Invisible Girl : Book Review


Book Review

 

Title: Invisible Girl

Author: Lisa Jewell

Genre: Thriller

 

Having read and liked Lisa Jewell's earlier works, I was compelled to pick this up, based on a recommendation from a Professor. 

 

Invisible Girl is a gripping thriller and revolves around a group of people and how their lives intersect after a mysterious disappearance of a girl named Saffyre. There is Owen, a former college professor who has been suspended after being accused of sexual misconduct. He is perceived as someone creepy by his neighbors-a family of four headed by Cate. Her husband is a psychotherapist under whom Saffyre had spent three years and she stalks him after he ends his sessions with her. When Saffyre disappears on Valentine's day, Owen is the last person to see her. From there on begins a gradual unravelling of the mystery which leads to a discovery of secrets, lies, deceit and ghosts of the past. 

 

Set in a quiet neighborhood in London, the book is written from the point of view from the three characters-Cate, Owen and Saffyre. Through the eyes of these three main characters, we are introduced to the other characters, their secrets and idiosyncrasies. Despite his dark past, the character of Owen evokes sympathy. 

 

The author touches upon several themes and issues.  A central one being the effect of childhood trauma on the teenage and growing up years, whether its sexual abuse or being abandoned by your close ones. She captures the complex dynamics of romantic and familial relationships.  It's interesting to note how the title goes along with the characters, as each of them feels a sense of anonymity and invisible in their own manner. Another interesting aspect in the book is society's hurried judgement about a person and their willingness to give them a second chance.  

 

Invisible Girl is engaging, gripping and offers a multitude of layers in the plot and characters. 

 




 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Heidi: Movie review

Image
I had read this classic by Johanna Spyri as a little girl. I won it as a prize along with my merit card when I was graduating from Primary to Middle School.  When I stumbled upon this on Amazon Prime, I was delighted. It always feels good to watch your favorite fictional characters on screen. Its often slated that the book is always better as it captures a lot more depth with regards to the plot and characters. However a couple of adaptations that I had seen in the recent past made a good watch. A couple of them ended up being a visual treat. One was The Call of the Wild which showcased the beauty of the Alaskan Wilderness. Another one was Heidi which exhibited the splendor of the snow clad Alps.  Heidi is the story of a young orphaned girl who is sent to live in the mountains with her rather eccentric grandfather-who is known as Alm Uncle by the villagers. Heidi manages to melt his heart as he develops an affection for her. She spends her carefree days in t...
Read more

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the i...
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the...
Read more