An absolutely beautifully written story. I loved every moment of it and wanted to savor it forever. Clearly, this was a labor of love and it showed in the gorgeous prose and excellent storytelling.

This was such an incredible book. I really have nothing negative to say about it, and am still riding the wave of emotions it made me feel. The plot is original and unpredictable without going too far to try to surprise its readers, the main characters are likable yet humanly flawed (their flaws may actually be what makes the book so great), there’s representation that feels natural and part of the story, and it has that special fairy tale-like quality of both provoking thought and evoking deep emotion. I could barely put it down and kept shouting to my wife how amazing it was and how much she was going to love it. I hope lots of people read it and feel the same heart pangs i did.

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V. E. Schwab is an epic tale about Addie LaRue who is cursed to live forever and be forgotten by everyone she meets. I liked the blend of historical fiction, fantasy and contemporary fiction. The timeline was quite expansive spanning 300 years and this book is on the longer side so I felt the repetition in the writing was detracting. The flow of reading was nice and quick since the chapters were quite short. In the end I felt this book was good but not great.

This is such a beautiful and poignant story that really spoke to me. The characters were amazing and the story was heartbreaking and yet so full of hope. I never wanted it to end, but of course it does.

Addie was such an incredible woman. So tough and stubborn, but kind and thoughtful too. She really goes through a lot in the 300 years that she roams the earth, but she never gives up, and she continues to try to make her mark. I am not sure I could have done what she did without going insane at some point. I really enjoyed hearing about her various adventures and mishaps as she struggled to understand her curse and how to survive. I loved watching her relationship with both Henry and the god/demon develop over the course of the book.

Henry is such a lost little soul, who I fell for the minute he was introduced to us. He really wants to understand his place in the world and goes through so much heartache before he meets Addie. He is just one of those characters that you feel needs a great big hug all of the time. It was great that we got to see some of the story through his point of view as well.

Luc, as Addie comes to call the god/demon, is also a really interesting character. He shows up through out the book to taunt Addie into giving up and surrendering her soul to him. They have quite the relationship that is constantly changing.

I have to put in a little plug for the best bookstore cat ever, Book. He was such a dear and I loved how he stalked Addie and would just show up in different places in the store lounging on a book shelf or looking like an “inconvenienced bread loaf”.

The story itself is told through little moments or vignettes in both Henry’s and Addie’s lives. The story goes back and forth through time, so do pay attention to the chapter headings to know what year you are in. I loved some of the little glimpses we got as Addie experiences history being made and how she influenced it. There is a bit of a story within the story which just made everything perfect. The ending is a little open ended which is something that usually annoys me, but for this book it was the only way it could end.

Overall this is a book that should become a must read for everyone. I think it is probably the best book I have read this year and it is one that I will reread and cherish for a very long time.

This book!! It broke my heart. @veschwab generally does that to you. If there’s one author in current times whose book I can pick up blindly, it’s her.
She takes you through a roller coaster and then suddenly departs. And you are left finding your feet and losing the dizzy spell.
The book is written in the most beautiful lyrical manner. The concept is age old - a young woman trapped, by societal norms, wanting to break free and live on her own terms which leads her down the road to the Devil and making a pact for her soul. Addie Larue is the girl with 7 stars on her face, representing the 7 loves of her life. By the age of 23, she feels suffocated and wants to escape her small town life in France in the 1700s. The story spans 300 years of her life where she is invisible. Due to an ill worded bargain with the Devil, everyone forgets her immediately and she cannot leave a mark in the world. Some might find immortality exhilarating, but when you can’t even buy the clothes on your back or have a place to stay, you start believing that not all the Gods who answer are the ones you should pray to. But she doesn’t let it break her and continuously finds something enchanting in the world!
And then she meets Henry. Who through a stroke of luck (or something else?) remembers her!
I love the entire relatability in the book. The way the relationship between Addie and Luc (the god) is so messy and complicated, Henry’s yearning to be loved, and his complicated mental headspace. Just makes you get up and take notice!
The book deals with serious issues like depression and suicidal tendencies & gives it, its due importance.
I loved how both Addie and Henry were shown as bi/pan leads who love the person before their gender. The different phases of everyone’s life has been treated with so much care and it evokes such emotions in the reader!
I don’t think I will say more as I think I might give out spoilers 😂
But i will say this - READ THIS BOOK!

Honestly, I still can't believe I got my hands on an early copy of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue - it was hands down my most anticipated read of the fall. The concept is phenomenal and unique: a woman who can "live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets". If that's not enough to get you interested in reading Addie Larue’s story, I don't know what is. Even better, Addie Larue delivers in a serious way - and is easily one of my new favorite books.

V.E. Schwab has one of the most unique and beautiful writing styles of this generation. Her prose is complex and lovely, and fit perfectly for telling a story about a timeless woman. For The Invisible Life of Addie Larue – she tells the story in multiple time periods: in the past and the present. The use of flashbacks was perfect, it helped to reveal the things Addie had gone through while she discovered her curse and explored the world. The flashbacks really helped paint a complete picture of who Addie was. The author’s ability to build a world is unparalleled – within pages I could practically smell the books in the store Henry worked in and could picture the village Addie grew up in.

The plot itself was fairly slow-paced – it really languished in the quiet moments, the moments where Addie was learning who she was or figuring out the confines of her curse. Though there was plenty of heartbreak and hurt in this book (you can really feel Addie’s pain every time she repeats an encounter with someone who has forgotten her), there was also a lot of hope. From the first time Addie visited Paris, to the moment when she realized Henry remembered her, there were plenty of small hope-filled moments to combat the dark themes of loneliness and isolation. Also, watch out for the ending – you’ll definitely want some tissues and some comfort food on hand for when you finish.

Addie was a naturally complex character – she was cursed to be forgotten by everyone she met and was gifted with immortality – a cruel combination. She was a deeply curious person – always thirsting for new experiences, even after living through some horrifying situations. She was also remarkably clever – she quickly began to figure out how she could leave her mark on the world while still being trapped in the confines of her curse. One really remarkable thing about this book is how well Schwab captured Addie’s loneliness – she craved relationships and to be remembered, but she never let this desire overwhelm or dilute her appetite for adventure. As a reader, it was fascinating to watch her grow from being a naïve girl who made a deal with a devil to a lonely, clever woman, looking to experience new things and defy the curse placed on her.

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue gave me a serious book hangover - even days after reading it, I can't stop thinking about it. It's romantic, mysterious, and heartbreaking, and it's by far my favorite book of the year. This book might even be my favorite book ever - it's that good. I cannot shout from the rooftops about Addie Larue enough: do yourself a favor and run (don't walk) to the bookstore and get a copy. I think The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is going to be a new favorite for a whole lot of people - don't miss the excitement on this one. 5/5

PS: Hollywood, please make a movie out of this.

I had been looking forward to this title, but it just didn't work for me. I think the main problem was that I didn't find the central character particularly interesting or engaging. It may be that, in a way, it reads too much like a romance novel—and that's not a genre I enjoy. I'm aware that it's gotten stellar reviews on GoodReads, so I figure I'm an outlier.

If you loved This Savage Song and Our Dark Duet you are going to feel right at home in Addie’s story. I’ve never read a book quite like this before. It did keep making me think of that Blake Lively movie The Age of Adeline but that’s only because they’re both about women who step out of time named Adeline, I haven’t seen the film but I know enough about it to know that those are the only similarities, except maybe both of the Adelines like art? Does movie Adeline like art? I’m going to have to watch that movie now, aren’t I…

That’s a digression though, back on topic, the book, this book, it was so good. I didn’t really know what I was expecting going into it. I requested it because I liked A Darker Shade of Magic, and I LOVED This Savage Song and the description of this book just gave me vibes of This Savage Song. There’s something different about the feel of Schwab’s Monsters of Verity duology than her Shades of Magic trilogy but The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the perfect meld of the styles and tones of both her adult and her YA personas. The short description of this book is, girl rebels against tradition and makes deal with the devil, girl falls “in love” with devil…eventually…I read a quote where Schwab said this is the closest she’ll ever write to a love story. It is not a love story that’s why I used “in love” in quotes like that. Don’t go into this story expecting a romance because it’s not what you will find. In the end, this book is more akin to a Shakespearean tragedy than it is any romance novel I’ve ever come across.

The characters here are all amazing though. Schwab has a way of really digging deep and making you feel intensely with and for her characters. She also does a fantastic job with setting giving us a glimpse at historical events both familiar and not through a truly unique point of view, we get a similar glimpse at 21st century New York. We follow Addie through 300 hundred years of her story, not the whole thing, not even all of the highlights, but we see the significant points that help us understand who she is and what motivates her to keep going. It’s a truly magical and moving story.

FIRST OF ALL, thank you thank you thank you to TOR for not only sending me a physical ARC of Addie in exchange for an honest review, but for gracing me with an influencer box! I feel ridiculously honored to have received it, and I will honor it with my life!
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Addie. Addie. Addie.
How? How to I describe my love of this book? How do I write down a review for a book that means so much?
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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab is already a classic. It has the feel of centuries, a story traveled over history, over wars and revolutions and art and memory. Or the lack thereof. It tells of a girl that learns how to work her curse-or her gift- how to take advantage of the forgetfulness of everyone.
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This is a story of grief, of loving, of finding over and over again. Of haunting and endings and beginnings. This is a story for those that need something MORE, for those that are in search of a character to pity and love and understand.
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Addie LaRue traded away her name and being remembered to live forever. "Everyone wants to be remembered" but Addie will never be remembered. Would you trade away an eternity of time to never be remembered? To have the clock reset every time someone leaves the room or closes the door?
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Addie LaRue will be remembered. And this? This is my favorite book. Of V.E. Schwab's. Of 2020. Of EVER. I know I often rant and rave about how amazing her books are, but I mean this with all my heart. This book and I were meant to be. This is the book I've been looking for. Pre-order this, read this. I don't know how else to convince you that this book deserves its place on your shelf. Or in your heart. 5 stars is not enough to rate this book, but it will have to do!
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To escape an unwanted marriage, Addie LaRue made a deal with the devil. And that deal was not in her favor - now, anyone she meets will forget her as soon as she's out of their sight. Enter Henry, after hundreds of years. After a chance encounter at a bookstore, Addie sees Henry again and is surprised to find that he remembers her. Will she fall in love with Henry, or will her relationship with the devil develop into...something more?

Obviously, I didn't love this book. It's definitely a case of the book not being my thing, though, I think other folks will love it. On the whole, I just kind of found it to be bland. The concept isn't exactly new (I mean, think of like...Hades and Persephone). The mystery of Henry and how he could remember Addie started to pique my interest, but it was very quickly solved in the most obvious of fashions. Addie gets a lot of character development, but she makes pretty much the silliest decision every chance she gets and I just couldn't bring myself to like her or care about her. Henry is...fine. Luc is...mysterious. What I learned reading this book is that what I like about Schwab is her worldbuilding. There's not a ton of that here, so it was down to the characters to make the book work, and like I said, I didn't care for them.

TLDR: The book is basically about desperate people making poor decisions and then falling into love out of said desperation. Anyway, it was by-the-numbers love story with characters that I found to be relatively uninteresting. It wasn't for me, but I think many readers will love the romance.

Addie LaRue is completely unable to make a mark on this world. She is forgotten the moment she is out of sight, her writing erases itself, and she can't even manage to hold on to any material possessions, except a wooden ring that is the symbol of her deal with the devil. Addie asked for freedom, to not be tied down to convention, but we all know that you have to be careful what you wish for. Addie has all the freedom she could want, and then some, and her bargain is good until she tires of being unendingly forgotten, at which point the devil will claim her soul.

The devil thinks he's gotten a good deal, making a bargain with a rash young girl, but he didn't count on Addie. Realizing that "ideas are wilder than memories" and can't be so easily controlled, she makes the terms of the bargain work for her. Perhaps she is an artist's muse for a while or she plants a musical riff that grows into a hit song, or finds some other way to live on (anonymously) through art. On top of that, she really does have freedom to experience all the world has to offer, and she's been experiencing it for 300 years.

And then, someone remembers her. After so much time, can Addie even have a relationship with someone who actually remembers her from one day to the next? What will she learn about her relationship to the world? And will it make her rethink the bargain she made so long ago?

Addie is a wonderfully strong, brave character, who will stick with you (haunt you?) long after you finish this book. The book is a trifle too long, but the payoff at the end is worth it.

I am not normally interested in fantasy books, and that is the realm of this author, although apparently, this book is a departure for her.

I was completely intrigued by the premise of this story - a woman who runs away on her (forced) wedding night in 1714 France and, in desperation to escape her situation, makes a deal with the devil, or as he is referred to often, 'the darkness.' More than that, I was delighted by the unexpectedness of her character development in the present day.

Three hundred years later, Addie LaRue is in New York City, after many adventures throughout the world, of which we subsequently learn the details of, in flashbacks embedded in her current-day drama. Wandering around for centuries, Addie is cursed with never being remembered, so all of her liaisons with lovers, friends, or even her own family back in France, never get very far. It's a lonely life.

I was alternately intrigued and bored with this story. The writing is exquisite and the theme of what it is that motivates a person to make such a life-changing choice was interesting. However, I wasn't as captivated by the many, many, long & drawn out depictions of her journey through time and other countries(coinciding with many famous people, who, of course, forgot about her immediately - except for the painter whose images survived the ages.)

Likewise, I was dissatisfied with the way her 'relationship' with the darkness proceeded through the years, with him continually offering to 'set her free' if she would only give up and let him have her soul once and for all. It just didn't feel realistic in many ways, although, perhaps in a romance novel it would not be out of place for Addie to be simultaneously disgusted by and drawn to the handsome, powerful guy. I'm not a fan of cliched romance novels.

The current-day story of a man who can suddenly 'see' her and not forget her (although all his friends do) is very appealing for a while, heart-warming and feel-good. But then we learn about the 'why' he has this ability, when nobody else has over the past 300 years, and, there, for me, the tale started falling apart. Likewise, with the confrontation and consequences with 'the darkness.'

I was rather surprised that this book has received so many 5-star reviews both on Goodreads and NetGalley, although I did notice that many of the reviewers raved about Ms. Schwab's previous fantasy novels, so perhaps it is a great hit among readers of that genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge-Tor Books and the author for the opportunity to read this eARC in advance of its publication on October 6, 2020. It was a wild ride to be immersed in Addie LaRue's life for a while.

V. E. Schwab has created another strange and wonderful character in Addie LaRue. This novel begins in modern America, but jumps back and forth between almost everywhere else. Forced to conform to the typical woman's role in 1714 France, Addie LaRue would rather do anything but that. She wants to draw and visit Paris and do so many things there is not enough time - especially if she is tied to a husband and children. She pleads to every god she can think of until finally, she beseeches the gods she was warned against, the gods who come out after dark. Addie gets what she asks for - the chance to live forever and do everything she dreams of, but the price is steep. She is cursed to be forgotten by EVERYONE she meets. Through the centuries she visits all the places she dreamed of, and does many amazing things that are forgotten as soon as she is out of sight. There is no record of her passing, of her influence on the arts and on historical events. Her life meanders on until in present time she happens upon a book store. There she meets a man who remembers her name and everything changes.

This is a dreamy, magical book. It reminded me a lot of Alice Hoffman's misty style and was equally as good. It was a sad story but a great read. I could see lots of great discussions among those who read it. I'm thankful for the chance to read an ARC.

Holy mother forking shirt balls.... this book was PHENOMENAL.

As a longtime fan of Victoria Schwab, I can't say that I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, but I am surprised at just how much thought and care was put into each character interaction, plot point and progression, and development of the storyline as a whole. Victoria continues to amaze me with every new book she breathes into the world.

This will definitely end up being one of my favorite books of 2020 and I could definitely see a reread in the future. Maybe the second time around, it won't make me cry! ;)

Wow this book blew me away. I don't think I have the words to explain how much I enjoyed this book so this might be a rambley mess, BUT I just have to say that it is probably the best book I've read all year.
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Following Addie through 300 years of her life was a dramatic and enchanting experience. I loved Addie almost instantly and she grew and changed so much as I was reading that I was almost amazed that she was the same person the whole time. I loved how the story is told through different time periods and it so amazingly showed how she learned how to just survive and then endure and then enjoy life. The way she is able to leave a lasting impression in the world throughout history when she cannot even say her own name or write down a single word was beautifully done.
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VE Schwab knows how to write a good villain and dramatic, complex romance and this book is no exception. I don't want to say any more about that to give even a tiny piece away, but I grew to be almost as enchanted by the villainous things, even at their worst, because of the way she wrote them. There is romance and heartache and so much longing; everything jumps off the page.
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The writing (as expected) is superb. VE Schwab is a masterful storyteller with vivid imagery that flows so wonderfully, but is never over the top or dragging. The story hooked its claws in me right away and I did not lose that feeling for even a minute. It ripped my heart into a million pieces is so may ways and put it back together with the most unexpected things. The ending was just exactly right and even though I miss this book already, I know I will pick it up again once I am ready to experience it all again with Addie.
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I will think about this book for a long, long time. I will recommend it to every person I know. I will remember Addie.

Thanks to Partner NetGalley for the digital ARC of V. E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the first book I’ve read by V. E. Schwab . . . I’ll definitely be reading more. What a brilliant, compelling, gorgeous novel.

Adeline LaRue, born in France in 1691, is happy in her quiet life with her parents. Her doting father loves to teach her art and writing, and while her mother is less affectionate, Adeline knows that she cares for her. She loves her friend Estele, the village eccentric (primarily because she’s an old, unmarried woman) who freely shares her wisdom with her young friend. Addie’s life changes, however, when, at twelve, she’s told that she can no longer go to town because she’s not a little girl any more. From this time on, the path of her future narrows until, in 1714 at age 23, she makes a deal that changes everything.

Faced with an unwanted marriage, Addie calls on the gods to help her escape. The god who answers is one of the old gods against whom Estele has warned her, but, desperate, Addie shakes off her caution and agrees to an exchange she does not fully understand.

The consequence is a life of invisibility. Addie can interact with people, but as soon as she is out of their sight, they forget her. There are no exceptions—not her parents, not Estele, not her friend from childhood. She can’t affect the world, can’t make a change for better or worse, can’t say or write her own name. She is a ghost in her own life.

What does she gain? Immortality. Imperviousness to lasting pain or illness. Freedom.

And so Addie travels through the centuries, through Europe and across the ocean, until she reaches New York City in 2014. The narrative alternates between Addie’s history and her life in the present-day of the book. Her only constants are her freedom and the old god—she calls him Luc—with whom she made the deal, the old god who waits for her to grow so tired of a life unseen that she’ll give him the soul she promised in exchange for her freedom.

Addie’s path is a winding one, and the novel’s twists and turns are gorgeous and unexpected. I had a hard time putting this one down, drawn completely into Addie’s story. I recommend pre-ordering The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and I can’t wait to read more of Schwab’s work.

*spongebob narrator voice* twelve years later...

Finally finished this one! I'm still amazed I was given this ARC at all - seriously, someone really took a long shot on me here - so I wanted to make sure I finished before release! And, also, it's been hanging over my neck for long enough that I'm glad to be DONE.

Overall, this is probably more like 3.5 stars, but I rounded up because Victoria Schwab does write some damn good prose and I did enjoy those moments enough to bump the rating for me.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is about a girl who makes a deal with a devil for more time. In exchange, she will never be remembered. Her name is no longer hers. She is forgotten as soon as she walks out of sight or between sleeps. She cannot own anything for long, as it all disappears, and she cannot have a home. She cannot do anything but become a ghost in the life of humans, living eternally without a presence in the world. Until one fateful day in 2014, Addie meets a boy who remembers her for the first time. And suddenly, her world is tilted on its axis.

For anyone who's considering this book: this book is unlike any of her novels I've read so far. This book is more of a musing, if anything. On what, I couldn't exactly tell you. If you enjoy wandering, lyrical prose, words that serve atmospheric purpose and a story that unravels at snail's speed, then you'll definitely enjoy this. But if you're here thinking this is a more traditional Schwab work, you may be disappointed.

There were parts of this book I really enjoyed! The beginning and ending of this book is so polished and wonderful, which is why I think I started and am leaving this book behind with good feelings towards it. But the middle is choppy, pacing leisurely (if it's even there at all), and it hops centuries and decades so quickly that at times, it gave me a headache. For me, the second half of the book has no pace at all, right up until the last 10-15% of it, which was a bummer. Structurally, I enjoy a story to have a much quicker build to action, so it was tough to push through the latter half of the novel. As far as the story itself, it's okay. Eventually, following Addie through history gets exhausting. Including Henry's past in the middle half of the book bogs it down further, and it really just started to drag. I also didn't feel like I really liked any of these characters, and maybe that's not the point, but it's critical for me as a reader.

Also, please don't expect this to be a romance. It is so, so not that.

Overall, this is a fine book. Any of my criticism is based more on my taste than against the book itself, aside from the sheer boredom of reading once Henry's perspective starts to bleed into Addie's. I definitely won't be buying this (and am very glad I did NOT buy into the hype of all the special edition boxes for this.) However, if this is your kind of story, you will most likely really love and adore it.

Victoria Schwab is just good for the soul. This is beautiful and heartbreaking and everything you could ever want. I have been waiting a long time for this book and it did not disappoint.

There are absolutely no words to describe the beauty that is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It’s by far one of my favorite books I have ever read. V.E. Schwab is such a lyrical writer and Addie was no different. I read this one so slow, taking in every word, every bit of scenery. The story is original, beautiful, and sad. The ending was something that I had no idea how it would play out and Schwab handled in perfectly. I can’t wait to have a finish copy and read this work of art all over again!

This is my first V.E. Schwab book and won't be my last. It was unputdownable from the beginning. The writing is perfect. The story is wonderful. I can't say enough about this book.