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A review by daylafm
Invisible by Marni Bates
4.0
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Invisible by Marni Bates is another installment in her young adult contemporary series Smith High. I've been meaning to read Awkward and as I started Invisible, I realized that maybe I should have taken the time to read the first book in the series. I'm not saying that this is a continuation of Mackenzie's misadventures from Awkward, but that Invisible does host a large number of spoilers for a reader unfamiliar with the series.
But all of that aside, Invisible was a fun book to read, especially now that summer is here. It is light enough to devour in a couple of sittings, but not too light so as to be considered just average. There are themes of friendship, courage, and finding your voice when you think you don't have one. Jane, the protagonist, shows us that sometimes we need to make things happen for ourselves, rather than wait for the world to settle into some semblance of what we want.
Invisible is a high school contemporary novel that features the usual high school characters (mean girls, hot guys, and the people trying to get to the top), which I will admit I'm a sucker for--so Bates's novel definitely won me over there. I like that even though Invisible starts out as your usual high school cliche, it ends with the protagonist having the last say.
The writing is fun, but at times immature. I noticed many instances where certain situations could have been avoided, but I also know that the actions taken by Jane are just a byproduct of her personality.
What I did enjoy was the little play on Jane's name and the theme of invisibility that occurred in Bates's novel. Jane is a mundane and common name, often forgotten and/or changed by characters who don't take the time to meet her. And even when characters do notice her, they give her nicknames that offer the opposite of Jane's own name: a chance to bring her out of obscurity.
What I found even more interesting is how for someone who is outwardly shy, Jane's narrative is very spunky. That being said, the people around her don't make it any easier to accept Jane's lack of motivation to stop being invisible. It makes the reader ask, how much is too much?
I will admit that the pacing was a little off for me. The events mentioned in the synopses don't occur until much later in the book, while most of the book focuses on Jane's inability to see herself as anything other than invisible. I think the greatest irony here is how someone who considers herself invisible has the power to be the most visible person in the room.
I loved Jane's nemesis. He is everything that she isn't, and in a way, I like that he is made this way. He is the catalyst for the change in her personality, and we see it in their interactions. In this, Bates is a genius because instead of having one grand moment where Jane comes out of her shell, we watch her gradually break free of her silence. These two characters are great together because they show each others' weakness--one can't seem to not be blunt, while the other skirts around her words.
Invisible is just one of those books that you begin reading and before you even know it, you're hooked. The characters work great together, Bates sets up the story well so that more books can be added to the series, and the dialogue is so witty and quick that the reader will be laughing along with the awkwardness that Jane sometimes adopts. She may appear weak and shy, but she's a powerhouse waiting to happen. After all, having so much build up inside has to count for something, right?
I would recommend Invisible to readers who are looking for a light contemporary read. If you want to laugh, feel the frustration of high school, and want a character who slowly learns to speak up for herself, then you might want to check this one out. Plus, I promise you that there is a very entertaining book store owner in this one.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Invisible by Marni Bates is another installment in her young adult contemporary series Smith High. I've been meaning to read Awkward and as I started Invisible, I realized that maybe I should have taken the time to read the first book in the series. I'm not saying that this is a continuation of Mackenzie's misadventures from Awkward, but that Invisible does host a large number of spoilers for a reader unfamiliar with the series.
But all of that aside, Invisible was a fun book to read, especially now that summer is here. It is light enough to devour in a couple of sittings, but not too light so as to be considered just average. There are themes of friendship, courage, and finding your voice when you think you don't have one. Jane, the protagonist, shows us that sometimes we need to make things happen for ourselves, rather than wait for the world to settle into some semblance of what we want.
Invisible is a high school contemporary novel that features the usual high school characters (mean girls, hot guys, and the people trying to get to the top), which I will admit I'm a sucker for--so Bates's novel definitely won me over there. I like that even though Invisible starts out as your usual high school cliche, it ends with the protagonist having the last say.
The writing is fun, but at times immature. I noticed many instances where certain situations could have been avoided, but I also know that the actions taken by Jane are just a byproduct of her personality.
What I did enjoy was the little play on Jane's name and the theme of invisibility that occurred in Bates's novel. Jane is a mundane and common name, often forgotten and/or changed by characters who don't take the time to meet her. And even when characters do notice her, they give her nicknames that offer the opposite of Jane's own name: a chance to bring her out of obscurity.
What I found even more interesting is how for someone who is outwardly shy, Jane's narrative is very spunky. That being said, the people around her don't make it any easier to accept Jane's lack of motivation to stop being invisible. It makes the reader ask, how much is too much?
I will admit that the pacing was a little off for me. The events mentioned in the synopses don't occur until much later in the book, while most of the book focuses on Jane's inability to see herself as anything other than invisible. I think the greatest irony here is how someone who considers herself invisible has the power to be the most visible person in the room.
I loved Jane's nemesis. He is everything that she isn't, and in a way, I like that he is made this way. He is the catalyst for the change in her personality, and we see it in their interactions. In this, Bates is a genius because instead of having one grand moment where Jane comes out of her shell, we watch her gradually break free of her silence. These two characters are great together because they show each others' weakness--one can't seem to not be blunt, while the other skirts around her words.
Invisible is just one of those books that you begin reading and before you even know it, you're hooked. The characters work great together, Bates sets up the story well so that more books can be added to the series, and the dialogue is so witty and quick that the reader will be laughing along with the awkwardness that Jane sometimes adopts. She may appear weak and shy, but she's a powerhouse waiting to happen. After all, having so much build up inside has to count for something, right?
I would recommend Invisible to readers who are looking for a light contemporary read. If you want to laugh, feel the frustration of high school, and want a character who slowly learns to speak up for herself, then you might want to check this one out. Plus, I promise you that there is a very entertaining book store owner in this one.