From The New York Timesbestselling authors Andrea Cremer and David Levithan comes a remarkable novel aboutthe unseen elements of attraction, the mortal risks of making yourself known, and the invisible desires that live within us all.
David Levithan and Andrea Cremer met each other in Washington, DC,
even though that's not where they live. Andrea was pretty certain
she wasn't invisible, but David confirmed that fact by introducing
her to some other writers, who were all able to see her.
Before writing with Andrea, David had never written a novel with a
one-word title. His novels include Every Day, Will Grayson, Will
Grayson (with John Green) and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
(with Rachel Cohn). You can visit David at www.davidlevithan.com
and follow his lover's dictionary on Twitter @loversdiction. He
lives just outside New York City.
Andrea's novels include Nightshade, Wolfsbane, Bloodrose, Rift, and
Rise. You can visit her at www.andreacremer.com and follow her on
Twitter @andreacremer. She lives in New York City, quite visibly.
Levithan (Every Day) and Cremer (the Nightshade series) again prove themselves masters of their craft in a story that alternates between Elizabeth and Stephen, two 16-year-olds in New York City, caught up in a family curse that unites and threatens them. Stephen is invisible; not even his parents have ever seen him. His father left years ago, and after his mother dies of an aneurysm, Stephen is left alone and isolated in his Manhattan apartment. One year later, a girl named Elizabeth moves into the building-having fled Minnesota after her younger brother was badly beaten for being gay-and sees Stephen. The inventive, enrapturing story that follows involves spellseekers and a curse-casting grandfather, but Stephen's and Elizabeth's journey is largely about redemption, self-acceptance, and love. The authors hit all the right notes, from the wry humor of Elizabeth's brother to the protectiveness Elizabeth and Stephen feel for each other. Cremer and Levithan make Stephen's invisibility something every reader can relate to, and therein lies the magic. Ages 12-up. Agent: (for Cremer) Richard Pine and Charlie Olsen, Inkwell Management; (for Levithan) Bill Clegg, William Morris Endeavor. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Gr 8 Up-Stephen has always been (quite literally) invisible. For 16 years, no one, not even his own mother, has seen him. Alone since her death a year ago, he spends his time as an outsider, observing the lives of others in New York City who don't know he exists, so it comes as quite a shock when his new neighbor, Elizabeth, sees him and speaks to him directly. She is the only one who has ever seen him, and together they set out to discover the truth about the curse that has plagued him. Cremer and Levithan craft a tale of love and magic in their first collaborative effort. Told in alternating first-person voices, the novel allows readers to get to know each character's hopes and doubts, but it's Stephen who truly carries the story. Filled with conflicting emotions, he comes across as an authentic teen who just happens to be invisible. Elizabeth, by comparison, isn't as well developed and seems detached-even after she learns that she has latent magical abilities. Although they are immediately attracted to each other, the deep love they quickly feel seems rather unbelievable in a story in which readers are also asked to accept that cursecasters, spellseekers, and invisibility are real. This is a promising contemporary romance with elements of magical realism, but ultimately the story is overwhelmed by its own ambitions, becoming just another work of paranormal fiction.-Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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