The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a cross between Historical Fiction and Fantasy that follows Addie LaRue, a young girl who was born at the end of the 17th century who does the thing she is explicitly told not to do and must face the consequences of her actions. 

Addie wants nothing more than to be free to explore the world outside of her small town in France. Going to markets with her father is the farthest she has been from home but her desire to go farther grows with each passing day. Each time her father goes to market to sell his hand-carved goods, whether she goes or not, he brings her back charcoal and journals to sketch in. Addie loves to draw and create things. Before she was born, her father made a wooden ring for her. When she was old enough, she began to carry it on a string around her neck everywhere she went. She is getting older and her mother decides she needs to stay home instead of going to markets with her father. Her parents pray to the new God; Estelle, the old woman who lives in the woods, prays to the old gods. Addie likes Estelle. She goes to her from time to time for advice and friendly conversation; Estelle is like a second mother to Addie. After Addie asks about the old gods, Estelle tells her to pray to any of the gods except the ones who answer after dark. There is a man with several children in the town whose wife dies. Addie is betrothed to him as she is young and single; however, marriage would ruin her dreams of seeing the world. She spends days praying and offering trinkets to the gods, old and new, to change her fate- that she would not have to marry him. On the day of her wedding, she has almost lost all hope. She tries one final time to pray to the gods, so earnestly that she does not realize until it's too late that the sun has fallen and it is dark. She is met with the god who answers after dark and ultimately makes a deal in which she will live forever and be free to do as she pleases. Her wish comes true but at a price, not just the ring her father gave her; no one will remember her. 

I actually DNF'ed this book the first time I decided to read it. The complex, slow storytelling and the constantly changing timeline were confusing and didn't grab my interest. It wasn't until a little over a year later that I decided to try it again but in audiobook format. The second time, I pushed through the slow beginning and found it to be an interesting story. This is also the first book I have read from V.E. Schwab. I gave The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue four stars. 

I would recommend this book to those who like mysterious, darker fantasy and/or historical fiction. While it was challenging to get through at first, it became a great book!