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MPK
Posted April 15, 2009
When the closest thing you have to a best friend is a bodyguard paid to take care of you, it's easy to feel unloved. Natalie Irving feels inadequate in the shadow of her mother Jaydn's fame. When Natalie turns seventeen, she finds that she has far more in common with her mother than she ever thought - special abilities aside - and is forced to take a new look at their relationship. Sarah Neufeld's writing is fast-paced, audience appropriate, and insightful, and D. Meister's illustrations fit seamlessly in with the text. This illustrated novel is a page-turner, and I would definitely read it again.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.kt_mitch
Posted January 21, 2009
A definite page-turner, Neufeld¿s novel addresses the issues of alienation and self-discovery as seventeen-year-old Natalie faces the challenge of living in her mother¿s shadow. Despite the supernatural elements that play a large role in the story, Neufeld is able to lend a realness to her characters that makes the whole business of invisibility less gimmicky and more plausible to even the most cynical of readers. With graphic art scattered throughout the pages, D. Meister¿s edgy sketches successfully add another dimension to the novel resulting in a unique and entertaining read for teens and adults alike.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Exploring the darker side of having superpowers has been done before, but perhaps not in this particular way -- through the eyes of the 17-year-old daughter of the worlds only invisible woman. <BR/><BR/>Natalie knows she's a disappointment. She knows that people, including her own father, hoped she'd be special like her mother. But she turned out to be "normal" -- and that's all anyone needs to know about her. Natalie is shy and socially awkward; two more reasons that it's pointless for anyone to get near her. So, no one does. <BR/><BR/>Since her parents split years ago and her mother, Jadyn, is busy living her lifestyle of the rich and famous. Natalie is left to her own devices. That might sound exciting, but when you've had a bodyguard watching your every move since you were six, and you're never quite sure when your mother might appear out of thin air, options are limited. <BR/><BR/>Things turn a bit more interesting, though, when Natalie discovers she just might have a few invisibility tricks up her sleeve after all. <BR/><BR/>Geared toward 13-17 year old girls and based on graphic novels, the writing in this book is tight and action-packed. The whole time I read the book, it was as though I was viewing it on-screen. Even Natalie's internal thoughts buzzed with excitement as she wove her way through a tangled web of fear and uncertainty.<BR/><BR/>My favorite character is her bodyguard, Peter. I like the way he gives her a glimpse of a normal life and normal interests, while still encouraging her to face her own reality and make choices about it. He's the one stable influence in her world, so he becomes doubly important when that world turns upside down.<BR/><BR/>This is a quick, exciting read, and it will entertain anyone with interests in action, reality-based fantasy, mystery, comic books, or just plain good reading. Plus, it just screams, "Sequel!"
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 24, 2008
I have always wondered what it would be like to be a superhero, or even just have an amazing power for one day. In Sarah Neufeld¿s unique illustrated novel, Visibility, I got to live out a superhero fantasy. Neufeld¿s main character, Natalie, hooks you from the beginning. Between her mysterious mother and her bodyguard, Natalie¿s life, on the surface, seems anything but normal. But as we get to know Natalie, we learn how she constantly feels disappointing and awkward, a feeling common to teenagers. Her awkward social skills and inability to make friends make her even more human. Her normalcy is relatable to anyone who ever felt invisible¿until Natalie discovers that she can actually become invisible. Between Neufeld¿s story and D. Meister¿s illustrations, I was completely sucked into the story, wondering where Natalie¿s superpower would take her next. I loved the fact that Natalie is invisible in the illustrations, only catching her shadow or her feet. In that way, Natalie is just as invisible to the readers as she is to everyone else. It can be hard these days to find a new superhero, but Neufeld has done it. Natalie is not only inspirational to teenagers, but she¿s a refreshing superhero, relatable to anyone who ever felt invisible.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 28, 2008
From the moment I read the first page of Visibility, I was hooked. With relatable characters and a fast-paced plot, Visibility is sure to please both young adult and adult readers. Natalie Irving is a normal teenage girl¿well, as normal as you can be when your mother has the ability to turn invisible. As if the trials of being the child of a celebrity weren¿t enough, Natalie discovers something life changing on her seventeenth birthday that she must hide from not just her mother, but from her bodyguard and confidant Peter. Her discovery leads her onto a dangerous path full of lies and treachery. It¿s a page-turner, yes, but I also loved it because despite taking place in a world with superpowers it is written very realistically. Neufeld¿s writing is sharp, and echoes Stephanie Meyer¿s ability to blend realism with the fantastic. Natalie is a believable seventeen-year-old, and her observations of the world around her are keen there was never a moment when I doubted her as a protagonist. She has just enough teenage angst to be believable, but not enough to be annoying. All of the characters are richly developed. I absolutely loved Peter, who is more than a bodyguard, he is also a cartoonist with a mysterious past. The illustrations by D. Meister add to the cinematic pacing of the book, and give the story more depth. If you¿re looking for a fast-paced teenage superhero book, Visibility is it!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 29, 2010
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