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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Book Review
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a historical fantasy novel by V.E Schwab.
Let’s discuss.
The Plot
Adeline (Addie) LaRue is a girl from Villon-sur-Sarthe, a location just about as real as Wakanda, most likely based on Northwestern France. She grew up in a transition between the 17th and 18th centuries. Trying to evade an arranged marriage at 23 years old, she makes a deal with a supernatural entity/abstract-concept-turned-man, who Addie would come to know as Luc. She will be free and live for a long time, virtually without changes in her appearance at the time the deal was made. The catch is, nobody will remember her as soon as she’s out of their sight, and she cannot leave a mark in the world (e.g. if she writes or draws or whatever, everything will fade away). That’s the main premise.
Why did I like this book?
In general, this novel seems to be pretty divisive. Some people really liked it, but those who think it’s overrated or disappointing are not few. Personally, I loved this book. I thought it was heartwarming, visually strong, and overall enjoyable.
That being said, now I’m going to address some of the criticism this book has received.
The Main Characters are Poorly Written
I have a theory: what ultimately decides whether or not you’ll like Addie LaRue is your ability to connect with the characters. For example, when I read it, I was in a very specific moment of my life. Thinking about legacy, the limits of permanence, dealing with rejection, all that good stuff. So obviously I was gonna connect with Addie and Henry. If you don’t have similar concerns in your life at the time of reading this, then you’re not to blame for thinking Addie is annoying and never changes, or that Henry should just get over himself. It was probably not the right time. Maybe it will never be the right time, in which case, consider yourself lucky I guess.
Addie LaRue Never Changes
A big criticism I’ve heard for Addie LaRue is that the main character stays the same. Look, I understand why it would get old…
