The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

In modern times, Addie is a woman who loves books, drinking coffee, and doesn't want any man to tell her what to do. But when she was born centuries ago, she as supposed to be married and be a breeder as it was the costume of the time. To escape that fate she made a pact with the devil to live forever, but he also made her to be forgotten by everyone who meets her as soon as they loose sight of her.

Good premise, but cliched heroin and I didn't connect to the characters, places or prose.

Read 2:11 / 17:10 13%

Moods: Adventurous, Emotional, Mysterious

How it made me feel: Another be careful what you wish for tale, but with a twist. I did not want to put this book down and when I did, I still wanted to think about it. A gorgeous story that felt like a contemporary, updated fable.

There were some issues that kept me from giving 5 stars, though. Although SO beautifully written, I felt as though we were shown more of the story than we actually experienced or felt. This made the pacing feel a little slower in places when I would have liked to have felt more with the main characters.

After 300 years into a curse, I would have liked Addie to have matured some. She loved, she hurt, she suffered, she is neglected, abandoned, abused. She lived like a fugitive in people's houses, learning to be skilled thief. She learned and experienced so much, but her thoughts still felt so young.

Would I recommend? Yes, absolutely :)

DNF at 45%

Even though It was an anticipated release of the year, and I was super excited for it, I just couldn't keep going. The sadness of this book is too much for me. Despite having some “happy”moments, there is a shadow in the whole book that makes it feel depressing.
I might come back to finish it at some point in life, but right now I can't.

throws hands in the airI mean, I'm pretty sure I get why people like this. Or rather, I can imagine the mentality. You've dreamed about sweet, overly sensitive bookish men and being the otherworldly woman who changes his life? I'm not saying that Addie LaRue is an MPDG or anything - that phrase is so dead - I'm saying that this book relies heavily on you soaring on the emotional wave that is created by a pretty boy and an immortal girl's relationship (and I guess the magic of New York City, or whatever), because this certainly isn't relying on plot twists or tense rising action. But in order for that to work, you have to actually feel that emotional wave. And I did not. I spent his entire book standing on a dry beach, wondering where all the waves were.Adeline LaRue was born in the wrong century. It's not that she wants to be anything in particular, she just wants something more than 17th century provincial French life. But that's what she was going to get. At 23, she had nearly ensured spinsterhood when a damn widower comes to town and needs a wife. He'll settle for old maid Addie. Desperate to escape, despite never doing anything in her 23 years to do so before - aside from hiding in her parents' house-, she runs to the woods and prays to the old gods to grant her a way to be free. An old god answers, but a dark one, and because she doesn't really know what she wants only what she doesn't, she manages to garner herself a pretty terrible deal. She gets her freedom, and an immortal life complete with her eternal youth and health - but in turn she cannot be remembered. Everyone she knew before would forget her, and everyone she meets going forward will forget her as well as soon as she's out of sight. This leads to a pretty miserable couple of years figuring out how to exist when always just out of people's sight and mind. She can't own anything, she can't tell anyone who is she is or her story. She can't make a mark, or change anything. But eventually, she starts to figure out the rules. Eventually she starts to squeeze in moments of joy and wonder between trying to find a place to sleep for the night. All the while, the old god from the wood dogs her step, trying to convince her to give in and surrender her soul. She holds on to it out of spite, and despite everything her curse puts her through, there's always more to see. And eventually, she makes it to modern day. Eventually she meets a boy who actually remembers her.I feel like a bit of an asshole for not having much sympathy for Addie. As a woman born in the 20th century, I have everything she wanted - I have independence, I have agency. I can travel, I can choose to be married or not, have children or not. But maybe it's the times we're in - we're all craving something simple. Something comfortable. Hell, there's a whole movement of people obsessed with the provincial aesthetic and lifestyle (granted, with less patriarchy). Something about the way Addie sneers at the people of her village - the weak-chinned man who she's betrothed to, the childhood friend who is content to marry and have children and play her part - leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This new spin on the Not-Like-Other-Girls Girl is the extent of Addie's personality for a large portion of the book, before her stubbornness takes over. And I thought this would be examined at some point - not necessarily that Addie would regret her decision, even after the years of suffering she goes through because of it, but that she would look back on her old life and realize that there was value there, and there wasn't really anything special or more deserving about her. But that's literally never discussed. You're apparently supposed to take Addie's aimless desire at face value.I spent a good chunk of my adolescence reading about sad immortals, thanks to Anne Rice. Lestat de Lioncourt, interestingly, has a similar origin story to Addie. Doomed to a backwater life in 18th century France, desperate to live a life that is something more, he finds himself in the path of a powerful immortal, who damns him to a dark eternal life. The difference is that Lestat, like, actually does stuff before this point. He runs off with his boyfriend, he joins a group of traveling actors. Lestat is a bipolar vampire, but you feel his lust for life from the very beginning. You get none of this from Addie. Even as she starts to enjoy her life as a ghost, it is as an observer. Wow, she likes opera, why should I care?A book like this should be lush and decadent. A character like this should drip with agency and passion. I feel like this book thinks its doing that, it seems very impressed with itself. But Addie's various encounters throughout her long life are not very interesting. Even the old god (who Addie names Luc) who granted her wish over the centuries is not very interesting, neither is their relationship (which is a pretty big handicap, as its important to the plot). This book actually seems very uninterested in anything eternal - while Luc points out that Addie is barely human anymore after her 300 years, she never once examines herself from this lens. The effect this curse has had on her humanity is never discussed. Likewise, Luc may be a god, but he is treated in the most mundane ways. A good chunk of this book is Addie and her doomed sad boy lover, Henry, going to various art installations around New York City, much the same way Addie figured out the best way to survive 300 years was to just to see a lot of stuff. I don't need a bunch of student art projects described to me, thanks. I wasn't a fan of [b:If We Were Villains 30319086 If We Were Villains M.L. Rio https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1480717682l/30319086.SY75.jpg 45743348], but that is a great example of doing that well. However, M.L. Rio only does this two or three times, and she makes a point to really dig into the emotional impact of the art (and the scenes are described gorgeously), not to mention how they are wound in with the plot. This is genuinely just Henry and Addie doing stuff because art is nice, I guess. And yes, there's the theme of Addie being a muse, but I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be getting out of all this.Let's talk about Henry real quick. I was hearing some criticism about this book and how white it is. The thing is - it's not, actually. Henry is Jewish, his best friend is black. Yes, Addie spends most of her life in predominantly white areas, except when she spends thirty years in New Orleans (which is basically skimmed despite it being pretty important to the finale!). Here's the thing though - it feels really white. It feels like a lot of privileged white whining. As if the preoccupation on art installations and stuff weren't enough, you have Henry and his sad. I already talked about how Addie's problems during her mortal human life seem quibbling, and I'm not here to belittle what sounds like Henry's clinical depression and possible personality disorder. But his problems are never presented this way. Rather, he just...feels things! Super hard! As far as I can tell, aside from having a jerk for a brother, Henry has never had it particularly rough. But like Addie he can never decide on what he wants so he dates the wrong women and studies the wrong things, and before you know it he's contemplating suicide after a marriage proposal gets rejected (do you know what kind of guys do that? Not good ones). Again, I thought this would be addressed in some way. But all Henry is told at the end is to, like, actually live his life and stuff, whereas I think some better advice would be to go the therapy and consider medication. I have rambled about this enough. My point is that there are no peaks and valleys to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. There is no plot development that I didn't see coming a mile away. There is really no rise, not compelling conflict. It just kind of...goes? The same way Addie lives day to day, I just drifted from page to page, not really getting anything out of any moment in particular. There are a lot of ways to make a story like this more compelling - but a lot of them mean making it darker and more dangerous. Anne Rice was a master of fabulism and sweeping you off your feet - but the content she wrote was deeply problematic at times. Maybe the kind of shamlessness this book required is not really possible in this day and age. Instead, Schwab had the bones of the concept, and just filled in the space in between. But I guess for most people it worked.

The writing was poetic and I felt really drawn in at multiple points throughout the book. The story makes you think deeply about what you would do in certain situations, what you would do if time weren't an obstacle.

The ending was both satisfying and also felt like “the trailing off of a sentence,” kind of like how the author describes in the book. I wished I could learn more about Henry's contentment in the end, or what it meant for Addie to be Luc's... but overall, no major complaints. It was a really fun read. Heavy at times, but entertaining.

Es un libro que me ha marcado, de verdad, ha dejado huella, una huella muy profunda. Me ha enseñado a ver todo lo que mi corazón anhela y que debo aprovechar cada segundo y ser más consecuente con las decisiones que tomamos. Una maravilla. Una historia inolvidable, escrita exquisitamente. Solo 5 estrella, porque no hay más, que si no se las merece todas.

As much as I wanted to like this book, I must say I didn't.
The idea is really good, I liked the ending etc...
But oh gosh it was long ... the flashback doesn't really serve the story and the “ historical” aspect is the worst. It is never relevant for the character development and just make you want to skip through this to go back to the present.

So to sum up. Great idea, way too long and slow.

I did not expect to like this book as much as I do. The first thing that I noticed was the writing. It's gorgeous and I'm constantly thinking back to certain lines, passages, or descriptions. While the story may be slow at times (the small and cramped font making the reading process slow), there was a certain momentum that made you want to keep reading. I love this book and I love Henry Strauss.

I adored The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

It has all of my favorite things: a touch of magic, beautiful writing, character introspection, and emotion.

My favorite books tend to be ones where the characters are the focus rather than the action. I love stories that delve into what makes a person who they are, what drives them. The two main characters – Addie and Henry – are both so fascinating, and I was never bored during the story.
It was interesting seeing how her curse takes shape. And to ponder what I would do in Addie's shoes. After so many years, it's lovely to think of all the things Addie has witnessed and seen. But is it genuinely living if you have no ties, no connections?

I am, however, going to be haunted by the ending as I'm trying to fall asleep at night, left to wonder, “Why?! Why would it end like that” Which is why I'm making it our library book club selection for January so I can make other people discuss it with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fascinating and twisty and gorgeously written. Falls at the center of an unusual Venn diagram where the circles are “books I'll like,” “books my husband will like,” and “books my mom will like.” Loved the tension and cat-and-mouse between Addie and Luc, and the way Addie learns over the years to turn her disadvantages to work for her. I really enjoyed this one!

Good story but very predictable at times. Loved the writing style, though. The sentences were beautiful and a joy to read. The plot was unique so points for that.

Edit: Taking the rating down to 3 stars as even though the prose was beautifully written, the characters were not my favorite. I need strong characters to like a story (no matter how unique it is).

Addie doesn't really grow as a character. She keeps wanting to leave a mark when she has left a mark in the world on so many people who in turn have preserved a part of her in their art. Why so immature?! You've had 300 years.

Also, happy endings. Also, not shipping the villain with the MC (as that seems to be a trend). This book's ending is basically what would happen if the Darkling and Alina had become a thing so wtf to that.

I started this as an ebook, but then my hold expired and I started it over as an audiobook. I didn't mind hearing what I'd already read because it's that good.

I'm not normally one for romance, so instead I'll think of it as a love story.

This hit so many of my favorite things I can't help but wonder if the algorithm works. I mean I purposely sought some of it out, such as goodreads choice nominee.

More review to come, probably.

A beautiful, clever and poignant story that asks the question what happens after you sell your soul to the devil. Addie LaRue does not want to get married, she wants to explore the world and find her place. Her parents just want her to settle down. In a bid to escape the marriage she does not desire she does a deal with the devil to let her escape. However, the deal comes with more than she bargains for - everyone forgets who she is after losing sight of her. She will not age and remains forever the age she is, until she agrees to give her soul to the spirit she did the deal with.

What follows is a tale that spans through the centuries as Addie moves through the world, subtly influencing it without ever being remembered. Her stubbornness causes her to reject any escape with the devil, but their relationship develops as he tries to cash in on the deal to claim her soul.

This is so beautifully written and the interactions are genuinely touching. One of my top reads of 2020

Everyone kept telling me to read this monster of a book because it was popular and well-written and all that. Of course, I tend to lean toward the arcane more than the mainstream, but then I thought, well - as a reviewer (who is really trying to expanding her horizons - NY Resoultion!!) I should give it a go. And I'm really glad I did. It was wonderfully written with such a unique and interesting idea - about a woman who makes a deal and can live forever...but never be remembered by anyone. This book isn't as simple as “romance between girl and devil” (which I thought it might be going into it). Addie is a fantastically written character and Schwab truly dives into her loneliness. The devil isn't the classic “I'm a scary bad guy” no...this guy is actually DANGEROUS. It's not stereotyped or trivialized. He's not even really referred to as a “devil” in the classic sense.

I had SO many reactions throughout this book as well, which I count as a success.

Me when Henry remembers her:

Me when I all the sudden am hit with the question “WAIT, WHY does he remember her?”

Me THE ENTIRE BOOK regardless of what was happening:

This is a slow-paced book, which I could see turning off some readers. But I think, if you like fantasy and romance and a well-thought out book, it will be worth the muddling through the slow parts.

If anybody needs me I'll be on the floor hugging this book wondering why V. E. Schwab did this to me. Like am I supposed to just keep on keeping on after this? Absolutely not. Just toss me some snacks. I live on the floor now.

There isn't much that I can say about this book that won't ruin it. You must go in blind. I will say that it is sad and beautiful. It is also slow paced. The pacing makes sense (to me at least) and it stays pretty slow throughout. Yes it has its WHA? WHO DAT? WHY DAT? QUE?! moments but again, slow paced mostly....and tbh I loved that too. Totes had me by the balls and kept a grip on the all the way to the end. And yes I did ugly cry.

If I had to choose a book to read again for the first time this book would definitely be in the top 3.

I loved this. I have always loved the idea of concepts or entities like the darkness or the ocean being gods or consciousness with thoughts and feelings and needs and wants. And the way that the stories of both Addie and Henry are told with the time jumps and all that in between was amazing. It made me really inspired. 

I didn't like the thought of the darkness not being capable of love. And the fact that in all those years that Addie has lived she still thinks of all this as a game when he clearly really loves her. Just because he is a god and the darkness personified does not mean he doesn't love her. So the ending was a little disappointing to me, especially since Addie is supposed to have grown and evolved so much during all this time and she still holds to this naive notion that he can only be playing a game. But I still did really love it.

What an absolutely gem of a book.
The writing style is comforting, and painful, and the way it is written makes me think of all the lives in the past and it makes me wonder, and look to the stars and just gaze upon them.

I found this book relatable in so so many ways. Addie and Henry, and many other characters in this book, have wishes and needs and pleads and each one of them is looking or asking for something and it ignites something in me.

When Addie LaRue says she wants to live in freedom, I thought “same” and how easily I would have fallen into that damn trap if this were all real. I long for freedom, for living without end.
When Henry says he feels all directions are pulling him and not one thing/direction/goal truly speaks to him, calls to him it is so utterly relatable. I don't want to choose to do one thing, I want to experience dozens or lifes in the time of one. I want to study and learn so many paths instead of just one.
My heart was going through the motion.

In a way this book is all story, no action but at the same time I felt as if I could barely breath while reading. It kept me on my toes, it kept me hooked throughout its pages and I am not sure how I can let this book and these characters go?

I just absolutely loved this book and damn I loved Luc with my whole heart. I think he was my favorite.