Blog Tour Review: The Invisibles by Susie Bower

The Invisibles is a stunning fantasy adventure brimming with mystery, magic and friendship, an adventure that completely captivated me from start to finish.

Merlin and his three friends live in the Land of Magics, a place of wonder where flying fish leap from the SeaSky and winged pigs fly through the sky. They live in stilt-houses and row between islands to get food and clothing from the trees on Provisions Island and gain knowledge from Library Island where books are alive. They can enjoy everything in this magical place, never growing old, but are warned by The Book of Secrets that they must never sail to the Island of Darkness, a place where a terrifying Creature is imprisoned.

But when one of the children, Merlin, suggests that the Book could be lying, he is dared to sail to the Island of Darkness where he discovers the terrifying truth, a truth that will not only change his life, but also the lives of his friends …

A young girl wakes up in Wasteland, a dreary world of greyness and rain, where only grown-ups live, grown-ups who do not believe in the magic and the power of the imagination. She has no memory of who she is or her magical home but soon finds herself in danger as the grown-ups call for the Catcher and Invisibles snatch her precious rucksack. Who are these Invisibles, both hostile and helpful, and why does the song they sing and the graffiti they write stir memories?

When the girl finds a notice on a door asking for help in exchange for bed and boarding, she meets an old man, Mr Smith, who employs her with a warning to keep the front door locked at all times. But there are secrets in Mr Smith’s house, secrets that could help her find out who she is and perhaps even find her way home before she is captured by the Catcher …

This is an absolutely stunning story which completely enchanted me as I followed a young girl on a journey of discovery, an adventure with incredible twists and turns, breath-taking revelations and oodles of tension and danger as the Catcher comes ever closer to destroying hope. I loved discovering the connections within the story as truths revealed themselves – and there were definitely moments that made me gasp. The world-building is brilliant, juxtaposing the wonder and creativity of the Land of Magics, where talents are nurtured but can also be misused, with the dreariness and lack of imagination in the Wasteland.

This is also a story about the strength and endurance of true friendship, of the courage needed to make sacrifices to protect or help friends, of the regrets of fractured friendships and of the hope of renewed connections and openness.

A magical, mesmerising fantasy adventure, perfect for readers of 9+.

Thank you to Pushkin Press for inviting me to take part in the Blog Tour and for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour: