Day 40: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Hod in Yesod, Glory/Humility in Connection
In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, we meet Addie, a young woman in 1700s France, who makes a deal with a devil to escape an unwanted marriage. Predictably, the fine print of the deal isn't exactly as Addie anticipated, and she finds that she has been granted eternal youth, but cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets as soon as she leaves the room. As Addie learns the limits of her deal over her centuries of life, she discovers that, while she can't be remembered, she can plant the seeds of an idea that will last beyond her brief encounters. She attains a kind of glory and lasting connection through the inspiration she gives to those who are otherwise doomed to forget her. She inspires art, music, and philosophy that will always be attributed to someone else, but is nevertheless unmistakably also hers.
Addie’s story demonstrates that being remembered isn’t the only way to leave a mark. Influence can be indirect and invisible, and still profoundly meaningful. The book prompts us to wonder how our own lives might spark ideas and creativity in others, and to reflect on the ways brief encounters with others have shaped each us as individuals.
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