Cover Image: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

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Member Reviews

Beautiful, impactful story that I enjoyed. It was pretty slowly paced so it took me a while to get through it but I feel it was worth the read. VE Schwab is one of those authors that is just a master story teller. She knows how to create amazing characters and stories that stick with you long after you finish them. If you are looking for a unique story with heart and feels check this one out.

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Words cannot express how much I loved and adored this book. V.E. Schwab is a brilliant writer and I truly hope there is a sequel to this book. This book is full of twists, turns, mysteries, and love. The characters are well written that you feel like you have known them your whole life,

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I'm late to the game, but this was such a lush, rich story brimming with power and yearning. What an interesting concept that I know I can hook readers with easily when I'm recommending books to patrons. What I like about this title is that although it's fantasy, it's perfect for beginner-level fantasy readers who like literary fiction, especially those who are particular about the prose. I didn't love the romance, but the book definitely left an impact on me, and I will recommend it to readers looking for a book to get lost in.

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I thought this was just a bit longer than it needed to be. The back and forth was endless. But I was surprised by the ending. I thought I knew what was going to happen and I did not. It's also a breakaway from VE Schwab's usual book themes. So I thought that was interesting as well. She can write!

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I love all of this authors work, but this was a very different and unexpected read. I cried and it was beautiful.

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A story about selling your soul, making deals, and what it means to be human. Schwab artfully winds her way through 300 years of history as he main character, Addie, makes a deal with the devil to live as long as she wants and be "free" but no one remembers her. And do you really live if you haven't left a mark? The story bounces between past and present (2014-ish) as Addie experiences the world, learns to survive, and finds the one person in the world who remembers her.

The writing is good, the plot solid, and the characters are engaging. Would recommend for most readers.

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Usually, I love V.E. Schwas. The author has the talent pulling you into a magical world. However, I found this novel hard to get into. It was pretty slow moving, and at times confusing. Still, this book is very well-written. I recommend this fans of Life After Life. However, for V. E. Schwann fans will be left expecting more.

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I love, love, love this book! So much so that I went and found other titles from the author. The story was unique and beautifully written. It is easy to become in vested in the characters (even the supporting ones!) and the ending was perfect. Endings are so hard to get right and Schwab nailed it in a way that is satisfying to the reader and realistic to the story. Easily my favorite book of the year!

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I’m gonna start by saying that Schwab’s writing is beautiful. I loved “Vicious” and this is my second book by Schwab.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it. I liked it at the beginning but once I got “the idea” I lost interest. Why? Well, because some books click with you and some don’t.

Interesting story, indeed, it just didn’t hold it for me.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this title.

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This was interesting and a fast read. I enjoyed all of Addie's adventures over her 300 years. I did find, however, the plot a bit predictable at points and wanted it to more nuanced, less obvious. Still, I am looking forward to my book club's discussion.

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V.E, Schwab's writing is always so beautiful, and while this isn't my favourite book of hers that I've read, it was definitely a treat to read.

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Addie was going to be forced to marry a widower with young children, so she prayed and sacrificed to any God that would listen. Darkness appeared and made a deal to give her freedom for her soul. Years, decades, then three centuries go by while Darkness visits Addie sporadically. No one remembers her after she leaves their sight. If she sees them again, they reintroduce themselves as if they’ve never seen her before. She’s truly lonely. She also can’t keep possessions or stay in one place long. Every one of her possessions disappears except for a carved wooden ring. She wanders the world for three hundred years, experiencing famine, poverty, cruelty and love. Addie shows great strength as her character grows through her many experiences. A truly unique story of freedom, love and sacrifice, 5 stars!

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Beautiful story telling with relatable characters and great world building. Feels both extremely grand and quite intimate at the same time. Would read multiple times.

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Admittedly a slow starter but still a unique, evocative, and memorable tale. Beautiful, haunting, admittedly occasionally overstated prose and two finely-wrought and evenly matched opponents in Luc and Addie.

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A great read that I was so glad I picked up. The story sucked me in and I could not put it down. I saw this book get a lot of hype pre pub, and it certainly lives up to it!

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I was very excited for this title as I am a big fan of VE Schwab but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t get into this book. Addie LaRue wasn’t a character I cared about and I could not see where this novel was going

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this was the most unforgettable read i ever experienced (yes, experienced!) and it got me into books with more philosophical nuances. V E Schwab has shown her mastery of words yet again, and always paints such wonderful gorgeous imagery in her prose. by the time i was done, so many highlights were made; not like i'm complaining, though! and i really loved the ending, despite it being slightly ambiguous. this book hits all the right spots, and i'll definitely go back to this when i'm in the mood for something that'll make me question my entire life.

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I know this was one of the buzziest books of the year, and it didn't entirely disappoint. I'm a bit cautious with stories that are centered around a possessive male figure, and to that end I'm a bit disappointed. But I appreciated the story and the delicate ways that Schwab navigated hopelessness and despair.

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I loved this book—it was everything I wanted from it and more. It’s definitely on the slower side, pacing-wise, but that’s not in a bad way. It’s more comparable to a slow burn than just a generally slow book. It’s poetic and beautiful and definitely one of my favorites that I’ve read from the author.

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a book that can absolutely reach inside of you and make you feel deeply. Schwab is an incredible writer and lyrical genius and knows how to create a story with words that take your breath away. The concept alone is something that felt fresh and unseen in an overly saturated world and that takes a lot of work to do. The really cool thing about it was the historical time jumping the story goes through to tell us about Addie's journey - but ending up in modern-day NYC. By far, my favorite character was Henry. The thing about this book - and is something I often encounter with writers like Schwab - is that they make me feel TOO much and I need to take mental breaks throughout (I blame that on my love for Henry). I do wish that Henry had a better ending - and Addie as well. I felt that they both deserved more in the sense of mentally what they needed. I also kind of could guess what Addie was going to do, which made it all the more hard to deal with. I just wish that these people were given more. But the reality of it is that it does not always happen the way we want

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