The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab was November’s Read Rover book club pick and at first I was a little like…guys what is this, but I ended up giving it 4 stars. The beginning was a little slow and I was afraid this might be my first DNF of 2020 but I’m not a quitter and I can’t be the one at book club that hasn’t finished, thus I finished. I kind of love it. I kind of didn’t love the ending though.
What would you give up to not have the life chosen for you? Would you trade a life time of misery for an eternal life of being forgotten? When you can finally make yourself a memory for someone would you make a trade to secure that memory? These are all questions Addie had to face and she seemed to make them without thinking through the actual terms of the agreements. She let the darkness control her desires by giving her what she couldn’t obtain herself, but at great cost.
When at the alter faced with a marriage that felt like eternal hell Addie makes a Faustian pact with the darkness to trade her soul and live forever to escape the life in front of her. The terms of the agreement meant that no one would remember her and no memories of her could be written, spoken or brought back, not even her name. Fast forward 300 years to a book store in New York city where Addie meets a young man and meets him again the next day and he remembers her. What is different about this guy from literally everyone else she’s encountered in 300 years. Is there a hole in the pact or does love break it? Is he also cursed in some way that counteracts her curse? Regardless of why he can remember her, he does and Addie can fall in love, think about a future until the darkness comes to call…again.
This is my first read by V.E. Schwab as it’s not my typical genre, which is why I love book clubs so much! The plot was a little overwhelming and easy to get lost in but the writing was beautiful. I didn’t love the scenes with Luc, the darkness but I feel like they were necessary to explain Addie’s relationship with him and the control he had over her. This was one where my dislikes easily out weighed my likes.
Our book club discussion was fire! There were so many opinions and take aways. I’m so grateful I was forced from my comfort zone to find this gem. I gave this book 4 stars.
Army of Readers 