“Emily Henry’s books are a gift… the only downside is reaching the end”
V.E Schwab
The Invisible life of Addie Larue
“A powerful book that is as much a fun story as it is a thoughtful meditation on the nature of life, love and human connections”
Nathaniel Finestone
This book didn’t grab me right away, but I stuck with it and I am very glad I did.
In order to free herself from a life of matrimonial servitude Adeline (Addie) Larue makes a proverbial ‘deal with the devil’ wherein she is given the freedom to live her life how she wants, but at a terrible cost; her identity. Adeline is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she ever meets, as soon as she is out of sight, people immediately forget they ever met her.
When I started I wondered where the author would take this premise. How can you have a story if characters can’t interact more than once? Especially one which takes place over 300 years. But V.E Schwab found a way, surprising me at every turn. Going back and forth between modern day and the past the parameters of Addie’s curse are slowly revealed, as are the ways she copes with an existence devoid of employment or permanent housing.
It’s real in a way that fantasy novels rarely are. When she finally does meet someone who remembers her it doesn’t feel forced or contrived. It flows almost like poetry, their lives intertwining in unsuspecting ways.
Overall I highly recommend this book, however I would warn you that when you finish it, you’ll be sad it’s over.
