By Ava Grippo – Editor-In-Chief

“The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” is an adult novel written by V.E Schwab that was released in 2020. Schwab is also known for writing series such as “Villains,” and “A Darker Shade Of Magic.” “The Invisible Life Of Addie Larue” is full of fantasy, romance, and historical fiction. 

Adeline Larue, also known as Addie, was a girl from the 1700s who wished to escape her arranged marriage and prosaic life, yearning to be free and live a life full of adventure. One night, in the woods, she prays to the gods around her, forgetting the important advice from her neighbor, to never make deals with those who answer in the dark. 

Addie makes a deal with the devil, asking for infinite time, forever youth, and freedom. Being the devil, Addie is not granted exactly what she wanted. She soon discovers that everyone from her life before the moment in the woods, no longer holds any memory of her. Even worse, every time she interacts and meets with someone, the moment they are apart, they forget her. 

Addie is immortal, she will never age, and she is free to do whatever she likes, but she will never be able to make her mark, and never be remembered. Or so she thinks. 

Three hundred years later, Addie means a boy named Henry, who astonishingly, is able to remember her. The only one who has ever been able to remember her is the devil who gave her this curse. This leaves Addie with loads of questions, but is overpowered by the relief and happiness she feels. Addie has spent years being forgotten and fighting with the devil, and now she meets a man who can remember her. 

Throughout the novel, readers are able to follow Addie’s story, both in the present, and the past, as well as getting to know about Henry’s past and present. Readers will watch them slowly fall in love, spending days with each other, finding comfort. But Henry has his own secrets, and so does Addie. The two of them find out they are more alike than they think. 

Addie has spent years alone, trying to leave her mark on the world, finding hidden loopholes to make herself known, whether that is through somebody else’s paintings or songs. She has learned to fend for herself, with no home or money, turning her into a strong, independent main character, whose story draws you in. 

“What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?” Addie says. 

Henry has spent his whole life craving to feel like he was loved, and was enough. The two help each other in several ways. 

“He remembers everything,” Schwab writes. 

Schwab does a wonderful job on developing the characters, how they feel and how that affects their actions. The pages are full of emotional moments, as well as happy ones. There is darkness, and there is light. Both characters slope and grow in their own ways. 

Some readers may not be a fan that there was not more information revealed about the devil, or what happens at the end of the novel, but that’s the mystery of it. It leaves you guessing, wondering, but in a good way, because there’s not more to be said, all that is known was written in this book. 

“The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” has a perfect mix of fantasy, through devils and curses, along with romance, as you watch Addie and Henry fit together, and Historical Fiction through Addie as she lives throughout 300 years, watching history be made. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars