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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
On the surface, Tilda Is Visible is about a woman who becomes (literally) invisible because over the years she has lost her sense of self. What an opportunity to write a quirky story about (primarily) women feeling (/being) unseen in the world as they age!
Instead, not only was this a pseudo self-help book filled with toxic positivity and a healthy smattering of sexism, BUT ALSO, because of the direct (and indirect) comparisons to chronic illness/disability throughout, it was an ableist mess to boot.
In chronic illness circles we joke that well-meaning but ignorant people will often ask: “but have you tried meditation?”* It’s not really a joke because it’s related to the widespread and harmful beliefs that chronically ill people 1) are responsible/ cause their own suffering and 2) can cure themselves if they would just put in enough work. Neither are true, of course, yet this book reinforces both of these dangerous messages (but hey, at least there’s a happy ending!)
As an aside, if I never have to read another joke about a blind man “seeing clearly”, it’ll be too soon.
I hated this book with every bone in my chronically ill body.
*ETA: I do, in fact, meditate. I found how this book approached meditation icky, but that it was included is not my gripe.
Instead, not only was this a pseudo self-help book filled with toxic positivity and a healthy smattering of sexism, BUT ALSO, because of the direct (and indirect) comparisons to chronic illness/disability throughout, it was an ableist mess to boot.
In chronic illness circles we joke that well-meaning but ignorant people will often ask: “but have you tried meditation?”* It’s not really a joke because it’s related to the widespread and harmful beliefs that chronically ill people 1) are responsible/ cause their own suffering and 2) can cure themselves if they would just put in enough work. Neither are true, of course, yet this book reinforces both of these dangerous messages (but hey, at least there’s a happy ending!)
As an aside, if I never have to read another joke about a blind man “seeing clearly”, it’ll be too soon.
I hated this book with every bone in my chronically ill body.
*ETA: I do, in fact, meditate. I found how this book approached meditation icky, but that it was included is not my gripe.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book about a progressive invisibility affliction that affects women, and aging women in particular, is at some moments compelling, funny, heartfelt and inspiring, and at others heavy-handed, eye-rolly and obvious. Overall, I enjoyed it and was in the mood to read something lighthearted, and the author tackles a very real topic with both humor and reverence (and some irreverence!). I liked the exploration of how we speak to ourselves and what we can do to push against our inner critic. And I liked the way Tilda's friends showed up for her and each other (and how she showed up for the people in her life). Where I struggled was in how obvious the metaphor is - and maybe that's the point? Sometimes I was along for the ride and sometimes I just had to roll my eyes at how heavy handed it all was. Ultimately, I think it works because it is so on the nose, but I didn't always enjoy how in my face it was. Perhaps this book would be better as a window book than a mirror book, but are those that need to understand how they are not seeing women really the ones that would pick this up?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book is like a thought experiment that can't imagine class or race as being other pieces that impact women. Not wild about the noble person with a visual impairment saves the narrator or used a prop for self-esteem. Or that even that there is a "cure" that's just self-love.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I swear this book contains almost everything I've learned in the last two years of therapy-- but in story form.
Do you see the world as an essentially dangerous and unkind place, where continuous struggle is necessary to avoid disaster? Or do you see it as a reasonable, orderly, beneficent-- or at least benign-- environment, where your actions have a predictable and dependable effect on your circumstances?
My beach read yesterday did some digging into that conflict and the effect that your belief system about the state of the world affects how you see yourself and the people around you. In particular, "Tilda Is Visible" explores what happens when you CHOOSE to see the world as beautiful and welcoming. It's also about choosing to see YOURSELF and the women around you in the same context.
Tilda is a fifty-something woman with a past and an ex. She wakes up one morning to find herself becoming invisible. (There's a touch of magical realism in this book, but it doesn't smother the plot, I promise) As Tilda grapples with her condition, she has a choice: resignation and acceptance, or rewiring her brain to see the world differently. If Tilda wants to stop the progression of her disease, she has to learn to really see herself. Her whole self: flaws, beauty, past, present, strengths, weaknesses. All the black and white and beautiful shades of gray that make up a human woman. And she has to look at that person without shame, or anger, or frustration over short-comings (real or imagined), but instead with affection, and understanding, and humor. The first step on that journey is to teach her brain to see the world as a place where she is safe enough to take the time to learn to see herself.
May we all be so lucky to learn to see ourselves this way, inside that kind of world.
Do you see the world as an essentially dangerous and unkind place, where continuous struggle is necessary to avoid disaster? Or do you see it as a reasonable, orderly, beneficent-- or at least benign-- environment, where your actions have a predictable and dependable effect on your circumstances?
My beach read yesterday did some digging into that conflict and the effect that your belief system about the state of the world affects how you see yourself and the people around you. In particular, "Tilda Is Visible" explores what happens when you CHOOSE to see the world as beautiful and welcoming. It's also about choosing to see YOURSELF and the women around you in the same context.
Tilda is a fifty-something woman with a past and an ex. She wakes up one morning to find herself becoming invisible. (There's a touch of magical realism in this book, but it doesn't smother the plot, I promise) As Tilda grapples with her condition, she has a choice: resignation and acceptance, or rewiring her brain to see the world differently. If Tilda wants to stop the progression of her disease, she has to learn to really see herself. Her whole self: flaws, beauty, past, present, strengths, weaknesses. All the black and white and beautiful shades of gray that make up a human woman. And she has to look at that person without shame, or anger, or frustration over short-comings (real or imagined), but instead with affection, and understanding, and humor. The first step on that journey is to teach her brain to see the world as a place where she is safe enough to take the time to learn to see herself.
May we all be so lucky to learn to see ourselves this way, inside that kind of world.
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A fun quirky book with a symbolic premise. Tilda is turning invisible. First her pinky and her ear. Then her thumb. She has a known disease that affects mostly women over 50- they are still there but unable to be seen. Tilda has stage 2 but stage 4 is completely invisible.
If you like a heartwarming, yet somewhat snarky symbolic and fun read, this is a good Australian book
If you like a heartwarming, yet somewhat snarky symbolic and fun read, this is a good Australian book
Tilda is fifty-two years old when she suddenly realizes her little finger is missing. Well, it isn’t missing, but it isn’t… visible? At a visit to the doctor she’s diagnosed with invisibility, a disorder that is common among women her age, but rarely discussed. What follows is a magical realist story of Tilda’s journey to rediscover herself.
I enjoyed the characters, the humor, the tiny romance subplot, the female friendships, and the look at aging and women’s experience in society. I related to Tilda’s feelings of insignificance and thought the moment when she started to accept herself, wrinkles and all, was quite powerful.
That being said, at times this felt a little overt. The novel explores deeper themes and societal issues but could have done so subtly. A few too many scenes with meditation as the path to Tilda’s healing brought this to the forefront.
The bottom line: This had a lot of potential, but sometimes felt more like a self-help book or meditation advertisement than a novel. Other elements of it make me curious about the author’s other works and I could see myself enjoying them more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the digital review copy of this title. All thoughts are my genuine reading experience.