To be quite honest, I expected Sara Shepard's first attempt at adult fiction to be the definition of a beach read- frothy, filled with gossip and simple language, similar to her YA reads. Boy, was I wrong. The Visibles is a heart-wrenching tale of young Summer Davis, with a microscopic view of her struggles with her family, friends, and the world around her. Sarah Shepard uses poetic and evocative words to explore this family's biological and emotional ties to one another, through both views of science and faith. I was completely drawn in by Summer's unique and fearful personality, her father's mysterious past and commencing mental illness, and the comical Aunt Stella. The introduction was an intriguing,italicized account of hidden love and a tragic accident from the past, that had me hooked from the very first page. This book details Summer's life as a teen to her thirties, skillfully creating a contrast between the past and present with precision to marvel at.
This moving text had me wanting more after every page, and I absolutely recommend it. It reads a bit as a teen novel, which I viewed as a positive attribute- the perfect mix of YA and adult fiction. I read it quickly, and already passed it on to my sister who is always looking for a good book- this one definitely is worth it.
1 comment:
Hmmm - I really should try to read a fun book again! Maybe you can inspire me while you are here! These days the books I read are usually children's literature (which I love anyway), parenting books, and cookbooks. But your review of this book makes me want to check it out! :)
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