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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Grab your comfort creature and a box of tissues because this book will send you on an emotional rollercoaster! Invisible Boys is a wonderful piece of Australian literature that I am sure many Aussie’s can relate to. Not just members of the LGBTQIA+ community, there are themes of rural small-town culture, discussion of men’s mental health and family of immigrants representation.
I was too young to vote in the 2017 Marriage Equality postal survey, but I was very much aware of what was happening at the time. It’s amazing to see such an event inspiring stories like Invisible Boys. Each of the four boys have such rich and interesting backgrounds that encapsulate different Aussie family dynamics and strongly influence their journeys through the story.
After finishing the book, I watched the Stan Original tv adaptation of the same name and it is incredible! There was ugly crying and grabbing hold my favourite plush toy whilst I watched this, and I thought it had been really well done, transforming the novel into a series.
Sheppard is truly an inspiration to write such a vulnerable and real experience of what it’s like growing up queer in a small rural town. I am definitely adding his other works to my TBR, including his upcoming adult novel, King of Dirt, and the sequel to Invisible Boys.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow, this book really got to me. Invisible Boys had me feeling everything — one moment I was aroused, the next I was crying, and by the end, all those emotions just blended into this bittersweet, hopeful smile at the characters' fate. It felt real — maybe a bit localized to Australia, but the experience of being gay and not wanting to be, not because you wouldn’t like it, but because of what everyone else would say — that’s universal. What about your family? What about school? Friends? That fear and uncertainty were so raw and relatable. The writing was powerful and honest, and it really stuck with me. Definitely one of the most emotionally charged books I've read in a while.
I was so sad for Charlie and how unfair life was to him, even up until the end. Zeke's family was so annoying — when his father punched him, I honestly wish someone had punched him back. But no, all the adults just stood there and let it happen. I was hoping the brother would say something, but he didn’t. I'm not too devastated about Hummer — he was a cocky dude. I get the feelings he was dealing with, but why act like that? Still, I admire how realistically it was written because, honestly, that’s exactly how people would behave — but damn... And Matt — he got me in tears. Yeah, he could have been more forthcoming, but knowing that from the very first time we see him, he was already planning to kill himself — that hit hard. I really wish people could find support more easily so things like this wouldn’t have to happen. This book really makes you feel it all.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes