Bobby Phillips, Ordinary Teenage Guy, wakes up one morning to find that he’s invisible. His mom freaks out, his physicist dad is obsessed with figuring out why, but Bobby’s just trying to live his invisible life. One day, while slinking around the library, he bumps into a blind girl named Alicia — who becomes his friend, of course, because she wouldn’t be able to see him whether he was visible or not.
My biggest problem with this book is that we never know Bobby before. He tells us a few things — he doesn’t have any real friends, he plays in a jazz band, he fights with his parents — but I never felt like I had enough of a sense of visible-Bobby to understand or care how he changed after he became invisible. His emotional growth is clearly meant to be a big part of the book, but to get that he’s growing, you have to know where he’s growing from.
Despite jumping into the conflict too quickly, the book starts out too slow. But by the end, the pace picks up — I ended up sitting in a rented kayak, reading the last few chapters instead of paddling. [No, I wasn't kayaking in Boston in January; can you tell I'm playing catch-up? --Ed.] Alicia is a way more interesting character than Bobby, so the book gets entertaining right around when Bobby starts spending a lot of time with her.
As a poster book for YA with disabled characters, it has some issues. I was particularly bugged by how often Bobby emphasizes how pretty Alicia is — the line “It was hard to believe eyes that pretty couldn’t see” was especially eye-roll-inducing. Check it out — sometimes disabled people look like normal hot people!
I haven’t read the sequels yet (there are two), and I probably won’t bother unless someone whose opinion I trust tells me they’re spectacular. Interesting premise, mediocre execution.
Also reviewed at Bookshelves of Doom and Ms. Yingling Reads.
17 responses so far ↓
1 Abby // Feb 23, 2009 at 1:41 pm
I thought this book was extremely well done and many children can learn a great deal through this book. It explores the aspects of life; it’s struggles and it’s good times. It shows that it’s all worthwhile if you have the people you love, and that love you right next to you. KUDOS!
2 andrew // Mar 18, 2009 at 6:13 pm
i loved this book………….. it waz anazing and spectacular i cant wait ti read the next one.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
3 Mckenzie // Jun 9, 2009 at 9:26 pm
I loved this story and thought it was a good life lesson kind of book and can not wait to read the sequels
4 Sugar // Aug 25, 2009 at 7:16 pm
what is the life lesson?
5 lily // Sep 17, 2009 at 3:41 pm
i love this book cant wait to read the next one
6 August // Oct 20, 2009 at 8:58 pm
This book was so interesting and i cant wait to read the next one!!!
7 CODY // Oct 23, 2009 at 4:01 pm
this is one of the best book i have read in the past year-i have read this almost 5 times in the past 5 years
8 jAcKiE=] // Jan 19, 2010 at 10:21 pm
this book wa so good,litterarly. it has a good theme and shows how life can be.
i LOVED it lol
9 brenda // Jan 19, 2010 at 10:28 pm
its a good book but one question. what does bobby have to overcome because i have to write a book report and i dont know the answer for this question
10 Sam // Jan 20, 2010 at 8:33 am
Ok, kids, I’m a teacher — I’m not going to answer your homework questions for you! :)
But you can figure out questions about themes and lessons and what Bobby overcomes if you think about it. What are Bobby’s challenges? What are the problems in his life, both before he becomes invisible and after? In a good book, the main character learns something or changes by the end. Think about how Bobby changed.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
11 Killer_03 // Mar 9, 2010 at 1:20 am
This book is the worst book i read in millions of years so freaking dumb!!!!!! hate it kinda alergic to thm
12 tabo // Apr 28, 2010 at 7:37 am
i did not like the book and i think that to many details are givin out to fast. the book moves to quickly for the teenage audience. i enjoy reading but books like this ruin the suspense and make the reader want to put it down to quickly and if i wasnt reading it for a grade id throw it down and walk away!!!!
13 bobby // Jul 19, 2010 at 6:55 pm
i loved this book so far cause it has my name in it the whole time. But i didn’t get a chance to finish it.
14 Jazzmine // Mar 25, 2011 at 5:49 pm
I just started reading it for homework. I love it so far. I can’t put it down.
15 Jordan // Sep 6, 2011 at 9:38 pm
what are the names of bobbys parents pleazze respond
16 nya // Sep 12, 2011 at 4:39 pm
i loved this book it was great but i hate on the first day of school we have to do an essay
17 JAZZY // Dec 14, 2011 at 10:14 pm
WAT THE HELL IS THE RESOLUTION OF THIS RETARDED BOOK
Leave a Comment