The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

In 1700s France, the titular heroine of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue makes a deal with a strange force in the forest, and attains one of my favorite superpowers: the ability to not be noticed.

Addie is immortal, and people always forget she exists the moment she leaves their presence. As a result, her life has been sad, lonely, strange, and fundamentally unchanging... until, in the modern era, she meets someone who does remember her. It's a fascinating take on one of my favorite premises.

One word sums up how I would describe this book—magical.

The journey I witnessed while reading this book was a once-in-a-lifetime experience: I met various historical characters, lived through wars and paranormal events, and, most importantly, met the striking protagonist, Addie LaRue.

One of my favorite reads of the years! A magical, historical story that spans hundreds of years and reaches through time as Addie struggles to find meaning and love despite her past.

I love stories that have historical elements, threads of magic, that are written so well that the reader believes anything is possible. V.E. Schwab creates a flawed character that we don’t love at first, who must overcome the Faustian bargain she made to carve out a life and find her soulmate.

My favorite part? The evolution of Addie’s character and a different version of happily ever after!

V.E. Schwab’s premise is brilliant. Her writing is stunning.

In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, “The Darkness” grants Addie LaRue immortality but in return, no one can remember her for more than a day and she can’t even say her own name. For centuries, she travels through distant lands and historical events, growing more solitary and despondent until she meets Henry, the first human to remember her. Alas, their meeting isn’t mere fate. “The Darkness” has tricked them.

Addie LaRue’s perseverance reminds me of my own fierce female protagonists. Can her cleverness outsmart the star-crossed dilemma he’s devised? Don’t… show more.

At first glance, this might not seem like a found family book, but to me it’s the essence of what this trope does best.

One of my favorite reads of the last few years, Addie LaRue takes readers on a wild adventure through history with the girl who can’t die, yet remains forgettable to everyone she crosses. But one day, that all changes when someone remembers her.

The question remains, are we meant to cross paths with certain souls, people who change us? Who are we without the family and friends who helped raise us? I loved every second of… show more.

I listened to this novel as an audiobook and drew it out over several nights as a bedtime treat.

I wanted to steep in its gripping prose forever.

I doubt this book needs much introduction, but oh my is this an outstanding read, perfect for cold, dark autumn evenings. This is a slow, introspective, gloriously self-indulgent book that explores the evergreen theme of the meaning of life and love through a refreshing story that is equal parts historical, romance, dark fantasy, and contemporary novel. If you're looking for a plot-driven, action orientated story, this might not be for you, but if you like your books like a Friday night curled up on the couch under a knitted blanket with a rich hot chocolate—spiked with something harder—a storm raging… show more.

If you’ve seen The Age of Adaline, this book is similar to it, and funny enough, the protagonist's name is almost the same, only one letter differs. It's a slow-paced book. I'm not much fond of those, but it has magic and good twists. The idea itself, however, is intriguing. Addie makes a deal with a devil, and she becomes immortal, just like him. Cursed to live forever… with him.

Addie LaRue isn’t the typical badass character you would think of, but she gave off such an independence as she was trying to figure out her situation that really stood out to me. Granted, she had to be independent because no one remembered her existence once she was out of their sight, but still. How she twisted the terms of her situation and managed to pull one over on the main antagonist was, what I’d like to call, a badass move.

I’ve always been obsessed with wanting to be immortal. I guess that’s my fear of dying. But the only choices that seemed available to me were vampire, and I don’t fancy drinking blood—I don’t even like black pudding—or bathing in ceremonial blue fire and that didn’t turn out well for Ayesha when she aged 2000 years in minutes. 

So, imagine my delight to meet Addie LaRue who makes a deal with the devil. However, the price she pays for her immortality is that she is forgotten by the world. Could I live with that? A rash decision has me shouting… show more.