The Invisble Life of Addie La Rue was another different type of read for me: fantasy. This creative story by V.E. Schwab is rich and complex; it’s detailed and emotional; it’s sweet and exciting. There are SO many things going on in this behemoth of a novel that it’s hard to pinpoint what to talk about.
Let’s start at the beginning, which I actually didn’t love. The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue is slow to start. There’s a lot of detail, and there’s a lot of repetition as Schwab takes you through a day in the life of a woman who a) lives forever, but b) never lives on in anyone’s memory.
Remember “Ten-Second Tom” from the movie Fifty First Dates? “Tom” is pretty much what happens to someone anyone they take their eyes off Addie – they immediately forget who is she, what’s she’s doing there, and that they’ve been involved with her. And, “involved” can mean anything from talking to her for five minutes to having a romantic relationship with her every day for the past few months.
Can you imagine what 300 years of not even being a blip on anyone’s radar would be like? It seems unbearable. Schwab, with her beautiful imagery, makes you feel Addie’s loneliness in the pit of your stomach; it’s like a deep hole, a penetrating ache. It becomes palpable. The existence Addie endures for centuries is stunning in its heartbreak.
Which makes it all that more momentous when Addie meets the one person who does remember her the next day…and the next…and the next.
Meeting Henry made me realize why we had to go through a bit of tedium at the onset of The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue. That moment when Addie realizes that someone, finally someone, remembers her wouldn’t have been as impactful if Schwab hadn’t repeatedly drilled it into our heads what a lonely and depressing existence she led.
Congrats, Schwab, on turning my thoughts of “OMG, this is dull” into realizations of “Holy crap, it is BRILLIANT how she set this all up!”
So, readers, if you’re like me and wondering when The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue kicks into high gear… wait for it.
Plus, there’s another reason you should keep reading. There is one other character who’s able to remember who Addie is: the demon who created her, who gave her this “gift” of eternal life. Said demon is first referred to only as “The Darkness” but later is aptly named “Luc.” (Yes, as in Lucifer. Get it? GET IT?)
I’m a complete sucker for the dark forces; anytime someone’s dancing with a demon, I’m in. The part of The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue that finally grabbed and held my attention was Addie’s first anniversary meeting with The Darkness/Luc. While the scenes between Addie and Henry are sweet and wonderful and endearing because of what their relationship means to both of them, all my favorite scenes were when Luc showed up and he and Addie played off one another.
For me, it’s Luc who really brings 300-year old Addie to life.
From that point on, I raced through The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue.The more I read, the more elegant turns of phrase I noticed, and the more I fell in love with the author’s writing. This was my first Schwab book, and I can see why so many people adore her work. In terms of balancing a very complicated plotline, immersing the reader in the story, creating dynamic characters, and building a creative 300-year-old history for one character, I’d say Schwab earned her stars with this one. I ended up loving The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue.
Be sure to check back in for my book-inspired recipe: Raspberry Rose Profiteroles!
I read this last year and enjoyed it, although there were a couple of anachronisms that kind of skipped the record for me a bit.
Hi, Trish! Y’know, someone else mention anachronisms to me, but I don’t think I picked up on any. Or, if I did, they obviously didn’t bother me much, lol. But I can definitely see how those could detract from the overall experience.
Great review! I mean to get started on Schwab’s books; I was going to start with her Vicious / Vengeful duo, but this one sounds pretty special.
Hi, Nicola! I’ve since read City of Ghosts by this author (writing as Victoria Schwab, I think), and I really liked that one, too. It’s YA and takes place in haunted Edinburgh. Apparently, it’s part of a series. I recommend it if you’re looking for something a little spooky but still fun and relatively light-hearted.
I read this recently and absolutely loved it. A rare book that I will re-read every few years.
That’s a tanker of a book to re-read! But I hear you, Heather. So many people love this author’s stories; it’s easy to see wanting to get lost in them over and over again.