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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book didn't end up being quite what I expected but I couldn't put it down. My advice is to read as little as possible about this book before you pick it up. Don't let anyone tell you what it is about or anything about it. Just read it.
I may be developing a mild obsession with Marcus Sedgwick’s books. Seriously, why aren’t more people talking about his work? It’s awesome.
In She is Not Invisible, sixteen-year-old Laureth and her seven-year-old brother fly from their home in London to New York to find their father. He went missing while researching coincidences for a book he is writing. It’s up to Laureth and her brother to make sure he’s safe. The biggest obstacle to finding him is Laureth’s blindness. Since she can’t see, she must rely on her intelligence and her brother to navigate through the unfamiliar streets of New York City.
This book is short, fast-paced, not romance-based, and kept me up way too late at night. It first got my attention because it was described as a “YA thriller,” and I haven’t read many of those. It’s a very compelling story. I would have happily read it in one sitting if I hadn’t been so sleepy.
Laureth is an easy character to root for. She has been blind since birth and relies on her other senses to get around. It’s obvious that the author has done a lot of research on blindness. Laureth has realistic strengths and weaknesses. She knows how to live with her disability, but she’s still insecure about it. I love watching her become more self-confident as the story progresses. She also has to deal with a lot of ignorance from people who can’t understand that she has a different way of navigating through the world. They expect her to behave exactly like a sighted person and get frustrated at her when she can’t.
This book is marketed as YA, but it seems a little young to me. It’s not quite middlegrade, though. I guess it could be called “young young adult.” It doesn’t have the same sense of constant danger as other YA thrillers; it requires a lot of suspension of disbelief; and things are wrapped up neatly at the end. This is probably a perfect transition book for kids who are between middlegrade and young adult. It has the YA writing style without the heavy themes often found in YA.
The suspension of disbelief is what I struggled with most in this book. I didn’t believe that two kids would fly to New York because their father—who seems to have a history of irresponsibility—won’t answer his phone. I didn’t believe that airport security would be so lax. Laureth’s brother’s “ability” seems to exist only to make Laureth’s life harder and doesn’t play enough of a role in the story. I have a feeling that these criticisms are coming from my adult-brain, though. As a child, I would have had an easier time suspending my disbelief.
Despite a few problems with this one, I will gladly continue reading Marcus Sedgwick’s books. Also, I’d highly suggest that all wannabe writers read She is Not Invisible. Since the narrator is blind, there are no visual descriptions in the book. The author has to rely on Laureth’s other senses to let the reader know what’s happening. This is well-done and very interesting to read.
In She is Not Invisible, sixteen-year-old Laureth and her seven-year-old brother fly from their home in London to New York to find their father. He went missing while researching coincidences for a book he is writing. It’s up to Laureth and her brother to make sure he’s safe. The biggest obstacle to finding him is Laureth’s blindness. Since she can’t see, she must rely on her intelligence and her brother to navigate through the unfamiliar streets of New York City.
This book is short, fast-paced, not romance-based, and kept me up way too late at night. It first got my attention because it was described as a “YA thriller,” and I haven’t read many of those. It’s a very compelling story. I would have happily read it in one sitting if I hadn’t been so sleepy.
Laureth is an easy character to root for. She has been blind since birth and relies on her other senses to get around. It’s obvious that the author has done a lot of research on blindness. Laureth has realistic strengths and weaknesses. She knows how to live with her disability, but she’s still insecure about it. I love watching her become more self-confident as the story progresses. She also has to deal with a lot of ignorance from people who can’t understand that she has a different way of navigating through the world. They expect her to behave exactly like a sighted person and get frustrated at her when she can’t.
“People think I have so much faith in myself, but I have none. I have no faith in myself, or in what I can do, and yet people think I can do anything I want.
That's how I seem, but it's an illusion. It's an act, nothing more.” – She is Not Invisible
This book is marketed as YA, but it seems a little young to me. It’s not quite middlegrade, though. I guess it could be called “young young adult.” It doesn’t have the same sense of constant danger as other YA thrillers; it requires a lot of suspension of disbelief; and things are wrapped up neatly at the end. This is probably a perfect transition book for kids who are between middlegrade and young adult. It has the YA writing style without the heavy themes often found in YA.
The suspension of disbelief is what I struggled with most in this book. I didn’t believe that two kids would fly to New York because their father—who seems to have a history of irresponsibility—won’t answer his phone. I didn’t believe that airport security would be so lax. Laureth’s brother’s “ability” seems to exist only to make Laureth’s life harder and doesn’t play enough of a role in the story. I have a feeling that these criticisms are coming from my adult-brain, though. As a child, I would have had an easier time suspending my disbelief.
Despite a few problems with this one, I will gladly continue reading Marcus Sedgwick’s books. Also, I’d highly suggest that all wannabe writers read She is Not Invisible. Since the narrator is blind, there are no visual descriptions in the book. The author has to rely on Laureth’s other senses to let the reader know what’s happening. This is well-done and very interesting to read.
SÅ HIMLA BRA BOK! Så uttänkt och smart och spännande och bara alldeles, alldeles underbar! Läs den!
I chose to read this book because I was required to for class. I would recommend it to any high-school age or even older junior high age student. I would use this class to discuss disabilities and families. I thought this book was very interesting and it made me want to keep reading until I had finished the book.
Content Warnings:
Drugs: none
Sex: none
Rock & Roll: none
Language: none
Violence: minimal
Content Warnings:
Drugs: none
Sex: none
Rock & Roll: none
Language: none
Violence: minimal
This is the second book I've read by Sedgwick and I loved it! I loved both main characters and Sedgwick's excellent use of sensory description--other than sight, of course. I was kind of bummed by the ending, but the rest of the book is well written, interesting, and sprinkled with thoughtful insights. It has unique, engaging characters and fun style breaks where the book switches to notes from her father's notebook.
I would suggest this to any high schooler or junior high student. It's a short but interesting story that allows the reader to experience something they never had before. I would teach it in a school setting as part of an effort to raise awareness about how people with disabilities aren't very different from us.
Warnings
Drugs: no
Sex: no
Violence: not really. there's violent intent though.
Language: no
Other: n/a
I would suggest this to any high schooler or junior high student. It's a short but interesting story that allows the reader to experience something they never had before. I would teach it in a school setting as part of an effort to raise awareness about how people with disabilities aren't very different from us.
Warnings
Drugs: no
Sex: no
Violence: not really. there's violent intent though.
Language: no
Other: n/a
I was slightly hesitant to start reading She Is Not Invisible - as a huge fan of Sedgwick’s gothic historical fiction, I wasn’t sure if his style would translate well to realistic fiction. But I needn’t have worried. Sedgwick has proved himself one of the best and most versatile British authors of young adult fiction, and She Is Not Invisible is one of the most truthful and heartfelt contemporary realistic novels I’ve ever read.
The entire story takes place over one weekend, as Sedgwick’s protagonist, sixteen-year-old Laureth Peak, abducts her younger brother on a quest to find their missing father, following the clues he left behind in his old notebook. Laureth finds herself alone in a strange city with only her kid brother for company, struggling to understand her father’s cryptic and increasingly disturbing notes. And another thing - she’s blind.
It’s a testament to Sedgwick’s skill as a writer that he is able to write such a vivid story with absolutely no visual cues for the reader to follow. It’s been so long since I’ve read a novel featuring a disabled protagonist - and one who isn’t solely defined by her disability. In one particularly brilliant scene, Laureth muses over the lack of realistic blind characters in books, tv shows and movies. There are only two kinds of blind people, she decides: the pathetic, helpless figures of woe, or the superheroes, whose other senses are somehow magically enhanced. Laureth, thankfully, falls into neither category. Yes, she is blind, but she is also sceptical, impulsive, and kind. She is an ordinary teenage girl and a wonderfully well-rounded character.
The mystery Sedgwick has created pays off; Sedgwick’s ending is satisfying and realistic, but more importantly, it’s engaging, and rewards the reader who pays close attention to every little word. She Is Not Invisible is the kind of novel that demands a re-read as soon as you’ve turned the final page - the themes of coincidence, obsession and family are so expertly woven into the book that I keep finding new discoveries just by flicking through a few pages at random.
Whatever Sedgwick writes next, it’s bound to be brilliant, and I already can’t wait to read it.
Publisher: Indigo
Rating: 5 stars | ★★★★★
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd
The entire story takes place over one weekend, as Sedgwick’s protagonist, sixteen-year-old Laureth Peak, abducts her younger brother on a quest to find their missing father, following the clues he left behind in his old notebook. Laureth finds herself alone in a strange city with only her kid brother for company, struggling to understand her father’s cryptic and increasingly disturbing notes. And another thing - she’s blind.
It’s a testament to Sedgwick’s skill as a writer that he is able to write such a vivid story with absolutely no visual cues for the reader to follow. It’s been so long since I’ve read a novel featuring a disabled protagonist - and one who isn’t solely defined by her disability. In one particularly brilliant scene, Laureth muses over the lack of realistic blind characters in books, tv shows and movies. There are only two kinds of blind people, she decides: the pathetic, helpless figures of woe, or the superheroes, whose other senses are somehow magically enhanced. Laureth, thankfully, falls into neither category. Yes, she is blind, but she is also sceptical, impulsive, and kind. She is an ordinary teenage girl and a wonderfully well-rounded character.
The mystery Sedgwick has created pays off; Sedgwick’s ending is satisfying and realistic, but more importantly, it’s engaging, and rewards the reader who pays close attention to every little word. She Is Not Invisible is the kind of novel that demands a re-read as soon as you’ve turned the final page - the themes of coincidence, obsession and family are so expertly woven into the book that I keep finding new discoveries just by flicking through a few pages at random.
Whatever Sedgwick writes next, it’s bound to be brilliant, and I already can’t wait to read it.
Publisher: Indigo
Rating: 5 stars | ★★★★★
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd
This book was nice to read and it's also a quick read at that.
I've wanted to read a book of Marcus Sedgwick's for so long after hearing many positive things about him so She Is Not Invisible seemed a great place to start. It it essentially a short-ish YA novel told from the point of view of a sixteen year old female protagonist called Laureth, but the difference with this character is that she is blind. Her father is a successful author and is in the middle of researching his new book in Europe which sees him investigating coincidence, the theories of people like Einstein and Jung and the peculiar significance of the number 354. Laureth has not heard from him in a while and is quietly concerned (unlike her mother who doesn't seem to give two hoots) but alarm bells start ringing when she receives a mysterious email from someone in New York who claims to have possession of her father's beloved notebook and as proof, he sends a copy of a few of the pages.
Her mother is going away for the weekend and entrusts the care of Laureth's seven year old brother Benjamin on her. Instead Laureth, now desperately worried, decides to use her mother's credit card to get her and Benjamin from the UK to New York in search of her father. A tough mission for any ordinary sixteen year old girl but imagine when you have to consider being blind as one of your challenges? I found myself absolutely thrilled by both the character of Laureth with her strength, resilience and determination and the adorable Benjamin who just leapt off the pages for me as someone I could give a giant hug to! Benjamin has a stuffed raven (called Stan) who he won't be parted from and constantly whispers to as if he is bringing the toy up to speed on their current situation. Benjamin also has hidden strengths within himself that come to light as the novel continues and he plays a crucial part in guiding his sister around the melting pots of sounds, smells and noises that is New York, allowing her to see the city through him.
Another important part of this story is Mr Peak's notebook which we see glimpses of from time to time as the two children try to find clues about where their father may be. It is very philosophical and often had me wondering about the nature of coincidence... it all became a bit spooky. Several reviewers didn't really enjoy this part of the novel and some found that the excerpts from the notebook didn't really add much to the narrative but personally I really enjoyed it as something a bit different from the usual manner of story-telling. I was especially excited about the parts written regarding the number 354 and then guess what page She Is Not Invisible finishes on? Yes, 354. There are many other instances, including the ending where the author shows just how meticulous he has been in writing the novel, everything adds up just right and although I was surprised, I think it was a nice way to end the book.
I do think that this book will probably split some people and it seems to have done just that by the reviews I have read already. Some may find the philosophical bits not to their taste, others may have been expecting something different from the ending. For me, it was a unique and exciting tale that shows YA characters can have disabilities and still be strong (in some cases, stronger) characters too and I hope that other authors will be inspired to step up and promote/recognise disabilities in their work also. From an absolutely brilliant first line:
“One final time I told myself I wasn't abducting my little brother.”
to when I turned the final page, I was engrossed in Laureth's story and didn't want it to end. I will definitely be looking out for more work by Marcus Sedgwick, he has an undeniable talent for beautiful prose and a thought-provoking plot.
For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
Her mother is going away for the weekend and entrusts the care of Laureth's seven year old brother Benjamin on her. Instead Laureth, now desperately worried, decides to use her mother's credit card to get her and Benjamin from the UK to New York in search of her father. A tough mission for any ordinary sixteen year old girl but imagine when you have to consider being blind as one of your challenges? I found myself absolutely thrilled by both the character of Laureth with her strength, resilience and determination and the adorable Benjamin who just leapt off the pages for me as someone I could give a giant hug to! Benjamin has a stuffed raven (called Stan) who he won't be parted from and constantly whispers to as if he is bringing the toy up to speed on their current situation. Benjamin also has hidden strengths within himself that come to light as the novel continues and he plays a crucial part in guiding his sister around the melting pots of sounds, smells and noises that is New York, allowing her to see the city through him.
Another important part of this story is Mr Peak's notebook which we see glimpses of from time to time as the two children try to find clues about where their father may be. It is very philosophical and often had me wondering about the nature of coincidence... it all became a bit spooky. Several reviewers didn't really enjoy this part of the novel and some found that the excerpts from the notebook didn't really add much to the narrative but personally I really enjoyed it as something a bit different from the usual manner of story-telling. I was especially excited about the parts written regarding the number 354 and then guess what page She Is Not Invisible finishes on? Yes, 354. There are many other instances, including the ending where the author shows just how meticulous he has been in writing the novel, everything adds up just right and although I was surprised, I think it was a nice way to end the book.
I do think that this book will probably split some people and it seems to have done just that by the reviews I have read already. Some may find the philosophical bits not to their taste, others may have been expecting something different from the ending. For me, it was a unique and exciting tale that shows YA characters can have disabilities and still be strong (in some cases, stronger) characters too and I hope that other authors will be inspired to step up and promote/recognise disabilities in their work also. From an absolutely brilliant first line:
“One final time I told myself I wasn't abducting my little brother.”
to when I turned the final page, I was engrossed in Laureth's story and didn't want it to end. I will definitely be looking out for more work by Marcus Sedgwick, he has an undeniable talent for beautiful prose and a thought-provoking plot.
For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
She is not invisible is such an interesting read it’s from the point of view of 16 year old blind girl who is so incredibly close to her 7 year old brother. He is her eyes. I did get a bit bored in places and thought is this story going anywhere but the last 30% was good! A 16 year old who travels to New York to find her dad who she believes to be missing. She meets people along the way who are helpful and also gets in trouble. How they went so long without sleep I will never know.