The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab: Addie LaRue or Addie LaSnooze?

Though the title was inescapable, built up to astronomical levels with hype, I hadn’t gotten around to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue until now. In fact, what made me pick it up at all was joining a Goodreads group perfectly curated for people like me — “Everyone Has Read This But Me“. They have three picks each month, and when I saw one of their first picks of the year was The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, I decided to join. I had just finished reading the book, so I figured it would put me ahead. When February rolled around with this title (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) as one of their picks, I marched over to my library and picked up a copy. However, due to a combination of sickness and laziness, I didn’t end up completing it til now.

Started Reading – February 23, 2022

53.6% “idk how people read 800-page books cuz I can barely even manage this lol”

Finished Reading – March 10, 2022

Rating: 3.5 stars

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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.

Goodreads

My overarching impression of this novel–aside from Schwab’s decadent prose–was that it was. so. very. slow. This isn’t a fault, necessarily, but I’m a slow reader, so every hour-long reading stint got me barely any further in the story. Though I tend to veer away from slow-paced books (and probably would have given up on this one had my desire to keep up with my reading challenge not been so strong), it suited the story.

This book is filled with gorgeous descriptions (“day breaks like an egg yolk, spilling yellow light across the field”, for example), and though I saw the following simile pop up many times, it has a strong visual that leads the reader to crystal clear comprehension (pardon the alliteration).

[…] Sam always made her feel like a sunflower, unconsciously angling toward the other girl’s light.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, page 101

This same idea is used twice thereafter for a different character, Henry, the other focal point of the story outside of Addie.

He walks away to order, says something that makes the barista laugh and lean forward, like a flower to the sun.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, page 138

[…] She watches customers lean toward Henry like flowers towards the sun.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, page 314

Beyond Schwab’s writing, this story houses plenty of introspection and some hard-hitting insights. We explore the titular character’s longing to live life as deeply and fully as possible and get to see her do just that as the book spans centuries. She has all the time in the world to indulge these whims and desires.

Despite the story spanning over three hundred years of life, this story is neither about maturity nor wisdom; Addie is a fairly superficial girl. Over the years, she spends time drowning in sensory experiences. She parties and finds new lovers left and right.

I’ve seen some critique of her immaturity and shallowness, but I think that it’s because of this life that she’s this way, not in spite of it. She hasn’t uncovered discernment and understanding in the passing time because of the nature of the life she’s chosen. Unable to make and keep long-term relationships, and having the capability to escape every mistake she’s made, this life does anything but encourage growth. Her learning is exclusive to cheating the system of this deal.

Turning it around to our other character, we see Henry, the sun to everyone else’s flower. In contrast to Addie’s eternal life billowing before her, he feels life slipping through his fingers. Days fall away, and the world spins too quickly around him. Despite Addie’s situation, it was this same feeling that brought her to make the deal three hundred years before. Because of this, she knows his pain.

“What do I see in him?” she says. “I see myself. Not who I am now, perhaps, but who I was […].”

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, page 408

I related far more to Henry than Addie. I relished the chapters focusing on him, and felt his hurt and longing more than Addie’s. That’s not to discredit Addie entirely, but this is a character-driven novel, and it was the deuteragonist who held my interest over the main character.

For all of the words and pages in this novel, I find myself with not terribly much to say, which is a tad disappointing. I can see what others may have gotten out of it, and while some facets will linger in my mind, the prose is what I recognize as the primary highlight. I’m not one who needs a lot of plot for a story–in fact, I tend to prefer those driven by characters. However, there are really only two clearer-developed relationships between characters in this story, and neither particularly wowed me. Not to say that they weren’t decent; they’re not good for nothing, but I wasn’t wholely enthralled. Perhaps the introspection is what wins over most readers, but I found this less the fake-deep I adore, and something closer to pretty words describing…not much, if I’m honest.

I enjoyed the process of reading Addie Larue well enough, though it was a bit slow for my taste, and took me a while to finish because of it. I just wish that I was walking away with something more lingering in my mind and heart. Save for a few lines I enjoyed, I don’t foresee so much sticking with me, which is a real shame. Despite this, I do look forward to reading more of Schwab’s work, because I quite enjoy her writing even if my thoughts and feelings on this book are a little more underwhelming.

Have you read or plan on reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? Share your thoughts below!