Invisibility

Mar 27, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, 2013-publication, penguin, male-ya-author, male-pov, own-dtb-tbr, read-2013, skimmed-or-unfinished, huge-disappointments, lgbt, paranormal-general

DNF at 137 pages. I liked the beginning of the book, which felt very Every Day-like in its thoughtfulness and sensitivity, and I like Stephen's POV. I am not a fan of Elizabeth's POV, however, and after a sudden kiss at their third meeting on page 70, instalove after that, and a plot that got progressively more convoluted (view spoiler), this just wasn't a premise that worked for me.

Paranormal romance written like realistic fiction, but without enough consis...more

44 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2013 Jana (The Book Goddess) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I feel really stupid for asking this but.. can someone explain to me about everyone's comments about Cremer's anti-feminism? I do agree but isn't the point of her Nightshade series to show girls in a very different 'light'? lol I'm so confused..

5 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2013 Jen Ryland added it

I am a HUGE fan of David Levithan and his fictional collaborations with John Green and Rachel Cohn. In fact, Nick and Norah and Will Grayson, Will Grayson are some of my favorite YA contemporaries of all time.

Based on the blurb and cover, I went into Invisibility expecting a book like Levithan's Every Day, a contemporary with a hint of the paranormal. I liked the way Every Day offered minimal explanation for the paranormal elements and instead focused on the more existential or philosophical sid...more I am a HUGE fan of David Levithan and his fictional collaborations with John Green and Rachel Cohn. In fact, Nick and Norah and Will Grayson, Will Grayson are some of my favorite YA contemporaries of all time.

Based on the blurb and cover, I went into Invisibility expecting a book like Levithan's Every Day, a contemporary with a hint of the paranormal. I liked the way Every Day offered minimal explanation for the paranormal elements and instead focused on the more existential or philosophical side of a character's paranormal abilities. Invisibility started out in that vein -- seeming like a contemporary novel with a paranormal twist -- but then suddenly morphed into a breakneck fantasy-adventure that reminded me of a Percy Jackson book.

Stephen is invisible and always has been -- all his mother would tell him was he was living under a curse. Then one day, he meets someone who can see him. While this is a revelation to Stephen, it does set up a scenario where he and the girl seem sort of stuck with each other. Stephen can finally have a real relationship; and the only girl who can see him can hardly reject the guy who's never been seen by anyone in his entire life.

The girl who can see him is Elizabeth, but prefers to be called Jo. (This is a Little Women joke which completely weirded me out because in Invisibility, Jo's brother is named … Laurie. Jo and Laurie cannot be siblings, because in my head I write fanfic where Amy and Professor Bhaer die of typhoid fever so that Jo and Laurie can finally be together.)

Elizabeth/Jo was not the easiest of characters to warm up to. Yes, she's angry about something horrible that happened to her brother, but she's also pretty ticked-off in general. I did like the relationship between Jo and her brother, and loved the parallels that Laurie seemed to be drawing between the fact that Stephen is invisible and the struggles that Laurie has gone through.(view spoiler). Laurie says: "When no one can see who you are, no one really knows you."

I expected Invisibility to continue on this course and be a sweet story about unconditional love and self-acceptance. (Honestly, I was hoping that Stephen would fall in love with Laurie.) But instead the plot became all about Jo's attempt to break the curse and cure Stephen of his invisibility and, suddenly, I'm knee-deep in cursecasting and hexology.

It's hard when you go into a book expecting one thing and get something completely different. I try to roll with the punches in these situations, but in this case I felt invested in the book I started to read. The last half of the book reminded me of Beastly by Alex Flinn (another book about curses and love) crossed with The Lightning Thief -- both books that I enjoyed. I guess I found the transition from contemporary to paranormal a little jarring and wished the book had stayed on its original course. I'm a die-hard contemporary fan -- what can I say?(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Alice Belikov First lady Ivashkov rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all, can I say I LOVE David Levithan and Andrea Cremer! I meet both of them at signings and they are both amazing people and I was super excited to her they both did a mash up on this book. Them two together was seriously a matched made in heaven 0:)

So invisibility is about a guy named Stephen, who is invisible due to a cures that he knows nothing about. He is pretty much your average guy but you know invisible to everyone(so he thinks) until he meets Elizabeth, a girl who has moved rig...more

18 likes · like · see review

May 24, 2013 Ardo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, young-adult, paranormal-urban-fantasy

This book was okay. There were issues that were discussed such as homophobia and interesting characters like Laurie and Stephen. This book would’ve probably been a lot more interesting if we could get rid of Elizabeth all together because I didn’t care about her or find her compelling at all. The pacing felt off because I felt like there were two different approaches to the story running parallel. Through Stephen’s POV (written in Levithan’s style) we’re given more of thoughtful and contemporary...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2013 Fari rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who are legitimately invisible and are stressed or just people looking for a good read. :)

Shelves: arc, i-own-this, r, gr-giveaway-win

3 Stars

I would love to be invisible for a day. I mean, I get super excited just thinking about all of the people I could harass and/or stalk...I’d be invisible, ~~Sometimes I make puns and they’re stupid but please laugh or else you’ll hurt my feelings~~. But being invisible forever? That would be absolutely terrifying. Sometimes I feel invisible and sometimes I wish I were invisible but at the end of the day, the idea of being legitimately invisible forever scares the crap out of me.

This is why I...more 3 Stars

I would love to be invisible for a day. I mean, I get super excited just thinking about all of the people I could harass and/or stalk...I’d be invisible, ~~Sometimes I make puns and they’re stupid but please laugh or else you’ll hurt my feelings~~. But being invisible forever? That would be absolutely terrifying. Sometimes I feel invisible and sometimes I wish I were invisible but at the end of the day, the idea of being legitimately invisible forever scares the crap out of me.

This is why I was so attached to Stephen from so early on in the story. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him and I couldn’t help but root for him. I found Stephen incredibly relatable just as a person despite how very different his life was different from mine. He started off as a very strong character and his take on everything was fun to read. I'm sorry to say, however, midway through the story he fell a bit flat and all his thoughts started to annoy me just because all of his thoughts were about Elizabeth.

Elizabeth. Oh, Elizabeth. She likes to be called Jo but I just can’t imagine her as a ‘Jo’ so I’m going to call her Elizabeth. I didn’t like her much at first and then somehow in the middle I fell in love with her and then near the end I couldn’t stand her. It’s a love-hate relationship, you see. Elizabeth is one of those people who comes off as a bit tough and rude at first but once you get to know her you realize that she’s actually kind of sweet. I liked her because she was into comics and because she was a no-tolerance-for-bullshit type of person but I didn’t like her because she was often rude and she was incredibly short tempered sometimes. I liked her because she was brave and bold but I didn’t like her because although she was often brave, she was also often really stupid.

Stephen and Elizabeth made an odd couple, but they worked well together. But it was very insta-lovey at first.

My favourite character was, without a doubt, Laurie. He was witty and charming and his ability to turn awkward situations into not awkward situations was admirable. He’s so perfect. <3

Plot wise this was all over the place because it started off medium paced and then it got super, super slow with almost nothing happening in the middle and then in the last fifty pages or so it got super, super fast and it was crazy awesome. It was a bit weird though because this felt like it was just a contemporary book with hints of paranormal in the beginning but near the end it was entirely paranormal.

The writing was poor compared to the writing in Every Day, but it was pretty awesome regardless. I just loved the dialogue in this; I ate it up. There was a ton of witty back and forth dialogue between characters which was so realistic that it reminded me of conversations that I’ve had with friends and family. The way Elizabeth and Laurie talked actually reminded me of how my brother and I talk. My brother and I aren’t very similar personality-wise to Laurie and Elizabeth but the light hearted teasing of their conversations was entirely similar.

That ending. Um. No. You can’t just do that to a reader. It’s uncool. You need to give us more. A sequel would be nice. Please. Pretty please? With a cherry on top? I’ll do whatever you want just please give me a sequel. I WILL BEG IF YOU WANT BUT I NEED A SEQUEL. I wish I were best friends with Andrea Cremer or David Levithan so that next time we went out to Tims for donuts or whatever and we were waiting in line I’d just be like, (view spoiler) super casually.

I won this through the goodreads giveaway program! Thank you times a million.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 30, 2013 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed David Levithan’s previous works and so I was excited to read Invisibility his collaboration with Andre Cremer. He takes his readers on a journey that leaves them in awe at the close of the book(s). From magic, to romance to friendship I was completely caught up in the tale and its characters. While I clearly heard Levithan’s voice throughout the novel, I was equally impressed by Cremer and look forward to explore more of her works. Invisibility is a book to be both devoured and sa...more I have enjoyed David Levithan’s previous works and so I was excited to read Invisibility his collaboration with Andre Cremer. He takes his readers on a journey that leaves them in awe at the close of the book(s). From magic, to romance to friendship I was completely caught up in the tale and its characters. While I clearly heard Levithan’s voice throughout the novel, I was equally impressed by Cremer and look forward to explore more of her works. Invisibility is a book to be both devoured and savored.

The tale begins when we meet a single mom and her two teenage children as they move into an apartment building in NYC. Recently relocated from Minnesota they are fragile and rebuilding their lives after a vicious hate crime tore their family apart. Laurie is attending summer school, Mom is adjusting to her new job and that leaves Elizabeth to unpack the apartment. While trying to open the door and unload packages she spies Stephen and no one is more surprised that she can see him, then Stephen. Stephen was born invisible; no one not even his mother has ever seen him. The tale that unfolds is filled with romance, danger and acceptance.

The tale is told in dual POV’s going back and forth between chapters giving us an intimate look into the minds of Elizabeth and Stephen. Elizabeth is struggling after her brother’s attack and betrayal from people in her life. She immediately connects with Stephen, and while at first it felt a little like insta-love the romance settled and gained more substance. She is really trying to discover herself or reinvent herself and we see this from simple things like trying to change her name to the way she is drawn to Stephen. While I didn’t always agree with her, I understood what drove her. She has moments of kick-ass-ery which I adored, she can be selfish and in the next moment put others ahead of herself. In a nut-shell she is complicated, and felt fleshed-out and genuine. Stephen is strong, an island unto himself and doesn’t realize how lonely his existence has been until Elizabeth and her world collide with his. A part of him embraces all of it and another wants to keep a bubble around himself and Elizabeth. Their romance was pure, slow, tender, and bittersweet. You cannot help but wish them a happy ending. Laurie is a shining star, an optimist and a survivor. He is there for both of them and I adored this young man. Millie, Saul and Stephen’s grandfather help us understand the curse and magical aspects of the tale and added to the overall suspense.

Invisibility is a tale you want to savor, and the tale flows beautifully. It’s the type of book where you slide right into the world, look up and realize you’ve consumed a hundred or more pages. I did not find myself rushing towards the conclusion and instead basked in the unfolding of the tale. The curse, spellbinders, spellcasters and cursecasters were all fascinating. The authors did an excellent job of providing enough history to make it feel plausible and yet I craved more. I loved the descriptive style used to describe the curses afflicting victims and the way Elizabeth was able to see them. There are intense battles, and scenes which were vividly described and I felt like I was right there in the middle of it all. There were lessons to be learned, questions to be asked and ideas to be pondered as I weaved further into the tale. The ending gives us both resolution and unanswered questions but most of all hope. Another book could easily be created and this tale continued or the author(s) can leave us to create our own idea of happily-ever-after.
ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review.
See more of my reviews @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer (less)

4 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2013 Lexie rated it 3 of 5 stars

INVISIBILITY was just a bit better than ok for me. AHHHHHH SO MANY PLOT HOLES :/ Does anyone know if this is going to have a freakin sequel. I loved Stephen, but I wasn't a a total fan of Elizabeth. She just seemed like a light-switch throughout the entire novel there were parts that I loved about her and there were parts that I hated. I thought the beginning of the book was so well done I truly felt sorry for Stephen and I really connected with him, the middle of the book was super fast paced...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2013 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, around-the-world-arc-tours, young-adult

http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/2013/03/...

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Stephen has lived his whole being invisible to every one without knowing exactly why. When he is a young teen, his mother dies and he exists in New York City, the perfect place to be unseen. That is until a new girl moves into his apartment building and shocks him to his very core. Elizabeth can see him and although she has major family and attitude issues, Stephen starts to fall for her. As the pair become closer and closer,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 12, 2013 Elle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-new, 59-books-2013-challenge, young-adult, pov-1st-dual

I was so excited to receive an ARC for this! But, I'm not sure how I feel after finishing INVISIBILITY. I'm a huge David Levithan fan girl and I've read Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series, which I liked, but INVISIBILITY was just a bit better than ok for me. I loved Stephen and I could sense Levithan there, but I wasn't a fan of the other main character, Elizabeth. She just seemed rather cold throughout the entire novel and I had a hard time rooting for her. I thought the beginning and end of the...more

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Jessica-Robyn marked it as to-read

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal-supernatural, pov-multiple, standalone-novels

Premeditation: My whole attraction to this book is David Levithan. As of April 2012 I've only read two of his works, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. However, his collaboration with John Green on the later, is definitely an all time favourite of mine. And although I'm not familiar with the female author, I think the basic premise sounds interesting.

3 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2013 Alice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Best-selling authors David Levithan (EVERY DAY) and Andrea Cremer (Nightshade series) team up in this contemporary/paranormal collaboration about an invisible boy and the only girl who can see him.

Stephen is cursed, he’s been invisible his whole life --- because of a spell his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, placed on Stephen’s mother before he was born. Growing up in NYC, in an apartment on the Upper West side, Stephen watches the millions of lives going on around him every day, and longs...more Best-selling authors David Levithan (EVERY DAY) and Andrea Cremer (Nightshade series) team up in this contemporary/paranormal collaboration about an invisible boy and the only girl who can see him.

Stephen is cursed, he’s been invisible his whole life --- because of a spell his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, placed on Stephen’s mother before he was born. Growing up in NYC, in an apartment on the Upper West side, Stephen watches the millions of lives going on around him every day, and longs to be seen. Abandoned by a father who couldn’t deal with the stress of having an invisible son and lonelier than ever since the death of his mother a year ago, Stephen had resigned himself to a life in the background of society, never really there. That is, until Elizabeth moves into the apartment down the hall.

Elizabeth --- having fled Minnesota with her mother and younger brother, Laurie, after he was badly beaten for being gay --- can actually see Stephen! Stephen doesn’t know how or why, but of course, he is floored. At first, Elizabeth is so happy to have a friend that she doesn’t notice Stephen is different, invisible to others. A budding romance ensues as he shows her around the city and Central Park, but when she tries to introduce him to her brother the truth comes out. Ironically, it is Laurie --- funny, charismatic, upbeat Laurie (by far the best character in this book) --- who convinces Elizabeth not to give up on Stephen. Together, these three embark on a quest to break Stephen’s curse and unwittingly blunder into a fascinating secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers, in which they discover that Elizabeth is the key to setting Stephen free.

With alternating chapters written from Stephen’s point of view and Elizabeth’s, this book is certainly an interesting experiment. When I heard Cremer and Levithan read from it at a YA panel, they explained that Elizabeth was Cremer’s character and Stephen was Levithan’s.

Perhaps one of my biggest issues with this novel was that I just didn’t feel the love between Elizabeth and Stephen. They seemed to tip-toe around each other, always worrying about the other’s feelings and fretting about protecting the other from harm ad nauseam. Compared to some of Cremer’s other books, the attraction between these two is tame and slow-paced. There was no mention of butterflies, no passionate kissing, no lust; instead, there were long nights of watching the other sleep and holding each other. Considering that this is supposed to be a novel “about the unseen elements of attraction….and the invisible desires that live within us all," the romance is surprisingly absent, and instead, rational thought and honesty seem to be the emphasis in this relationship, which is all well and good but certainly not fun to read for 300+ pages.

So, if love isn’t the focus then you would think the paranormal element would be heightened. But if the words “spellseeking” and “cursecasting” invoke images of epic, spell casting battles a lá Harry Potter, no dice. The only really interesting magic in this book comes from the antagonist, the grandfather, Arbus, who cast the curse of invisibility on Stephen. Arbus’s curses are incredibly original, and so awful they make you cringe and quickly try to shake painful images from your head. For example, one man is so cold that he tries to light himself on fire to warm up; another woman itches so badly that she starts to rip off her skin; a mother forgets her daughter exists, and a little boy is forced to eat dirt. This is where I could really see the creativity and imagination of Levithan and Cremer come to life. However, in a book called INVISIBILITY that takes place in NYC, there was surprisingly little raucous fun to be had. Not once does Stephen take advantage of being invisible, he instead prefers to watch others and mope. I expected there to be at least one crazy, funny scene in which he goes wild and pretends to be a ghost or robs a bank!

Maybe I’m being unfair. The writing was relatable and brilliant. Cremer and Levithan are skilled writers and their styles are clear and to the point. My favorite character was Laurie, the gay younger brother who, despite his traumatic experience in high school in Minnesota, moves to NYC ready to start fresh and put the past behind him. Not many teenagers can go through what this character did and not hold a grudge against the world or live in fear. You could tell that Levithan and Cremer really enjoyed writing this character, and he always seems to say the right thing and recognize what is important. Perhaps a little too mature for his age, Laurie is still the gay best friend or sweet younger brother we all wish we had.

INVISIBILITY is worth a read if you have the time and want a sensitive, paranormal YA book about loneliness, self acceptance and growing up, but it didn't wow me as much as their previous books. What it comes down to is that I expect a team up of writers like Cremer and Levithan to blow my socks off, and that didn't quite happen. Ultimately though,Levithan and Cremer do succeed in highlighting a major feeling in teenage relationships; “the thing more frightening than magic or curses: trusting someone else. Loving someone else. Needing someone else.”

(less)

like · see review

May 11, 2013 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: besties

Ever wonder what it would be like to have Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak? You could walk around; wherever you wanted to go. You have the world at your finger tips. Sounds pretty cool doesn't it? Now imagine yourself wearing that Invisibility Cloak permanently. You are a ghost. Nobody can see you. Nobody can talk to you. You are by yourself. An observer, one of the unseen, watching and living through other's lives.

My name is Stephen. I have been invisible since the day I was born. I've never...more

like · see review

Jun 13, 2013 Watchingthewords rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having just finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena it was definitely time for me to find an easy read, something light and fun, and Invisibility fit the bill.

Stephen is invisible, he was born invisible due to a curse that was put on his mother, and he has always been invisible. His dad couldn’t take it and left and his mother has died, leaving Stephen to walk the streets of NYC alone and unseen.

Elizabeth is moving to NYC with her brother Laurie and her mom. They are starting a new life, m...more Having just finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena it was definitely time for me to find an easy read, something light and fun, and Invisibility fit the bill.

Stephen is invisible, he was born invisible due to a curse that was put on his mother, and he has always been invisible. His dad couldn’t take it and left and his mother has died, leaving Stephen to walk the streets of NYC alone and unseen.

Elizabeth is moving to NYC with her brother Laurie and her mom. They are starting a new life, minus dad, after a horrific event occurred in their old life in Minnesota. Elizabeth is angry and bitter and wants nothing more than to disappear into the anonymity of the city.
Everything changes for them both on the day Elizabeth moves into Stephen’s apartment building and actually sees him, even though he remains invisible to everyone else. Of course they fall in love, and he has to eventually explain to Elizabeth why no one else can see him. Turns out that his grandfather is a cursecaster, an evil guy who curses people for fun, including his own daughter, Stephen’s mom. And wouldn’t you know it? Elizabeth is a spellseeker, destined to help control cursecasters and able to see curses placed on others. With the help of another spellseeker, Millie, Elizabeth begins to learn about her powers on a quest to help Stephen.

Will they be able to find Stephen’s grandfather and reverse the curse? Will Stephen become visible to others? Will Elizabeth’s powers get strong enough in time?

The ending was not as predictable as I thought it might be, and there are many out there clamoring for a sequel and it has not been ruled out by the authors, but I say leave it as it is – not everything needs to get tied up in a neat package at the end of every book.

OK- Elizabeth can be a little annoying and well, dull, at times and there were moments when I wanted to strangle Stephen into being more engaged in the fight for his own well-being, but overall I enjoyed the story and the characters. I loved Laurie and would’ve liked to see even more of him – he brings great humor and humanity into the story. Overall, a fun quick read to throw into your beach-read pile of books!
“Every fight for survival is really a fight to return to the inconsequential concerns of the mundane.”

See more on my blog at www.watchingthewords.com!
(less)

like · see review

Jun 11, 2013 Thoughts of a Book Addict rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-of-5, tessie, young-adult, fantasy, magic

Plot:
Stephen has been invisible since the day he was born. Cursed. Now he’s all alone — his mother is dead and his dad is with his new family. When a new family moves into the same apartment building he meets Elizabeth — and she is the first one that can see him.

Review:
Invisibility has always fascinated me and when I saw that David Levithan was one of the authors of a book about just that topic, I just had to read it as soon as possible. This book is a mix of fantasy and contemporary — which co...more Plot:
Stephen has been invisible since the day he was born. Cursed. Now he’s all alone — his mother is dead and his dad is with his new family. When a new family moves into the same apartment building he meets Elizabeth — and she is the first one that can see him.

Review:
Invisibility has always fascinated me and when I saw that David Levithan was one of the authors of a book about just that topic, I just had to read it as soon as possible. This book is a mix of fantasy and contemporary — which could have been really good, but it had too many flaws.

The beginning was interesting yet forced. It did made me want to continue reading, but it had a bit too much internal monologue for my taste. It made it less interesting the way it was written. However, I really enjoyed reading from both their views. How it was to be the one being invisible and how to realize you’re the only one who can see the person you have a conversation with.

It made me think how I would do in their situation. If I was Elizabeth (or Jo as she wants to be called) I would be convinced that it was a ghost I was talking to. A ghost can touch things and move things and stuff like that and I would be completely terrified and lock myself up in a madhouse. I guess Elizabeth is much stronger, or have a wonderful brother that keeps her sane.

I really liked the relationship between Elizabeth and her brother Laurie. at first it seemed like they weren’t close at all, Elizabeth seemed a bit homophobic even, but as the story continued it all went away. I must have had the wrong impression from the start.

My thoughts about Stephen are a bit mixed. I would say that he’s a bit boring, but I guess you can’t develop your personality if you can’t talk to anyone. And parents doesn’t count. He irritates me a lot on the second part of the book. It was interesting the first half, but then I got bored and tired of being inside his head.

It really was an interesting idea for this book, but some things just didn’t add up. I guess that’s the risk of co-writing a book. Like the ending — it was really confusing because one chapter said one thing and the next one said the opposite. Didn’t make any sense. Not to mention that it was really predictable. No surprises. There were so many boring passages and honestly I’m happy that I’m finished with it and don’t have to read it anymore.

Overall it’s a good book, but it’s far from becoming a new favorite of mine.

3/5: ♥♥♥(less)

like · see review

Jun 06, 2013 Karen Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

WOW... This is so not what I thought it was going to be! I even (mistakenly) thought it would be lame. How can you really make a story, especially with romance involved, interesting when one person is invisible? Boy was I ever wrong!

Listening to this book was an added bonus. The narrators were AWESOME! They did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. Each chapter changed point of views switching between Steven and Elizabeth. LOVE LOVE LOVE that! I fell in love with Steven right from the...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 04, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I finished this book in one night, and while it was pleasant, I expected more. I've never read anything by Andrea Cremer, but I have read (and loved) Leviathan's work before. Every Day was wonderful, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green), was of course very very funny. I enjoy the collaborations that many YA authors are doing. I think it makes for interesting voices and interesting books. That being said, I think this story fizzled instead of popped.

When Elizabeth finds out about her...more

like · see review

May 25, 2013 Christian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

There is a lot of good to say about this book. At least for the bulk of the book. The action at the climax/denouement felt out of character and tone with the rest of the book, leaving a bit of a disappointing taste.

What I love about this book is its exploration of what it means to be visible. To be seen. To be known. And this thread is woven through all the characters. You see it in Stephen, who has literally been invisible his entire life, not even seen by his mother and father, and how he resp...more

like · see review

May 09, 2013 Sandy Shen rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone, even light readers

Shelves: love-fifty, young-adult, murder

Invisibility
Rating: 4.3 stars
By: Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
STORY

Invisibility truly exceeded my expectations; I just happened to see "David Levithan" on the front and was like, Yep I'm reading this. So anyways, Invisibility had the whole, "OMG! You can see me! Fall for her! Do all sorts of wizardy crap and fight for her to the brink of death! I die, zombie magic, Happily ever after!" Yeah it had the first half, (it was almost like insta-love) but then it added this whole new twist I should

...more Invisibility
Rating: 4.3 stars
By: Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
STORY

Invisibility truly exceeded my expectations; I just happened to see "David Levithan" on the front and was like, Yep I'm reading this. So anyways, Invisibility had the whole, "OMG! You can see me! Fall for her! Do all sorts of wizardy crap and fight for her to the brink of death! I die, zombie magic, Happily ever after!" Yeah it had the first half, (it was almost like insta-love) but then it added this whole new twist I should have been expecting but I wasn't so it was like, BAM! A new one!.

CHARACTERS

Stephen was really chill and not normal for a teenager. I mean, he didn't even seem to be that hormonal unlike the way other guys are when they finally find someone who can see them for the first time in their life. I mean, that's actually a really good thing because if he wasn't a disciplined child, he probably would've started to grope or stalk strangers. Yeah, messed up. Elizabeth was a bit too perky for me and too angsty. I liked Stephen more. But otherwise I think that she is really hard-working like all main heroines and that she makes her life harder than it needs to be. Laurie was like the usual best friend, except a guy. He was super deep and awesome. He'd be good with Sean. And Millie. Millie was a such a sweet old lady and her old "secret" didn't really bother me at all. I was like, "what?" Like, aren't all the awesome people in books usually turn out to be evil? Take Jack in Kiersten White's 2nd book, Supernaturally. Oh heavens! Her books are like chocolate!And I LOVE chocolate! Except Mind Games. Didn't like that one. Too sad for me. Yes, I'm one of those people.

ROMANCE

The romance honestly wasn't needed, but then i probably wouldn't read it. *sigh.* Stephen was the level-headed one who loved Elizabeth and would do anything for her while Elizabeth was the impulsive, slightly selfish, and also loved Stephen a lot.

OVERALL

This book is a definite to-read so put it on your shelf and check it out sometime. Worth it! :)

(less)

like · see review

Nov 23, 2011 Katherine marked it as to-read

Hmm, I'm skeptic on this. I love David Levithan, but Andrea Cremer haunts my nightmares with her anti-feminism. But it's still got Levithan in it. What to do? What to do?
By the way, does this remind anyone of the Things series by Andrew Clements? I'm planning on reading the first book soon, and the plots sound very similar. Both have boys who become invisible and both have main female roles, in this one it's probably who Cremer writes, and in Clement's book it's the main characters blind friend,...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jun 08, 2013 Morgan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-paranormal-challenge, 2013-male-author-challenge

…what did I just read. It was interesting…just not very good in a sense. I felt the world was a little confusing and that the whole insta-love thing wasn't working out, but when does it ever?

What I didn't like:
-Obviously I didn't particularly enjoy the insta-love. I felt that they jumped into into it a bit to soon. I know that Elizabeth was the first person to actually ever possibly see Stephen. It was lines like these that made me roll my eyes so early in the book:
"I am so new at this thing, w...more

1 like · like · see review

May 31, 2013 Sudha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazing how different the different POVs made me feel ad the effect they had in the end. Elizabeth had some easy humor but much more emotion. Stephen pushes past the limits and David Levithan has a more mind bending writing style than Andrea Cremer in comparison. One small complaint I could make that was a constant little problem was the lack details on the characters. Some weren't described enough and I had to make some things up that just fit so I could imagine the story better. They're obviou...more

like · see review

May 08, 2013 Purple rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult, romance

This story made me laugh. But it gets somber though (frown&sigh)!
I would rate it but I really have no expressive stars for this one (maybe later): 1 * would say I didn't like it, 2 ** - that it was OK!
~~Oda Mae Brown~~ sorry (cough, hee-hee) Elizabeth is a 16 years old girl rather selfish and kind of slow-witted ( in the way that she's minutes away to figure things out on every level). Laurie, her little brother is clearly smarter than she seems to be. I love Laurie - his personality, and for a...more This story made me laugh. But it gets somber though (frown&sigh)!
I would rate it but I really have no expressive stars for this one (maybe later): 1 * would say I didn't like it, 2 ** - that it was OK!
~~Oda Mae Brown~~ sorry (cough, hee-hee) Elizabeth is a 16 years old girl rather selfish and kind of slow-witted ( in the way that she's minutes away to figure things out on every level). Laurie, her little brother is clearly smarter than she seems to be. I love Laurie - his personality, and for a 15 year old he's mature and he's also purty ;-) (pretty)!
But the exceptional thing was that Stephen (the invisible boy) made me feel for him (I guess if I could rate only the characters I'm given him 5 stars). I enjoyed being in his mind.
The other things (though VERY relevant to the story) about spells and curses didn't interest me at all. They were just some details that I had to take notice of but that's it.
I might be wrong but there were some editing mistakes - you can't make one person weirdly disappear (no explanation for his exit) from a conversation that it's taking place at the end of one chapter and continues in the next one. And I'm not talking about Stephen!! Then Stephen is impressed that his father remembered Elizabeth's name even though he, himself :) just called her by name! But I get lost in details....
I liked the ending. The poetry of the scenes. So, if I could rate the novel chapter by chapter, the last few deserve 3*** to 5***** (gradually growing in glow with each scene)! The romance was sweet and intense.
Being fairly hard to please ;) I wanted to see more family relationships. That would enter in another rating of mine (a few more sparkly stars). It was mentioned that there was more dialogue between Stephen and his dad. Nothing on Elizabeth's side though :-( -- at least for Laurie's sake!!!

Even though I haven't decided how to rate this book...hmmm ...I think 3*** popped out of the blue :-] --it's a paranormal -- I'm giving myself the chance to personify a lot - I liked it! I recommend it! (less)

like · see review

Mar 27, 2013 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-teen, read2013

Comes out in May.

I was a bit disappointed with this one. Cool premise, but lazily executed with inconsistencies and some poor transitions. Plus the romance started strong and then fizzled with the emphasis turning to the spellcasters, cursecasters, and magical world Stephen is a part of.

Reminded me a bit of Clement's "Things Not Seen" which I really liked!

Amazon Summary:

Stephen is used to invisibility. He was born that way. Invisible. Cursed.
Elizabeth sometimes wishes for invisibility. When you...more

like · see review

Jun 03, 2013 Michaela rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

May 14, 2013 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-hero, beautiful, could-be-better, favorites, good-not-great, where-s-the-love

It's official, I'm in love with Levithan's work. His writing is excellent in it's own simplicity. I just had to begin saying this in my review because I honestly think his parts are simply amazing.

To the actual book then. The book is written in Stephen's and Elizabeth's POV so how about I start with Stephen.

I love Stephen. Simple as that. Stephen is well developed in throughout the book. His reactions, choices and feelings are so real to me I find myself wanting to read more about him. I'd love...more

like · see review

May 21, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, strong-females, stand-alone-novels, beach-reading

As a fan of dual-perspective novels that are more than just your typical romance, Invisibility really hit the nail on the head as an original, intriguing story that was able to carry its initial momentum throughout the entire course of the novel.

The plot was definitely what drew me to this book; it rings a similar note to David Levithan's Every Day, where young lovers are likewise restricted because of paranormal elements keeping them apart. The way Levithan presents Stephen's problem as an inv...more As a fan of dual-perspective novels that are more than just your typical romance, Invisibility really hit the nail on the head as an original, intriguing story that was able to carry its initial momentum throughout the entire course of the novel.

The plot was definitely what drew me to this book; it rings a similar note to David Levithan's Every Day, where young lovers are likewise restricted because of paranormal elements keeping them apart. The way Levithan presents Stephen's problem as an invisible teenager is so seamless and natural that this really doesn't feel like a paranormal/urban-fantasy type of novel, even if it is. In fact, despite the invisibility being present throughout, I felt as though this book had two distinct two halves: the Budding Romance and the Quest to Cure Stephen. It's a cool split, because readers of both the classic YA love story and the quirky urban fantasy would both enjoy this a lot.

As far as characters go, Stephen and Elizabeth are both likable in their own right, but the standouts to me were really Laurie and Stephen's dad. Elizabeth's relationship with Stephen comes in many ways second to her bond with her brother, and I love that the three of them end up becoming quite the trio, and even how Stephen and Laurie build their own special friendship in the second half of the book. Far too often do siblings get tossed to the side in fiction, and Laurie was an absolute gem in this novel. Stephen's dad, meanwhile, really embodies the struggle that Stephen must endure; he truly does love Stephen, but his inability to actually see him stops them from really connecting. He makes the readers ask themselves what they would do if they were in the same situation and while he's not the most likable person, his pain, I think, is really evident and his character adds a lot to the story.

The climax of Invisibility definitely utilized Murphy's Law; everything that could go wrong did go wrong in the most unexpected ways. I was definitely a little disappointed with the outcome, only because I wanted so much more for Stephen and Elizabeth, but at the same time I feel as though the ending was not without purpose. Levithan and Cremer present a couple that is taking every day as it comes, and who have become aware of how unfair reality is. There is a hope for the future and an appreciation for now, and I think that it's all presented in an honest way that anyone could really get into, teenager or not. These are two writers who know what they're doing and they've blended their own voices really well to create something truly unique.(less)

like · see review

May 02, 2013 ExLibris_Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think when I saw Davis Levithan's name n this book I expected I lyrical and philosophical examination of identity with perhaps some unusual elements. While the writing did show moments of great beauty, it wasn't what I expected, but that ended up being a good thing. Stephan was a fascinating character to me, being born invisible (yes, that will be explained in the story) and living a life where he has never even seen himself, much less had the people he loves see him. This set the groundwork f...more I think when I saw Davis Levithan's name n this book I expected I lyrical and philosophical examination of identity with perhaps some unusual elements. While the writing did show moments of great beauty, it wasn't what I expected, but that ended up being a good thing. Stephan was a fascinating character to me, being born invisible (yes, that will be explained in the story) and living a life where he has never even seen himself, much less had the people he loves see him. This set the groundwork for some very touching scenes as Elizabeth is able to offer him something he has never really experienced; a chance to see himself. After I finished this book I realized that the story operated on two levels. Level one was the central paranormal plot that involved curses, newly discovered abilities, and a good old fashioned battle between good and evil. The second, and perhaps more subtle level, was a story about a relationship that is usual, yes, but still had the elements that every intense teenage relationship has. Yes, Stephan and Elizabeth fall in love very quickly. I understood this more from Stephan's point of view since he has been invisible his whole life and *BAM* a pretty girl is the only person who sees him. Of course he would fall in love with her. However, their relationship carries all of the uncertainty and self-doubt that you might find in any contemporary novel. Although Stephan is invisible to everyone else, he is seen by Elizabeth, so in that respect, there is a sort of internal normalcy to their interactions. This is something at which Stephan appreciates more than the average teen would, I think. I found that 2nd level of the story to be very interesting. It was like a contemporary island in a sea of paranormal elements.

I think it's fair to say that the language of a contemporary paired with the structure and story of a paranormal has thrown some people. I admit that somewhere in the middle of the story, I was skeptical of how the whole thing would play out. However, at some point I started to appreciate the way that the two very different elements blended together and I ended up enjoying this book. It did have two very distinctive narrative voices, which I attribute to the two authors. If you have read books by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer, you will definitely be able to tell who wrote what. It worked for me because Stephen and Elizabeth are two very different people with very different life experiences. It made sense to me that Stephen's voice would be more contemplative because I think growing up in such an isolated way would make you more introspective. Elizabeth's voice was a little more bitter and jaded, but not hopeless, which fit well with her experiences. I found Elizabeth's brother to be a bit superfluous at times, although he was the reason they moved to New York, but his place in the story felt more like comic relief than a developed character. I wouldn't say that it took away from my enjoyment of the story, though. Overall, I gave this a higher rating because I thought the central idea was very different and the blending of the two genres really worked for me. I genuinely liked both Stephan and Elizabeth and I appreciated an ending that was neither devastatingly sad nor totally happy which, despite a paranormal premise, seemed very relatable to me.(less)

like · see review

Jun 06, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books

I really enjoyed this book! Absolutely LOVED the concept/theme surrounding the characters. The feel of the book and its story is quite unique and super "magnetic" in that it pulls you in as the reader. The characters are so lovable!

It's funny because I first saw this book on a shelf in stores where it totally caught my eye. The cover is awesome and the simple synopsis in the cover sleeve literally was what got me to put my money on it. I even remember letting a friend read that short summary an...more

like · see review

May 24, 2013 Rose rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, audio-book, magical-realism, young-adult

First of all I love David leviathan and I have never read Andrea cremer. These two writing a book together did not flow at all!! This started out strong with a boy living alone (dad left mom died) and he is invisible. He's never even seen himself. His thoughts and feelings gave a wonderful sense of his life of isolation. I loved the description of his days and how he managed himself up to his 16 year old self. Then comes along a new neighbor, Elizabeth and her gay brother Lorrie, who I did love....more

like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Nightshade and An...: Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan	1	3	Jun 14, 2013 04:54am
The play Laurie wanted to do	1	8	Jun 03, 2013 12:07pm
is this a series?	2	23	May 21, 2013 11:20am

title link	preview: Invisibility
avg rating	preview: Invisibility Goodreads rating: 3.57 (1122 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11147422-invisibility?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348997339l/11147422.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11147422-invisibility?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Invisibility by Andrea Cremer[/url]

Invisibility

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (4)

Videos About This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Andrea Cremer

Books by Andrea Cremer

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Invisibility

Quotes from Invisibility