My Thoughts on The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab has taken the literary world by storm. I consider myself an amateur reader; I like to read for leisure but would by no means consider myself an avid reader and certainly don’t keep up with the trends. But when I made my way to book Tok, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was hard to ignore after all of the hype surrounding this book. It was simply everywhere. A sweet friend of mine gave me this book as a gift, since she had happened to read it herself and completely loved it. Even if I may not have expect to love it, I completely fell for this book & story. 

• Summary: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the story of a girl, Addie LaRue, who lives in 1700s France. She befriends an old, outcast lady in her small village who teaches Addie how to speak to the gods, and warns to never pray to them after dark. However, in a moment of desperation, Addie desperately prays to these gods after the sun has set and she makes a deal with the darkness. She will gain her freedom and live forever, but no one will ever remember who she is. The story is nonlinear, following her days in France and Italy and modern day New York City. One day, she finally meets someone who remembers her.  
• Review: Admittedly, I did not expect to like this book. I am not a fan of fantasy or magical elements of stories. My favorite genre is historical fiction, and this love of period pieces has been revitalized thanks to Bridgerton. So, I was intrigued about the setting of 1700s France and this ultimately the reason I started the book. But, this is one of the least notable parts about the story since it takes place in different time periods. 

Instead what I ended up liking about this story is how easy it is to just completely fall into the book. I love reading and my favorite type of read is one where I don’t even notice that hours are ticking by because I am so immersed in the book. I would actually classify this as a slow-burn, the author slowly builds up the plot and ties everything together in the last 100 pages. But since each chapter takes place in a different era or introduces a new micro-plot, it is such an enthralling read. I have found that books that keep me totally engaged like this are far and few between. 

Another thing that I loved about this book was the complexity of the characters and in particular, Luc. Luc is the evil force that curses Addie and although he is darkness in the flesh, there are moments where he shows human emotions like pain and love. The author masterfully crafts Luc to transcend traditional tropes of evil characters, and him displaying emotions makes him seem morally gray and very, very interesting. If V.E. Schwab were to release a prequel about Luc, I would buy it in a heartbeat. 

I really enjoyed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It certainly did not convert me into a fantasy lover, but it definitely has made me open to new types of books. From the concept, to the complexity of the characters, there are so many things to admire about this book and there is something for everyone to appreciate. I recommend it to anyone who likes a fantastical page turner with a bout of romance.