V.E. Schwab | 2020 | 448 Pages | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historial Fiction, Magical Realism, Fiction
SUMMARY
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.
The story follows Addie LaRue, a 23-year-old artist from the village of Villon-sur-Sarthe, on a journey of self-discovery across centuries and continents:
July 29, 1714
Addie is supposed to marry Roger, a widower from the village, but runs away to the woods to pray for help. When she returns home, her parents don't recognize her, and she leaves for Le Mans.
In exchange for her soul
Addie makes a deal with a man who offers her freedom and immortality, but she can tell him he can have her soul when she no longer wants it.
Three centuries later
Addie encounters someone who remembers her, and the story explores themes of identity, loneliness, and being forgotten.
The novel is written in the third person and includes epistolary elements. The story moves back and forth between Addie's childhood and the present, with each chapter indicating the year and location of the scene.
MY THOUGHTS
In 1714 France, a young woman named Addie LaRue makes a desperate decision that changes her life forever. Faced with an unwanted marriage and a future of unfulfilled dreams, Addie makes a Faustian bargain with Luc, a dark god, to live forever. However, the price of her freedom is a curse: she will be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary, heart-wrenching, and ultimately inspiring story of Addie LaRue, spanning three centuries and continents and exploring the profound themes of love, memory, art, and the human need for connection.
A Tale of Love, Loneliness, and Immortality
Addie LaRue's story is one of profound desire and resilience. Born in a small town, Addie had big dreams that were stifled by the expectations placed upon her. With seven freckles on her cheeks—each representing a love she would experience—Addie desired more from life than what was planned for her. When she turns twenty-three and faces the prospect of a future she does not want, she makes a desperate plea to the gods. A god who answers after dark, Luc, grants her wish for freedom and immortality, but with a cruel twist: everyone she meets will forget her as soon as she is out of sight.
Addie's journey through the centuries is a testament to her strength and ingenuity. Despite her curse, she finds ways to leave her mark on the world through fleeting interactions, art, and stories. She navigates her invisible existence with defiance and grace, constantly yearning for more and refusing to be erased entirely.
A Narrative That Resonates
This is a novel that wraps you in a velvet-soft embrace with lyrical and haunting prose. The story unfolds leisurely, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in Addie's world and the rich tapestry of her experiences. This is not a tale driven by thrilling conflicts but moving and unforgettable encounters. The novel's true strength lies in its ability to evoke deep emotions, making you feel the characters' anguish, loneliness, and longing.
Themes of Loneliness and Hope
At its core, the novel explores profound themes of memory, identity, and the human desire for connection. Addie's curse of invisibility serves as a powerful metaphor for the isolation and loneliness that many people experience. Yet, amidst the sorrow, a thread of hope runs through the narrative. Addie's unwavering spirit, ability to find beauty in the world, and determination to leave a mark despite her curse are genuinely inspiring.
A Poignant and Beautiful Ending
The ending is both surprising and hopeful. It brings a sense of closure while leaving room for your imagination to wander. The intention is clear: life, with all its pain and beauty, is always worth living. Addie's story is a tribute to the power of Addie, the resilience of the human spirit, and the enduring quest for remembrance. Her journey reminds us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, there is always hope and the possibility of leaving a lasting impact.
A Masterpiece of Modern Fiction
The novel is a masterpiece deserving of all the stars in the night sky. It stays with you long after you've turned the last page; its characters make an indelible mark on your heart. Addie LaRue's journey is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking tales ever told, a testament to the enduring power of love, art, and the human spirit. If you haven't read this book, prepare to be captivated by its magic and profound depth.
Conclusion
"The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" is a masterfully crafted novel that explores deep and resonant themes with lyrical and haunting prose. Addie LaRue's story is a poignant and unforgettable journey through time, filled with love, loss, and an indomitable spirit. It is a book that will capture your heart and linger in your mind, a timeless tale that speaks to the very essence of what it means to be human. If you are looking for a beautifully written and profoundly moving novel, this book is for you.
DETAILED CHARACTER OVERVIEW
Addie LaRue, the novel’s 23-year-old protagonist, embodies resilience and a fierce longing for freedom beyond her small French village of Villon-sur-Sarthe.
In 1714, desperate to escape an arranged marriage, Addie makes a fateful prayer for “freedom” and “more time” to the old gods. Luc, a demonic entity, answers, granting her immortality but with a devastating twist: everyone she meets will forget her instantly. This curse condemns Addie to centuries of isolation.
Despite her loneliness, Addie finds solace in inspiring artists, ensuring her presence endures through their creations. Her journey is marked by enduring perseverance and a complex relationship with Luc, who becomes her unwelcome companion. Their romance, fraught with manipulation and deceit, ends when Addie realizes his love is merely a tactic to secure her soul.
In 2014, Addie’s world shifts when she meets Henry, the first person in 300 years to remember her. Their connection blossoms into a profound love, but revelations force Addie into a heartbreaking choice. Addie’s tale is one of survival, growth, and an unwavering desire to be remembered, resonating as a testament to resilience and the enduring quest for freedom and identity.
Henry Strauss is a young man in his late twenties who works at a bookshop in New York City when he meets Addie. He becomes the first person in 300 years to remember her, setting off a profound chain of events in their lives.
Feeling lost after dropping out of graduate school and reeling from a recent heartbreak, Henry is haunted by a fear of wasting his life. This anxiety intensifies when it's revealed that Henry has made a deal with Luc, ensuring his imminent death.
Struggling with periods of intense sadness, Henry's life takes an unexpected turn after a failed suicide attempt when Luc offers him a deal: for one year, Henry will experience universal love and desire, but at a steep price—he must surrender his soul afterward. Initially enticed by the attention, Henry soon realizes the emptiness of the affection he receives.
Meeting Addie changes everything. Despite her curse of being forgotten by everyone she meets, Henry remembers her—their love blossoms amid the complexities of Addie's eternal existence and Luc's manipulative schemes. Luc admits to orchestrating their meeting to teach Addie the fleeting nature of mortal love, leading Addie to sacrifice herself to save Henry.
Devastated yet determined, Henry honors his promise to remember Addie by immortalizing her story in his debut novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. His journey from despair to love and loss unfolds as a poignant exploration of finding purpose and the enduring quest for remembrance.
Luc, the enigmatic god who grants Addie her wish for immortality, is a complex figure embodying both seduction and peril in deals with the devil. Appearing as "the stranger" Addie once fantasized about, Luc is one of the "gods who answer after dark," warned against by Estele.
Luc's deal comes with a catch: Addie is immortal but forgotten by everyone she meets. He believes this condition will quickly lead her to surrender. Luc provides Addie with a wooden ring, symbolizing her eventual capitulation.
Initially, Addie avoids summoning Luc, but he becomes her only constant over the centuries. They embark on a romance, which ends in heartbreak when Addie realizes his feelings are just another ploy. Luc’s cruelest act is revealed when Addie learns he orchestrated her meeting with Henry, whose own deal with Luc means imminent death, to show her the futility of mortal love.
Ultimately, Addie agrees to be Luc's lover until he tires of her in exchange for Henry's life. Luc's manipulations underscore his role as both a tormentor and an unyielding presence in Addie's life, a constant reminder of the price she has paid.
Estele is an eccentric and fiercely independent old woman living in Addie’s hometown, the small French village of Villon-sur-Sarthe. Known for her unconventional lifestyle, Estele refrains from social norms and follows her own path. Unmarried and childless, she has always answered only to herself, much to the dismay of the other villagers, who often regard her as wicked or crazy. Despite their opinions, Addie admires Estele's freedom and longs to mimic her way of life.
Estele is a rejecter of "the new God" worshipped by the other villagers, instead placing her faith in "the old gods" connected to nature. She introduces Addie to these ancient deities and teaches her how to pray to them, but with a stern warning about their fickle nature. Estele particularly cautions Addie against praying to "the gods who answer after dark," advice that Addie tragically ignores, leading to her fateful bargain with Luc.
After Estele's death, Addie returns to Villon and is dismayed to find that Estele has been buried in a Christian cemetery. Estele had wished to be buried with a tree planted above her so she could become part of the natural world she revered. Honoring Estele's true wishes, Addie transplants a sapling onto her grave, which eventually grows into a magnificent tree. Years later, this tree is struck by lightning and killed, prompting Luc to remark on the cruelty of nature, which can surpass even that of the gods.
Toby Marsh is a musician with whom Addie LaRue shared a brief romantic affair in 2014, marred by her curse of being forgotten. Despite their intimate moments, Toby resets his memory of Addie each morning. They collaborate on a song, but it remains a distant memory for Toby.
Later, Toby unexpectedly performs their song at a bar where Addie is present with others. This poignant moment painfully reminds Addie of the human connections lost due to her curse, highlighting the profound impact of her immortal solitude.
Sam is a painter based in New York City who had a passionate affair with Addie LaRue in the recent past. Despite Addie's affection for Sam, her curse ensures he forgets her each morning, leaving him puzzled and ashamed. Sam’s current artistic project involves painting portraits depicting people as the skies he perceives to resemble.
Before the novel’s present, Sam created a special painting of Addie as a night sky adorned with seven stars representing her freckles. This artwork holds significance for Sam, though he cannot recall its subject, highlighting the impact of Addie’s fleeting presence in his life.
Bea is Henry’s supportive friend, an art student deeply immersed in her dissertation. Like everyone except Henry, Bea forgets Addie LaRue each time they part ways. When Henry and Addie start dating, Bea must be reintroduced to Addie with each encounter.
In her research, Bea uncovers three artworks depicting the same mysterious woman, unknowingly Addie. Fascinated, she chooses this enigmatic muse as the focus of her dissertation. Bea, who dates women, is less affected by Henry’s curse—where others idealize him—compared to his strained relationship with Robbie, his ex.
As Henry publishes his debut novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Bea humorously suggests he drew inspiration from her dissertation, unaware of the deeper connection between Henry and the woman in the paintings she studies.
Robbie, Henry’s dramatic actor friend, once dated Henry but ended things due to Henry’s uncertainty about his life. Henry's subsequent deal with Luc causes Robbie to rekindle his feelings for him, though Henry struggles to accept Robbie's renewed affections as genuine. Robbie's jealousy toward Addie, whom he views as a threat, adds further tension to their complex relationship as they navigate the consequences of Henry’s pact with Luc.
Remy Laurent is a young man Addie encounters in Paris on July 29, 1724, the anniversary of her deal with Luc. Mistaking Addie for a man due to her disguise, Remy keeps her secret and invites her to a café, where they engage in lively conversation. Amid Enlightenment-era Paris, Remy introduces Addie to intellectual pursuits and ideas previously inaccessible due to societal norms. Addie’s intelligence and bravery impress Remy, making them connect immediately.
Their evening culminates in a meaningful and positive experience for Addie, who has previously only known intimacy as a sex worker. However, the dawn brings the harsh reality of Addie’s curse: Remy wakes with no memory of her true identity, mistaking her for a sex worker and unknowingly adding to her pain by paying her. This unintended betrayal deeply wounds Addie, as Remy was one of the first people she felt a genuine connection with since the onset of her curse.
WHERE TO READ / BUY
Hardcover: $15.16
Paperback: $12.59
Kindle: $12.99
Loved this book!!! I couldn’t put it down