Monday, September 7, 2020

the devil is in the details

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Genre: fiction/historical fiction
Review: Addie LaRue is completely unable to make a mark on this world.  She is forgotten the moment she is out of sight, her writing erases itself, and she can't even manage to hold on to any material possessions, except a wooden ring that is the symbol of her deal with the devil.  Addie asked for freedom, to not be tied down to convention, but we all know that you have to be careful what you wish for.  Addie has all the freedom she could want, and then some, and her bargain is good until she tires of being unendingly forgotten, at which point the devil will claim her soul.

The devil thinks he's gotten a good deal, making a bargain with a rash young girl, but he didn't count on Addie.  Realizing that "ideas are wilder than memories" and can't be so easily controlled, she makes the terms of the bargain work for her.  Perhaps she is an artist's muse for a while, or she plants a musical riff that grows into a hit song, or finds some other way to live on (anonymously) through art.  On top of that, she really does have freedom to experience all the world has to offer, and she's been experiencing it for 300 years.

And then, someone remembers her.  After so much time, can Addie even have a relationship with someone who actually remembers her from one day to the next?  What will she learn about her relationship to the world?  And will it make her rethink the bargain she made so long ago?

Addie is a wonderfully strong, brave character, who will stick with you (haunt you?) long after you finish this book.  The book is a trifle too long, but the payoff at the end is worth it.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

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