Latest Read: She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick

Here are the basics ...
She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick
Publication date: Apr. 22, 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Category: Young Adult - Contemporary
Source: Received ARC from publisher (Thanks!)
Summary: Laureth Peak's father has taught her to look for recurring events, patterns, and numbers--a skill at which she's remarkably talented. Her secret: She is blind. But when her father goes missing, Laureth and her 7-year-old brother Benjamin are thrust into a mystery that takes them to New York City where surviving will take all her skill at spotting the amazing, shocking, and sometimes dangerous connections in a world full of darkness. She Is Not Invisible is an intricate puzzle of a novel that sheds a light on the delicate ties that bind people to each other. (Adapted goodreads.com)

The good

She Is Not Invisible kind of reminded me of the Nancy Drew books I used to love as a kid. Probably because that's the last time I read a mystery. I don't know what I expected when I began reading but I was pleasantly surprised by this unique, interesting novel. Laureth is convinced that her father is missing. First she receives a mysterious email from a stranger in New York who claims to have found her father's notebook and she realizes that she hasn't heard from him in days. He's supposed to be away on a trip researching his next book but Laureth knows something is wrong. So when her mother refuses to listen, she takes matters into her own hands by taking her seven-year-old brother with her to New York to find her dad. Also - did I mention she's sixteen, from London and blind?

Without a doubt, the most fascinating aspect of this book was experiencing the story through the perspective of a blind character. We get her innermost thoughts and the things she senses - smells, sounds and touches. But like Laureth, we have to depend on her brother Benjamin for the details of their surroundings. Where are they, who or what is right in front of them? Paired with the fact that he's seven (and harboring some quirks of his own), it made for a great storytelling experience. Which the author pulled off extremely well. Plus Laureth herself is this strong, intelligent, resourceful character and I felt indignation whenever a stranger treated her as if she was stupid because of her blindness. It was a peek into a world that I haven't seen written about in many YA novels.

Story-wise, the mystery definitely had me guessing. I wasn't sure where it all was headed but in a way, it almost didn't matter. The book was more about family than anything else. The close sibling relationship between Laureth and Ben, the craziness of their writer-father and the strain it put on their mother. In the end, I think both kids were just trying to find their way to being a family again, no matter how odd they all were.

(No) reservations

It sometimes read a little younger than young adult so I would just keep that in mind if you're looking for something a little older/more intense.

Do I recommend?

I do! It had interesting characters and was a pretty light, fast read. I enjoyed it!