The Invisible Life of Addie La-Rue
V. E Schwab
Description
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.
Review
This is my fifth Schwab book and the last book I have from my Schwab haul at the moment (I plan on getting more). I got to enjoy the style of writing that goes forward and backward that I enjoyed while reading Vicious for the first time.
It starts out as a starcrossed lovers deal as the characters bond over their deal with the devil but it quickly turns into a subtle double love story. Two stories almost happening in parallel, one older than the other and certainly outliving it. It's the story about contracts and the consequences of spontaneity and desperate decisions.
But if someone is to ask me to summarize this story, I'll tell them this,
"This is the story of stubborn Adeline that looked the shadow in the eye and made it fall in love.
It's about a girl that sacrificed years and desire to protect an unfulfilled life
and ultimately, it's the story of a girl for whom even darkness bent the rules"
An excerpt below
He scowls, his eyes flashing emerald. "Because I am not human?
Because I do not wither and die?"
"No," she says, drawing back her hand. "You are not capable of love because you cannot understand what it is to care for someone
else more than yourself. If you loved me, you would have let me go by now."
Luc flicks his fingers. "What nonsense," he says. "It is because I love you that I won't. Love is hungry. Love is selfish."
"You are thinking of possession." He shrugs. "Are they any different? I have seen what humans do to the things they love."
Finally I would like to say Luc was not wrong. Read the book and challenge me if you think I'm wrong 😌.
Review date:13th September, 2023
