The Invisible Life of Addie Larue

A life no one remembers. A story you'll never forget.

Beginning in 1714, when a young girl makes a terrible mistake on the night of her wedding, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue follows Adeline Larue as she lives through centuries always seen but never remembered. On that dreadful night, out of desperation and dire need, Adeline prays to the gods that answer after dark. One replies, and they make a deal that she comes to regret for eternity. The darkness (the god) gets her out of her marriage, but wipes the memory of her off of everybody's mind. Forever. Anybody who sees her immediately forgets about her existence once she walks away.

This book is a phenomenal work of fiction, with lyrical writing and a structured plot line. V.E Schwab, the author, gives us both likable and unlikable characters. She doesn't try to make one character the hero, but instead, gives all of the characters flaws that many can relate to.

The story has such a unique concept and amazing romance – a romance that is different from the romance most people read. The darkness that Addie made a deal with is able to mold himself into a human, and chose to mold himself into the appearance of a drawing of a man that Addie would always draw (and was in love with, basically). She named the drawing Luc and the darkness began to go by that name. Although Luc is not a human and has shown Addie his true form many times, they develop a very unique relationship, not quite romantic, but not purely physical, either. Their deal also was on the terms that she surrenders her soul to him once she grows bored of life, but through Addie's life, Luc grows to find Addie the most interesting human he knew.

I personally love Luc. I love how V.E. Schwab wrote his dialogue and his character in general. I also like how she didn't romanticize him so much to the point where we don't see him as the dark he truly is. Addie liked him, even though she knew he wasn't the most perfect, which is my favorite part of their relationship.

But, something happened and Addie realized that Luc does not actually love her and was just using their physical relations to try and trick her into surrendering her soul. And so she leaves. Centuries pass as she continues to avoid him, and she eventually meets a man named Henry, who remembers her after he caught her stealing a book.

Dear Henry is the most annoying, dreadful, self pitiful, irksome character I've ever read about in my life. He pities every aspect of his life – when his life is quite fine. Just because his parents don't support him becoming a librarian, he spends every one of his pov's complaining and whining about that. Like, get over it.

We later find out that Henry had also made a deal with Luc. After his previous girlfriend rejected his marriage proposal (of course she did, and I would, too), he made a deal that everyone who met him for that year would love him, and when that year was over, he would give his soul and life up to Luc. Embarrassing. Anyway, Luc comes back and Addie makes another deal with him in exchange for Henry to go back to his normal life again. She said she'd be his romantic partner as long as he wants her to, knowing that one day he'll get bored of her and she'd be free again.

The ending was perfect and fit the concept of the story. Overall, the lyrical writing with the unique plot and relatable characters makes the book one of the best I've ever read.

Review by Arob Altower