The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
by V.E. Schwab
5 Stars
Image from Goodreads
Have you ever been scrolling social media and realize you are seeing the same book over and over? That has been the case for me with Tiktok lately. I follow as many Booktok people as I can find and have starting adding books I hear about to my Want to Read list on Goodreads. This is one of those books I found on Tiktok and was convinced to read. I often shy away from books that have a lot of hype, especially when they are a Book a Month or a Owlcrate title. I always worry they are being praised because the social media influencer got the book for free. This was not the case with this book.
Addie grows up in a small town in the country side of France. She has always wanted to be free and thought she attained that freedom when she was considered too old to marry. But when a widower needs a bride to care for his young children she finds she is going to be the one to wed him. She runs from her wedding and starts praying to whatever God will answer. But she doesn't realize that she made a grave mistake, she prayed to a god who answered after Dark. She trades her soul to make a deal that is not what it seems and although she gains freedom it is also a curse. She travels the globe being forgotten by anyone who sees or interacts with her. A ghost who has decided to leave her mark in some way.
One day after 300 years of living this half-life she goes in to a bookshop she has never found before. She decides to steal a book knowing she will be quickly forgotten by the book store employee. But the employee a man named Henry confronts her for stealing. Thinking it was just a fluke Addie goes back the next day to trade her book for another. But something happens she wasn't expecting, the man remembers her. He confronts her for coming back and for trying to steal again. Fascinated by this seemingly exception to her curse Addie develops a relationship with Henry. But Henry has his own secrets that he is determined to keep from Addie.
Told in a non linear timeline the story explores Addie’s life throughout her 300 years. It touches only the most important aspects of her life and all the times she met with Luc the god who claims to love her and never want to let her go.
This story has a decent amount of representation. The majority of the characters are Queer and it isn't even a major part of the plot. They all love who they love and it isn't even mentioned in the story. It was a glorious story that was extremely interesting the entire time. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a fantasy.