This book has been my most anticipated book of the year since V announced she was writing it and all we knew was a title. I knew I had to read it and I knew I would love it and it did not disappoint.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V. E. Schwab
Themes: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Paranormal
Reading Format: eARC
5 STARS // 9.7 CAWPILE
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This book was kindly sent to me by Titan Books in exchange for a fair review. This review will remain spoiler-free.
I’m still a bit numb from finishing this book. It was amazing and emotional, and tragic and brave and bold. I was worried I was hyping this book up too much in my head, but I’m so glad to say it was worth it. We follow Addie who makes a deal with the devil, one that leaves her in a world where no one can remember her, not her family, her friends or anyone knew she meets. This is such a desolate idea of life to me and I felt her sadness seep through the pages, alongside her other emotions as she comes to terms with her new life. Addie sees time pass her by as she lives through the 1600s and up to the present day in 2014 when this book is partially set.
I really enjoy the change we see in Addie throughout the pages of this book, she is so different in the present-day chapters, as you would expect. You can see the hardships that she has gone through in her actions even if you can’t see it in her face and body. Her situation is so unique and is something I’ve never read about before. The idea of people being able to forget her as soon as they leave her side, it’s just so isolating. I want to know more about how this works, she talks about men she spends the night with, but do they not forget her if they leave to go to the toilet? Do they really not go to the loo the whole evening? I had a few questions about how this life would work, but in general, the sadness of being forgotten seems to both haunt Addie and be familiar to her in a very sad way. This book certainly looks at the idea of being rememebered vs living life to the full and having experiences and what these characters value the most.
I loved how varied the settings were in this book, one minute we were in Paris, the next London, then New York. It felt exciting and worldly and left me feeling constantly hooked. I think this was also aided by the shorter chapters, Schwab’s writing style meant I was constantly being passed along the story and desperate to read more. This book is the downfall to those of us live by the ‘just one more chapter’ way of life because the chapters are so short and easy to whizz through.
Luc is such an interesting character, the devil, the darkness, the shadow that haunts Addie throughout her unusual life. He’s certainly the antagonist, he is Addie’s fated hubris but their relationship is so much more complicated than that. First off, I love how she names him Luc, Lucifer, a new literary representation of the devil brought to us by Victoria Schwab, not a red monster with horns, but the darkness moulded into a man that Addie created in her head. I suppose the argument here is do we create our own devils, are we our own hubris? God, there’s so much to unpack in this book, I feel it warrants another read.
Henry is such a cinnamon roll, truly he is. A bookseller and my type down to a tee, I love him. He is so real and genuine, he is not perfect, he doesn’t have unrealistic expectations of the world, but he has somehow got swept up in a life that seems to involve Addie LaRue. I want to read so much more about Henry, his life, his family, his friends, the bookshop, Book the cat. I want to know him and have drinks with him. I thought he was such a lovely character to read about, he felt like cosiness on the page whenever I read about him. He represents so much more than that too, but I want to keep this spoiler-free and not give anything away about his storyline. Henry wants the most from his life, I love this quote about his way of seeing life.
“After all, life seems very long sometimes, but he knows it will go so fast, and he doesn’t want to miss a moment.”
Victoria Schwab’s writing style throughout this book is just exquisite. She has some truly excellent lines and beautiful moments that I felt I was making notes at almost every page. Some favourite quotes of mine would be:
“She is sunshine. She is clear blue skies.”
I love this description of Addie, what a lovely idea that someone would be sunshine and skies, how beautiful is that?
“Humans are capable of such wondrous things. Of cruelty, and war, but also art and inventon.”
Humans are always under fire for being so terrible, but we also create and have beauty in us and I feel like Schwab really expresses this in this quote.
“The worst part of every meal is when it ends.”
I mean this one is just plain relatable really isn’t it? Especially when it’s such a lovely meal!
This book amazed me and wowed me in so many different ways, an instant favourite that I want to read again and again!
Buy The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | Amazon | Waterstones | Hive
Can’t wait to read it! Great review. 🙂
I absolutely loved Addie LaRue! As my first V.E. Schwab book, it was so refreshing and I just cannot wait to read more of her books.
This is such a beautifully written review. I hear about this book all the time but wasn’t sure if I wanted to read it. Once again this lovely review makes me want to get it and read it right this moment.
😊 Thanks,
Shari