This was a really excellent read. I was unfamiliar with this author prior to picking this book up but they are definitely on my radar now. A well thought out plot and character development was well done, I would highly recommend this one.

Very interesting.

Addie LaRue is a girl from a tiny French village in the early 1700s. She sells her soul to an elder god or possibly the devil in exchange for "time and freedom." This translates to immortality, and the fact that everyone she meets forgets her as soon as they leave her presence.

The story is told in past intervals tracking Addie's three hundred years of immortal life and present intervals as she meets a man in 2014 NYC who, somehow, can remember her. Overall, it's a very easy read. I'm not sure what to rate it, because I definitely enjoyed it, but at the same time I can see it becoming a huge blockbuster movie one day. You know what I mean?

The concept of an immortal woman wandering through history, forgotten but leaving second- and third-hand imprints on the world, is such an intriguing one. This book is, mostly, a love story. It's hard to appreciate when stories of an immortal French spy's adventures in WWII are THERE, but just barely hinted at. This book was good, but I can't help wishing that it had been more than it was.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of those books that feels magical and other worldly.

It feels like you walking through time as it quickly passes you by...a blur of colors and shapes and few people here and there that touch your heart, but you always feeling like a visitor with no permanence.

In a moment of complete and utter desperation Addie LaRue makes a bargain for her freedom not realizing what God answered her prayer and in what way he interpreted it. Now she passes through life forgotten and yearning for someone to say her name. She lives a lonely existence, starting out naïve but she learns more about herself and in what ways she can leave a mark behind.

History has seen glimpses of her, but no one knows who she is until one day somebody does. It changes things. It is sweet and tender and complicated and heartbreaking. It is so many things I can’t even put into words.

It’s melancholy in tone but so hopeful and so beautiful. It’s a triumph really.

I give more than five stars.. seven of them to be precise.

ARC provided by Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge.

Victoria Schwab is going to be the next great author, mark my words. The premise of THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE is so genius, it would pull anyone in—and keep them until the very last sentence. The story is about a girl, Addie LaRue, who just wants to live life unencumbered by the provincial life of the small town she grew up in. In desperation to escape, Addie calls on the darkness to broker a deal. Her soul for the time she wants. And yet there is a catch—she will always be forgotten.

VE Schwab folds history, humanity, and hope into Addie LaRue’s timeless tale spanning over three-hundred years. We get to see the bounds of Addie’s deal. Her journey from France to the present. Her day-long relationships and the century-spanning ones. How she copes and breaks.

This book made me weep, and laugh, and most importantly, look introspectively at my own life. It’s a truly remarkable piece that I can tell was created with incredible insight and creativity. VE Schwab has been, and always will be, a genius. Addie LaRue is her most prolific work yet. Please pick up a copy when it is released in October. I will be personally shoving it into people’s hands.

"No matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark."

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the hotly-anticipated adult novel from Victoria Schwab (writing as V.E. Schwab). The novel follows 300 years of Adeline LaRue's existence, starting in 1614. At the age of 23, Addie has seen very little of the world beyond her isolated community in the French countryside. Yearning for more, she strikes a bargain with one of the "old gods"--her soul in exchange for a life of freedom. Of course, such bargains usually come with a cost, and for Addie this is no different. She will remain a beautiful and healthy 23 years old for as long as she likes, but will never leave her mark on the world and will be forgotten as soon as someone's gaze slides away from her. The "old god" is ever-present at the edge of Addie's consciousness, forever tempting her into surrendering her soul.

The construct of Addie's curse, the particularities of how she scrapes by throughout the centuries, make Schwab's spin on the immortal being feel utterly refreshing. Addie discovers the inner workings of the curse in time; she is not a vampire who suddenly wakes up with an instinctive survival response. She cannot die, but she still retains the human need for food, shelter, and comfort. She cannot keep anything permanently without it disappearing in time. The depictions of Addie's struggle to adapt to her new reality in the aftermath of her bargain are harsh and realistic. When Addie meets someone who sees her and remembers her, she wonders if this is some cruel new trick from the old god. As their relationship develops, they learn the harsh truth of their connection. The tension in the buildup to the inevitable twist is as gripping as it is heart wrenching.

Schwab's work consistently has thorough and detailed world building, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is no different; however, this work feels much more character-driven than Schwab's other novels. The characters philosophize on the true meaning of human existence and must contend with a central question: whether it is better to experience everything and be loved by no one, or to be loved by everyone and experience nothing. Or, is there a third path?

This book is subtle and beautiful, and sure to be a bestseller.

This has to be one of the best books I've ever read. I loved V.E. Schwab before this, but dang, she put herself in another league with this book.
Adeline LaRue, a French peasant girl in 1714, makes a deal with the devil to sell her soul for independence and freedom from an arranged marriage. She doesn't want to be beholden to anyone, but of course, deals with the devil never go as planned, so she is cursed to be forgotten and unknown to everyone who she meets. Her curse makes it so that as soon as she's out of someone's line of sight, they forget she exists, so she lives a kind of groundhog day over and over again, traveling throughout the world, soaking up life's adventures, and meeting the same people over and over again to find moments of belonging. Then one day in 2014, she meets a man named Henry in a bookstore, and the next day he remembers her. Nothing good ever stays with Addie, and so she assumes that this too will be taken, unless she finds a way to outsmart the devil and finally be happy.
This book was heartbreaking, complex, and instantly became one of my favorite books. Schwab has said this book took her ten years to write, and this story was definitely worth the wait.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue has been a long anticipated release from V.E. Schwab, and it did not disappoint. I think fans of her earlier books as well as new readers who are leary of fantasy and haven't yet picked up her more fantasy-heavy works will love Addie LaRue. It has a perfect dose of magic, while still being grounded in our world. Victoria Schwab's writing and characters pull you in and make you interested in where the story is going without being predictable at all. I truly enjoyed reading along with Addie's journey and would highly recommend. this book, along with the author's other works.

1714, Addie is a lonely French girl who’s dreams are much bigger than the small town she is in. To avoid a path forced upon her, she prays to the god of darkness. Her plea? To live forever. Her punishment? To never be remembered. Until, at nearly her 300 year anniversary of the deal she made, a boy says “I remember you.”

We follow Addie’s story from her youth all the way to her 300 year anniversary of her deal with the devil, even getting glimpses of when she was quite young.

Addie is a strong woman who is ambitious and despises the idea of being tied down to her small town or unable to explore and see the world. In a world where women are meant only to be silent mothers and wives, this obviously creates a big challenge for Addie. Addie decides that only answer is to call upon the god of darkness and make a deal with him.

The writing is solid and beautiful. This was actually my first VE Schwab book and I was definitely impressed with her writing. Each piece of scenery was beautifully described and I feel like she also has a wonderful way of really setting up the vibe of the moment. You feel fully immersed in that scene and you know exactly what the characters are feeling.

This is written in third person POV and I must add that I never truly felt well connected to our main characters. Sometimes third person absolutely crushes it and I am able to fully invest and subscribe to our characters and sometimes it doesn’t. This didn’t completely work for me. I can appreciate that perhaps that doesn’t matter too much to other readers based off their preferences(which is completely fine as we all have much different preferences), but I personally need to be fully invested in the characters.

This story is quite slow developing, especially in the first 30% of the book. It’s a wonderful story, unique and creative and intriguing, but it definitely required my patience. I enjoyed the story and the characters but it also took me 12 days to finish which is definitely a sign that it didn’t pull me in quite enough.

Luc was a completely underdeveloped character. He was meant to be such an important role but we never get his backstory or a description of his magic or what kind of god he is(other than, of course, <i>darkness</i>) There is a lot of talk of all the different gods and yet we have zero mythology in this book, no description of his power and why he holds that power. I can understand why others wouldn’t care, but maybe I needed it to more fully subscribe to the idea of him?
Also, he was insanely intriguing and I wanted to know him so much more and would’ve devoured that content but not nearly enough was given.

Did this book ever really have a plot with conflict? I know the general plot was Addie selling her soul to live forever but then also reaping the consequence of no one remembering her, but other than that...where was the plot? The conflict? I think the main reason I feel this way is that the stakes never felt high enough. No one remembers Addie so she can do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. When you find out Henry’s story, the stakes are perhaps raised a bit but him and Addie fall in love so fast and it’s so soft and sweet which is nice and refreshing but definitely makes things feel a little easy, in my opinion. The conflict doesn’t kick in till around 85% of the way through which was much too late in the game for me.

I will add that the ending was clever and beautiful. I do feel like this story wrapped up perfectly. The last 10% of the book made me appreciate it more than I thought I would. I loved the details and the call backs and all the hard work Schwab put into this story. You can truly see her love and passion for this story and Addie.

Overall, I am happy to have known Addie’s life and her story. I would absolutely recommend this to others. I can completely appreciate why people have fallen in love with this book. It’s a beautiful story of love and loss and resilience. I enjoyed the settings and the jumps through the timeline of Addie’s life and the unique relationship with Luc she had during her 300 years.


A massive thank you to the publishers & netgalley for the ARC!

5 stars!

Addie LaRue makes a deal in 1714 rural France wanting to live a bigger life than in her village and a life her parents have forced upon her. She gets more life but can’t make a mark in the world or be remembered. The story goes back and forth covering 300 years of Addie’s life and the current world.

The book was so different, truly unique, and just delightful. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for this advanced reader copy.

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

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a beautiful, haunting story about a girl who made a deal with an old god to be free. The bargain is made, but there is always a price, and you must be careful what you wish for; Adeline LaRue is free and now has all the time she needs to live, but no one will remember her, and she cannot make a mark on the world around her. Until one day, a boy says, “I remember you.”

Schwab writes an enchanting tale that makes you think about what it means to truly live and to take advantage of the time you have, no matter how long. The story is engrossing and the prose beautiful. You can feel the love and heart that was put into this story.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this journey and the pleasure of getting to know this cast of characters. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a story that will continue to live with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an advanced reading copy of this book.

I loved this book. It's amazing and moving and intense. I honestly didn't know what would happen at the end. I wanted the traditional ending, but this one was so much better. I've never read this author before, but I think I will again. They way she sees the world is so much different than I have experienced.

It is exactly as the review stated, it’s like The Time Traveler’s Wife. If you are into a more melodramatic novel from Schwab, you’ll like this one. Personally it just isn’t my style.

I loved this book. I will say the beginning was much more interesting than the middle but I think the ending makes up for a slower paced middle. Addie is an incredibly complex character who is flawed and feels real despite being 300 years old. Where this book really shines is the historical flashbacks and I honestly could have read an entire book about the first 50 years of Addie’s life. I will say you kind of pick up the pace in the 1900’s and miss a lot of Addie’s life during that period which was a little disappointing. Overall I loved this book and loved the ending even more.

This is simply the most beautiful book I've ever read. The characterization is exquisite. The plot is breathtaking and the pace is done really well. I couldn't put this down and it's just as heartbreaking and magical as you would expect.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tor Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Absolutely PHENOMENAL read. I LOVED this story so much and couldn’t put it down. I didn’t see the ending coming and while I was a little sad, in some ways, it was unexpected in a really great way and not a traditional happily ever after, which I loved.

There are elements of magic, historical fiction, a love story, art, and friendship- a study on the human condition and the resilience of people.

4.5/5

[A big thank you to Macmillion-Tor/Forge for providing an ARC via Netgalley for an honest review - I tried my best not to reveal too much at all at this moment in time because I believe this to be a book that is best read without much prior knowledge. I may come back to update this closer to the release date.]

Where do I even begin? Let’s start with something Victoria Schwab herself said:

“As I do my final read-through on this book, a story nearly 10 years in the making, all I can think is that I've put my heart and soul, my teeth and blood and bones into this one.”

And guess what? IT SHOWS. All those years probably spent dreaming, thinking, researching, writing and rewriting have paid off in creating this masterpiece.

Victoria also said this book is the closest thing to a love story she’d ever write….this holds true. But this isn't just a love story between one human and another, between one human and a god…..it is a love story between one girl and life. A life that offers beauty alongside pain. A life that provides moments of wonder alongside suffering. A life that encompasses both everything....and nothing….all at once.

This is not an easy book. It is complicated and it is raw. It will require patience and it will hold no punches. But I can say for a fact that it is worth it. It is worth the tears, to truly appreciate those moments of happiness, and it is worth the heartbreak, to anxiously look forward to those moments of hope.

I started this book exactly three weeks ago today. 300 years in three weeks. I cried, I laughed, I gasped, I cheered, I experienced a countless number of emotions. I also put it aside many times wondering how I could keep going. If there is one piece of advice I can offer going into this….take your time. Addie's story can be a lot to take in, especially in the first 20%. There were moments where I couldn’t make it past more than 50 pages in one sitting. But it is okay to allow yourself a reprieve to process all the emotions that will bubble up from reading about the harsh realities our mc is faced with. It is a story written over the course of 10 years, it only makes sense to savor it.

Enjoy it while it lasts everyone, you'll definitely wish for more the second it ends.

I remember you Addie Larue.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a phenomenal story. It's such a wonderful concept, and I have been hearing about this book since the Shades of Magic series. I know it took Schwab 10 years to write this book, and it definitely shows with how much love and care she puts into each sentence, each word choice.

This story is about hope and love, two things that we need so much more in the world currently. I fell in love with Addie instantly. She's such an innocent girl when the reader first meets her, and she hardened by time and the human experience. This book is likely going to be my book of the year. I highly recommend you check this out.

According to the author this book took 10 years to write, and the payoff is worth it. Addie LaRue is a book to sink into, to savour. Already a master at fantasy, this book has knocked it out of the park and is a masterpiece from Schwab. The story unfolds across two timelines, the present and Addie's past. It will break your heart and put it together again. I will definitely recommend it to customers and plan on staff picking it- if I don't have to fight my coworkers for it that is.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be very forthcoming in that I was excited for this book but wary: I've really enjoyed Schwab's books, but the hype for this one was huge. I was worried it would be overblown and I would not enjoy it as much as everyone else. But oh my gosh.

This book hits deep. (The exact text I sent my friends after I finished it.)

It's a little slow to begin, which I think the author's longer books can be. But that just means she takes a good running leap. When the book hits you, it's with a 2x4 to the face and it just keeps hitting. I'm writing this in the immediate aftermath of finishing and my throat is tight and I have tears in my eyes.

Addie is stunning and spectacular. I've heard another review calling this the book Schwab was meant to write all along and I think that's right - but I think it's more the book she needed to write her way to and now that it's out there, the possibilities of where to go from here are endless.

I remember Addie, and I hope after October you will too.

V. E. Schwab's latest is a beautiful meditation on time and human connection. Highly recommended for readers of Erin Morgenstern.