Title: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBT
Published: October 6th 2020 by Tor Books
Rating: ★★★★
Pages: 442
Format: Audiobook from Overdrive
Synopsis:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue tells the tale of a woman dissatisfied with life makes a grave mistake making a deal with the devil. After being granted eternal life Addie learns the cost is more than she can endure. She can never be remembered always forgotten she is a mystery to all she meets even though she’s known them for years. All seems lost until the day she meets a man who remembers her.
Pros:
The book feels like a natural classic. The writing gives off a sense of timelessness. To be fair I believe all of V.E. Schwab’s books feel timeless and the book is no different. The main characters are extremely well flushed out and your feelings for the characters much like their life becomes extremely complicated both rooting for them and in some ways judging them. Schwab created a work of fiction that feels it’s hard to believe it’s not. The ending is not obvious its so not obvious that you forget about why are reading it and more like you just want to read in order to support the journey of your friends. With no endgame in mind you just want no need to know that with the next character maybe just maybe it’ll for our characters good and bad. This book is about a curse not magic so if you go in with that then you understand this story is met to feel real not feel like fantasy so you care no barred down with “magical details.” There is LGBTQ+ representation that is both picturesque and seamless. It doesn’t stick out like that one hair on your head that for the life of you can never get it to brush down but must like creating a perfect martini blends in smoothly and respectfully.
Cons:
I would tell you this. I don’t have many complaints but what I will give you are warning so that the right person picks up this books and if you decide to pick up this book you can enjoy it knowing what’s coming. This book is writing in both the present and the past. Even though very beautiful its can feel slow in the beginning because you are not sure what you are in for and you have no connection to the characters. I say keep reading you will be captivated soon enough. Also this book has triggers for abuse and more important suicide and depression. The book has a great way of triggering the pains of the characters into ourselves I would tell you my gentle soul… don’t do it but appreciate the ride. Sometimes the characters will do things you yourself would not do but again this is there story and we are just observers don’t judge them just yet because it was those decisions that also saved them. Lastly there are times in the book I felt it was not clear about how LaRue’s cursed worked and there are blind spots which could bother others but didn’t interfere with how I felt about the book.
Final Thoughts:
I loved this book I highly recommend it. I listen to it through audiobook and the narrator was a amazing so I think listening to the book with a bottle of wine is a beautiful way to enjoy this book. Also I plan to buy this book because I will definitely give it a reread. So when I asked was this book a masterpiece or overrated I think you would not be surprised when I say definite masterpiece. Fans of classics from Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde will definitely enjoy this book.
If you are interested in more of my thoughts and recommendations please check out my video below:
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