“A life no one will remember. A story you will never forget.” [ - Back of Book]
In #1 New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab’s novel The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, isolation is a curse - literally. Rapt with beauty, this stunningly memorable, darkly romantic, and suspenseful tale is about what it means to be remembered - centered on a girl cursed to be forgotten. Filled with love, loss, and wonder, Addie LaRue was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2020 and has found its way into many bookshelves and hearts.
Summary
Addie LaRue could live forever, but it came with a cost…
France, 1714: Seeking to escape an ordinary life in an unwanted marriage, Adeline finds herself in the forest on her wedding night as the sun is setting. Desperate, she fails to heed the warning to “never pray to the gods that answer after dark” and makes a deal with the devil. For time and freedom, she will surrender her soul when she no longer wants to live. But ‘a life of her own’ comes with a cost.
It’s only after she has willingly traded her soul for immortality that Addie learns the undisclosed catch: her freedom comes at the price of her legacy. She can leave no explicit trace and finds that her parents, mentor, and friends can no longer remember her. She soon soon discovers that she has been cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. To make matters worse, she can no longer speak or write her own name.
Addie didn’t want to belong to anyone - now she is forgotten every time she slips out of sight. With a life free of both constraints and connections, Addie slips through time as a ghost, spanning both centuries as well as continents. She learns to influence the world despite not being able to leave a mark, manipulating her curse to leave anonymous traces of herself throughout history. Her affairs bring the continual giddy rush of a first meeting again and again, but are unable to develop the comfortable intimacy that builds with time.
The devil who cursed her, also known as Luc or The Darkness, continues to appear over the years as both Addie’s archenemy and her sole companion. He attempts to taunt her into surrendering her soul, but no hardship he conjures can subdue her into forfeiting her immortal life. Though their relationship sweetens with time, the elastic tension stretches to the breaking point when the impossible happens: After 300 years, Addie stumbles across a normal man in a bookstore who can remember her.
Henry, who is simple and sweet, offers a loophole to Addie’s curse - but there’s something he isn’t telling her. Addie doesn’t know why Henry is the first person in 300 years who can remember her or why he finds her as compelling as she finds him. More importantly, she has no idea how the devil will react if he learns the rules of their game have changed.
Info
The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue was the sixth adult novel and first-ever standalone book by #1 New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab. Both the U.S. and international versions were published in October 2020 by TOR - a Tom Doherty Associates Book. The interior illustrations were completed by Jennifer Hanover while Mirriam Weinberg edited the novel. This historical fiction fantasy novel has 444 (442) pages and is dedicated “to Patricia - For never once forgetting.” More information and links to purchase can be found following the review.
Bio - About the Author
#1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria “V.E.” Schwab has published over twenty books for young adults as well as various ages of children, including nearly a dozen Young Adult and middle-grade books. Among her most notable works are the Shades of Magic series, Villains series, and the Monsters of Verity duology.
Her work has been translated into more than two dozen languages and featured in notable publications such as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Oprah Daily, and The Washington Post. Schwab was a winner at the Goodreads Choice Awards in both 2018 and 2022; and was also nominated for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2020.
This talented author has also produced a graphic novel and worked in television. She is in collaboration with Netflix for a brand new series titled ‘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. The series will drop this summer with a release date of June 10th. You can watch the trailer here.
Born in California in 1987, Schwab grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Washington University in St. Louis in 2009. Originally studying astrophysics, she changed directions after being exposed to art and literature courses. She finished writing her first manuscript in her sophomore year, and in her own words, “it was terrible (as all first attempts should be), but it taught me a valuable lesson: I COULD. I’ve never stopped.”
Before graduating, Schwab had already sold her debut novel The Near Witch to Disney. Schwab went on to receive her Masters in Medieval Art History at University of Edinburgh in Scotland where she now lives with her many pets (including cats, dogs, and chickens). Some of her early books were published under Victoria Schwab rather than her initials, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for both versions of this author's name.
Schwab states that she identifies with all her characters “in some way. The good, the bad, the stubborn. I tend to break off a small piece of my personality and then grow someone very different.” She goes on to note that Henry Strauss, one of the main protagonists in The Invisible Life Of Addie La Rue, is one of the “few characters that have felt the most me.”
Unlike some authors who write for one specific audience, Schwab targets a ‘slightly different reader’ in each of her novels. She recommends The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for those who enjoy romance or literary fiction; A Darker Shade of Magic for action and adventure lovers; The Near Witch or Gallant for fairy tales and fables; City of Ghosts for ghost stories; This Savage Song or The Dark Vault for apocalyptic angst; and Vicious and Vengeful for morally gray characters in a world with superpowers.
V.E. Schwab is no longer active on Twitter as of March 26th, 2023, but you can still follow her on Instagram!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This account is no longer active! Follow me on Instagram.</p>— Victoria/V.E. Schwab (@veschwab) <a href="https://twitter.com/veschwab/status/1640014597146005505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Review
Enjoyability: 10 /10
Plot development: 9 /10
Pace: 10 /10
Quality of writing: 9 /10
Ease of reading: 9 /10
Characters: 9 /10
Insightfulness: 8 /10
Photos / illustrations / graphics: 9 /10
Despite its faults, this novel is packed with amazing side characters, a dash of queer romance, and scenes that range from fun to touching to heartbreaking to terrifying. It will have a long-term home in my bookshelf, as its characters will in my heart.
Plot
The novel begins with Addie in New York City in the mid-2010s, bouncing between the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Though this structure can be somewhat tedious, it allows for a unique beauty in the details through contrasts such as Addie enthusiastically expressing her fondness for chocolate in 2014 New York against her first experience tasting chocolate after discovering it in France 200 years prior.
Though the story is obviously captivating, this novel is clearly more character-driven than plot-driven. There are moments that are slightly predictable, but the elegant writing allows you to get lost in such a way that you don’t mind. These outcomes are predictable not because they were easiest or best for the characters/readers, but because they were real. Any parts of the book that I questioned the realisticness of appeared to be truthful upon further reflection. The exception to this (for me) was Addie’s dialogue with Henry in the bar, which stood out as feeling untrue to her character.
Speaking to the overlap of plot and writing, two shortcomings are to be noted: Henry’s feelings approaching death felt surface level and could have been more involved. “As the plot roared toward a finish, far from knowing what was going to happen, I didn’t even know what I wanted to happen.” Upon finishing the novel, its conclusion felt a little unfair to Addie. I eventually rationed her decision by coming to a deeper understanding of the deep sense of tiredness she felt (which is indicated numerous times throughout the novel), though I can’t help but feel that there was something incomplete about the characters motivations.
Writing
Schwab’s lyrical hand shines in this novel. The story’s elegant imagery and intricate vernacular gives the novel the enchanting cadence of a fairy tale. Her picturesque depictions from French farms to European cities to modern America paints the pages with night skies and bustling streets. Despite the vast expansiveness of her world, Schwab pays careful attention to detail in her vernacular changes, which subtly signal the passage of time. For example, she describes a ‘head full of muslin’ in 1806, but in 1899 uses the then popularized term ‘cotton’.
I have very few complaints with Schwab’s writing. Her use of commas did throw me off initially, but after adjusting to her unique style, I became more comfortable reading. It is worth noting that this may slow the speed or ease of reading for some individuals, as it may not always seem natural upon first read. My other complaint is admittedly knit-picking: some of the chapter headings don’t seem to follow the same rules as the rest.
Characters
It is V.E. Schwab’s use of character building that brings this story to life. Adeline is a dreamer, but as a woman living in France in the 1700s, her destiny has been chosen for her. She takes her life into her own hands and continues to persevere despite the limitations of her situation. “The characters’ complex relationships and nuances are revealed through a nonlinear timeline, which juxtaposes the central plot with flashbacks of the early days of Addie’s immortality.” This method of fragmented storytelling allows the reader to experience Addie’s past as it relates to the present, rather than forcing us to make the connections ourselves. Though some character arcs get a little confusing at times, the style and structure invite you to compare individuals throughout historical moments to see how “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” - Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr
The novel highlights Addie’s invisibility to those around her through its introduction on characters filtering in and out of the story, including a string of lovers. Although some consider this “a plethora of unbaked characters, introduced but not developed”, I found that any seeming ‘lack’ of character development stemmed from Adeline’s inability to meaningfully connect rather than a fault of the author. This purposeful choice accents the unfortunate reality that Addie must live by, remaining a stranger even to those she knows. I actually found the side characters to be particularly captivating and memorable.
Among Addie’s lovers, we meet Remy Laurent, Max, Sam, and Toby Marsh. Addie meets Remy in Paris, France in 1724 with contagious energy. The freedom and wonder that washes over the reader as Addie experiences a whole new world is enthralling. He captures the reckless abandon of a bohemian artist in stride, inviting Addie to experience it alongside him again and again. Sam, an artist in 2014 New York, demonstrates the cool, calm, and collected beauty of a modern life with ease. Her graceful simplicity captured my heart to the point that I found myself wondering whether I would prefer Addie to be with Sam in the end. Breaking from the pattern of love affairs, Addie also harbors a connection with James St. Clair, a famous actor who enjoys Addie’s presence and the stress it takes off of him as a gay man.
The characters surrounding Henry are comparatively less fleshed out, yet still manage to set the tone excellently. Much like Addie, we may not have all of the backstory right away, but the audience can still feel the palpable tension between Henry and his ex-lovers Robbie and Tabitha. Similarly, though his family isn’t much seen, I appreciate their inclusion to allow us a brief look into Henry’s past. This glimpse is imperative to helping the reader understand why Henry has made his choices. Bea feels comfortable as soon as she is introduced - a stillness in the rocky waters.
Henry himself “explores the intricacies of self-worth as influenced by the opinions of others.” While I won’t ignore or invalidate complaints which paint Henry as a ‘typical sad boy’, he offers a refreshing truthfulness with breaths of individuality. Both he and Addie are bisexual in a remarkably casual way, much like the cast of queer characters surrounding them. His complex relationships, including that with Addie are one of the most intriguing aspects of Henry’s storyline, though that is certainly not to say that the details of his character arc are uninteresting. It is through Henry that we are able to truly appreciate the life Adeline has lived in contrast to those experience by a modern day mortal.
Luc remains Addie’s only consistent companion across the centuries. The intensity of their relationship - from the complex romance to manipulative tension - was decadently electrifying. Luc himself was wonderfully written, though the depth of his relationship arc with Addie left a bit to be desired. The scenes with him were visceral, (even if complying to the tried-and-true games villains often play). It is through the contrast of Luc’s hypotonic and mysterious lure against Henry’s seductive comfort that truly allows these characters to shine.
“I can show you,” he purrs, letting the light settle in his palm. “Say the word, and I promise, the last thing you see will be the truth.” … “You know” she says, “I think I’d rather live and wonder.” -pg.313
The story definitely features romantic moments, though it is not exactly a romance novel. Addie’s first love is her infatuation with life and yearning to tell her story. Henry, Luc, and the novels minor characters allow Addie to express herself if even for a moment and to experience her story being told through another via her music, art, and ideas. At one point, Addie questions whether she loves Henry, realizing that she is not sure what love feels like. This highlights the dysfunctional relationships held by many of the characters. When trapped by extreme circumstances, is a relationship based on the ability to exist with one another enough?
Insightfulness
This novel incorporates deep themes spanning what it means to be oneself, the intensity of personal bonds, and the relationship between life and death (as well as what lies between the two). “Though the fantastical elements of this novel make it whimsical and wonderful, the story stays grounded in its well-explored and relatable themes.” Addie herself takes advantage of the loss of her identity through the freedom to be whoever she chooses, even if only for a few moments or few days at a time.
Particularly in the light of the Covid-19 virus, it can be “easy to feel that, in the absence of traditional, tangible moments of connection, no such connection could exist, no mark can be made.” This novel finds ways to prove that even without the immediate connection we have grown accustomed to, people have always found ways to share their story. “Addie’s creative impulses can never be realized under her own name, but she craves the bittersweet satisfaction of seeing her ideas at play in the work of the writers and painters and musicians who blossom in her brief company.” In the text, we learn that Addie was able to insert herself and her ideas into art via the artists despite not being able to leave any direct impact herself. Her melody’s can be heard and her freckles seen through the expression of another.
In a unique touch that integrates the book on a deeper level, each section of the book is captioned with a work of art. Each piece is also captioned with the title, artist, date, medium, location, description, background [a blurb which depicts Addie’s influence], and estimated value as if they were on display at a museum or on sale at an auction.
Stretching beyond a book's typical means, Schwab touches on what it means to be an artist in a myriad of ways. She touches on both the consuming desire for inspiration as well as that to share one's truth through their creations. In another pleasant touch, we learn at the novel's conclusion that Henry writes Addie’s story. I was disappointed by the seemingly missed opportunity to present The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue itself as Henry’s novel, but thoroughly enjoyed the integration of generations of art.
Overall Rating: 9 /10
Purchase Info
I highly recommend checking out this book if you liked my review! You can find links to various editions below:
ISBN
Hardcover: 978-0-7653-8756-1
Signed Edition: 978-1-79399-7
Ebook: 978-0-7653-8758-5
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Ebook: $12.99
Paperback: $17.99 (on sale from $19.99)
Hardcover: $21.49 (on sale from $26.99)
B&N Exclusive Paperback Edition: $19.99
B&N Exclusive Hardcover Edition: $23.99 (on sale from $29.99)
Collectors Edition: $25.99 (on sale from $29.99)
Target
Walmart
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