Invisibility

by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer

"To break his curse of invisibility, a boy is helped by a girl, who is the only one who can see him"--

• ISBN10: 014750998X
• ISBN13: 9780147509987
• Publish Date: 22 April 2014 (first published 7 May 2013)
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Speak
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 358
• Language: English

Reviews

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

Having loved everything I've read previously that has Levithan's name attached to it, I dived in to Invisibility expecting to feel my usual awe and amazement. However, I have to say Invisibility disappointed me.

At first, before Stephen and Elizabeth start trying to find out the cause of Stephen's invisibility, the story wasn't too bad. There was some romance, there were the looks and some of the beautiful sentences from Levithan on love. It wasn't brilliant, but I could feel the potential. I wasn't as emotionally invested in the characters as much as I normally am. I guess I was expecting things more along the lines of Every Day, but once Millie showed up, the whole feel of the story changed and I enjoyed it a whole lot less.

I can't say exactly why, but once the story started digging into curses, discovering cursecasters and spellseekers, and Stephen's magical family history, the story lost me. Fantasy is usually my thing, but it all seemed a little over the top, and unbelievable to me. For example, some of the "terrible" things that curses can do, despite causing death, didn't seem that terrible. And it simply didn't interest me. And considering this is a stand alone novel, the way it ended was baffling.

I was expecting Levithan's awesome style, that tends to get me thinking and having minor epiphanies, to shine through. There are glimpses of it around the beginning of the book, but I think this particular plot hides it. There's so much going on, there isn't as much introspection as I'm used to in Levithan's novels.

Sadly, Invisibility wasn't really my cup of tea, which is a shame. However, please read other reviews before deciding not to read it. It may not have been for me, but you still might really enjoy it.

Thank you to Penguin for the review copy.

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Never having read anything by Andrea Cremer or David Levithan, I opened Invisibility with no expectations. Although contemporary romance is not my preferred genre, I was intrigued by the element of fantasy; I wanted to see how one boy’s invisibility was incorporated into his otherwise average life in Manhattan. Basically, I thought Invisibility might bear similarities to magical realism, which would be unique for YA fiction. The first half of the novel does not disappoint, but the second half turns into a full-out quest across Manhattan for a dangerous cursecaster—which never entirely matches the tone of the beginning of the book and which never seems as urgent or interesting to the outside audience as the characters find it to be. While Invisibility experiments playfully with mixing genres, it fails to mix them into coherency, and the result is a disorienting novel with a few shining moments of potential.

Read the rest of the review at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

[Lindsey Gray]

This was not exactly what I was expecting out of this story. It was a sweet love story that with the cruelty of one man's actions tempted it's destruction. I hope that David and Andrea continue the story of this invisible couple.

[jnikkir]

More like 3.5 stars. Review to come.

[kimbacaffeinate]

I have enjoyed David Levithan’s previous works and so I was excited to read Invisibility his collaboration with Andre Cremer. He takes his readers on a journey that leaves them in awe at the close of the book(s). From magic, to romance to friendship I was completely caught up in the tale and its characters. While I clearly heard Levithan’s voice throughout the novel, I was equally impressed by Cremer and look forward to explore more of her works. Invisibility is a book to be both devoured and savored.

The tale begins when we meet a single mom and her two teenage children as they move into an apartment building in NYC. Recently relocated from Minnesota they are fragile and rebuilding their lives after a vicious hate crime tore their family apart. Laurie is attending summer school, Mom is adjusting to her new job and that leaves Elizabeth to unpack the apartment. While trying to open the door and unload packages she spies Stephen and no one is more surprised that she can see him, then Stephen. Stephen was born invisible; no one not even his mother has ever seen him. The tale that unfolds is filled with romance, danger and acceptance.

The tale is told in dual POV’s going back and forth between chapters giving us an intimate look into the minds of Elizabeth and Stephen. Elizabeth is struggling after her brother’s attack and betrayal from people in her life. She immediately connects with Stephen, and while at first it felt a little like insta-love the romance settled and gained more substance. She is really trying to discover herself or reinvent herself and we see this from simple things like trying to change her name to the way she is drawn to Stephen. While I didn’t always agree with her, I understood what drove her. She has moments of kick-ass-ery which I adored, she can be selfish and in the next moment put others ahead of herself. In a nut-shell she is complicated, and felt fleshed-out and genuine. Stephen is strong, an island unto himself and doesn’t realize how lonely his existence has been until Elizabeth and her world collide with his. A part of him embraces all of it and another wants to keep a bubble around himself and Elizabeth. Their romance was pure, slow, tender, and bittersweet. You cannot help but wish them a happy ending. Laurie is a shining star, an optimist and a survivor. He is there for both of them and I adored this young man. Millie, Saul and Stephen’s grandfather help us understand the curse and magical aspects of the tale and added to the overall suspense.

Invisibility is a tale you want to savor, and the tale flows beautifully. It’s the type of book where you slide right into the world, look up and realize you’ve consumed a hundred or more pages. I did not find myself rushing towards the conclusion and instead basked in the unfolding of the tale. The curse, spellbinders, spellcasters and cursecasters were all fascinating. The authors did an excellent job of providing enough history to make it feel plausible and yet I craved more. I loved the descriptive style used to describe the curses afflicting victims and the way Elizabeth was able to see them. There are intense battles, and scenes which were vividly described and I felt like I was right there in the middle of it all. There were lessons to be learned, questions to be asked and ideas to be pondered as I weaved further into the tale. The ending gives us both resolution and unanswered questions but most of all hope. Another book could easily be created and this tale continued or the author(s) can leave us to create our own idea of happily-ever-after.
ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review.
See more of my reviews @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer