By Ava Shaffer
“Because time is cruel to all, and crueler still to artists. Because visions weakens, and voices wither, and talent fades.... Because happiness is brief, and history is lasting, and in the end... everyone wants to be remembered.”
Synopsis
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
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.
4.5 STARS
Read This Book If You…
Feel stuck, and want a reminder of why life is worth living
Want to travel around the world in a book, experiencing France, New York, Italy, and more
Yearn to shed a couple, well-earned, tears
Are an artist, or like to read about them
Long for a unique romance that goes beyond the typical romance genre, but still tugs at your heartstrings
Spoiler-free Review
After I broke my ankle and was forced to stay in bed for a month straight, my sister came into my room with a yellow tote bag full of new books. The first one I picked up was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Probably feeling pity for me and my broken bone, my sister opted to buy the slightly pricer Barnes & Noble Exclusive Collector’s edition of the book. With a sleek red cover, gorgeous golden detailing under the dust jacket, and a ribbon bookmark embedded into the spine- this book grabbed my attention right away. (Who even abides by the Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover rule anymore?)
Despite all the beautiful details in this edition, the thing I found most enticing about the book was the Remembrance opening by V.E. Schwab. This is my first V.E. Schwab (or Victoria Schwab) book, and although I had heard tons of praise for her writing, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. But that Remembrance opening solidified the skill and delicacy V.E. Schwab writes with and made me excited for what I knew would be a delightful read.
“What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?”
Her whimsical and poetic writing style carried on throughout the entire length of this hefty 442 page book. The story itself was enticing and paired with a writing style I adored, it was kind of impossible for me to not enjoy this story. I underlined so many quotes in this book (sorry Exclusive Collector’s Edition) and was stunned by the level of wisdom and life experience showcased in this story.
Following Addie to France and New York, New Orleans and Italy- basically over the entire world- felt like a journey of my own. I have never been one for historical fiction, but I actually enjoyed the different timelines throughout this book. I felt fully emersed in historic French villages, enchanted by the Golden Age of Paris, intrigued by the speakeasies of 1920’s Chicago, and familiar with the electricity of current-day New York.
The romance in this story was so real, and so honest, which is hard to come by in a lot of stories. Love isn’t depicted as a saving grace that fixes all issues in life, but is shown through the beautiful little moments with a partner. Not to mention the two leading men in this book- Luc and Henry- were described the exact way that Timothée Chalamet looks <3
At the end of this story, I felt invested in the lives of these characters, especially Addie who felt like a dear friend to me. As a reader, I had followed her through so much hardship and hurt, and yet her outlook on life remained beautifully positive. This is one of those stories whose messages stay with you long after you close the book, and whose main character you will never forget.
Full Review
I am delighted to add this book to my ongoing list of bi-representation in novels :) Even though Addie and Henry’s sexualities weren’t explicitly stated (they could be bi or pan) I liked reading about how they experience love with people of all genders. I feel like Addie’s main love interests were mainly focused on men (like Remy, Toby, and Henry), but I found myself wishing there was more time spent on her relationships with women. For example, I loved reading about Addie’s time with the eccentric New York City artist Sam, and just wish there was more there.
“You know,” she’d said, “they say people are like snowflakes, each one unique, but I think they’re more like skies. Some are cloudy, some are stormy, some are clear, but no two are ever quite the same.”
V.E. Schwab does an absolutely amazing job characterizing Luc, the devil/darkness/ we don’t really know what he is but we know he is hot and bad news. The arc of Luc’s connection with Addie was a delightful rollercoaster to read. From wonder to hate, obsession to apathy, lust to what could be mistaken as love- their relationship went all over the place here. I really liked their interactions in the story. Every time I found myself drifting off or getting sort of tired due to the length of this book, Luc’s appearance in various chapters held my attention and interest.
All praise to Luc given, I also want to mention how much I adored Henry’s character as well. The build-up and suspense around why he remembers Addie when no one else in 300 years has was really well-paced, the plot twist of him having a deal with Luc as well sensical yet satisfying. I loved the way he was written, with his open, breaking heart and his obsession with being loved. I feel like he was a very real character, and it was impossible to not fall for him the same way Addie does.
“His heart has a draft. It lets in light. It lets in storms. It lets in everything.”
Speaking of Henry’s heart, I loved the beginning of each section of the story starting out with a new piece of artwork introduced throughout those chapters. For example, the art exhibit from Henry’s sister about an open heart with holes in it, allowing for paint to spill out, was a wonderfully written metaphor for his character. My other favorite piece of art was in Part Two, titled “One Forgotten Night,” Maybe I loved the depiction of Addie as a “forgotten night” because Sam painted it, but I also think this piece shows the hopelessness Addie felt after staying the night with countless people and not one of them remembering her in the morning. Thus the lines of Henry remembering her and kissing her each morning hit that little bit harder.
Lastly, I want to mention how I absolutely cannot get over the ending of this story. The last 20 pages or so took me a while to read, maybe because I didn’t want it to end or the tears in my eyes turned the words a bit blurry. Addie’s choice to sacrifice her life for Henry’s really pulled on my heartstrings and managed to avoid cheesy cliches while doing so. The final lines, about a new game between Luc and Addie starting, were triumphant and clever- the perfect way to end a story for such a strong female lead. The ending of this well-written story did the beloved Addie justice, and I’m glad I had the chance to experience her life with her.
“That time always ends a second before you’re ready. That life is the minutes you want minus one.”
*Synopsis and book cover credit to GoodReads