The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab ★★★★★

Hey book lovers! Amanda here with a book review for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab. I doubt it’s necessary for little ol’ me to talk about this book because I’m pretty sure every reader in the world has heard about it.

in-vis-i-ble (adjective): incapable of being seen

life (noun): the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual

I read this in March, and it’s still one of the best books I read in 2021 (yes, I’m very far behind on reviews). I had it on hold at the library forever, so when it became available I dropped everything to devour it.

About The Book 📚

Title: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Author: V. E. Schwab

Publication Date: October 2020

Publisher: Tor

Suggested Reader Age: Adult

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy (paranormal), Romance, LGBT

Rep: pan, bi, gay, lesbian

Triggers: abuse, death, depression, drugs, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, cancer

About The Author

V.E. Schwab is the name Victoria Schwab publishes her adult books under.

Victoria has stated that books published under V.E. Schwab are adult releases and those under Victoria Schwab are YA.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7168230.V_E_Schwab

“Victoria “V.E.” Schwab is the #1 NYT, USA, and Indie bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including Vicious, the Shades of Magic series, and This Savage Song. Her work has received critical acclaim, been featured by EW and The New York Times, been translated into more than a dozen languages, and been optioned for TV and Film. The Independent calls her the “natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones” and touts her “enviable, almost Gaimanesque ability to switch between styles, genres, and tones.”” https://www.veschwab.com/about/

My Review

“March is such a fickle month. It is the seam between winter and spring – though seam suggests an even hem, and March is more like a rough life of stitches sewn by an unsteady hand, swinging wildly between January gusts and June greens.”

› In 1703, twelve-year-old Adeline is a dreamer who doesn’t believe in religion, heaven, or hell. She has seven freckles on her face, one for every love she will have. Eleven years later, she makes a deal with a dark shadow, some call him the devil, some call him a demon, he calls himself Luc. He gives Adeline the gift of never dying, and also makes her someone to forget. As soon as she leaves your sight, you will not remember her face, you will not remember her name. She can’t say her real name, she can’t write it either. If you can’t leave a mark on the world, do you even exist?

In 2014, Addie meets Henry in a New York City bookstore and he remembers her. Soft, quiet Henry who wears glasses, is the first person to remember her in three hundred years.

“Stories are a way to preserve one’s self. To be remembered. And to forget…Books, she has found, are a way to live a thousand lives – or to find strength in a very long one.”

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 8
Addie is one of my favourite protagonists ever, in any book. I think she is bisexual or pan, she has romantic relationships with people of different genders. Henry also mentions something about loving the person first and the gender doesn’t matter, so I guess that would make him pan as well. There’s also a lesbian character, and another who is gay. Luc is an incredible character, you hate him and want more of him at the same time. He is a charming narcissist.

I really don’t like how white this book is, BUT I do see how it would have been difficult and could have been seen as stereotyping. Cindy from “WithCindy” has a great video explaining more on this: https://youtu.be/6BmdcNOBSNo

› Atmosphere: 10
Did I feel appropriate emotions? Well, yeah I cried more than once. The descriptions, the world-building, the mood…*sigh* it’s so good.

› Writing Style: 10
I loved the way history and art are woven into Addie’s story. It’s told from Addie and Henry’s POV, and flips from 2014 to the past.

› Plot: 7
There’s not much of a plot. A couple of times I felt the story is repetitive and sluggish and I can see some readers maybe getting bored. The ending will leave you feeling some feelings.

› Intrigue: 10
Did not want to put it down.

› Logic: 10

› Enjoyment: 10

Average 9.3

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★★★

› Final Thoughts
• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is love for art woven into a tale of a girl making a deal with the devil, discovering more about herself, the world, legacy and love.
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