Review of She is Not Invisible

She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick (2013)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

People think I have so much faith in myself, but I have none. I have no faith in myself, or in what I can do, and yet people think I can do anything I want. That's how I seem, but it's an illusion. It's an act, nothing more. – Laureth Peak

In a phrase is book is utterly unmemorable. Whether because I am the wrong demographic, the writing, the rushed ending, the plot, the speed of my reading or some other reason to me this book is unmemorable, not a bad way to spend a few hours, not a bad book but I won’t remember it in a month.

It is quite the opposite of a bad book. There are some good characters, representation is strong here. The protagonist is blind and one of the recurring characters is African-American. In a cast of about 6 that is very good, in my estimation. There is a scene between them a walk in my shoes scene that Michael does for Laureth where his eyes are covered and he listens to the world to understand it as she lives it.

The book has a designated message “One thing: when you learn what she deals with you might love the blind girl who knows that it’s never been her sight that she needs that it’s trust love and faith also.”. It is a message it delivers well. I like the presentation of the message, *spoiler* the first word of every chapter *spoiler*. I like Laureth, her name origin, her confidence, the way she was written and introduced. Her blindness is not her. It does not define her, the are clues in the opening chapters and it is revealed incidentally. The concept of coincidence is key to the story, it is a fascinating way to discuss the history of that phenomena. And the use of the number 354.

But the ending feels rushed almost unresolved. Not fitting the lead-up. Like an opportunity missed, or a total cop-out depending on your interpretation and generosity.

I’m giving She is not Invisible a generous 3 stars because at least some of that fault could lay with me. But it has good representation. If you could find another book with a blind protagonist try that.

My reading experience in a gif:

Crossposted from Goodreads

References

Cover for 9781780621340. (n.d.). Hachette Australia. [Image File]. Retrieved from https://d1j7sgg6ckvcvy.cloudfront.net/books/thumbnails/9781780621340.jpg?v=12&scale=both&width=440

McPherson, C. (2018, May 7). Catherine McP's review of She is not Invisible. Goodreads. [Goodreads Review]. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2381538157

Sedgwick, M. (2013). She is not invisible. London, United Kingdom: Indigo.

TV One. (n.d.). Toni Braxton love. Giphy. [Image File]. Retrieved from https://media.giphy.com/media/ctNf9TOzcOSM7jaAM0/giphy.gif