The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: In a moment of desperation Addie LaRue makes a deal with the devil. For the next 300 years she must contend with the loneliness of not being remembered, until the day she walks into a used bookshop in New York City…
Expectation: A hot and heavy romantic fantasy about living without consequence that will appeal to non-genre fans.
Reality: A tad overcooked, and sometimes repetitive, but it succeeds in bringing forward uncomfortable feelings about the main characters while still delivering a satisfying ending.
Recommended For: Fans of light fantasy and mythology.
Why I Read It: It was all #Bookstagram could talk about in late-2020.
My Take:
You play stupid games/ you win stupid prizes
Taylor Swift, “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince”
While not an original Taylor phrase, I couldn’t help but think of that line from the chronically underrated “Lover” album while listening to V.E. Schwab’s “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.”
It’s a perfect metaphor for the story, in which Addie learns that making a deal with the devil in an act of desperation will ultimately inflict 300-years of isolation on her life — in essence swapping one prison for another.
There are many morally complicated scenarios presented in the nearly 450-pages (17-hour audiobook), which at times I found completely engrossing and others remarkably boring. So, while I can see why this novel has become popular, it ended up only being a hair above average for me.
Here’s five ways it worked:
Accessible fantasy – For a story that spans centuries and alternates timelines, Schwab eases you in with subtle realities of Addie’s life in modern day New York before switching to her origin story in 18th century France. This helps make the mythology easier to follow and quickly adds empathy for her experiences. All-in-all, it’s a well-written genre story that never takes the reader/listener too far from reality.
Switching up the POVs – After about 120-pages (three hours), I was curious how Schwab was going to sustain the story much longer. Then we meet Henry, and Addie’s world gets a lot bigger. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but without Henry this would’ve been a DNF for me.
Celebrating creativity – A favorite minor plot is how Addie influenced the art world, and I enjoyed the little Easter Eggs Schwab sneaks in about other famous people that may have sold their souls.
Morally ambiguous – Should we feel sorry for Addie and the life she has lived? What about Henry? It’s not as cut and dried as you think. But I did find the ending really satisfying.
The queer elements – Pansexuality is used in a natural way and not for shock value.
Ultimately, some key components didn’t quite work:
Too many characters – Every flashback presented a handful of new characters that were never going to be brought up again. I get that we’re on Addie’s journey, and that’s her life, but we don’t need to be reminded every chapter.
Luc – Schwab doesn’t try to build sympathy for the devil, but she also tries to make him more likable than his actions allow. He’s a manipulative abuser — yes, he’s legitimately evil — so why portray him as sexy and misunderstood? It’s a trite approach, which leads to…
Been there, done that – Immortality stories naturally lend themselves to vampirism mythology, and I couldn’t help but think this was a little too much like “Interview With a Vampire.” Addie is Louis and Luc is Lestat. Prove me wrong.
What’s the point? – Not every story needs a purpose, but this one is about 100-pages too long and is such a “be careful what you wish for” parable that I couldn’t believe Schwab let all the characters off easy.
Complicated relationships – This is billed as a romance, but the chronic abuse Luc inflicts on Addie — and really, they are the core “couple” — makes it difficult to embrace that designation.
If the description sounds interesting, I won’t dissuade you from picking up “Invisible,” but don’t expect a life-changing experience. Kudos to Julia Whelan — truly an audiobook all-star — who can make even the repetitious elements engaging.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): 4/5
Formats: Audiobook (library loan)
Dates read: February 21 - 28, 2021
Multi-tasking: Good to go.
