A review by spicycronereads
The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This book is simultaneously a coming of age story and a love letter to reading, libraries, and reproductive choice. Throw in a love story involving Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the Scarlet letter, and you’ve got The Invisible Hour. (Weirdly the second recent read to have Hawthorne as a love interest… I may need to re-read The Scarlet Letter)

There’s no spice, though a bit of swooniness in the second part. 

There is no racial diversity to speak of, though there is a queer couple who are prominent secondary characters. 

And if you were coming here after having read the practical magic books, be prepared for a bit of a wait as the narrative takes quite a while to get to anything magical.

Even so, it was an enjoyable listen. Many among us might recognize the way in which reading can save someone’s life. There is a bit of whimsy here and there, but ultimately it’s a sad tale with themes of loss and sacrifice pitted against the magical power of asserting one’s agency. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 💖💖
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