The Art of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue — The Genius Writing of V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab is the writer of the book The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. A literary masterpiece that displays the potential concept of immortality while following the journey of a girl, Addie Larue. Her writing style contains a unique combination of rhetorical devices such as the art she picks to display in the story, the use of symbolism through objects and characteristics, and more, which all come together to tell the story of Addie Larue. This article contains spoilers of the book, please keep that in mind if you have not finished reading the book yet.
The story of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue follows the story of a girl who strikes a deal with Luc, a devil who offers immortality for her soul when Addie no longer wishes to live. However, in Addie’s wish for freedom, Luc creates a lifestyle of freedom for Addie in which no one remembers her, and she constantly tries to leave her mark on the world. This sends her in great dismay, and she thinks, “what is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?”
One of the most interesting devices Schwab includes in the book are artworks which bear meaning to the character Addie Larue. The book contains multiple parts, at the beginning of each part, Schwab chooses to include a description and background information about an art piece. Before her name is revealed to the audience, the opening art piece Revenir by Arlo Miret is displayed. The piece displays “a Sculptural series of five wooden birds in various postures of pre-flight.” The significance of the birds are soon revealed in future sections. Addie Larue at one point had a treasured wooden bird created by her father. However, she looses it and feels as if the ties and any last connection between her and her family have disintegrated. I find it interesting how this piece of artwork is read before we find the significance. It was something that I overlooked and didn’t realize was important until I read the book for the second time.
“Seven freckles. One for every love she’d have… One for every life she’d lead. One for every god watching over her.” The seven freckles on Addie’s face increase in significance throughout the story. The freckles on her face represent the essence of her character. It isn’t until later in the story that Addie realizes how “Ideas are wilder than memories. And she can plant them too.” We see this in the next few artworks that Schwab chooses to put on display. In the piece One Forgotten Night by Samantha Benning, the painting shows a monochromatic piece. The highlight of the painting is a series of seven white dots, a sign of Addie Larue’s existence. This painting was also placed in an earlier portion of the book, prior to Addie realizing the importance of ideas.
As the story progresses and Addie starts learning more, Schwab introduces an art piece — Untitled Salon Sketch by Bernard Rodel. This time, Addie’s existence is more present. It displays sketches of various figures, one of the figures exhibit a woman with a freckled face. In the background description of the piece, it is noted that “The freckled woman appears in several of his sketches, but is never named.” This is the first time that an art piece displayed includes a physical representation of Addie Larue.
I’ve noticed that as the story progresses, the representations of Addie’s existence becomes clearer and clearer. A later display of art is a sketch titled Ho Portato le Stelle a Letto by Matteo Renatti contains an illustration of a woman that I presume is Addie. The description speaks of how “the artist has given her one very specific feature: seven small freckles in a band across her cheeks.” A description of the freckles are also clearly noted, and the background speaks on how “the number and placement of the freckles is conspicious enough for many to speculate on the model’s enduring importance in Renatti’s work.” As time goes on in reading the story, we can also confirm that the mark that Addie Larue leaves behind grows stronger and stronger.
Another artwork, which is a piece of music titled “Dream Girl” by Toby Marsh goes beyond the physical representation of Addie and elaborates on her presence. The lyrics write “I’m so afraid, afraid that I’ll forget her, even though I’ve only met her in my dreams.” The musician also goes on to write about how he “would wake up with bars of music in my head, I’d find lyrics scribbled on notepads and receipts, but I had no memory of writing them.” It goes on to show how much of an impact that Addie Larue has on everyone she meets, even if they do not remember her after they meet her. This art piece is the strongest representation of Addie Larue so far, as it also bears her essence.
A scene in the story shows Addie in an art gallery at a museum that displays all of the art pieces that have been inspired by the idea of Addie. It is here that she finally feels like she has left her mark on the world. It is the first times she feels permanent. The progression of the art also symbolizes how Addie learns more and more about her curse and it’s rules along with the peace she finally starts making with accepting the way her life looks like now.
The book at one point also focuses on Henry’s story, drawing attention to his character. When the focus of the writing is first directed towards Henry, the art piece Open to Love by Muriel Strauss and Lance Harringer are displayed. It was meant to be an interactive installation perforated by small holes, allowing liquid to fall through. It represents how Henry, with a heart full of holes, just wanted to feel loved. We also learn in the story that Henry makes a deal with Luc, wishing to be loved by all. However, just like how Addie’s deal contains a negative aspect, so does his. Henry is loved by all, but the love doesn’t feel genuine, leaving him feeling lost and alone.
In the last art piece of the book, Schwab chooses to display the title The Girl Who Got Away. The artist of the piece is labeled “Unknown.” We know that in an earlier portion of the book, Henry attempts to take clear photos of Addie and finds it difficult to comprehend how someone so memorable cannot be remembered. All of the Polaroids that he takes of Addie remain blurry. Here, those same Polaroids are remembered as an art piece. However, in the description, the essence of Addie Larue is captured, creating the effect of motion that is admired upon.
Henry’s friend Bea, during a portion of the book notices this pattern of art, and theorizes that immortality is truly in existence. Henry, at the time, not knowing Addie thinks Bea crazy. In the piece The Girl Who Got Away, it is noted that the work is “currently on display at the Modern Museum of Art exhibit In Search of the Real Addie Larue by Beatrice Caldwell.” This is a wonderful way to round off the end of their journey. Addie is no longer just an idea, but a human in existence.
V.E. Schwab is one of my favorite authors. After first finishing this book, I was so in awe that I had to re-read it a second time. Upon re-reading it, I immediately noticed the artworks in a way that I didn’t understand the first time. I love how the audience can follow the story line and see a representation of how the characters grow and learn through these art pieces alone. Once again, I will reiterate that this story was truly a work of art.
“But a life without art, without wonder, without beautiful things — she would go mad. She has gone mad.”
— Addie Larue, in The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E.Schwab
