The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
by V. E. Schwab
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER USA TODAY BESTSELLER NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER THE WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab’s genre-defying tour de force. Recommended by Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, NPR, Slate, and Oprah Magazine #1 Library Reads Pick—October 2020 #1 Indie Next Pick—October 2020 BOOK OF THE YEAR (2020) FINALIST—Book of The Month Club A “Best Of” Book From: Oprah Mag * CNN * Amazon * Amazon Editors * NPR * Goodreads * Bustle * PopSugar * BuzzFeed * Barnes & Noble * Kirkus Reviews * Lambda Literary * Nerdette * The Nerd Daily * Polygon * Library Reads * io9 * Smart Bitches Trashy Books * LiteraryHub * Medium * BookBub * The Mary Sue * Chicago Tribune * NY Daily News * SyFy Wire * Powells.com * Bookish * Book Riot * Library Reads Voter Favorite * A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget. France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. Also by V. E. Schwab Shades of Magic A Darker Shade of Magic A Gathering of Shadows A Conjuring of Light Villains Vicious Vengeful
About This Book
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a fiction romance novel by V. E. Schwab, first published in 2023 by Tor Books. Readers can expect star-crossed lovers; mild heat; a slow burn and emotional tone.
At a glance
- Genre
- Fiction
- Trope
- Star-Crossed Lovers
- Heat
- Mild
- Ending
- AMBIGUOUS
- Mood
- Slow Burn
- Published
- 2023
Where to read or listen
Get The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
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Why You May Love This Book
You may love this if…
- Cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets, a woman lives for three centuries as a ghost in history until she finds a man who finally remembers her.
- Fans of magical realism
- Readers who love lyrical prose
- Reflective
- Features Deal with the Devil
This may not be ideal if…
- Readers seeking a fast-paced thriller
- Readers who want a traditional Happily Ever After
- Those who dislike non-linear timelines
The Romance
Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.
Tropes
Relationship Dynamics
Details
Type: Historical Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Pairing: M/F (Main), M/M & F/F (Implicit/Historical)
Power balance: Unequal (Human vs. Immortal vs. Deity)
Age gap: 300+ years
How It Feels
The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.
Mild comfort, moderate tension, high angst, and a satisfying emotional payoff.
Heat Level
Based on available metadata and editorial review.
Mild
Who Is This Book For?
Best for
Reading mood
May not suit
Recommended audience: Adult / Crossover YA
Content Guidance
The Story
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
A young woman in 18th-century France makes a Faustian bargain to escape a life of domesticity, gaining immortality at the cost of being erased from the memories of everyone she encounters. For three hundred years, Addie LaRue lives a solitary existence, influencing history and art without being able to claim her place in it. Her world is upended in a modern-day New York bookstore when she meets a man who utters three life-changing words: 'I remember you.'
Central Conflict
Addie's internal struggle for a legacy and connection against a curse that enforces absolute anonymity, compounded by her ongoing psychological game with the dark entity who granted her wish.
Setting
Spanning 1714 France to 2014 New York City, with various historical European locations.
Themes
Strengths
- Exquisite prose
- Unique magical premise
- Strong historical research
- Deep emotional resonance
Consider before reading
- Slow pacing in middle sections
- Repetitive motifs
- Heavy melancholy may be draining for some
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Discussion Guide
Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.
- 1
How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?
- 2
Which theme — The Time Traveler's Wife — resonated most strongly with you, and why?
- 3
How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?
- 4
Did the emotional payoff feel earned by the story's buildup?
- 5
How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?
- 6
Who would you most want to recommend this book to?
- 7
How did the pacing affect your reading experience?
- 8
Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?
How This Profile Was Created
Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.
- Editor reviewed:
- Yes
- Last reviewed:
- August 30, 2026
- Confidence:
- High confidence
- Profile version:
- eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
About the Author
What Readers Say
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Publication Details
- Publisher
- Tor Books
- Published
- 2023
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9780765387578
- ISBN-10
- 0765387573
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: quick answers
- Who wrote The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue?
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was written by V. E. Schwab.
- When was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue published?
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was first published in 2023 by Tor Books.
- What genre is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue?
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a fiction romance novel, with star-crossed lovers.
- How spicy is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue?
- EIKNA rates The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue as mild heat.
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Get The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
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