About the Book
-
Authors:
- Andrea Robertson (Cremer)
- David Levithan
- Genre:
- Paranormal
- Voices:
- Cis Boy
- Cis Girl
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: Okay
BFF Charm: Yay!
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Bonus Factors: Laurie, NYC
Relationship Status: I Dig ‘Em!
Cover Story: Okay
So the look on the girl’s face annoys me for reasons I don’t know myself, but hey! Look at that! She’s not anorexic! So yay for that! Also, I really, really like the way they did the title.
The Deal
Stephen has been invisible his whole life. He was just born that way. So color him surprised when his new neighbor talks to him in the hall. Soon, Stephen and Elizabeth develop a friendship, and as they search for clues to answer why he’s invisible to everyone but her, they discover that the world is full of cursecasters and spellseekers… and it’s very, very dangerous. Elizabeth is determined to break the curse that made Stephen invisible, but how far will he let her go, if her own life is the cost?
BFF Charm: Yay
Elizabeth is all tough on the outside, gooey marshmallow in the center, and I fell in love with her immediately.
It took more time for me to fall for Stephen, because while he’s a total MID (Mysterious Invisible Dude) we see things from his perspective, and that perspective is mostly just lonely, then wondrous at being able to see and be seen in return. I mean, I had to cut him some slack, because no one’s ever seen him before, ever, and that would be emotionally stunting. Thankfully, he develops as his relationships do.
Then there’s Elizabeth’s younger brother Laurie, who gets a shiny platinum BFF charm all his own, but more on that later…
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Elizabeth, being the only person ever to see him, is OBVS going to be Stephen’s prime choice for dating, and she was so awesome, I didn’t mind how quickly they fell for each other. Then as their relationship develops, it delved into very normal, very realistic relationship territory, all while they’re dealing with some serious (and seriously fantastical) shit. Sometimes there’s more distance between them when they’re together than when they’re apart.
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
The interesting thing about the writing of this book is that I kept forgetting I was reading urban paranormal. So much of the characters and circumstances and relationships and details felt so natural, so real, that I’d be like, “Spellseeker? What?” And then I’d remember I was reading a book about an invisible boy and the girl who can see him. So I gotta say, though the genre may be tired, this book felt fresh as a daisy.
Bonus Factor: Laurie
First off, yes, he was named after THAT Laurie, and Elizabeth was named after THAT Beth. Thankfully, THIS Laurie far surpasses his namesake. Second, Laurie not only brought the funny in this book — he also brought a lot of the heart. His spirit was indomitable, and I loved that the authors were able to weave a very realistic thread of a young gay man and his search for true love into their story.
Bonus Factor: NYC
While there was far too little eating going on in this book — don’t get me wrong, they ate, but they were in NY, for Chrissakes! I want details of every single meal! — it was great to read the authors lush characterization of the city itself.
Relationship Status: I Dig ‘Em!
Thanks to a recent watching of Hemlock Grove, I had an epiphany. One that I’m sure all of you, our readers, will aptly reply to with, “Duh. Have you READ your own book reports?” But Urban Paranormal is TOTALLY my guilty pleasure. SO much of the time, I can read or watch something that is totally bad, but I’ll still enjoy it as long as it’s got something fantastical or spooky in it, (see Hemlock Grove mention, above.) where I have a super low tolerance for other types of bad tv/books. And then once in a while, along comes a book like this one, written by two great authors, with a fun premise and nice execution, and I don’t feel like I need to cover my enjoyment of it with a cough and a sheepish grin. So thanks for that, Andrea Cremer and David Levithan!
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my review copy from Penguin. I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Invisibility is available now.
