The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Addie LaRue is full of rich symbolism. Identity three symbols and explain their relevance to the book’s characters.

What is the importance of the line, “[I]deas are so much wilder than memories, so much faster to take root” (210)? What does Luc mean when he says it, and how does Addie adapt that sentiment to her own emotional needs?

Both before and after the curse, in what ways does Addie’s identity as a woman make it more difficult to navigate the world? What do you think her early life on the streets of Paris might have been like had she been a man?

Although he enjoys it at first, Henry’s curse causes him to sink even deeper into depression. Why is this? Is he right to dismiss the love people direct toward him as “not real”? How would you react in his shoes?

One of the major philosophical debates that emerges in the novel concerns the existence of God. If supernatural creatures of evil like Luc exist, then does God exist? Does the book offer up an answer to this question? What is your opinion on the matter?

At numerous points in the novel, Luc points out that he hates war. How does this comment complicate Luc’s status as an “evil” entity? Is he really evil, or does he merely prey on human desires and ambitions that already existed? Are there reasons to doubt his stated distaste for war and violence?

When Addie tells Henry she loves him, she wonders to herself whether this is true. Do you think Addie loves him? Is her decision to save his life by staying with Luc evidence of this love or evidence against it?

In what ways is Luc an agent of the patriarchy that repeatedly stymies Addie? How does his behavior reflect real-life toxic masculinity as it exists in relationships?