Audiobook Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

About:

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab is a fantasy book about a woman who made a bargain with a god. She will live forever, but she will never be remembered. Ms. Schwab is a published author, mainly known for her fantasy and YA fiction books.

• 17 hours and 10 minutes
• Publisher : Macmillan Audio
• Language : English
• ASIN : B01E0CCSXA
• Narrator : Nicholas Guy Smith

My rating for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – 4
Buy The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue  from Amazon.com*
More books by V.E. Schwab*
More books narrated by Julia Whelan*

Thoughts:

On our 3-week family road-trip, summer of 2021 (where we stopped at some bookish places), my family got me an Audible subscription to make driving easier. The whole family enjoyed the subscription, I actually kept it after the trip since I use it when I go to the gym, or on my daily multi-mile walks.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab was the second book we listened to. I didn’t know much about it, but my wife wanted to read it.

We both agreed that listening to the audiobook was certainly a good choice. Frankly, Julia Whelan’s narration really made it a whole new experience. Indeed, I don’t know if I would have managed to slog through centuries of receptive emotional manipulation and regret.

The protagonist, Addie LaRue, is living for centuries, but never seem to learn anything. Around the 1800s she finally learned how to manipulate aristocrats to give her quarter, but lost that ability centuries later from some reason.

Nevertheless, this was a complex book with several interesting characters. The book is slow, but there is nothing wrong with taking the time to understand the characters one’s following.

I did think that the author didn’t give Addie enough credit, simply having her move as a “muse” through the ages was a great idea, but never developed. I’m sure that after a few hundred years, Addie would have figured out how to make money without being remembered.

Still, we enjoyed this audiobook very much. I now understand why people follow narrators, as well as authors.

Synopsis:

Addie LaRue, a young French woman in 1714 makes a bargain with an ancient god. Addie gets to live forever, but is forgotten by everyone she meets immediately after they look away.

Addie has managed to live for centuries, stealing, begging, as well as cheating to survive. Never giving up, certainly not to give the ancient god the satisfaction of taking her soul. In 2014 Addie meet Henry, a bookseller, who to her astonishment, remembers her.

Buy The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue  from Amazon.com*
More books by V.E. Schwab*
More books narrated by Julia Whelan*

Zohar — Man of la Book
Dis­claimer: I bought this book through an Audible.com membership.
*Ama­zon links point to an affil­i­ate account