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__apf__'s review against another edition
3.0
In Calling Invisible Women, Ray gives voice to the feeling of invisibility that many older women have -- taken for granted by their families, ignored by strangers, and patronized by their own doctors. As a mother in my mid-thirties, I can already feel some invisibility creeping in. Halfway through the book, though, I realized that Ray was much less angry with how the world treats her characters than I am. I wanted the book to be darker, angrier, and more full of rage. I left disappointed by how society's poor treatment of these women is resolved by blaming one bad guy, and how easily the protagonist forgives her selfish children.
Calling Invisible Women reminds me quite a bit of Carmen Maria Machado's short story "Real Women Have Bodies." Machado's story might have been inspired by Ray's work, with women disappearing because the world does not want to see them as they are. I likewise think that Calling Invisible Women might have been more powerful as a short story, with just the first few chapters of Clover realizing no one cares that she's gone.
Calling Invisible Women reminds me quite a bit of Carmen Maria Machado's short story "Real Women Have Bodies." Machado's story might have been inspired by Ray's work, with women disappearing because the world does not want to see them as they are. I likewise think that Calling Invisible Women might have been more powerful as a short story, with just the first few chapters of Clover realizing no one cares that she's gone.
kiwidesign78's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Predictable, cliché, simple writing. The biggest catalyst was the main character clutching her invisible pearls about her grown child getting a tattoo *gasp*. To those of us actually reaching that invisible age, this book felt really misguided and trite. I kept wanting it to get better, but it just kept getting worse. Absolutely no depth to any character. All cis heteronormative stereotypical characters. Blech.
Oh, and completely missed the mark about the pharmaceutical company. They would not have swept this under the rug. They would have capitalized on that shit and sold it to the government to create invisible soldiers.
Oh, and completely missed the mark about the pharmaceutical company. They would not have swept this under the rug. They would have capitalized on that shit and sold it to the government to create invisible soldiers.
bougainvillea's review against another edition
3.0
I really like Jeanne Rays' writing. Ifind it very comforting for some reason. :)
untitledemily's review against another edition
3.0
Had a rapid ending. Loved the sotry wish it was more developed!
maria_3k's review against another edition
4.0
Because I'm in my mid-to-late forties, I ran a keyword search for books on menopause, and I'm so thrilled that I came across this book about a 54-year-old woman with a loving husband and pretty good kids who nonetheless completely fail to notice when she becomes literally invisible. It's a super-fast read, with lots of excitement (foiled bank robberies, facing down corporate malefactors, getting one's job back), and it also sympathetically explores the metaphorical invisibility that almost all women of a certain age experience. Down from 5 to 4 stars because even though it was published in 2012, the absence of any minority characters, save a Russian mail order bride, seems to leave a gap.
kszymanski3087's review against another edition
2.0
maybe I'm not old or "invisible" enough to appreciate this book
cmbwell's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book club choice.
I enjoyed the writing as well as the story. I liked that the invisibility had a plausible reason - or, if not fully plausible, at least not left to magic or complete randomness. I also liked how the main character found the positives in her bizarre situation and inspired others to do the same.
I enjoyed the writing as well as the story. I liked that the invisibility had a plausible reason - or, if not fully plausible, at least not left to magic or complete randomness. I also liked how the main character found the positives in her bizarre situation and inspired others to do the same.
rosemarysbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I was very disappointed when the cause for their invisibility turned out to be a drug interaction. The author missed a giant chance at social commentary. Ask any post menopausal woman.
fauxbot's review against another edition
1.0
This had a fascinating premise, but holy cow was I shocked to see it was published in 2012. I was shocked there was mention of social media.
This book was heavy handed in messaging at best, and I imagine it being written by someone with a mindset very heavily developed in the late 80s/early 90s. Overall, I can’t recommend anyone read this. It’s not clever or funny or really anything noteworthy at all.
…but I’d love to see someone take the idea and do something worthwhile with it.
This book was heavy handed in messaging at best, and I imagine it being written by someone with a mindset very heavily developed in the late 80s/early 90s. Overall, I can’t recommend anyone read this. It’s not clever or funny or really anything noteworthy at all.
…but I’d love to see someone take the idea and do something worthwhile with it.
hboyd494's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
3.75
“I first noticed I was missing on a Thursday.”
“Maybe he’s feeling unseen,” she said. “It’s possible that that’s the lesson in all of this, not who sees you but who you can learn to see.”
“Maybe he’s feeling unseen,” she said. “It’s possible that that’s the lesson in all of this, not who sees you but who you can learn to see.”