Publishers Weekly review of 'Invisible'
I just read the Publishers Weekly review of Invisible, done as part of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. It's a cracker and I'm so delighted. Want to read it?
"In this exquisitely written story, 12-year-old Jazmine, who has some hearing loss, is drifting in a self-imposed isolation after the sudden death of her father. Problems at school lead her to working on a production of “The Secret Garden” with an understanding teacher. So far this is a standard plot. Then, Jazmine begins to blossom and make new friends. But the author works within the trope to examine Jazmine as she blunders toward a better life. The writing and pacing are tight, the secondary characters well drawn. The metaphor of deafness as alienation is not overstated. There are also twists that save the story from being mawkish. The garden Jazmine plants dies in an early frost. The bully does not have a tragic reason for being cruel. For those going through teenage angst or those who remember it well, this book explores the fear and confusion beautifully, with a touch of dry humor. Jazmine is not only passing from miserable isolation to happy participation; she is also developing the empathy that comes from paying attention to more than her own misery. This could have been trite and preachy, but the author skillfully turned it into a stunning account of the reinvention of a compelling and sympathetic character."
*Shivers up my spine*. How totally awesome, no?