Book Review: Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan

Invisibility
Authors:  Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
Publisher:  Philomel, 358 pages
Publication Date:  May 7. 2013

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.

Review:
I really felt for Stephen.  It's been about a year since his mother died and she was the only one in his life.  So he's been completely alone, with no one to talk to.  He spends his time mostly in his apartment, reading or watching TV, and then the rest of the time he wanders around, the city listening to other people's conversations but having absolutely no interaction at all. So sad.  Then one day he sees Elizabeth, who has just moved into the apartment down the hall, and she sees him.  The only person who has ever been able to see him. They feel an instant connection, which is a little bit annoying, but there's so much insta-love in YA these days, I just went...eh.  I could definitely understand it from his side.  I mean, come on, this girl is the only person who can see him.  He doesn't even know what he looks like and when he finds out, it's just so emotional.  “There is no way to describe how I feel. This is something I've never known. She has told me something I've never known.” 

The whole book is pretty emotional.  It's told from both Stephen and Elizabeth's POV (I'm assuming David Levithan wrote Stephen and Andrea Cremer wrote Elizabeth).  I have to admit, I enjoyed Stephen's POV a bit more for some reason.  It may just be his character was so sympathetic.  I've read some reviews that were really anti-Elizabeth, but I wasn't.  She is tough and a little less sympathetic, but she obviously cares for Stephen and would do anything to help him.  And then she finds out something about herself that makes her very important to the overall story (I won't spoil it for you by telling what it is).  

Laurie is a great character and provides much needed comic relief.  “News flash," he says. "I'm gay, not a witch. Gay and witch is Dumbedore, and last time I checked, he was still just a guy in a book.” 

The world of spellseekers and cursecasters was an interesting one.  What the cursecasters can do is frightening.  I wish the spellseekers could do more and there are hints at what is to come, but the problem is whether there will be another book.  The ending partially resolves some things, but others are left wide open.  It would have been so easy to wrap it up, too.  So if there is not another book, that really just makes me angry.  

Posted by:  Pam