THE SUNDAY REVIEW | SHE IS NOT INVISIBLE – MARCUS SEDGWICK

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. – Goodreads

I picked this up after reading a glowing review over on The Notebook Sisters. With its mysterious plot, unique protagonist and adventure reminiscent of Sleepless In Seattle, I had to know.

This is the story of a blind girl called Laureth. Laureth’s dad is a writer, and he travels a lot to gather inspiration for his stories. So his being away is normal – however his lack of response to her texts and calls is not. When she receives an email sent to her dad’s work account (that she’s in charge of managing) saying that someone found his notebook – which he is never separated from – she becomes concerned. Her concern deepens when she finds out that the book was recovered in America when he is supposed to be in Europe.

After her mother tells her to leave it alone, Laureth decides she has to find out what happened to her dad. She “kidnaps” her 7-year-old brother, Benjamin (accompanied by his stuffed crow, Stan) and, using one of her mother’s credit cards, flies the three of them across the Atlantic to New York to begin a search that will involve an oddly mature 12-year-old, Edgar Allan Poe, a deli and a lot of coincidences.

The whole book was engagingly and charmingly written. The protagonists are easy to connect to, and while I felt worried about them for much of the book, I was also on the edge of my seat to find out what would happen next. The style reminded me quite strongly of both Neil Gaiman’s books for young readers (Coraline, The Graveyard Book) and Roald Dahl. Both high praise. I’m not sure if this is classified as Young Adult or Children’s, but it felt on the young side to me. I’d guess perhaps Middle Grade.

I’d definitely recommend this book for those who enjoy the odd regression to younger books, and are looking for a disarmingly sweet, lovable duo of main characters.

Date Read: August 23-26, 2014
Rating: 8/10