Reviews

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

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. SchwabThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
on October 6, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Literary, Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Pages: 480
Format: Hardcover
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four-half-stars

“Three words, large enough to tip the world. I remember you.”

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

This is my first V.E. Schwab novel that I have read. I should say that this is not a novel of thrilling conflicts so much as it is a story of poignant and unforgettable encounters. The novel breezes by at a leisurely pace as the story slowly takes shape before its reader like smoke poured into an invisible mold. This could potentially be frustrating for readers who prefer propulsive plot-lines and clear-cut resolutions as the novel offers neither, but I honestly loved it precisely for that. It’s a dangerous thing to be alone after all, but as the reader soon realizes, it’s even more dangerous to want. There is so much fear at the center of this novel. I was invested, even though it did take me longer than normal to finish this novel.

I wanted to give this novel 5 stars. The ONLY thing that kept me from going there was one character. I was not able to connect with him, making me just slightly drop the rating. Other than that, V.E. Schwab is a stunning storyteller. I was not expecting her to write something so beautiful, so alluring, so comforting. I really like her writing and I hope she continues this style of storytelling.

four-half-stars

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