I am a huge fan of V.E.Schwab and genuinely feel this is her best book to date. I loved everything about it, the writing, the characters, the timelines, the supernatural element. My only quibble was with the ending. I didn't like that Addie ended up as such a cold and calculating person. I can't understand why it wasn't possible to give it a happy ending. An individual is perfectly capable of loving two people passionately and this would have been a good way to highlight that in much the same way as AG Howard writes her Splintered series. But all that aside, this was a fantastic book that will delight all of Victoria's fans.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was one of my most anticipated reads for 2020 and it did not disappoint. This book was so beautifully written, and I found myself sucked into the world that Schwab has created. This book just blew me away and it has become one of my all-time favourites. I cannot stop thinking about how brilliant it was and how attached I’ve become to these characters.

The character development in this book is amazing and I honestly loved watching Addie grow as a character and her journey along the way. Addie goes through so much within those 300 years but it has made her stronger and she has learnt to adapt to a life where no one remembers who she is. Henry was such an amazing character who stole my heart. I loved reading about his journey even if it did break my heart. Luc was such an intriguing character and I loved his role in the story. His relationship with Addie is so deep and so mysterious that I found myself needing more interaction between the two.

The premise of this book is simply amazing and magical. I haven’t read a book like this before and I honestly adored it. I loved reading the book from the perspective of both Addie and Henry as I felt this helped us connect more with the two characters. I also loved reading about Addie’s past and the struggles she faced.

This review will never be able to express the way I truly feel about this book. I feel like everyone needs to go read this book and go with Addie on this journey to making a mark on the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

5 🌟 (or should I say seven?)

“...it is sad, of course, to forget.
But it is a lonely thing, to be forgotten.
To remember when no one else does.”

I always find myself at a loss for words when it comes to reviewing books I adore - how can I begin to explain (or justify) the amount of love I have for them? The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is no exception, in fact it's even harder. Such a masterpiece V.E. Schwab's written! I felt entirely removed from reality while reading it, the writing transporting me to another dimension.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is actually very different from Schwab's other books - where ADSOM made me dream of parallel Londons bathed in rich magic, and dark sorcery, this one is more of a "see the world through my eyes" experience. As Addie makes her way through the streets of a Paris I know, as she discovers New York and Italy, and other places I've been to —I felt nostalgia and melancholy, all the while yearning to go back and re-discover these places. V.E. Schwab describes with lyrical prose the terrible beauty of our world while adding subtle elements of magic into it. And more than world building - the magic of this book lies in Addie herself. I don't think I can explain how incredible her character is - Be prepared for 400 pages of beautifully written descriptions and thoughts and phrases that will resonate with your soul. I think I highlighted more than 50% of the book. It was that good.

I can only recommend you pick this one up - really, you won't regret it.

In a rural French village on a dank desperate night in 1714, a young woman makes a deal with darkness. She will live forever in freedom but be forgotten by everyone she meets. Across the centuries, Addie lives multiples lives across several cities and lovers but she just can’t find a way to make her mark on the world. Then in 2014, she meets Henry in a New York bookshop and somehow, he remembers her. In Schwab’s first stand-alone novel since her debut The Near Witch, she has somehow crammed an entire immortal life into one beautifully written book. It’s an epic, heartbreaking romance with a focus on the sadness of immortality and the curse of living between worlds. With Addie being bisexual and Henry being pansexual as well as plenty of gay side characters, it’s wonderfully inclusive and it comes complete with a dangerously beguiling villain. It quite possibly is a fantasy masterpiece.

V. E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors and while I haven’t read all of her back catalogue yet, I’ve loved every single one that I’ve read. Going into Addie LaRue I had the highest expectations and I already thought this was going to be a five star read. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue isn’t just a five star read though, it’s without a doubt my favourite book of 2020 and possibly my favourite book of all time. If you take one book recommendation from me it would be to pick this one up.

The story follows Adeline LaRue a young woman desperate to escape life planned out for her – a small village, marriage and children. In a desperate attempt to gain her freedom she sells her soul to be made immortal, however there’s a catch – Addie will live forever but she will be forgotten by everyone she meets. We follow Addie through her lifetime until almost three hundred years later when she meets a boy named Henry in a used bookshop, who remembers her name.

I’m not sure I have the words to convey how much I loved this book. V. E. Schwab has such a beautiful lyrical writing style and it shines in this story. I loved the two timelines of Addie in the present and Addie in the past. It’s quite a slow paced story, but it absolutely fits the tone and the atmosphere.

This truly is a brilliant story and part of the reason I think I loved it so much is because of the terrific protagonist Schwab has created. As you follow Addie you become so attached to her, it was fascinating seeing her grow as a character and adapt to her life as an immortal. She’s a clever and determined character and even when she thinks of giving up she still picks herself up and continues.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a compelling tale, full of love and heartbreak. It’s the perfect story to get lost in. There’s already been quite a lot of hype about this one but it is absolutely deserved. A magical tale from start to finish, I did not want this one to end and I cannot wait to see what V. E. Schwab does next.

This book was the best read of the year. The story and the writing style just made me fall in love with the characters.
There the “I am not like the other girl trope at the start of the book. I am not huge fan of that trope, but still read the book because the synopsis just was so different. And so i read the whole book and just couldn’t with the ending. The book is great so are the characters with their flaws and all.. The writing style of moving through the time period to get to know the story was so beautiful. This is one of the stories that i will always remember!!!!! Also we are getting movie for it soon so yay!!

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue follows Adeline, ‘Addie’, Larue, born in 17th century France, who when faced with the prospect of marriage, prays to the Old Gods to help her find a way out.

The Old Gods don’t answer, but the Darkness does and it takes the form of a man who offers her a deal. Time and freedom in exchange for her soul. Addie renegotiates the deal, saying “you can have my soul when I don’t want it any more” and the Darkness accepts.

It’s only afterwards that Addie comes to realise the high price she paid. She doesn’t age and doesn’t ail, but no-one remembers her.

She can leave a room and when she re-enters everyone has forgotten her. She can meet with someone every day for a month, and although she gets to know them, they don’t get to know her because every day they meet her for the first time.

Until 300 years later, one person says “I remember you.”

Never have three words held more power in a story. There’s something timeless and incredibly poignant about the moment someone remembers Addie LaRue.

“I love you” are some of the most powerful words we can say, but in this moment, for Addie, “I remember you” holds more power.

In fact, this book really showcases the power words can hold. Not only in the sense of dialogue between characters, but also in Victoria’s writing style itself.

Schwab varies her narrative style depending on the genre and type of book she’s writing, but this is definitely some of the most masterful writing she’s produced. It’s beautiful, lyrical, and it feels like so much thought, gravitas, and care have gone into every sentence.

The plot and pacing start off slowly, but if you’ve read a lot of Victoria’s books, you’ll know that quite a few of them do. She’s said in interviews that most of her books begin slowly and then expand outwards, and the same is true here.

The slow pace comes from the one timeline and single POV. But because we know from the synopsis that she’ll make a deal and then meet someone who remembers her, the anticipation for these two scenes is huge.

It spurred me through the initial chapters, despite their slow start, and when these moments came around my heart was hammering in my chest.

Even though I knew what was going to happen (from the blurb), these scenes were tense and dramatic, and I couldn’t wait to see how they would play out. It’s a testament to the quality of an author’s writing if they can tell you about specific scenes in the plot, but still make you excited to read them.

Once we begin to get multiple timelines and another POV, the pacing increases and as the story begins to move more fluidly between past and present it fills the gaps in Addie’s story.

Addie is a dreamer and a survivor. She dreams of seeing more of the world than her small town, Villon, and fears spending the rest of her life living there as a housewife. She knows there’s nothing wrong with this path and sees her friend Isabelle find happiness and contentment doing this, but it’s not the path for Addie.

Fear of a living and dying in the same village and the desire to see more of the world push her to make the deal. And once the deal is done she becomes a survivor as well as a dreamer. She learns how to lie, steal, and act in the name of survival. She begins to lose her naivety, but she doesn’t lose her inherent goodness and she never stops marveling at the world.

Unlike Addie, Henry is not a dreamer. Or, he doesn’t seem that way at first. He’s a wandering soul, struggling to find his calling in life and he feels like he’s never enough for other people.

Never a good enough friend, never a good enough partner, never a good enough brother or son. He has depressive periods, which he describes as ‘storms’ rolling in, and he doesn’t quite know what he wants to for a job or a career.

Henry’s emotions really lift off the page and bleed into us. I found some of his scenes the most heart-breaking and I longed for him to find light in his dark moments.

Addie reminds Henry that there’s so much beauty and wonder in the world. He sees her, still finding wonder at new things after 300 years of living, and understands that he doesn’t have to carry the burden of his family’s high standards or society’s expectations any more. He simple has to be.

I loved Addie and Henry’s relationship because they form such a strong bond. They understand each other in the way no-one else does and their scenes at their fair and in the bookstore were enchanting.

Victoria Schwab one again illustrates the importance of names in her stories. Adeline becomes Addie when she leaves her old life behind, signalling a new beginning and a new name to match who she truly is.

But she can never say her own name because of the curse, so she calls herself a thousand different names. Until 300 years later, someone remembers her and calls her by her real name. Addie.

Something else that really struck me about this book is that all the main and secondary characters are queer. Addie says she’s attracted to people of any gender, Henry is bi, Bea is a lesbian, Robbie is gay, and Luc is likely pan (this is implied but not confirmed on page).

Queerness has a real presence in this story, which is wonderful. Even though it’s not the main theme of the book, it’s foregrounded in so many scenes that you couldn’t possibly ignore it.

I loved the way Addie is filled with layers. Layers of time and history. Layers of stories within stories. The structure of having a narrative within a narrative is incredibly clever and makes Addie seem even more real.

This story is a celebration of art and literature. It reminds us that books hold entire worlds and lives in them. Books can immortalise people and make us remember them in ways we otherwise might not have done. Addie is certainly immortalised in this novel, in more ways than one.

This novel is filled with existential questions. It asks us, is time more important than memory? Is one worth having without the other? If history will forget us, how do we make sure our lives counted for something?

Addie is destined to be forgotten by everyone, but she doesn’t let it stop her from trying to make mark. And Victoria promotes that idea throughout the narrative, that doing something good or important is still worthwhile, even if no-one will remember you for it.

I’ve never read a book like this. A book with so much emotion and magic folded into each page. A book that’s so beautifully written that my heart physically ached in certain scenes.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to call this a masterpiece because it’s unique in so many ways and transcends the boundaries of genre fiction. I rated this book 5 stars and I will always remember Addie.

Addie LaRue is story spanning over three hundred years, following a woman who makes a bargain with the devil to live forever--but at the cost of being forgotten by everyone whose path she crosses.

There are some themes I loved in this: the idea of unconscious influences on ideas and art; how literature and paintings and plays can outlast the lives of their creators; how humans are bound by the need to be acknowledged, if nothing else. V.E. Schwab's writing is deceptively simple, packing a punch and doing a lot of the heavy lifting in few words.

What got to me most was the depiction of Henry's mental health and his complicated relationship with his family. This really hit close for me, and was painful to read at times.

I'm sold. V.E. Schwab is a master of the written word.

Eloquent and masterful, she brings her imperfect characters to life with weavings of magic and beautiful metaphors. Each person (or being) is believable, with life experiences and attitudes that justify their actions and decisions. Their gradual development is captivating, and their journeys just as addictive.

I found myself rooting for stubborn, defiant Addie as soon as she tired of 18th century small-town life and began to dream of forging her own path. I empathised with Henry (the only human who remembers Addie) and his desperate, forced attempts to be enough for his peers. And I both loathed and longed for scenes involving Luc, the personified darkness with a trickster's mind and a jealous possessiveness over Addie.

Hope and wonder abound throughout this book, as you witness 300 years of history and art through the eyes of an awestruck adventurer. Through Addie's unforgettable tale, you are forced to consider the power of a name, the very human desire to create, and the myriad ways in which we leave marks on the world and the hearts of others.

My favourite release of 2020, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, is an enchanting and heartbreaking tale of one woman’s quest to be remembered in a world bound to forget her. Addie embarks a on a war of wits and will against the devil, fought across the battlefield of time.

The scope of the story is equal parts epic and intimate. Schwab masterfully glides through centuries of history, offering enough detail to ground each part of Addie’s story in time and place without bogging the story down in unnecessary exposition.

The prose is staggeringly beautiful. Entrancing, haunting and evocative. Schwab at her absolute best, bearing her soul through themes of love, loss, identity, time and memory.

The characterisation is rich and nuanced. Addie, Henry and Luc all spark off the page, as do all of the secondary characters. There’s plenty of queerness and representation in the cast that made me love this story all the more.

A sweeping epic of art and history, time and memory, love and war. Addie LaRue was everything I expected it to be and so much more. It’s a tale I will cherish forever and return to again and again over the years to come. I could give a book no higher compliment than that.

My thoughts: I was intrigued by this book from the moment I heard Victoria Schwab speak about it at a signing I attended at the beginning of last year. Once the book had been announced then later on, and I had read the blurb, I immediately wanted to read it. It sounds right up my street! I love books that span over a few years (or 300 in this case), and I wanted to know more.

The Characters: Let’s start with Adeline (Addie) LaRue. I liked Addie’s character and I did feel for her. She is made to be forgotten by everyone she meets, including her family, due to making a deal with the devil, which was heartbreaking. There was one moment when she returned to her home village (no spoilers) that was quite emotional. Addie was a likeable character to read about and I enjoyed her story. I loved the bond she formed with Henry, and how much she loved discovering new things after being around for 300 years! Henry was so lovely to read about. I loved the descriptions of the little bookshop that he worked in, it reminded me of one of my favourite bookshops so much. I loved Henry’s story too, how we saw bits and pieces of his life and didn’t fully know why he could remember Addie until the end. Again there were moments with Henry that were heartbreaking, but this review is 100% spoiler free! I found the Luc was an interesting character and I actually wish we had seen more of him at the beginning of the book. However I did like how we got more information about him by the end, and that it wasn’t all thrown at us at the start.

The Story: I really enjoyed the way this story played out. Initially I wasn’t sure about the jumping between the past and the present but I think this was done really well. This story was beautifully written. I loved the writing in this book so much, I think I highlighted quite a few lines when I was reading. The premise of the book was what drew me to it and I adored it. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, and one I won’t forget in a hurry. It’s the kind of book that you can curl up with on a dreary autumn day and get lost in.

Final thoughts: This book took me a month to finish but that was nothing to do with my enjoyment of it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and didn’t think that it was too slow at any point, I was just in a bit of a reading slump last month! I was worried that I wouldn’t actually finish it because of the slump, but I did and I still really enjoyed it. I’m definitely going to reread it, I probably next year now, as it was gorgeous. It’s a book you won’t forget in a hurry, you will, like Henry, remember Addie.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars

https://lynns-books.com/2020/10/06/the-invisible-life-of-addie-larue-by-v-e-schwab/
My Five word TL:DR Review : A work of pure genius

I have to say I loved this book. It’s an absolute tour de force. On the face of it it isn’t a new concept, in fact it takes an old idea and gives it a life of it’s own. We’ve all read books or watched movies where someone makes a deal with the devil right? So, what makes this book stand out. Well, I suppose it’s the nature of this particular deal – the devil is in the detail after all.

The year is 1714 and Adeline LaRue awaits her marriage with feelings of dread. Addie doesn’t want to marry. She’s lived in the same small village, Villon-sur-Sarthe, all her life. She wants to travel, she wants to see Paris. She doesn’t want to give up her freedom to fit in with others expectations. Instead, she runs into the forest, calling on the Gods to help her, not realising that the sun has slowly set and that the only deities who answer during the darker hours are not the ones you want to strike bargains with. But, the deal is done. In return for her freedom Addie promises to give up her soul when she grows weary of the world. What she doesn’t realise is her new found freedom is absolute. Addie cannot make a mark on the world, people forget her as soon as they look away, she cannot be caught on camera or film, she can’t even write her own name. She is indeed free but at the same time she can make no bonds, she can’t work or earn a living, buy a place to call her own or have a family. Addie is cursed to go through life alone.

What I really loved about this book. Well, firstly, the writing. This book is a joy to read. It took me probably a week to complete it which feels unusually slow, but that was simply a result of my wanting to savour the words. This is polished, it’s confident and it’s absolutely beautiful. On top of this it’s as though you can almost see how the kernel of an idea blossomed into something so lovely. We all have sayings, we bandy them around more than we realise. Be careful what you wish for. The grass is always greener. Live every day as though it was your last (or in Addie’s case as though it was your first). Out of sight out of mind. What if you took one of these and really built upon it, gave it wings and watched it take off. Clearly, I have absolutely no idea where the original idea came from but I love the idea that such a wonderful story could come from such a simple beginning.

Secondly. The main character, Addie. She is just so good to read and it’s just as well because she is the MC and her timeline is split between her humble beginnings and the current day. The two timelines eventually converge but in the meantime half of this reads like a work of historical fiction. There are descriptions of clothes and places, all changing as the years pass, none more so than Addie’s home town which she is consistently drawn back to. Addie witnesses death, the plague, wars, destruction and invention. She is a witness to so much and although she can’t leave her own mark she finds that she can influence others. Addie is a muse. She appears in many paintings, her face usually turned away from the viewer or blurred as though through movement. She has influenced music and art through the course of her 300 years and in spite of living so long, experiencing many difficulties and enduring loneliness, she manages to hold onto an innocence and childlike delight in the most simple things and it’s this that gives her such a special quality and timeless appeal.

In terms of characters. There are of course many ‘small parts’ as the story progresses. People who play a role in Addie’s life but are ultimately doomed to forget her as soon as the sun rises on a new day.

Henry Strauss is a young man who Addie meets in 2014 and who surprises her by remembering her the following day. The two become involved in a beautiful, but at the same time, almost sad, relationship. No matter which way you look at it, things are not going to be easy for any number of reasons.

Then we have Luc, the darkness, or the devil – although he certainly doesn’t refer to himself as such. I’m not going to lie – I really liked this character even though I’m not sure if you’re supposed to like him. He’s manipulative, powerful, full of menace, trickier than the fae, a fleeting thought, as elusive as shadow. He wears a form that he knows is pleasing to Addie and every year he appears to ask for her soul – and every year she refuses to give it to him. This is one of the really amazing ideas. Addie has lived so long that in a strange twist it turns out she has much more in common with Luc than she ever imagined. They are both immortal, both without friends, both lonely and as the years pass, they both look forward to their strange encounters and the battle of wills that has become their routine. Both Addie and Luc enjoy great character growth as the story and their relationship progresses.

The settings. Well, what can I say. This is like an ode to travel. I defy you to read this and not long to visit some of the places described. New York, Paris, Munich, Venice. They’re not overly described but they’re evocative nonetheless. There is theatre, museums, galleries, cafes and secret clubs. Rooftop bars and underground concerts. Another wonder of reading. The ability to escape momentarily to fantastic places whether of this world or not – and this book is brilliant in that respect.

Anyway, I think I’ve probably waxed lyrical enough. If you can’t figure it out for yourselves, then the long and short of it is that I really enjoyed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

“Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget.” V.E. Schwab, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue⠀
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✨Happy book birthday to Addie LaRue✨⠀
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I was lucky enough to receive an e-arc copy of Addie LaRue by @titanbooks and @netgalley in return for an honest review. And It was amazing! ⠀
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Victoria Schwab sends you whirling through a fascinating journey of love, art, dreams, sacrifice, torment, beauty and heartache. The story is addictive and immersive and full of dazzling magical moments - just truly brilliant. ⠀
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Ironically, Addie is most definitely a person you can not forget - I loved her character so much! Her life is mesmerising and heartbreaking. ⠀The people that came and went literally through her life, the way Addie tried to hold on to all that was precious to her and then learning to let go and adapt - it was all so devastating and beautiful!

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The narrative (which at first I found a little difficult to grasp, with the constant flashbacks and flash forwards) was absolutely brilliant - it truly makes you experience the imperceptible and fleeting life Addie leads. ⠀
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I can’t really praise this genre-defying story enough - I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like this. I’m in awe of VE Schwab- how did her mind create this idea! I’ve heard of deals with the devil going wrong but Addie’s story was completely unexpected and so intriguing.
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I've never read anything quite like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Addie makes a desperate deal with the devil to avoid getting married, but she doesn't quite realise what she's getting herself into. She has lived almost 400 years without anyone ever remembering her name. She cannot leave any mark or impression on the world, and whenever she meets someone they will forget her as soon as they walk away. This has obviously gotten her into some trouble over the years, but also has proved to be an interesting experiment on what subtle marks or ideas she can leave on the world and it's artists.

But one day Addie meets someone who remembers her, and her whole world is flipped upside down...

This book has a great blend of historical and modern day, and I really enjoyed both perspectives of Addie's life! V.E. Schwab has done something truly brilliant with this book.

TW: attempted assault, abuse, loss of a loved one, substance abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide.

Let me be honest, I have a lot of respect for the V.E. Schwab and what she tries to accomplish with her ideas. Vicious is one of my all-time favourites and I hold it very close to my heart. However, I've been postponing this review due to how underwhelming I've felt after finishing this book.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the story of Adeline LaRue when she desperately decides to escape the path she is being forced on by her family. She wants to live and see wonders outside of her small village and not end up chained to a husband she doesn't love. In the dark, she makes a deal with the devil unaware of the consequences. Adeline is forgotten by everyone she has ever loved and met, as soon as they turn away they forget her, and she can't leave a mark on the world.

The premise alone sold me to the story. It very much gave me Doctor Who vibes, of a lonely individual lost in a big world (universe). I wanted to feel every emotion of sadness, loneliness, and hope, everything Schwab could give me.

Instead, I didn't feel anything for Addie and her struggles. I think the writing let me down, I think Addie's emotions could have been amplified as I really didn't care about her.

The character of Addie in itself had no personality with the exception of her freckles (which are Always mentioned), and I couldn't understand how people immediately fell for her, what was so special about this character besides the curse. There was a disconnection between me, the reader, and Addie's story.

In contrast, I felt Henry had more personality compared to Addie. I could see his emotions more vividly and his wishes, his struggles. The conversation about his mental health was given in snippets in favour of more Addie chapters, which was a shame to me. There could have been more about this.

Additionally, the writing style grated on my nerves since the same sentence kept being repeated: "Later she will learn" or some variation.

Lastly, what disappointed me the most was how unimaginative the story was with Addie being alive for 300 years, and her relationship with the devil. I think Schwab could have done something darker and more interesting with the deal and these two characters, but it fell flat to me. As to the time she has lived, the chapters about her past offer no interesting scenes. It's much of the same about the people who can't remember her, and I wanted to see her on adventures.

These are my overall thoughts and while I was disappointed by this, I do think this is one of those books that will appeal to many people.
There's something mystical about Addie's story and I'm certain it will pull readers to it, as it did to me.

“But isn’t it wonderful,” she says, “to be an idea?”

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a love story, if you look at it over the tops of your glasses. It is the story of a girl who wants nothing more than to be held in the cage of memory, and a boy who is made of everything the girl could want. It has a villain, like all good stories do, and maybe he is to be pitied, not hated. Maybe he is to be squinted at, maybe he is not evil or good, like most things in the world. Just a force, moving through the labyrinth, making a space for itself.

I do not know where to begin with this story. But let’s talk about the thing that had me falling into the book full tilt - the writing. The very first line of the story is a hook, and it pulls you in so quickly! And once you there, ah, the writing! The WORDS!!! I have always believed this - anyone can tell a story, but it’s the way that you tell it that matters. The plot of this book is not overly complex. It is not unpredictable or mind boggling. It is not a book that relies on the spoilers to hold its readers’ attention. This is a book where knowing what happens will not matter, because the journey is that beautiful. Where the words that wrap themselves around you as you read are so… rich and lovely, that it feels like wading through poetry, like living in a world that is so unlike your own, but that feels like coming home.

I have always been someone incredibly attracted to the way words sing when put together, and this book was such wonderful music! It was melody, even when it was only talking of the mundane. I have highlighted or bookmarked almost every page in this novel, because there was so much of this book that I wanted to hold and feel and absorb into my being! There was so much of it, that, to quote a friend, was JUST SO PRETTY!!!

Like all books that often catch my attention, Addie LaRue relies on its characters and their interactions with each other and the world around them to tell a story. And, ah, such beautiful people I got to meet through this book. Addie, who was odd and wonderful and broken and hopeful. Henry, who was flawed, who was overflowing with the things that made him human, who was caught up in storm after storm, who was so flawed, so perfect. Luc, who was cruel and cunning, and perhaps a monster, perhaps a man, perhaps none and good at playing both. Luc, who inspired both love and hatred, pity and fear, who was a solid presence as we lived through Addie’s and Henry’s words. There was Bea, and there was Robbie, and there was Sam and Toby and Remy and Jean and Marthe and Estele and AAHH! They were all so lovely, in their own way, and they were all threads in the tapestry that made this story and ugh, they just fit together in here so well!

“It is a sad thing, of course, to forget. But it is a lonely thing to be forgotten.”

If we sit down to anayze the themes this novel deals with, we’d be here all day, probably. Addie’s story is a love story, like I said. But it is not just that - no story ever is. There is so much of the story that can be pulled apart and parallels drawn between what she goes through, and what being broken is like, in the real world. The same can be said for Henry- his storms, the panic seizing your chest when your mind travels too fast, her fears same as yours when you lay awake at night wondering if you will ever leave a mark on everything around you (no? Just me?). I don’t know. I’m not smart enough to sit and expound in profound terms, but I think there is so much a mind goes through, and there is so much pain and brokenness there, and there is also stubborn hope, and there are these things here in this story, scattered across beautifully written words, and that is somehow everything I’ve ever wanted.

The plot is fine. I gasped here and there, because I was so wrapped up in what was going on that I didn’t think about anything else - not even the future of the characters. The magic in the book was mysterious and strange and just perfect for the story that it was.

My mind is a fickle thing, my memory more a breeze than something solid I can hold on to, and I cannot explain to you the kind of emotions that Addie’s story elicited in me. Maybe I am something of a fool, finding bits and pieces of myself in stories that don’t even remotely relate to what my life is like. I don’t know. What I do know is that I felt a lot, at once, and it was wonderful!

Without “spoiling” the story, I don’t have much else to say. But, I will say this. Read this book, experience it. I don’t know if you’ll like it, or love or hate it, but live through it once. Take from it what you will. Breathe Addie LaRue’s name through your lips. There is a small wonder there somewhere, and maybe, it will touch you, too!

All in all, this was one of the most beautiful books I’ve read this year and I cannot recommend it enough. Finishing it left me feeling both overwhelmed and hollow, all at once, and it was just the best experience EVER!


“But this is how you walk to the end of the world. This is how you live forever. Here is one day, and here is the next, and the next, and you take what you can savor every stolen second, cling to every moment, until it’s gone.”

It is the 18th Century and Addie LaRue lives in a small French town with her parents.
Addie longs for more than a life of being stuck in the same town, of being a wife and a mother.
So Addie makes a deal with the devil for more time, more time to live. But in doing so, Addie is cursed to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie leaves her home, trying to live her life and work around the curse.
Throughout the years, Addie receives visits from the devil on the anniversary of their deal, and he tries to convince Addie to give in, to surrender.
Then one day, the unthinkable happens, and Addie hears the words "I remember you".

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020, and I thought it might end up being the first Schwab book to really blow me away, something none of her others have done before. However, I am left feeling undoubtedly disappointed, deflated and underwhelmed. Maybe I let myself be drawn in by the hype too much. Maybe I expected too much. All I know is, while I did enjoy this overall, I have very mixed feelings about Schwab's latest novel.
I liked Addie most of the time and did feel sorry for her - being forgotten by everyone must have been unbearable, and she was very strong to keep going. Despite the length of the novel, I don't feel that I really got to know that much about Addie herself and would have liked to have read more scenes where she was alone instead of there being so many of her with romantic partners, as it felt like I only got to see her in relation to other people and that she didn't get a chance to grow as a person. It was also a little repetitive.
Henry was a character who it was as if I was being told that I should feel sorry for him, and I did, but only a little. I didn't particularly like Henry as a character, and found him a bit annoying at times.
The devil was a bit of a disappointing character and almost seemed two-dimensional. I felt that there should have been a lot more to him, and I didn't buy the way he was with Addie.
I don't feel that I connected with any of characters, which made it hard to care about what happened/be invested in them. However, I did really like Bea and Estele and would like to read more about them. Maybe reading about Addie in her 'mad years' would have helped me connect with her more.
I enjoyed the chapters set pre-2000s a lot more than the ones set in 2013/14, and would have liked there to have been more as I did lose interest a little when things focused on 2013/14.
Given the length of the book, it didn't feel like much actually happened and I have mixed feelings about the ending.
The themes of being remembered and loved were intriguing and thought-provoking, and I liked the representation included in the book.
This was without a doubt some of Schwab's best writing, but, for me, the novel fell short both plot-wise and character-wise.
I am extremely disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, especially as everyone seems to have loved it.

Overall, this was an enjoyable but mixed read.

I’m a great fan of Victoria Schwab’s fantasy. It’s often dark with troubled characters and no easy solutions, and the emotional toll is high. I knew when I started reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue that it would be different from her other books—she told her readers so much herself—and it was. It’s maybe a mixture of fantasy and magical realism, and strongly character-driven with very little plot or action, beautiful and lingering.

It’s the story of Adeline LaRue, a peasant girl born in 17th century France with a heart that yearns for more than a life as a country wife. In desperation, she makes a deal with an ancient god of darkness, or maybe the devil: her soul for her freedom. But like all such deals, it isn’t what she expects. She is cursed to be forgotten by everyone. Nothing she does leaves a mark, and nothing leaves a mark on her, so she doesn’t age, get sick or injured, or die. It isn’t an easy life—or maybe not life at all—but little by little she learns to make the most of it. And so she goes on for centuries, until she meets a man who remembers her.

It’s also the story of Luc, the god/devil, and his relationship with Addie. It’s dysfunctional and abusive, and more interesting for it. There’s an imbalance of power at first, but as the centuries go on and it becomes obvious to him she isn’t willing to succumb to his terms, everything changes. He wants to be remembered and seen too, and he only has her for that. The only true emotions Addie experiences are with him, as she has learned not to get attached to people, and so she only feels like a living character when she is with him. The rest of the time she only observes the world around her, slipping in and out of peoples’ lives like a ghost.

It’s also made to be the story of Henry, the man who remembers Addie. He’s given his own point of view chapters and he gets to tell his story. But I didn’t need to know that much about him, and I ended up skimming the chapters about his past. It’s essential that he offers his point of view at the end, but everything else was somewhat redundant. It only slowed down the narrative in the middle and made the book unnecessarily long.

Addie’s and Luc’s relationship being as dysfunctional as it was, I braced for a tragic ending. That it didn’t end in tears was a relief—and a bit of a let-down too. I wanted a final showdown between Addie and Luc, a human taking down a god or perish trying, but that didn’t happen. The ending is almost happy, with everyone getting what they want, though not necessarily the way they wanted it. It left me feeling pleased, and wanting at the same time. All in all, a good book, but not as great as I hoped it would be. But I warmly recommend it to people who are new to Victoria Schwab.

I finished this book, closed my Kindle, and just sat there, trying to work out what had HAPPENED. I've read quite a lot by V E Schwab (not everything - she is prolific and writes for many different audiences) and I THOUGHT I knew what to expect.

But this... this was simply astonishing. A game changer of a book, for the reader (and, I'd hope, for the author - but that's perhaps presumptuous to say).

It is SO good.

A book to sink into, to lose oneself in.

A book that plays games, switches, dives and comes back from a different direction, targeting you right in your feelings, tying you in knots, delivering the kill and then... then doing it all AGAIN with different feelings, different knots and a different kill.

OK, stop babbling David. (I told a friend on Twitter that reviewing this I might just gush and you can see, here I am, gushing). Let's try and get hold of this protean, gorgeous wonder of a book and review it properly.

Addie (Adeline) LaRue is a young peasant woman living an ordinary life in an ordinary village in France in the late 17th century. The great drama, great crisis of her life is that while she longs for more breadth, experience and more... just more life, her parents (as parents will) want her to marry, have children, be settled. She dodges this for a while but not, oh, the wedding bells are ringing and the dress is being laced upon Addie and the life that goes with the dress is being laced on her... the world is closing in.

So Addie makes a bargain. A bargain she really shouldn't, with one of the dark things in the wood, one of the powers you really, really shouldn't pray to - in case they answer. And so, Addie's soul is in hock and she's cut loose from that village and while she gets that breadth of life (well, sort-of life) that she wants, Addie discovers that the wider world is a cruel and cold place and that there's nowhere in it for her. Addie can't make a mark on the world ('If a person cannot leave a mark, do they exist?'), she can't be remembered once out of sight. She can have a love affair, but she has to restart it every morning. If she rents a room for the night, she'll be turfed out as soon as the landlord or landlady turns their backs and another customer arrives. With no persistence in memory, Addie can't earn money, can't live anywhere. She exists on the margins. All else changes but Addie stays the same, as those she knew, those she loved, crumble to dust. And across the years, she's tormented by the creature - the god, the devil? - that she bargained with. Luc, as she calls him, is, in a sense, her creation. Only Luc rememberers her, only Luc remains.

It becomes clear, over the years, that Luc wants more than her soul. That she, knowing nobody else remembers her, nobody else will ever know her, wants, needs him. Hatred and love dance together in a whirl that passes down the years in meetings and partings, in a strange kind of game as Luc tempts Addie to wish oblivion for herself, as she bargains with him for an alternative.

Everything comes to a head in New York where for the first time in three centuries, Addie senses change, senses a loophole in her deal with Luc, when a young man remembers her.

The way that Schwab builds up the fantasy of Addie's life is stunning, believable, full of pathos and horror and desperate desire. Driven to the margins of the world, she makes an existence for herself inspiring art and artists (a recurring theme here), exploring literature (she 'reads of strange lands, and monsters, and men who can't ever go home...') She, literally, can't paint or draw or write herself (a cruel twist from Luc when child Addie was so invested in her sketching and drawing) but she can be a Muse. What a way to encapsulate the role of a woman in a male dominated society - just the thing she was running from when she made her bargain in the woods - to be erased, voiceless, seen only by the traces left across the years in men's works.

So we gradually learn about the events that have made Addie, her victories and defeats in that endless struggle, the moments of respite and the moments of horror, and we really, really, get to know the person she has become and to admire her for what she's achieved. It's powerful writing. The central idea - and its working out - could fill a book and it would be a good book.

But - ands this is really a glorious thing - Schwab DOESN'T STOP THERE. She has much more for us. Meet Henry, an uncertain young man in a world full of sharp teeth. I really can't tell you too much about him because spoilers but, yes, he comes into Addie's life and, yes, he can remember her and yes, the book turns out to be about what that means to each of them. This is effectively a whole new layer of story. It's a love story, told in the sweaty clubs and avant garde venues of Bohemian New York - a city Addie knows well. It's the story of a man who never feels, somehow, that he is quite enough, a man who fears the darkness in quite a different sense from Addie. If this book made me fall in love with Addie, it made me fall for Henry, too. His issues are quite different to hers but, like Addie, Schwab makes Henry real, human and most of all, she makes him matter. It's gorgeous writing, so sad at times, and really, that story - Henry's life - is another that could be a book in itself.

But it's not, and then we have what happens when the two come together... they're all one book and they are all the same story. Reaching the end, I read it more and more slowly, not wanting it to end. I wanted to stay immersed in the world of Addie and Henry and Luc, wanted to see the relationships flicker and dance, the pulls of desire and love and hate, to see Schwab whittling these three down to their essence.

Who, what is Luc? At one level I don't know, we're never exactly told.

Who, what is Luc? At another level, we all know. We've all met him. We've danced that dance, surrendered - or not - made our lives despite him, or with him. Luc cannot be defeated, cannot be pleaded with, placated, bribed or tricked. Only bargained with. And he drives a hard bargain...

The Invisible life of Addie LaRue is without a shadow of a doubt my favourite book read this year (that's 97 so far). V E Schwab was already an impressive writer but I think this is by far the best she's written yet (that I've read). Apart from the handling of the ominous, dark and romantic themes here, Schwab has a knack for getting to the heart of things in her writing: we hear of 'A Fall woman indulging in a second Spring', or how when Addie first makes love's is lightning through her limbs, it is fire through her core, it is longing between her legs' or of Henry's family sitting at table 'like an awkward Ashkenazi imitation of a Rockwell painting' or of a 'fundraising smile'. In places the prose adopts the pacing of a teary ballad ('A boy is sick of his broken heart. Tired of his storm-filled brain') or a dark folksong ('Am I the devil or the darkness?'). In others it revels in the wonder of moments of caught amidst the darkness - Addie's memory of the beauty of stars, something the modern world doesn't afford, of the gradual unfolding of New York in the springtime for a pair of lovers.

I think I'm gushing again. I want to keep quoting bits of this book, saying, look at this, look at that, read that bit. I should just say "read it!" and stop there.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is simply leagues ahead. For me, reading it - and thinking about it after - was like that moment watching a great athlete running in an 800 or 1600m race when the winner simply opens up distance from the others and claims a victory which afterwards always seems preordained. Simply stunning.

Thank you to Titan Books and to NetGalley for approving me to read the ARC of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐑𝐮𝐞 by V E Schwab, which is a phenomenal book.
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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝?
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From the outset, it seems that Adeline was born in the wrong era. Addie is a strong female protagonist, made all the better for retaining her feminity, alongside her intelligence, stubbornness and tenacity.
She does not want to be forced to marry, and to be confined within her expected role of motherhood, illiteracy, and being content to remain in the same village all her life.
This of course, is what leads to her ill-fated deal, surrendering her soul in exchange for not belonging to anyone but herself.
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"𝐀 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫," 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
"𝐀 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫," 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
"𝐀 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫," 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞.
𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝.
𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐩.
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The structure of the novel is very cleverly executed. Moving back and forth across points in time, it touches on key historical moments that Addie witnesses during her century-spanning life.
It highlights the beauty of human history, as well as the destruction. Addie lives in wonder at every new experience, every new invention, and her thirst for knowledge means she never gets bored, despite the hardships of the price she has paid for her immortality.
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𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞.
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐝𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
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Schwab's writing is incredibly beautiful.
From mornings breaking like egg yolks, to the sound of laughter on a beach rolling with the waves, she depicts scenes in such an immersive way.
By utilising all senses, she really makes the reader feel as though they are there with Addie, seeing what she sees, and experiencing what she experiences.
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𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐠𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐥𝐤, 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝.
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I don't want to give any of the plot away, but the most noteworthy part of this novel for me is Addie's character.
Although the book depicts all her loves and losses, her sufferings and joys, she ultimately ends the novel belonging to noone else but herself.
The pact she made, which has been renewed and bent multiple times, never waivers from her original terms or belonging to noone else.
Any decisions she makes are her choice, and she is not a character that should be underestimated.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 - 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲, 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 - 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝.
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞.
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I would recommend this book to everyone to read, and I would definitely read more books by V E Schwab after falling in love with this book so much.