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A review by katrinia17
Invisible by Jeanne Bannon
3.0
Quick and easy read about a bullied teen who learns that she has inherited her grandmothers power of invisibility and uses the power to teach her bullies a lesson and come to terms with loving herself.
The start of this book is rough. Characters are stereotypes and whinny. It would have been better if I didn't have to hear a repeat of the weight issue that goes through the entire book and seems to never let up. I got it...she's a "hippo". The first chapter's internal thought followed by the kids making fun of her...followed by the second chapter about her parents and sisters looks vs hers, more internal thoughts on her fatness, and a backtrack to the pool scene...to follow up with chapter 3...internal fat thoughts, back to kids calling her fat... It was never ending. Fat rubbery fingers, standing like a beast, blubber...never ending. Anytime she stood next to someone smaller we heard about her size. It didn't have to be about people, furniture groaned under her.
Another issue I had was with the description. Example: If the character was in her room and a friend was to come over the character would start describing the character fully before they came over. When the character walked in we would get a description again. This actually happened and n the same scene the character started describing the guy she was into. This description should have come the chapter before when he was with the crowd that attacked her and during the time she mentioned him doing something.
X stood against the orange slide, his brown hair hung to his shoulder and his dark brown eyes followed me. I had no idea why he hung out with these jocks. He didn't fit the crowd with his tall lanky body tossing among bulldogs using him as a chew toy.
We didn't get this. We got nothing on his introduction and later a description when he wasn't even in the room.
"My fingers feel fat and rubbery."
"...rubbery chicken and soggy noodles..."
The above are some of the descriptions we get throughout the book.
"Charlie stabs her fries and crams them into her mouth..." With what? Her fingers? A fork I assume but we aren't told there is one there. I might be picky with this one but it is one of the examples of situations like it. Mostly the image is random. She's got gravy covered fries on her plate and later is stabbing and cramming them into her mouth. Why? They are making plans. Is she angry? Frustrated? No clue. She's just stabbing fries and cramming them into her mouth.
Here is another section that got to me:
Then I look at Grandma Rose and wish with all my might that she could live forever.
"One more lap and we'll call it a day, Kiddo," Gran says with a wink.
And off we go, hand in hand.
If only time would stand still.
I have a couple of issues with the section above. 1. (which you don't know because it is not in here) we already know that the two are holding hands...we don't need to hear it again. 2. It was added again for sentimental reasons. That is the main issue with this section. Sentimentality makes things cheesy. "she could live forever...hand in hand...one more lap...if only time would stand still."
It is all thrown in after an already sentimental chapter. It becomes cheesy and over done.
I look at Grandma Rose and wish with all my might that she could live forever.
"One more lap, Kiddo," Gran says with a wink.
For me, this is all that is needed. Gran and her have already talked about how she has this power handed down from Gran. How their DNA and Irish blood run strong. How they are alike, Gran is her "miniature version of her." They even have the same blood type. Gran knew that the power came, she could tell just by looking at her because "they had a connection."
So, with all this being said throughout the chapter and previous scenes, do we really need to hear anything else? My opinion is no. Granddaughter feels this way, she wishes this day wouldn't end, she doesn't want to leave even though she feels grandma needs the rest and grandma has said so...Grandma doesn't need to be told how her granddaughter feels, she knows it and decides on "One more lap, kiddo." and that says it all.
It seems that people now want to put in texting in their story...it includes all the U and Riiiiight and all...down to the emojies.
So, I got strings of happy faces throughout this text with the character saying, "The happy faces let me know she really means it." (this comes after the other person sent the response of: OMG!!!! I'm really happy 4 u.
The start of this book is rough. Characters are stereotypes and whinny. It would have been better if I didn't have to hear a repeat of the weight issue that goes through the entire book and seems to never let up. I got it...she's a "hippo". The first chapter's internal thought followed by the kids making fun of her...followed by the second chapter about her parents and sisters looks vs hers, more internal thoughts on her fatness, and a backtrack to the pool scene...to follow up with chapter 3...internal fat thoughts, back to kids calling her fat... It was never ending. Fat rubbery fingers, standing like a beast, blubber...never ending. Anytime she stood next to someone smaller we heard about her size. It didn't have to be about people, furniture groaned under her.
Another issue I had was with the description. Example: If the character was in her room and a friend was to come over the character would start describing the character fully before they came over. When the character walked in we would get a description again. This actually happened and n the same scene the character started describing the guy she was into. This description should have come the chapter before when he was with the crowd that attacked her and during the time she mentioned him doing something.
X stood against the orange slide, his brown hair hung to his shoulder and his dark brown eyes followed me. I had no idea why he hung out with these jocks. He didn't fit the crowd with his tall lanky body tossing among bulldogs using him as a chew toy.
We didn't get this. We got nothing on his introduction and later a description when he wasn't even in the room.
"My fingers feel fat and rubbery."
"...rubbery chicken and soggy noodles..."
The above are some of the descriptions we get throughout the book.
"Charlie stabs her fries and crams them into her mouth..." With what? Her fingers? A fork I assume but we aren't told there is one there. I might be picky with this one but it is one of the examples of situations like it. Mostly the image is random. She's got gravy covered fries on her plate and later is stabbing and cramming them into her mouth. Why? They are making plans. Is she angry? Frustrated? No clue. She's just stabbing fries and cramming them into her mouth.
Here is another section that got to me:
Then I look at Grandma Rose and wish with all my might that she could live forever.
"One more lap and we'll call it a day, Kiddo," Gran says with a wink.
And off we go, hand in hand.
If only time would stand still.
I have a couple of issues with the section above. 1. (which you don't know because it is not in here) we already know that the two are holding hands...we don't need to hear it again. 2. It was added again for sentimental reasons. That is the main issue with this section. Sentimentality makes things cheesy. "she could live forever...hand in hand...one more lap...if only time would stand still."
It is all thrown in after an already sentimental chapter. It becomes cheesy and over done.
I look at Grandma Rose and wish with all my might that she could live forever.
"One more lap, Kiddo," Gran says with a wink.
For me, this is all that is needed. Gran and her have already talked about how she has this power handed down from Gran. How their DNA and Irish blood run strong. How they are alike, Gran is her "miniature version of her." They even have the same blood type. Gran knew that the power came, she could tell just by looking at her because "they had a connection."
So, with all this being said throughout the chapter and previous scenes, do we really need to hear anything else? My opinion is no. Granddaughter feels this way, she wishes this day wouldn't end, she doesn't want to leave even though she feels grandma needs the rest and grandma has said so...Grandma doesn't need to be told how her granddaughter feels, she knows it and decides on "One more lap, kiddo." and that says it all.
It seems that people now want to put in texting in their story...it includes all the U and Riiiiight and all...down to the emojies.
So, I got strings of happy faces throughout this text with the character saying, "The happy faces let me know she really means it." (this comes after the other person sent the response of: OMG!!!! I'm really happy 4 u.