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daylafm 's review for:
Transparent
by Natalie Whipple
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Natalie Whipple's Transparent is a young adult novel that features superpowers, cool characters, and a surprising romance.
I must say that Transparentis a pretty cool novel, especially since we get to see an array of different powers obtained through radiation. It reads like a never-before-seen X-men episode, which made me love the concept even more. Whipple's novel is set during present time, rather than in a post-apocalyptic or dystopian world--which is pretty refreshing. As a result, the reader may often wonder why our world isn't gifted (or in some cases, cursed) with such abilities.
Fiona, the protagonist, is the invisible daughter of a crime boss. Literally. She's lived her life trying to please him through various dangerous criminal acts. We get to see her in action at the beginning, making her appear cool and fearless. What irked me, however, is how her personality, though strengthened by all the things she's seen or experienced, is whiny. To be honest, I don't really know how her new friends accept her so quickly, since she is a jerk from the start.
The originality of the plot kept me intrigued as we hoped for a happy ending to Fiona's story. Though we know that the confrontation with her abusive father is inevitable, we still hope that Fiona and her mother find a safe way to live. But since Fiona is wary of so many people around her--her upbringing being more than enough reason for her paranoia--we can't help but find it difficult to get attached to certain characters, at least, not right away.
Though a little predictable, Transparent is still the type of novel that makes you want more. The pacing makes it a quick read, while the suspense of not knowing when or how her father will appear to collect his daughter creates a sense of tension within the reader. We fear what will happen to Fiona because even if she is frustrating at times, we also know that she is much more fragile than she pretends to be.
One of the greatest mysteries Whipple creates is Fiona's appearance. What does she really look like? Will we ever get to know? Will she always be invisible to everyone? Trust me, this will get you going because how refreshing is it to read about a female protagonist who doesn't judge herself based on whether she is beautiful or not? Of course, she does worry about her appearance, but not in the conventional sense.
I recommend Transparent to readers who love contemporary sci-fi fiction in young adult. If you like superpowers, action, romance, and suspense, then you'll like this one. Whipple's novel is pretty cool because rather than having just one extraordinary person, the whole world is gifted with power--ranging from stinky and useless powers, to mega strength.
I received a copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Natalie Whipple's Transparent is a young adult novel that features superpowers, cool characters, and a surprising romance.
I must say that Transparentis a pretty cool novel, especially since we get to see an array of different powers obtained through radiation. It reads like a never-before-seen X-men episode, which made me love the concept even more. Whipple's novel is set during present time, rather than in a post-apocalyptic or dystopian world--which is pretty refreshing. As a result, the reader may often wonder why our world isn't gifted (or in some cases, cursed) with such abilities.
Fiona, the protagonist, is the invisible daughter of a crime boss. Literally. She's lived her life trying to please him through various dangerous criminal acts. We get to see her in action at the beginning, making her appear cool and fearless. What irked me, however, is how her personality, though strengthened by all the things she's seen or experienced, is whiny. To be honest, I don't really know how her new friends accept her so quickly, since she is a jerk from the start.
The originality of the plot kept me intrigued as we hoped for a happy ending to Fiona's story. Though we know that the confrontation with her abusive father is inevitable, we still hope that Fiona and her mother find a safe way to live. But since Fiona is wary of so many people around her--her upbringing being more than enough reason for her paranoia--we can't help but find it difficult to get attached to certain characters, at least, not right away.
Though a little predictable, Transparent is still the type of novel that makes you want more. The pacing makes it a quick read, while the suspense of not knowing when or how her father will appear to collect his daughter creates a sense of tension within the reader. We fear what will happen to Fiona because even if she is frustrating at times, we also know that she is much more fragile than she pretends to be.
One of the greatest mysteries Whipple creates is Fiona's appearance. What does she really look like? Will we ever get to know? Will she always be invisible to everyone? Trust me, this will get you going because how refreshing is it to read about a female protagonist who doesn't judge herself based on whether she is beautiful or not? Of course, she does worry about her appearance, but not in the conventional sense.
I recommend Transparent to readers who love contemporary sci-fi fiction in young adult. If you like superpowers, action, romance, and suspense, then you'll like this one. Whipple's novel is pretty cool because rather than having just one extraordinary person, the whole world is gifted with power--ranging from stinky and useless powers, to mega strength.