REVIEW: Invisibility by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer

Title: Invisibility
Author: David Levithan and Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Pages: 358, Hardcover
Source: Audiobook, Library

Summary from Goodreads:

Stephen has been invisible for practically his whole life — because of a curse his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, bestowed on Stephen’s mother before Stephen was born. So when Elizabeth moves to Stephen’s NYC apartment building from Minnesota, no one is more surprised than he is that she can see him. A budding romance ensues, and when Stephen confides in Elizabeth about his predicament, the two of them decide to dive headfirst into the secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers to figure out a way to break the curse. But things don’t go as planned, especially when Stephen’s grandfather arrives in town, taking his anger out on everyone he sees. In the end, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how big of a sacrifice they’re willing to make for Stephen to become visible — because the answer could mean the difference between life and death. At least for Elizabeth.

So I think Invisibility deserves a little more credit than it has been receiving around the blogosphere. I picked this one up with really low expectations because many of my reader friends wound up disappointed. So perhaps having no expectations is the secret to enjoying this book because I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. No, it did not move me to great lengths, or elicit heaps of emotion. No it is not a work of art and there is definitely some juvenility to it. BUT I did find myself liking it for all it's simplicity. There were even a few nail-biting moments towards the end.  So I am rounding up to 3 stars.

To David Levithan and Andrea Cremer’s credit, they did come up with a neat idea. Simply put, Stephen has been cursed so that he is Invisible. But suddenly Elizabeth shows up and she can see him. Soon she realizes no one else can and in a quest for answers, together they discover this world of Cursemakers and Spellseekers and how tightly their lives are wound up in it. The plot was simple but fun. I just wish the book wasn’t so romance-focused. Yes, there is insta-love. And I am still undecided about the ending. I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of the Cursemakers, whom I found to be an especially intriguing, if not repulsive, lot (thinking back on the park and final scene). But we still got a good glimpse at a variety of curses. A bit of action too. Again, I enjoyed this one.

I think I also read this book at the perfect time. While Kinslayer was ripping my heart to shreds slowly but surely, Invisibility provided an interesting but relatively predictable respite.

This book is probably geared toward a younger audience. It does not pack the punch or exceptional qualities to make it stand out in the sea of YA or fully engage an older audience. But I think it is still a good read. So maybe give this one a try, especially if you were on the fence. I liked it more than I thought I would. Just don't expect a superior book in terms of writing, characters, plot, etc. Pick this one up for some easy, fun reading.