I tried fixing The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by VE Schwab... (Spoilers!)
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- I recently read The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by VE Schwab and... I didn't love it. I didn't hate it either, but it was just okay.
But the more I thought about the story, the more frustrated I became. VE Schwab had such a good premise, and I thought the book had so much potential and it wasn't what it could have been. Don't get me wrong - I'm a long-term VE Schwab stand, having loved the Shades of Magic, Archived, Monsters of Verity, Villains and Cassidy Blake books, but Addie Larue left me cold.
Until I couldn't sleep at night. I was thinking about everything that annoyed me about the book, so I wrote a review on Goodreads. But I still couldn't sleep. Instead, I was thinking about the small changes that would have made it a better book, without fundamentally changing the story...
All of this led to this video - my attempt to fix The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, putting my 18 months of writing experience up against Schwab's decade. Enjoy! 😅
Liked this video? Subscribe at / @jpwrites
QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMENTS:
- If you've read Addie's story, were you underwhelmed like me? How would you have changed it?
TIME STAMPS:
00:49 - What is The Invisible Life of Addie Larue?
01:29 - My problems with Addie Larue
15:12 - The plan - how am I going to fix it?
16:34 - Intro to Story Engineering's structure
20:02 - Initial thoughts on new plot
22:19 - Using the Story Clock to organise the new version of Addie Larue
22:53 - Story time! Jacqui's take on Addie Larue
FIND ME ONLINE:
Instagram: / jp.writes
Website: jpwrites.co/
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#theinvisiblelifeofaddielarue #writing #writer
![READING VLOG: So I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue- NO SPOILERS...Rant or Rave? [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wu7UHPc3UaY/mqdefault.jpg)
If you've read Addie's story, were you underwhelmed like me? How would you have changed it?
This was BRILLIANT. Every single thing you mentioned was exactly what I was thinking.
Major problems: Addie & Luc had no character development and I didn’t believe in their romance. It was a toxic relationship and I can imagine that a lot of young women would think that Luc is the “dreamy tortured soul” when actually he’s an abuser.
There. Is. No. Ticking. Clock. No sense of urgency to propel the story forward or giving meaning to Addie’s journey. The only time we have a sense of “oh shit, I need to make a decision” on ANYTHING is when Henry reveals that he only has a limited amount of time left. This should have been brought up earlier with Addie trying to bargain with Luc in different ways.
This book is the perfect example of tons of telling and ZERO showing.
I would LOVE you to read ‘A Witch in Time’ by Constance Sayers. It’s not great but it has eerily the same concept (including a demon named Luc who had made a deal to give the main character eternal life) and it even starts in the French countryside as well!!
All around A++++ - thank you for your hard work and in depth look into this book ♥️
I'm glad you liked it! I didn't pick up on it at the time, but what you said about the ticking clock is spot on - there's nothing moving her story forward until Henry's revelation, which means we have 300 years of the same thing happening again and again.
Ironic that Addie didn't want to be betrothed to a man early on yet wound up being in a worse situation with that asshole Luc for, apparently, eternity. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of this book for me.
I really love your version! couldn't agree more that this book had a lot of potential but really fell short..
Thank you! It's funny - when I read through it, I realised it wasn't actually that different from the original, but different parts were emphasised
i loved the book but i KNEW it had so much more potential; it felt vague at times and henry was just not it for me, and the fact that she wanted to get rid of luc to get back with henry?? so i really loved your take on the book and I’ll be considering this canon from now on😌
The time jumps didn't work for me because Addie is an utterly stagnant characters (like all of Schwab's characters, I'm afraid).
Had the book been in chronological order, I would have been able to gloss over it.
But seeing past Addie and present Addie side by side made the issue glaringly obvious.
There could have been a message, there, about stubbornness stunting your growth as a person, or immortality fixing you in one age and mindset/level of maturity, and maybe that's the real curse.
But no, the way it was written, it just left me frustrated.
Oh, and gods forbid Addie LaRue has to think about someone who is not Addie LaRue. Wars? Civil Rights Movement? Institutionalized racism and sexism which are the reasons why some people are forcefully forgotten by history? No. The world should revolve around Addie LaRue and her self inflicted curse, and you, as a reader, should realize that and feel bad for her.
Schwab said that Addie was meant to represent and give a voice to all the women forgotten by history... Huge fail there 👎
Addie only exists for Addie (aka Schwab).
I just finished the book yesterday and was feeling a bit disappointed. Henry and Addie’s romance didn’t do it for me and I was also wondering about her whole “I hope it’s true” thing about her love for Henry. It left me thinking did either of them actually love each other or were they just holding onto the one person their deals didn’t work on? They should’ve honestly been friends for me and this should’ve been talked about or explored more when she brought that up but it is what it is unfortunately. I was also disappointed we never got much more information on Luc and about why he does his deals or what exactly is he or are there any other gods like him. I REALLY enjoyed this video and prefer your version of this novel. Story had a lot of potential but things were missed and overall it had all fallen short so thank you for this!! I think I might be lowering my rating for this now that I’m thinking about the other issues with this novel
This is the best most in-depth review plus the work you put in to pitch a fix! I’m blown away! I hope V.C. saw this, it’s done with intelligence and care. Thank you, this is the resolve I needed after reading.
Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished reading the book and saw this video. You are a brilliant writer and really like the ideas in your version!
Thank you!
This is amazing!! I loved every change you made🤍🤍
I was super excited to read this book and started it super excited but as I kept reading i realized I didn't really feel connected to Addie.. she was just so blah to me and then she had like zero character development... And all of her life revolved around all these love interests/one night stands which were just not something I was interested in ...
I know! I think Schwab shot herself in the foot a little bit with the curse, because it's hard to build something when everyone forgets you. But I feel like there could have been more around her innovative ways of making a mark, or even more development of her relationship with Luc, which might have led to more character development. Instead, it was just like the same thing was happening on repeat for 300 years.
Oh my God this was amazing! I just finished the book last night after hearing so many good things about it & I felt completely let down by the ending. You're ending made so much more sense, while I was reading the book I didn't realize how frustrated I was with the timeline of going back and forth but the way that you've explained everything makes more sense in a linear time. I also was incredibly frustrated with how there were little mentions of Addie and Luc being in love for real but then all of a sudden at the end Addie is resentful at Luc & there's no character development on her end. Thank you so much for making this video it makes me feel like I didn't spend 16 hours listening to the audiobook for no reason.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
It had so much potential. I was so bored reading the book because of all the repetitions. Henry and her were not convincing as lovers. They seemed more codependent on each other than actual any passion. I was so mad I spent so much money on the hard cover as that was the only version available.
You hit it exactly on the nose. There were way too many examples of people forgetting her ? Like cool what’s the story like there’s no plot or conflict or climax it’s the same chunk over and over again
I just finished the book yesterday and I felt everything you mentioned in this video. Your version of the story had a lot of the fixes I thought would have made the story more palatable. Thanks for sharing!
you are so right pls contact schwab
I agree on your take, I also wondered... what if Luc really loved her ?? He wouldn't love her in a human way because he is not a human.
Maybe now they'll be happy for the eternity.
And there was also that argument about how Addie wasn't really human anymore either - her experience and perspective were far beyond what any human would be able to comprehend by the end of the book, so it could work.
i totally agree with you, their relationship had so much potential
Pausing at 25:00 to reply to this. Robert does not need more space in the book, he doesn't matter. Addie is running from her parents. If they hadn't forced the marriage she wouldn't have run although she still would have wanted a fuller life. It's her dynamics with her parents and her mother especially that matter to the story. And it wasn't some vague sense of adventure that she wanted, implying that she's just bored (which smells of internalized mysoginy), she has an alert, curious and creative mind that was being stifled by her overbearing mother. She desperately did not want to turn into a version of her parents or worse because while it seems her parents were complacent about their lives she would not have been so she would have become bitter and angry or depressed and slowly faded away. She was like a cat surrounded by a herd of sheep.
*misogyny
I am much more satisfied with your version of the book. I would have loved the romantic relationship between addie and luc to be further explored and the concept of luc not entirely being evil. The only part that had me completely engaged was the last part of the book and you took those exact parts and focused more attention towards it, cutting out the repetitiveness and the unneeded details that slowed the book down.
I agree the book should've been in chronological order! I liked the book but more for the writing and premise. The characters were messy and I agree with most of your changes.
My only disagreements are I don't think her fiance needs to be a bad person to justify her feelings. I think having him be against traveling and adventure is fine, but I don't think he should threaten to beat her. He doesn't have to be a bad person for him to not be the right person.
I don't think her father would laugh at her (especially at a man threatening to beat her) and I don't think he'd say its time for her to learn her place. In the book he seemed somewhat sorry for making her marry, but did it because he thought it'd be in her best interest and because it seems he does whatever his wife wants. I prefer him as kind.
I'm fine with her spying, but I do think the book did it poorly and your idea feels more cohesive in how you said you'd execute it.
I like the depth of her getting annoyed with Henry. Tbh I get why he'd like her, but idk why she liked him. I'm okay with the book saying she loves him, but I don't think she should be in love with him. So your version is closer to my interpretation. Does that make sense?
Tbh I'm like the original ending, but I like yours too. I don't think I'd like yours in the original book though because, I didn't read it as love; however, with your restructuring I could see it that way.
I think the biggest issue with this book is how stagnant Addie feels. I feel like your version gives her more of a character arc. Like in the book we she her the first time someone draws her and then after she is art on the walls, but we never see her actively being made art.
Tbh I still really like the book but in a way where I could also spent an hour ranting about everything wrong with it. I love the writing and premise, but the back and forth in the middle was dull. I liked your restructuring a lot. Though tbh when I first picked up the book I wanted a historical epic where I saw Addie spying, traveling, and growing. But instead I got 2 meh romances that felt more out of the other person being the only one available as opposed to love. Still I loved the storyline at the beginning of her curse. I appreciate this book a lot, but it could've been so much more.
I loved your video and rewrite! Have you done this before? It's such an awesome video concept!
I'm glad you liked the video! I've never tried anything like this before - I was just so frustrated with this one that I couldn't stop thinking about it, so thought I'd give it a try. What's interesting is that when I was going back through it to make this video, I found a lot that I liked about it - I think that's what made it frustrating. If it had left me indifferent, I wouldn't have been compelled to try fixing it.
I think you're right that the fiance doesn't need to be a bad person, it's more that I felt there was something missing to make Addie's desperation believable. When I was reading it, it felt very melodramatic, and I'm someone who is very much like Addie in that I've had this sense of fear around being trapped in a 'normal' life since I was a kid.
For Henry, I feel like the novelty of someone remembering her would have drawn her to him, but I think that would have worn off after a while just because they're coming from such different perspectives. The biggest frustration for me was that Schwab actually said that Addie said she loved him and hoped it was true, and suddenly she just loves him without question after that. Maybe she was fully committing to spite Luc, but it just felt off.
And for the ending, it would definitely need more time on the relationship between Luc and Addie for it to work, especially the part when they were a couple. Off the top of my head, I think they were together for a couple of decades, yet we only got a couple of chapters dedicated to it? I felt developing their relationship was necessary, though - you mentioned Addie was stagnant, and I felt Luc was as well. Having their relationship change, and spending time with them through this change, would have helped us see how they evolved.
I agree that there was more potential, however I disagree about the structure of the timeline, bc the highlight of the book that was advertised was that someone finally remembers her, so I wouldn‘t want to read 300 years of time until we get to that plot point. I also found it intriguing to find out how addies and lucs relationship developed in bits and pieces while relieving some of her past memories with him in the present timeline, instead of finding out in chronological time. Although I do agree that some of their interactions were very repetitive and I wish their relationship developed a bit earlier in time instead having almost 200 years of them just fighting each other.
I think what I missed most in the plot is events in the past, possibly even without luc, where we sew her travel to great countries, meet famous people (like she mentioned in the book) go through historic moments etc. I wouldn’t even mind luc showing up and maybe even showing her great art or cultural aspects of the world.
Last thing, I actually did kind of like the ending when she goes full revenge mode bc he did torture her for centuries so I don‘t think a happy ending where he „gets the girl afterall“ would make too much sense and even if he did have genuine feeling for her, it was in a way of possessing her so I wouldn‘t want them to have a happy ending, really.
But anyways, I loved your analysis and like some changes you made, like the Poland plotline!
Hi!! Your video was great!!
I read the book a couple of months ago and I have to say I loved it. But of course, there were also a couple of things I didn't like quite that much. The part with Henry's POV was unnecesarilly long for me, and I did not like the ending (where Addie says she is just gonna keep fighting Luc forever). I also would have appreaciated way more background of Luc, or even just more "screen" time, because for me his relationship with Addie was one of the most interesting parts of the book, so I wanted more of that.
So yeah, althought I did enjoy the book , and it will stay with me for a long time, I really loved your version a lot too!!! (I specially wish the real one had that ending haha).
Anyway, awesome work!! I will stay around here 💜
Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it, along with enjoying the original! I also was annoyed by the ending - if it had just finished with the dedication of 'I remember you' I think it would have left a better taste in my mouth.
This is such a better version! The book left me feeling really dissatisfied too. I also think it also might have been more effective if the memory of Addie was erased with sunset every day rather than whenever someone loses sight of her - otherwise, what happens when someone goes to the loo? I know it’s ridiculous, but she spends whole days with people sometimes and they remember her until the next morning, but surely they need to go to the toilet at some point, or even just lose sight of her for a moment behind a pillar or something. It’s a hole in the logic.
The effort that went into this video amounts to way more than almost 1 thousand views. Everything said in this video was incredibly well-articulated, couldn't agree more. I'm glad there are others out there that felt let down by this book. I found that the back and forth, non-chronological order tired me out as well, and the pacing was tedious and slow. I'm glad this popped up in my recommended section! The first time I've ever watched the entirety of a video this long, on youtube 😅
Oh and I much preferred your take and rewritten version much more than the original...
@@EliteNormie Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it enough to stick around for the whole video! I was a little worried when I typed up my take and saw how long it was 😅
Agree with your review 100%.
i loved the first half of the book but got bored with 2nd half----enjoyed your changes very much
Yes! I totally agree! I think this story would have worked so much better in chronological order. I don't know why Schwab decided to do this in a split timeline, maybe to build mystery and tension? But it didn't really work because throughout the whole book almost nothing happens. Some years ago I read another book by Schwab 'Vicious', it also has a split timeline and I think it works perfectly in that book.
Anyway, nothing really happening in this book would have been fine if we at least learned more about Addie herself, her struggles/dreams/ambitions, and especially her growth. But honestly after spending so much time with Addie I feel like I still know nothing about her, I don't know what her personality is.
Am I the only one who thinks that this book might also have worked better as a first person maybe?
The love triangle was also weak. The fact that Addie didn't really love Henry should have been explored more, also like you mentioned the fact that Luc actually loved Addie should have also been explored. Instead in the end it was hinted that it all was a game for Luc after all. So which is it?
This book is on my Christmas list so I’m not watching b/c spoilers :) but I’m super excited to hear your thoughts after I finish it!!
I'll be curious to hear what you think!
I really liked the original for the beautiful writing it reminded me of what I liked when I was 15 (now 27) BUT THIS is what the story should’ve been!! Imagine the book rewritten with this organization and dynamics 😍
This has been absolutely phenomenal.
Thank you!
This is so interesting! I would love to hear more videos like this. I wonder whether you've read The Nevernight Chronicles? It's adult fantasy, but shows an excellent handle of story and character in the first two books. And then the third just lets it all fall flat. I suggested a few rewrites in my review. So interesting how people can edit a few things to make something so much more engaging. The rewrite of Passengers (film) is so easy, but flips it all on its head. I've never forgotten it. Def worth a watch on RUclips! :)
But, I like you and the way you talk about the book. You seem to be very kind at heart and don't rip the book apart like many other people who made a review about the book. Very lovely.
i respectfully disagree, while i understand your frustration with the book a majority of reasons you did not like the book are what made me love this book. primarily the jumping time frame, i found the non linear time frame very engaging and it made the story feel more like a movie in my imagination.
You make good points, but you missed an aspect that some people find joy in, regardless of the plot points. The language is beautifully written and just living in the words is entertaining in and of itself.
I could totally give you my complete reaction to this disappointment of a novel, but I won't. All I can say is that my own heart and mind sabotaged me in my expectations and hopes. This was the first book I've ever read where I was truly depressed after I finished it.
Awesome video, so in depth! Thank you.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
this is perfect, thank u for sharing!
Loved your version!
I don't see the timestamps?
This was my bad - I forgot to add them 😂
I've now added them to the description, but they aren't showing up in the player. The times are linked in the description, though, so you can click through there.
@@JPWrites cheers
Why is it a problem that it happens on page 135? Every book, every story needs a beginning, an uprising middle part to lift up the excitement and then come crushing over you like a Vulcano like a climax. I think she made the right decision to wait and let Addie meet Henry so late in the book. And btw, 135 isn't really that late, considering how that the book has 444 pages.
The point I was trying to make was the opposite - I felt like this happened far too early in the book. The moment when she meet Henry is supposed to be earth shattering, but because the timeline jumps back and forth, I felt like we hadn't really experienced the pain of Addie's curse at this point, which meant someone remembering her didn't mean as much. If it had have been structured chronologically, and we'd experienced all Addie's pain and hopelessness first, I feel like the moment would have been more powerful. Instead, around a quarter of the way through the book we met someone who remembers her, which I felt took away the power of some of the later flashbacks, because there isn't as much emotional weight to a memory of someone forgetting her when we've already met the person who remembers her.
@@JPWrites Hmmmmmmmm OK. Nice thinking, nice idea. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should read the book again. But I actually loved it just the way it is and had nothing to complain about. And I looooove books who jump page and forth in their timeline. idk why, I just do. For example: The sun down motel. It does that and I looooooove it . :) :) Maybe I am just not that experienced with talking about books. Because here where I live, almost nobody reads.
I loved the book for what it was, but Addie is a terrible main character. For someone that wants to explore the world, she spends 300 years only going back and forth between the US and Europe and appearently meets 1 POC during all that time -__-. And instead of using her curse to help people during all the horrible events that occured during that time, she spends all of her time wallowing in self-pity and endlessly dating people who she knows will forget her and only muses or cares about anything if it directly affects her. "Woe is me" for 300 years and there was no substantial character growth at all. She'd rather worry about having a fragment of her image appear in a random painting, rather than use her curse to steal food and feed homeless people. Addie was so not compelling as a heroine AT ALL. Completely wasted her 300 years.
There's nothing to fix 💖 nice try tho
Period
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