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Revision as of 10:16, 4 March 2019
, 10:16, 4 March 2019no edit summary
I thoroughly enjoyed ''All the Invisible Things''. It's a kind and compassionate book with characters who all have their trials and tribulations and who do not necessarily always behave sensibly or well. But Collins looks at them all with an understanding eye and you look along with her, wishing them all well. The novel deals with some difficult issues - bereavement, bisexuality, porn addiction, the perils of gossip - and it engages both seriously and unflinchingly but without rancour. Central character Vetty is a thoughtful, introspective girl who has a lot to balance in her life and whose challenges are enormously relatable. I really liked her.
If I had a nit to pick it would be that the book meanders somewhat. There's a long, slightly stifling build-up before any real narrative progression and I wanted the first half of the book to move along at a brisker pace. And there's a bit too much time spent on descriptive trivialities - flavours chosen at the milkshake outlet don't hold my attention well. But that's a small criticism of a big-hearted book that takes serious themes and deals with them very well. ''All the Invisible Things'' sends the message that there's more than one way to be in the world and that's okay, and that friendships are worth fighting for. It also leaves room always for redemption, hope and a positive future. You couldn't want more than that now, could you?
If you haven't read Collins's debut novel, [[No Filter by Orlagh Collins|No Filter]], then you should. [[ike Like Other Girls by Claire Hennessy]] also features a protagonist who is bisexual.
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