Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
This book is a high octane emotional rollercoaster. It was gifted to me by a close friend as it is his favourite book. I knew before I even read a sentence that this book was going to make me cry. I read Sheppard’s novella in the Griffith review last year and it made me ball my eyes out. I was surprised that all the boy got me. At one point, each of their perspectives got me teary eyed. The letterbombs were a minefield of tears. But no book of despair is brilliant without equal measures of hope. Sheppard illustrated his brilliance through making this a herald’a cry of hope and support. This book is truly exemplary of Australian YA fiction. I am blown away.
The writing of this book was beautiful.
But the whole story was rushed and I would have preferred to have a better ending where we see where ALL the characters end up.
But overall, this book was great and I would recommend.
But the whole story was rushed and I would have preferred to have a better ending where we see where ALL the characters end up.
But overall, this book was great and I would recommend.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Intense, insightful and important.
Tough to read, yeah, but worth it for those glorious triumphant last couple of pages.
Tough to read, yeah, but worth it for those glorious triumphant last couple of pages.
Charlie, Zeke, Hammer and Matt are four lads in Geraldton, Western Australia. We hear from them what being gay means in a small town populated by small minds. Sheppard's writing is raw, unflinching and visceral. He explores the embodiment of masculinity, the struggles of homosexuality and the heinous lack of support and trust. It's a confronting read as the lads' vulnerabilities are gut wrenching. I wanted to pull Charlie to safety so many times.
There are letterbombs in the novel, anonymous letters detailing internal conflict and suicide. Despite being dark, painful and violent the characters demand an emotional investment from the reader. Their voices are unique, likeable, flawed and honest. Sheppard is an empathic author. Overall this is authentic, emotionally intense, gritty, compelling and hopeful.
There are letterbombs in the novel, anonymous letters detailing internal conflict and suicide. Despite being dark, painful and violent the characters demand an emotional investment from the reader. Their voices are unique, likeable, flawed and honest. Sheppard is an empathic author. Overall this is authentic, emotionally intense, gritty, compelling and hopeful.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Whenever one sees a book that has received a lot of hype on social media, scpeticism does reign. As such, I opened Invisible Boys reasonably certain that it would not live up to the hype. Indeed, I was correct. It far exceeded it.
Sheppard is forthright about the fact that the three protagonists, Charlie, Hammer, and Zeke, all have certain facets of him and his experience of growing up gay in a small Australian town. Yet this serves only to enrich the story and to evoke one of the strongest empathetic emotional responses I've experienced in a long time. What is particularly lovely is that Sheppard captures the realism of how young men speak and interact with one another while also writing with clear control and beautiful prose.
The story is funny, heartbreaking, nailbiting and nuanced in its examination of the manner in which prejudice continues to exist in small communities, and the manner in which mental illness that often plagues members of the LGBT+ communities is both impossible to show and impossible to see.
While it's worth noting that there are some graphic scenes that may mean younger readers should at least be given the book with a content warning and a clear invitation to discussion about what they read, I also realise the importance of this kind of book for young people who read something that genuinely reflects their experience and makes them feel less isolated - graphic parts and all.
I cannot recommend reading this enough.
Sheppard is forthright about the fact that the three protagonists, Charlie, Hammer, and Zeke, all have certain facets of him and his experience of growing up gay in a small Australian town. Yet this serves only to enrich the story and to evoke one of the strongest empathetic emotional responses I've experienced in a long time. What is particularly lovely is that Sheppard captures the realism of how young men speak and interact with one another while also writing with clear control and beautiful prose.
The story is funny, heartbreaking, nailbiting and nuanced in its examination of the manner in which prejudice continues to exist in small communities, and the manner in which mental illness that often plagues members of the LGBT+ communities is both impossible to show and impossible to see.
While it's worth noting that there are some graphic scenes that may mean younger readers should at least be given the book with a content warning and a clear invitation to discussion about what they read, I also realise the importance of this kind of book for young people who read something that genuinely reflects their experience and makes them feel less isolated - graphic parts and all.
I cannot recommend reading this enough.
This is an era-defining, barrier-breaking, eye-opening, and very necessary book, coming at just the right time in our political climate. The characters are authentic, the dialogue real and snappy, the pace keeps you on your toes, the writing packs a punch with its rawness and honesty, and the ending is hopeful. I've never read a book like it before and Australia needs more like it. Recommended for everyone, straight or gay.
What an incredible book, I couldn’t put it down and now I’ve finished I want to sob my eyes out. A powerful novel about friendship and identity, and an important novel about the experience of gay teens in a small town full of small minded people. I hope lots of people read this and hear its message.