Review Detail

Seventeen-year-old Pie isn't like any other girl. She's invisible. Pie and her mother have constantly been on the run. Because no one can see them, they live in others' houses unseen. Then one day her mother disappears, leaving Pie alone. When she overhears one of the residents mentioning a party, she seizes the chance to go out. Once there she finds Tess, a girl she fell in love with two years previously. Now Pie wonders if she should take a chance and reveal herself to the very person she thought she loved.

What worked: Haunting portrayal of a girl that is invisible and longs to not only be seen by others but to be loved. This is an intriguing concept-- a girl and her mother are invisible to everyone except themselves. They could very well be ghosts. The author does a great job showing the struggles and conflicts Pie deals with daily. She longs to be like every other normal person. This includes going to school, being seen, and falling in love. The story tugs at your heartstrings with Pie's longing to not only be accepted but seen. When her mother disappears, she reaches out to her father, who uses her to steal things.

Pie's journey starts with her mother's disappearance. She takes a chance to go to a party where Tess, a girl she'd seen at a house she'd stayed at two years previously, would attend. Then things take a turn when nothing goes as planned.

The invisibility seems almost to be a metaphor for those who feel they're unseen or accepted. Little by little those people start to fade away. I couldn't help but feel how lonely that kind of existence might be. Pie's longing to be with Tess is so sad, especially when her illusion of reality is shattered by the cruel truth. This is one of the strengths of this novel. Powerful writing that digs dig and reveals the loneliness that Pie lives with daily.

Poignant at times with a teen who struggles to make a place for herself in a world that values appearance. This is a story of love, friendship, and finding peace within yourself.