The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Book Review

• One of my favorite books I’ve ever read
• Tight plot with unexpected answers to questions that still made sense
• Brilliant twist on the immortality and Faustian themes
• Descriptions that bring the story to life
• Addie is a protagonist you fall in love with because you make such a strong emotional connection with her
• Top-notch pacing and planning for scenes. I couldn’t stop reading.

A few years ago, I went to an author event for V.E. Schwab. It was there I first heard the concept of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue when she shared what she was currently working on. From that moment I knew I’d love it. The high-level concept is a Faustian theme of a young girl making an ill-advised deal with “the god who answers after dark” that results in her being immortal, but no one she meets remembers her. I’m not sure I’d ever want to be immortal, but especially not if I couldn’t make any meaningful, lasting connections, which is why I found the concept of this book so intriguing. The majority of the book follows Addie’s story, jumping from modern times back through significant events in her 300+ year lifespan. We see snapshots of her meeting people or experiencing major world events in the past and how she navigates modern life. Interspersed throughout are short glimpses of the second main character, Henry, also the one person who remembers her, and the deliciously deceitful antagonist, Luc, the god who cursed her. 

The novel is composed of experiences and remembrances of Addie’s life. Throughout the journey, quite a few questions popped up in my mind that built up intrigue and made me curious and eager to continue reading. And the way Schwab answered those questions was ingenious. I was in awe of how she created solutions that I didn’t expect but also made perfect sense. The best example is why Henry remembers her when no one else does. Another ingenious use of writing craft was her use of Luc, the antagonist, sensual god of the dark. Not only is he an interesting character on his own, but I was impressed how she used his words and actions towards Addie as a catalyst to her own growth. Addie’s persistence, strength, and resilience grew from her decision to fight back against Luc. 

What I maybe loved most about this story is the way you connect DEEPLY to each character, especially Addie LaRue. Schwab is better than most at accomplishing this. The word choice, sentence structure and the situations she puts Addie in all contribute to the reader getting a 360 degree view of what Addie was experiencing and feeling. Through the snippets of her story, Schwab demonstrates in an almost interactive way how sad and lonely Addie is sometimes. And the build up of these scenes contributed to the strong sense of relief and elation we feel from Addie when she finally meets someone who remembers her. 

I also appreciated some of the consistencies in character throughout the novel and how it contributed to the plot. From the beginning, Addie is portrayed as adventurous, inquisitive, independent and stubborn. We see these characteristics drive her to make the cursed deal and also help her survive the next 300 years. And on top of the consistencies, we see immense character development and growth in Addie. She becomes stronger and more resilient. 

Luc as an antagonist was a chef’s kiss as far as antagonists go. He gets in the way of Addie’s happiness in very real and tangible ways. We also get moments of relatability with him and even see him grow as a character. 

All these components and a hundred other impressive qualities make this an absolutely stunning book. Throughout my time reading this book, I felt the very human longing for companionship and to be remembered. To leave a legacy. To make our mark on the world. It is a theme beautifully captured through the life of Addie LaRue. I will recommend this book to EVERYONE I talk to. It is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read.