The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

This is a great story, full of intrigue and imagination. Time loops and spirals, so if you like linear, chronological stories, it isn’t for you. But if you like time travel stories or dual time lines, you’ll like it. People given three wishes often ask for immortality, with their youth and health intact. But the devil (or is he?) always wins in the end. Addie just wants time, independence, and love. Make a deal with the devil (or is he?), the devil always wins in the end (or does he?) I really enjoyed this book. Fascinating story line and interesting characters, very well written. Lots of heart, too. No bad language, violence, or sex scenes. Suitable for mature teens and adults. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. I rarely rate 5 stars for books, but this one is worth it.

I will say that Addie LaRue did not live a happy life. This was beautifully written. I thought it was beautiful to recount her life throughout the years. You see and feel her struggle. You feel her pain each time someone forgets her. I wanted to cry each time Addie meets someone and does not want the night to end. How lonely her immortality was for everyone to forget her name. She had no one for years. NO ONE! I did feel that Addie’s character did not learn anything from her mistakes. She had 300 years and she continues to make this deal with Luc. Like did you not learn from your first deal? The story was very repetitive, each time she meets with Luc they spend time together, she reminds herself she hates him, they dance around each other, and they repeat each year. I honestly don’t know if I like Luc or not. I felt their relationship was rushed. One minute he didn’t like her and then the next he tells her he loves her? When did that happen? Henry is like many of us, a lost soul still trying to figure out life. I felt so connected to him when reading his POV chapters. I wished there was more to his story. Overall, this really made me think about life and death. To enjoy life and live in the moment.

• This is a fantastic book that I highly enjoyed, despite the author’s love affair with commas. So many commas. Seriously. (If you're missing a comma, it's probably in this book.) Unless the author was getting paid by the comma, she could remove many of the unnecessary ones (e.g., the ones mid-clause) and no one would notice. But that’s about the only bad thing I can say about this book (and yes, I recognize it’s petty). It is a great read the first time through, and I suspect it will be even better on subsequent reads. • The rhythm of the author’s prose might take a little while to get into, but I found it hypnotic and suggestive of a time long past. Although it’s not written in first person, this hypnotic style of repeated phrases, long sentences with lots of parallelism, and just spot-on descriptions made it FEEL like Addie LaRue was talking to me directly about her incredible life. The prose is so well written that it's almost poetry. • The story puts a unique twist on the old theme of a Faustian bargain. Reminiscent of the phrase “Be careful what you ask for,” Addie is forced to deal with the aftershocks of an agreement made in haste. Her anguish is palpable, her decline gut-wrenching, her desire to be remembered, insatiable. You will ACHE and FEEL so much for this character by the time the story is over. The tension between Addie and the antagonist (Luc) is so exquisite, that you’ll find yourself holding your breath when he shows up, wondering what torture is in store for our heroine. Luc’s barbs are sharp, but the retorts and sarcasm Addie throws back at him eventually become just as keen and cutting. You will plead for her to get back up off the mat, and cheer for her successes, the limited few she scores. I can’t say enough good things about the plot and the author’s captivating writing style. • Some reviews have complained about the scenes being too brief. I respectfully disagree and found that plot device necessary to move through the many years of Addie’s life. Otherwise, the book would have been 1000 pages long. The author gives us just enough color and substance to fill out the scene, makes her point (which is typically about the conflict between Addie and Luc), and then moves on. At times, it was a breathless read for me, the style allowing me to devour many chapters before I looked up and realized I was late for an appointment! • From a historical aspect, I also enjoyed the book very much. I personally enjoy historical novels, alternative history dramas, and time travel stories. This book was a little light on the historical details for my tastes, but what the author provided makes perfect sense when you think about it. After all, would you necessarily KNOW a person would become famous or which art piece would become worth millions of dollars if you were living as a CONTEMPORARY with that person or artist? No, you would not. Thus, it is so for Addie LaRue. • This is not a time-travel story with knowledge brought into the present from some time in the future. Instead, it is a wonderful story that explores the psychological weight of living much longer than others around you, and in Addie’s particular curse, how she maneuvers through many societies that will only ever interact with her on a purely superficial level. Like the classical character Sisyphus, Addie LaRue bears the weight of trying again and again, only to fail repeatedly… until she doesn’t. • Since my reading time is limited, there are very few books I would go back and re-read. This is one such book.

This book absolutely blew my mind! I wish I hadn't put off reading it as long as I did. 5 stars- I would give 6 if I could. It's giving Age of Adeline but without Blake Lively's annoying voice and with much more magical elements. Without giving too much away, this story will make you contemplate life, legacy, love, and sacrifice. The ending had me crying... then screaming... then bawling... and then finally laughing hysterically because of how much it threw me for a loop. If you love history, character development and just the right amount of romance without being mushy- this is for you! Really though everyone should just read it for the sheer intrigue it brought to my brain. Do read the trigger warnings as there is mention of violence, sex, demons (or something like it), and other adult topics.

One of the best books I've read in recent memory! Every page is a poem, with language that is breathtaking without being overwrought. You really feel like you're right there with the characters, smelling what they smell, feeling what they feel. The descriptions are beyond engaging, and the storyline is expertly crafted. I was so worried that the ending would let me down but it was pitch perfect. I highly recommend this beautiful book that makes you think about life, love, living in the moment, and what it means to leave your mark on the world (not to mention the old adage, be careful what you wish for!).

6✨ I- 😭 Could not have loved this book more! So so glad I finally read it! It was beautiful, it was unique. I absolutely loveddd the writing. Addy and Henry and Luc. It was such a special story!! I bawled during the last 20% I’d say. How could I not?! And yet, despite the ending not being what I really wanted it, it was a beautiful one, definitely bittersweet but still a really beautiful one! I’ll remember this book and characters forever.

ame este libro, lo lei rapidísimo, todo es muy muy cautivador!!

Victoria Schwab é uma escritora de fantasia Americana. Ela tem uma série de livros de sucesso, e mais recente um dos livros mais falados dos anos de 2020 e 2021, A Vida Invisível de Addie LaRue. Conhecemos Addie, uma jovem francesa que vive no início do século XVIII, e logo entendemos sua ânsia por liberdade, por fugir da vida que lhe era imposta. Em um momento de crise, ela foge para a floresta a fim de oferecer qualquer coisa por liberdade. Só que é o Deus da escuridão que responde, e ela acaba por cometer um erro grave. A escuridão concede sua liberdade, mas em troca receberá sua alma. Addie passa a ser esquecida por todos que já conhecia, e a cada pessoa nova que cruza o caminho. Basta fechar uma porta, virar a esquina, ou dormir, para que ela se torne uma desconhecida. “Como você caminha até o fim do mundo? Um passo de cada vez.” Além do esquecimento, Addie também ganha a imortalidade, sem nunca envelhecer. E assim, atravessamos 300 anos de história, entre guerras e amores, decepções e arte. Addie atravessa continentes, e aprende a falar muitas línguas, mas não por mais que algumas horas ela é lembrada. Teria ela deixado algum legado? Tudo o que ela escrevia sumia, nem seu nome verdadeiro podia ser pronunciado, mas havia uma possibilidade de não ser completamente apagada: através da arte. “Não consigo segurar uma caneta. Não consigo contar uma história. Não consigo segurar uma arma, nem fazer alguém se lembrar. Mas arte, ela diz com um sorriso mais calmo, arte é sobre ideias. memórias. Eles são como ervas daninhas, sempre encontrando seu caminho para cima" A narrativa é em terceira pessoa, e se alterna entre os flashbacks dos 300 anos, e o momento atual (2014). Poucas vezes na vida eu vi uma escrita tão bem-feita, a autora soube deixar claro todas as suas intenções, e tudo fez muito sentido. É um livro impecável e sem falhas. Nos dias atuais, Addie conhece Henry. Seria mais uma paixão de um dia (para ele) e talvez alguns meses (para ela), até quando ela se cansasse de vê-lo esquecê-la a cada noite. Só que Henry lembra. Para ele, ela não era invisível. Por que? Este livro é uma obra de arte. É um livro perfeito para fazer jus ao seu plot: suas ideias nunca serão esquecidas. Addie LaRue toca nosso coração, toca em assuntos tão reais quanto ignorados. “O que é uma pessoa, senão as marcas que ela deixa no mundo?” Este é um livro obrigatório. Não viva esta vida sem conhecê-lo.

That should be studied in contemporary fiction classes in higher education. While exploring the theme of selling your soul to the devil that has been known even before Faust, it is a contemporary version of such a tale. The imagery, from the seven moles on Addie’s face to not only mark her but also suggest the Pleiades along with the wooden ring carved from wood by her father to represent eternity, heightens the tale through such clever literary devices. Addie represents the human desire for freedom that we all feel, whether it be a desire to be free from time constraints or the constraints of others, Addie represents this rebellion in us. I must admit that I started to find the novel pointless and wondered where it was going. Then I turned the page and Henry fell into the story. He represents our human desire to be loved for who we are. The relationship that develops despite one having wanted to escape the expectations of other and the other wanted to be accepted by others and thus fulfilling, through sorcery, the expectations of others, the reader learns that the two can cohabitate. Henry’s arrival makes the novel become a page turner and you want to get to the end to know how it does, though you fear that you already know. Yet keep turning those pages. A timeless read with a timeless character.