By Itza
I am currently in the middle of reading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. Not middle in terms of progression, but I have picked up the book and I am reading it as time goes on. (There will be some minor spoilers to the plot of the book.) As I've been read this book, I noticed the book's structure has been unique compared to other books, thus more appealing and interesting.
The structure of this book so far usually jumps between two different times and settings from chapter to chapter from the point of Adeline Larue. The first setting this book starts with is the modern world, being located in New York City, 2014. The second setting of the book is in a small town called Villon-Sur-Sarthe, located in France. This setting is about 300 years ago, the time Addie was just reaching adulthood. (Even though the story begins with this setting, it's more of a vague prologue that shows Addie is running from the life she doesn't want to live.)
(Spoiler Portion)"Never pray to the gods who answer after dark." This quote is from Estele, the elderly woman Addie had admired her whole life. Addie however, seeks adventuring and freedom in her life, instead of the trapped life she is destined to have in the confinement of Villon. All the time, she had prayed to the gods Estele told her about, hoping she could freely leave Villon one day. However, when she is 23, Addie is set up for marriage - the final nail in the coffin of her freedom. Despite all her prayers, when the day of her marriage arrives, no god fulfills her wishes. So instead, Addie runs, and she keeps on praying to a god, any god, whether it's the one her parents or Estele believed in. She prays on and on, until finally, night is broken. The god that answers her settles on claiming her soul, so she can continue living freely until the day she wants it all to be over.
The catch is, with this pact, she can no longer make any impact on the world. All memories of her that existed disappeared, and any new memories that people made with her would disappear once she was out of their reach. Any scratch that she would make on the earth would vanish. With the pact she made with the god, she was invisible.
There is a difference between these two separate settings - the current one in New York spreading insight on the life Addie currently lives, showing how she is constantly on the move without any place to go. The past setting gives us the history of Addie, and how the decision which led her to live 300 years was made. While the current setting is slow paced, it's enough to show the sort of emptiness Addie has in her life now- she wasn't careful with what she wished for in the 18th century, and now she has to pay the price for it.
As a reader, this structure of the story has given more depth to the character Addie herself. As you gain more insight on her past and the live she lives, the connection built with Addie as a reader is quite sad, but stronger because of this. It allows for a higher understanding while reading.
I agree with how the structure enhances the impact the story has on a reader. It's like slowly unfolding bits and pieces of Addie's past. Does Addie move to different places within New York? How did she end up there since she was originally from France; does the reader ever find out?
ReplyDeleteThe structure and set of of An Invisible Life seems very interesting. It appears to be a book which would leave you at many cliff hangers as you switch back and forth between 2014 and the 18th century. I am curious now as to how Addie decides to continue living her life at the end of the book. I hope to read An Invisible Life someday because of how you set up the story in your reflection.
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