Hello again, friends. It’s been another two weeks of mixed emotions for me as my work closed again. I won’t say it hasn’t been difficult on my mental health, but I’m trying to relish the extra time to read and play games. Who knew I would get so into video games with my time off? Not me. With that said, I have decided to review V.E. Schwab’s latest novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I absolutely love V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy, so I have really been looking forward to this novel. For my accompanying drink, I have chosen to make a Highlife. I hope you enjoy the drink and the review. Also, merry Christmas/holiday season (and be ready for the next few posts to be heavy on the Christmas-y photos)!
Highlife Recipe
1.5oz Vodka
0.33oz Triple Sec
1oz Champagne*
0.33oz Egg Whites
0.33oz Pineapple Juice
*Champagne is optional.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all ingredients except Champagne. Shake for approximately 10 seconds and strain into a martini glass. Top with Champagne to finish off. And enjoy!
This week, my special ingredient is Champagne. There’s nothing too crazy about why I added this, unfortunately. Throughout the novel, Addie drinks Champagne and states that it’s her favourite drink. So, it seemed only natural that it was my special ingredient this week. And, I actually 100% preferred the Highlife with the Champagne. Without it I found the drink tasted pretty strongly of vodka. And while some people might like strong vodka drinks, I don’t. So, for me, the Champagne actually evened out the taste a lot and made it a bit more palatable. But, as always, I hope you give the Highlife a try, with or without Champagne!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Synopsis
(from book flap)
France, 1714: In a moment of desperation, a young woman named Adeline meets a dangerous stranger and makes a terrible mistake.
As she realizes the limitations of her Faustian bargain—being able to live forever, without being able to be remembered by anyone she sees—Addie chooses to flee her small village, as everything she once held dear is torn away.
But there are still dreams to be had, and a life to live, and she is determined to find excitement and satisfaction in the wide, beckoning world—even if she will be doomed to be alone forever.
Or not quite alone—as every year, on her birthday, the alluring Luc comes to visit, checking to see if she is ready to give up her soul. Their darkly thrilling game stretches through the ages, seeing Addie witness history and fight to regain herself as she crosses oceans and tries on various lives.
It will be three hundred years before she stumbles into a hidden bookstore and discovers someone who can remember her name—and suddenly, everything changes again.
Review
“Books, she has found, are a way to live a thousand lives—or to find strength in a very long one.”
I’m finding that it’s hardest to write reviews for the books that I’m in the middle about. And, that’s where I am with Addie LaRue. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one solely because it was good, but not great. I wanted to love it, but I couldn’t quite get there. And all that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I just wanted more from it. The premise of the story is such an interesting and unique take on Faust. And it also gave me some Little Red Riding Hood and The Bear and the Nightingale vibes. So, with the elements of legend mixed with fairytales, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue seems right up my alley for a great novel. But, unfortunately, I can’t say it was, I can only say it was pretty good.
To start off with the positives of the novel, my first plus is the writing. Schwab is such a talented and creative author, and this novel truly highlights these qualities. It is poetic and flowing, but also modern. Schwab has this way of bringing the modern into the past in just the right way that it seems exactly how it should be. I also love how Schwab writes her characters and dialogue. Addie is somehow relatable and realistic, despite being immortal. And the way all the characters talk to each other sounds comfortable and authentic. I hate reading a novel where the dialogue is stilted and not the way actual people talk (looking at you The Hollow Ones), but Addie LaRue definitely does not disappoint on that front.
My one downside in terms of the writing, is that the editing could have been improved. I don’t know what’s going on with the books I’m choosing but, similar to The Devil and the Dark Water, Addie LaRue had a few continuity errors and spelling mistakes that brought me out of the story. I know that no one is perfect and catching every mistake is hard, but I counted three errors before page 75, and that, to me, is too many. Not to mention that, despite what the book flap synopsis says, Luc does not come to see her on her birthday, he comes on the anniversary of their deal. And that is just such a strange mistake to me… did the person writing the synopsis not read the book? Weird.
Moving on, my other big positive for this novel is the LGBTQ+ representation. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy also had a character from the LGBTQ+ community, but almost every character in Addie LaRue is completely open and honest about their sexuality. It was really refreshing to read something that doesn’t just add in one stereotypically gay character, but actually has every character express their sexuality in an untethered, realistic, and respectful way. There truly are not enough books that have any sort of LGBTQ+ representation, and the way these characters are defined in other ways beyond their sexuality (when so many LGBTQ+ characters in media are only their sexuality) was beautiful and real.
My biggest downside for Addie LaRue is how slow it was. I expected something more exciting than just literally seeing her life play out one scene at at time. And I genuinely loved the concept, the plot, and the story, but I kept wanting more drama, suspense, and excitement. Yes, it sets up a lot of backstory and leads you to understand Addie and her situation entirely, which makes you care about her, but it is dull. There are some aspects that are meant to be intriguing, but I found the outcomes to be pretty obvious. So, the intrigue was lost for me.
I also didn’t love the whole Luc thing. His first appearance was interesting, but after that it became trope-y and, again, obvious. Of course they’re in love, that’s clear from the synopsis on the cover. (Sorry, if that wasn’t obvious to you.) But, really, how many books do we need where the girl falls in love with the devil or the monster/bad guy? Also, Stockholm Syndrome much? Beyond the trope-y love, and without saying spoilers, other aspects of what Luc does form a pattern and take away any suspense. And I can’t completely blame this on one character… I mean she’s an immortal living in 2014, we know she’s gonna make it out of WW2 unscathed. But, the Luc thing on top of the lack of excitement made the novel feel more like a romance than a modern legend.
Despite these negatives, I did love the ending of Addie LaRue. It was a bit predictable for some parts, but overall it was well done and felt perfect for the story. I honestly don’t think there was any other way I would’ve wanted the story to end. And, as I stated before, since Addie LaRue is pretty much all backstory, I cared deeply about the main characters of Addie and Henry. (More so than I realized before the ending made me feel.) So, despite the backstory not adding much excitement, it made me invested in what happened to them. Which, really, is the most important part of a novel—do I care about what happens to the characters? If not, then why bother reading it?
Overall, a bit all over the place for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Some ups, some downs. Just a good middle of the road book. If you don’t mind a slow burn story with great characters and fantastic writing then you’ll love Addie LaRue. But, if you want action, excitement, and unpredictability then it may not be the best choice for you. I liked it, I didn’t love it and there’s not much more I can say than that recommendation-wise. But, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one and, as always, on the drink if you try it!
My Rating:
Thanks for reading! And, if you read the book or try the cocktail let me know in a comment, on Instagram, or in person (if you know me). Also, if you haven’t yet read my previous reviews, I recommend reading Simple Truths I Never Told You, Where the Crawdads Sing-ria, and Fallen Anxious People if you liked this one!
Teghann
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