvemBooks has reviewed one V.E. Schwab title so far: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, a standalone fantasy about an eighteenth-century French woman cursed with immortality and the inability to be remembered — rated 4.7/5 by over 1,600 Amazon readers. We plan to expand our Schwab coverage over time.
- What genre do they write?
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the V.E. Schwab title reviewed on LuvemBooks, is classified as Fantasy, though it reads with the texture of literary fiction — its concerns are as much philosophical as they are fantastical. Schwab's broader catalogue spans fantasy sub-genres including dark fantasy and urban fantasy, along with young adult fiction published under the name Victoria Schwab. Readers drawn to fantasy that prioritises character and idea over plot mechanics tend to find her work particularly rewarding.
- What should I read after Addie LaRue?
- If you have finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and want to stay within Schwab's work, the Shades of Magic trilogy — beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic — is the most common next recommendation. It is more plot-driven and world-building-heavy than Addie LaRue, but shares Schwab's interest in characters who exist at the margins of power and must navigate worlds that were not built for them. Her Villains duology, starting with Vicious, is another strong option for readers who responded to Addie LaRue's morally complicated protagonist.
Who is V.E. Schwab?
Where should I start?
What's their writing style?
Books we've reviewed
What genre do they write?
What should I read after Addie LaRue?
Who is V.E. Schwab?
Victoria Elizabeth Schwab is an American writer best known for blending fantasy with deeply personal, philosophical questions about identity, memory, and legacy. She writes under the name V.E. Schwab for her adult and crossover fiction. Her novel The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue brought her wide mainstream recognition, earning a devoted readership far beyond traditional fantasy audiences. She is one of the most widely discussed fantasy authors of her generation.
Follow up
What is V.E. Schwab best known for?
Does V.E. Schwab write under any other names?
Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review
Press Enter to ask. Answers come from our editorial Q&A — start typing to see related questions.
Authors Like V.E. Schwab
Katherine Paterson
Fantasy
Fiction
Katherine Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia (1977), which won the Newbery Medal in 1978.
1 book reviewed
Tui T. Sutherland
Fantasy
Fiction
Tui Tamara Sutherland is an American children's book author who has written more than 60 books under her own name and under several pen names.
3 books reviewed
Stephanie Garber
Fantasy
Fiction
Stephanie Garber is an American author of young adult fiction known for the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart which were interconnected trilogies..
2 books reviewed
Rachel Gillig
Fantasy
Fiction
Rachel Gillig is an American gothic romantic fantasy author.
2 books reviewed
George R. R. Martin
Fantasy
Fiction
George Raymond Richard Martin, also known by the initials GRRM, is an American author, screenwriter, and television producer.
4 books reviewed
Chris Colfer
Fantasy
Fiction
Christopher Paul Colfer is an American actor, singer, and author.
2 books reviewed
