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jsncnrd 's review for:
Invisible Boys
by Holden Sheppard
This one did me in. I finished the book yesterday and it’s stuck with me ever since. I foresee it remaining at the forefront of my mind for a while. That’s how affecting and tragic this story was. And this story could save lives.
Our three narrators – all in different stages of understanding their sexuality – give us insight into the coming out process. And with each narrator comes a theme related to those stages.
Charlie – Acceptance
Zeke – Skepticism
Hammer – Denial
Matt – Refusal
[ COMMENCE SPOILERS ]
Charlie was invisible. Invisible to his mother. Invisible to his narcissistic friends who weaponized his emotional suffering to make themselves the victims in the situation. (I fucking hated Hannah. So much.) He was my favorite character, hands down. He was resilient, he was brave, and he was strong.
Zeke was invisible. Invisible to his bigoted, self-centered parents. He only got attention that was fueled by hatred and fear of their image being tarnished. He was delicate and vulnerable.
Hammer was invisible. And he only made himself more invisible – locking himself deep in the closet as he notices the purple flowers near his home have disappeared, leaving behind only an unbroken field of yellow canola. He was infuriating and easy to dislike. But he was also suffering.
The revelation near the end of the book that Matt was the most invisible of the four boys was so shocking to me. His suicide notes / letterbombs were hiding in plain sight throughout the entire book. Led to believe that the notes had been written by one of our three narrators, the plot twist that Matt was struggling so hard all along was beyond heartbreaking.
Matt’s note to Charlie was one of the most emotional moments in recent reading history for me. I read the note several times, and it only hurt more and more. Telling Charlie he loved him should’ve been a beautiful moment. But instead, it was soul-crushing. It was a powerful moment that left my soul feeling so very heavy.
The ending gave me hope. Charlie and Zeke leaving town together was not the ending I expected, and I’m glad it’s the ending we got. I loved both of them so much -- and after a book filled to the brim with so much hatred, pain, and injustice, it was nice to finally feel an ounce of optimism.
The book gave me insight about homophobia in Australia, especially rural / small-town Australia. It touched on issues that were challenging and difficult. Suicide is a cruel reality, and stories about it remind us to fight for justice – and to do what we can to prevent it.
Invisible Boys was a fantastic book. Well-written, relevant, realistic, and brutally honest. I would read a sequel in a heartbeat. It had me in tears. It had me enraged. It ultimately had me sighing in relief and believing that Charlie and Zeke had a chance. I loved this story and spending time with its intricate, complex characters. HIGHLY recommend.
“So I wander through these nights, I prefer hiding in plain sight. / No one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire.” -Dear Reader // Taylor Swift
Our three narrators – all in different stages of understanding their sexuality – give us insight into the coming out process. And with each narrator comes a theme related to those stages.
Charlie – Acceptance
Zeke – Skepticism
Hammer – Denial
Matt – Refusal
[ COMMENCE SPOILERS ]
Charlie was invisible. Invisible to his mother. Invisible to his narcissistic friends who weaponized his emotional suffering to make themselves the victims in the situation. (I fucking hated Hannah. So much.) He was my favorite character, hands down. He was resilient, he was brave, and he was strong.
Zeke was invisible. Invisible to his bigoted, self-centered parents. He only got attention that was fueled by hatred and fear of their image being tarnished. He was delicate and vulnerable.
Hammer was invisible. And he only made himself more invisible – locking himself deep in the closet as he notices the purple flowers near his home have disappeared, leaving behind only an unbroken field of yellow canola. He was infuriating and easy to dislike. But he was also suffering.
The revelation near the end of the book that Matt was the most invisible of the four boys was so shocking to me. His suicide notes / letterbombs were hiding in plain sight throughout the entire book. Led to believe that the notes had been written by one of our three narrators, the plot twist that Matt was struggling so hard all along was beyond heartbreaking.
Matt’s note to Charlie was one of the most emotional moments in recent reading history for me. I read the note several times, and it only hurt more and more. Telling Charlie he loved him should’ve been a beautiful moment. But instead, it was soul-crushing. It was a powerful moment that left my soul feeling so very heavy.
The ending gave me hope. Charlie and Zeke leaving town together was not the ending I expected, and I’m glad it’s the ending we got. I loved both of them so much -- and after a book filled to the brim with so much hatred, pain, and injustice, it was nice to finally feel an ounce of optimism.
The book gave me insight about homophobia in Australia, especially rural / small-town Australia. It touched on issues that were challenging and difficult. Suicide is a cruel reality, and stories about it remind us to fight for justice – and to do what we can to prevent it.
Invisible Boys was a fantastic book. Well-written, relevant, realistic, and brutally honest. I would read a sequel in a heartbeat. It had me in tears. It had me enraged. It ultimately had me sighing in relief and believing that Charlie and Zeke had a chance. I loved this story and spending time with its intricate, complex characters. HIGHLY recommend.
“So I wander through these nights, I prefer hiding in plain sight. / No one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire.” -Dear Reader // Taylor Swift