10 Books Like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Looking for your next captivating read after finishing ‘The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue’?
Delve into a world of enchanting tales and timeless characters with these handpicked book recommendations.
Whether you’re drawn to magical realism, historical fiction, or compelling narratives exploring the complexities of identity and immortality, these books are sure to capture your imagination and leave you longing for more.
Books Like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
1. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
This novel tells the story of Henry DeTamble, a librarian at the Newberry Library in Chicago who has a rare genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and his wife, Clare Abshire, an artist who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences.
The narrative intricately weaves their love story across time and space, showing how they try to live normal lives despite the extraordinary circumstances.
Major Similarities:
Both “The Time Traveler’s Wife” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” explore themes of love and loss across the expanse of time, with protagonists who have unusual conditions that affect their relationships and how they are perceived by the world.
The narratives delve into the complexities of living a non-traditional life and the impact it has on personal connections and identity.
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
This novel is set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and revolves around a magical competition between two young illusionists, Celia and Marco, who have been trained from childhood for this purpose by their mercurial instructors.
Their battleground is a mysterious night circus that appears without warning, open only from sunset to sunrise. The competition becomes more complex as Celia and Marco fall in love, unaware of the dire consequences.
Major Similarities:
“The Night Circus” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” share a magical realism setting, with both stories offering a blend of historical fiction and fantasy.
They explore themes of love, destiny, and sacrifice within the confines of a magical contract or competition, emphasizing the characters’ struggles with freedom and the desire to leave a lasting impact.
3. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
In this novel, Ursula Todd is born on a snowy night in 1910 but dies before she can take her first breath.
Then, she is born again on the same night and survives, only to lead a life marked by death in various forms. Each time Ursula dies, she is reborn into a new iteration of her life, each one an opportunity to alter her fate and, perhaps, the fate of the world.
Major Similarities:
Like “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” “Life After Life” presents a protagonist with an extraordinary condition that alters the course of their life and relationships.
Both books explore themes of resilience, the impact of small actions over time, and the pursuit of meaning within the bounds of an unusual existence.
4. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi’s world is a strange, vast house with endless halls, filled with statues and an ocean locked within its walls. The protagonist, Piranesi, believes he always lived in the House.
However, messages begin appearing, challenging his understanding of his world and hinting at a life beyond its confines. The mystery deepens as Piranesi explores the reality of his existence and the truth about the House.
Major Similarities:
“Piranesi” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” both feature protagonists navigating a reality that is unlike anyone else’s, filled with mystery and a sense of isolation.
Themes of memory, identity, and the search for truth are central to both narratives, as is the protagonists’ struggle to understand their place in a world that seems to have forgotten them or operates by different rules.
5. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before.
This cycle repeats itself, with Harry living different versions of his life, until he receives a message from the future, warning him of a coming catastrophe that only he can prevent.
Major Similarities:
Both “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” deal with characters who experience life in a cyclical or non-linear fashion, challenging the traditional understanding of time and existence.
Themes of immortality, memory, and the impact of one’s actions over time are explored in depth, with both narratives focusing on the protagonists’ quests to find meaning and purpose in their unique conditions.
6. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Set in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, this novel intertwines the tales of two supernatural beings: a Golem, Chava, created from clay and brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic, and a Jinni, Ahmad, a being of fire, released accidentally by a Syrian tinsmith in Little Syria.
Though they come from vastly different backgrounds, Chava and Ahmad form a unique and unlikely friendship as they navigate their immigrant experience and search for a place in the human world.
Major Similarities:
Like “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” “The Golem and the Jinni” explores the themes of identity, freedom, and the search for belonging in a world that doesn’t understand them.
Both novels feature characters with supernatural origins and conditions that set them apart from the rest of humanity, driving them to seek connections that transcend their immortality and otherness.
7. How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
Tom Hazard may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he’s been alive for centuries.
From Elizabethan England to Jazz Age Paris, from New York to the South Seas, Tom has seen a lot, but now he just wants an ordinary life.
Unfortunately, the secret society of people with long lives, the Albatross Society, has other plans. Tom must navigate the modern world while keeping his true nature a secret for his safety and that of others.
Major Similarities:
“How to Stop Time” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” both delve into the life of a protagonist burdened with immortality, exploring the loneliness and beauty of living through centuries.
The novels address the challenge of forming lasting relationships and the pain of outliving loved ones, as well as the protagonists’ desires to leave a mark on a world that constantly forgets them.
8. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
This novel is set in the wilderness of northern Russia, where winter lasts most of the year. Vasya, the young heroine, is born with a special gift and a destiny that she must come to terms with.
The story blends Russian folklore with the tale of a family living on the edge of the wilderness. Vasya must protect her family from both physical and supernatural threats, using her courage and her gifts.
Major Similarities:
“The Bear and the Nightingale” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” share a deep connection to folklore and the magical elements that influence the protagonist’s lives.
Both stories feature strong, independent female protagonists who defy societal expectations and navigate a world where the boundaries between the magical and the mundane are blurred.
9. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
This novel explores the life of Julia and her family as they adjust to a sudden and unexplainable slowing of the Earth’s rotation. This event extends days and nights, disrupting the rhythms of day-to-day existence.
As Julia navigates the challenges of growing up in a world that is literally changing beneath her feet, she faces the trials of adolescence against a backdrop of global uncertainty and change.
Major Similarities:
Both “The Age of Miracles” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” explore the impact of extraordinary circumstances on the protagonist’s life and relationships.
While “The Age of Miracles” deals with a global phenomenon rather than an individual’s curse, both novels delve into themes of adaptation, the search for meaning, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of change.
10. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Margaret Lea, a young biographer, receives a letter from one of Britain’s most prolific and enigmatic writers, Vida Winter. Throughout her career, Winter has spun various tales about her background, but now, near the end of her life, she wants Margaret to write her true story.
As Margaret delves into Winter’s life, she uncovers a complex web of secrets that will transform her own understanding of her history and identity.
Major Similarities:
“The Thirteenth Tale” and “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” both revolve around the power of stories and the impact of secrets kept over lifetimes.
The novels explore themes of memory, identity, and the ways in which the past shapes the present. Both feature strong, complex female protagonists who must navigate the consequences of extraordinary life circumstances.
