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Invisible Woman #1
Invisible Woman
In Invisible Woman, a dangerous secret held for too long between estranged best friends rises to the surface, and a long marriage comes apart with devastating consequences.
Joni Ackerman’s decision to raise children, 25 years ago, came with a steep cost. She was then a pioneering filmmaker, one of the few women to break into the all-male Hollywood club of feature film directors. But she and her husband Paul had always wanted a family, and his ascending career at a premier television network provided a safety net. Now they’ve recently transplanted to Brooklyn, so that Paul can launch a major East Coast production studio, when a scandal rocks the film industry and forces Joni to revisit a secret from long ago involving her friend Val.
Joni is adamant that the time has come to tell the story, but Val and Paul are reluctant, for different reasons. As the marriage frays and the friends spar about whether to speak up, Joni’s struggles with isolation in a new city, and old resentments about the sacrifices she made on her family’s behalf start to boil over. She takes solace, of sorts, in the novels of Patricia Highsmith—particularly the masterpiece Strangers on a Train, with its duplicitous characters and their murderous impulses—until the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred.
Invisible Woman is at once a literary thriller about the lies we tell each other (and ourselves), and a powerful psychological examination of the complexities of friendship, marriage, and motherhood.
Joni Ackerman’s decision to raise children, 25 years ago, came with a steep cost. She was then a pioneering filmmaker, one of the few women to break into the all-male Hollywood club of feature film directors. But she and her husband Paul had always wanted a family, and his ascending career at a premier television network provided a safety net. Now they’ve recently transplanted to Brooklyn, so that Paul can launch a major East Coast production studio, when a scandal rocks the film industry and forces Joni to revisit a secret from long ago involving her friend Val.
Joni is adamant that the time has come to tell the story, but Val and Paul are reluctant, for different reasons. As the marriage frays and the friends spar about whether to speak up, Joni’s struggles with isolation in a new city, and old resentments about the sacrifices she made on her family’s behalf start to boil over. She takes solace, of sorts, in the novels of Patricia Highsmith—particularly the masterpiece Strangers on a Train, with its duplicitous characters and their murderous impulses—until the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred.
Invisible Woman is at once a literary thriller about the lies we tell each other (and ourselves), and a powerful psychological examination of the complexities of friendship, marriage, and motherhood.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2024
62 people are currently reading
6109 people want to read
About the author
Katia Lief
29 books231 followersThe first thing I ever wrote that received any notice was a one page story for my third grade English teacher. I don't recall what the assignment was, but I somehow found myself writing about a woman at a dinner party who suddenly realizes her teeth are invisible. She sits there, wedged between two chattering guests, wondering how she will eat, how she will talk, and generally how she will get out of the situation without having to open her mouth and reveal her dilemma. My teacher showed the story to my parents with a note to this effect: Katia could be a writer.
What if her note had instead encouraged me to be a dentist?
But it didn't. And so here I am.
So far I've published two literary novels (as Katia Spiegelman, the name I was born with), and seven suspense novels--five as Kate Pepper (a pseudonym) and two as Katia Lief (the name I live by). And to complicated things even more, I'm adding a new pen name to my arsenal-Karen Ellis-with my new novel A MAP OF THE DARK, coming January 2, 2018.
I have loved writing every one of my novels, and hope you will enjoy reading them.
What if her note had instead encouraged me to be a dentist?
But it didn't. And so here I am.
So far I've published two literary novels (as Katia Spiegelman, the name I was born with), and seven suspense novels--five as Kate Pepper (a pseudonym) and two as Katia Lief (the name I live by). And to complicated things even more, I'm adding a new pen name to my arsenal-Karen Ellis-with my new novel A MAP OF THE DARK, coming January 2, 2018.
I have loved writing every one of my novels, and hope you will enjoy reading them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
April 11, 2024
Once an acclaimed filmmaker in her own right, Joni now spends her days as the supportive wife of her TV producer husband. Lonely and unmoored in a new city, and haunted by a secret from the past, Joni reaches out to an old friend from her twenties. Events spiral from there, leaving at least one person dead and raising the question: can you really trust your spouse?
This book deftly portrays the experience of middle-aged women who’ve stepped back from their careers to raise kids. Joni loved being a stay-at-home mother, but decades later she questions whether she made the right decision. Joni is messy, complicated and not always a trustworthy narrator, but readers will find themselves rooting for her.
I loved the twists and turns this book took. Just when I thought I had a handle on Joni as a character, a twist I did not see coming absolutely shook me.
Invisible Woman combines the interiority and well-crafted characters of literary fiction with the fast-paced plot of a thriller. I had tons of fun reading it!
This book deftly portrays the experience of middle-aged women who’ve stepped back from their careers to raise kids. Joni loved being a stay-at-home mother, but decades later she questions whether she made the right decision. Joni is messy, complicated and not always a trustworthy narrator, but readers will find themselves rooting for her.
I loved the twists and turns this book took. Just when I thought I had a handle on Joni as a character, a twist I did not see coming absolutely shook me.
Invisible Woman combines the interiority and well-crafted characters of literary fiction with the fast-paced plot of a thriller. I had tons of fun reading it!
August 11, 2024
I love my neighbors. Without them, I probably wouldn’t read some of the books that I do. So many books that are dropped off at my Little Free Library Shed are books I never would have considered reading hadn’t they have been donated.
One of my neighbors is an actor, director, producer who also is part of a local theatre group. So, anytime there is a book with a theatrical theme she is all in, and is always happy to donate it to my LFL when she is done. Such is the case, with this book.
Premise: So, what really happened all those years ago? And, why is it so important for Joni to reveal it now? Does this story have a feel for the #MeTooMovement in Hollywood?
The book will follow Joni, a previously successful filmmaker who stepped away from her career to raise her children. But 25 years later readers can feel her unhappiness with her successful husband Paul who is the head of a major production studio in New York. What did Joni sacrifice to put him in his position? As Joni attempts to rekindle a friendship with Val, what secret from her past will she have to face?
I really wanted to love this book. There was so much about it that had a contemporary story worth following, but overall, it was slow moving, chaotic storytelling, and it was hard to connect to the characters.
One of my neighbors is an actor, director, producer who also is part of a local theatre group. So, anytime there is a book with a theatrical theme she is all in, and is always happy to donate it to my LFL when she is done. Such is the case, with this book.
Premise: So, what really happened all those years ago? And, why is it so important for Joni to reveal it now? Does this story have a feel for the #MeTooMovement in Hollywood?
The book will follow Joni, a previously successful filmmaker who stepped away from her career to raise her children. But 25 years later readers can feel her unhappiness with her successful husband Paul who is the head of a major production studio in New York. What did Joni sacrifice to put him in his position? As Joni attempts to rekindle a friendship with Val, what secret from her past will she have to face?
I really wanted to love this book. There was so much about it that had a contemporary story worth following, but overall, it was slow moving, chaotic storytelling, and it was hard to connect to the characters.
January 2, 2024
Joni Ackerman wrote and directed two feminist-inspired, award-winning films in the 80s and 90s, but then faded from the spotlight. She married Paul Lovett, who’d become a famous and influential TV producer, and had two children. Now empty nesters, she and Paul have moved into a Brooklyn mansion, and are about to throw a major party to celebrate his arrival in the Big Apple, which should also be his coronation as the king of television production.
But then one of Paul’s longtime friends and colleagues, an equally successful Hollywood producer, is indicted on sexual assault charges. It’s then that Joni recalls the horrible attack suffered by her friend Val at his hands…and also remembers there was a second man. But she doesn’t remember who, and she calls Val to beg her to come forward and identify him if she can. That, however, brings up painful memories and might just put good people in danger.
Books like this have me rushing for the Goodreads page, searching for the “genre” tab. Sure, it ain’t right to pigeonhole an author’s work, but I was curious. So, GR says, “Fiction / Suspense / Thriller”. All three are true, but I’d say the middle word is the most apt.
Slow burn is the style at the beginning, but then there’s an unexpected act of violence that had me on the edge of my seat. It’s at that point that we see the gradual, sad, and heartbreaking unraveling of Joni’s behavior and psychology. She clearly has some problems: alcohol and marital issues among them. She also starts thinking about what might have been: she was a great filmmaker, but raising children cut that down, and might have even been stifled by an overbearing husband.
Thus, the novel reveals itself to be that brand of “psychological suspense,” where the protagonist devolves and spins amidst interpersonal chaos. What makes this stronger than most is that it’s hard to say how much of that is self-created, and how much is at the hands of people she trusts. Lief does a good job of making Joni both flawed and likeable. A little more action might have stirred up the slower, expository passages, but some subtle twist or turn was right around the corner. That’s true even when it seems Joni’s done those things to herself.
For such an interesting, complex topic, Lief also keeps the plot compact. Despite the social issues that pervade the story, she always keeps it in the realm of mystery and intrigue. She incorporates #metoo deftly into the character’s stories, emphasizing the movement’s importance within Joni and Val’s lives, and showing its impact on the entertainment industry.
The action in the last third is satisfying, riveting, brilliantly detailed, and an excellent consequence of what was going on with Joni’s world. There are lots of paths this could’ve taken, and I wasn’t sure where it would go, a recipe for a thrilling page-turner. There’s also an interesting twist, and that helped keep the flow quick and easy. This will have you searching Patricia Highsmith: a ton of references here, and since I’ve only read The Talented Mr. Ripley (ages ago, at that), maybe I need to add that to the ol’ TBR.
Finally, I was impressed with the language. Something just struck me about it: it’s third person, so not truly Joni’s voice, but it just seemed an exceptionally accurate reflection of her thoughts and feelings. Sentences were short, and the syntax both easy to read and filled with great descriptions, good word choices, and lots and lots of “SHOW” rather than “TELL.”
Oh, and yeah: it takes place in my hometown, Brooklyn. I know just about all the spots here, so she had me with familiarity.
Unique and creative in its storytelling, swift and intelligent in its writing, and exciting and compelling as a suspense novel. Start paying attention to Katia Lief as a star in this genre!
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a complimentary advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief will be published January 9, 2024.
But then one of Paul’s longtime friends and colleagues, an equally successful Hollywood producer, is indicted on sexual assault charges. It’s then that Joni recalls the horrible attack suffered by her friend Val at his hands…and also remembers there was a second man. But she doesn’t remember who, and she calls Val to beg her to come forward and identify him if she can. That, however, brings up painful memories and might just put good people in danger.
Books like this have me rushing for the Goodreads page, searching for the “genre” tab. Sure, it ain’t right to pigeonhole an author’s work, but I was curious. So, GR says, “Fiction / Suspense / Thriller”. All three are true, but I’d say the middle word is the most apt.
Slow burn is the style at the beginning, but then there’s an unexpected act of violence that had me on the edge of my seat. It’s at that point that we see the gradual, sad, and heartbreaking unraveling of Joni’s behavior and psychology. She clearly has some problems: alcohol and marital issues among them. She also starts thinking about what might have been: she was a great filmmaker, but raising children cut that down, and might have even been stifled by an overbearing husband.
Thus, the novel reveals itself to be that brand of “psychological suspense,” where the protagonist devolves and spins amidst interpersonal chaos. What makes this stronger than most is that it’s hard to say how much of that is self-created, and how much is at the hands of people she trusts. Lief does a good job of making Joni both flawed and likeable. A little more action might have stirred up the slower, expository passages, but some subtle twist or turn was right around the corner. That’s true even when it seems Joni’s done those things to herself.
For such an interesting, complex topic, Lief also keeps the plot compact. Despite the social issues that pervade the story, she always keeps it in the realm of mystery and intrigue. She incorporates #metoo deftly into the character’s stories, emphasizing the movement’s importance within Joni and Val’s lives, and showing its impact on the entertainment industry.
The action in the last third is satisfying, riveting, brilliantly detailed, and an excellent consequence of what was going on with Joni’s world. There are lots of paths this could’ve taken, and I wasn’t sure where it would go, a recipe for a thrilling page-turner. There’s also an interesting twist, and that helped keep the flow quick and easy. This will have you searching Patricia Highsmith: a ton of references here, and since I’ve only read The Talented Mr. Ripley (ages ago, at that), maybe I need to add that to the ol’ TBR.
Finally, I was impressed with the language. Something just struck me about it: it’s third person, so not truly Joni’s voice, but it just seemed an exceptionally accurate reflection of her thoughts and feelings. Sentences were short, and the syntax both easy to read and filled with great descriptions, good word choices, and lots and lots of “SHOW” rather than “TELL.”
Oh, and yeah: it takes place in my hometown, Brooklyn. I know just about all the spots here, so she had me with familiarity.
Unique and creative in its storytelling, swift and intelligent in its writing, and exciting and compelling as a suspense novel. Start paying attention to Katia Lief as a star in this genre!
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a complimentary advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief will be published January 9, 2024.
December 8, 2023
INVISIBLE WOMAN is a suspense-driven drama that reflects the MeToo Movement in Hollywood. Centered around filmmaker Joni Ackerman and her family, this story shows the complexities of marriage and friendship. Joni and her husband Paul have moved from Los Angeles to Brooklyn so Paul can launch a production studio, but their marriage is rocked when an associate of his has been linked to sexual assault and rape of multiple women in Hollywood. Joni decides to speak with her friend Val who was raped by this influential industry executive when she was younger, but when she's reluctant to speak publicly about it, Joni pushes even harder to get her to speak up. Not knowing how much involved Joni will actually be if Val speaks up, they are contentious on how to move forward. Speaking up against powerful people can have its own consequences.
This book is very powerful and the writing was great. It took a bit (around 70ish pages) for the story to pick up and I ultimately guessed everything correctly with how it would unfold, but that didn't take away from being invested in the story. This isn't a thriller (maybe a light mystery), but more so a character-driven suspense drama. I read this book in two sittings and it's fairly easy to get into, so if you're looking for something to binge, definitely consider INVISIBLE WOMAN. Please don't read more synopsis information about this book as it is a bit heavy on the spoilers. I would definitely read more from Katia Lief in the future.
This book is very powerful and the writing was great. It took a bit (around 70ish pages) for the story to pick up and I ultimately guessed everything correctly with how it would unfold, but that didn't take away from being invested in the story. This isn't a thriller (maybe a light mystery), but more so a character-driven suspense drama. I read this book in two sittings and it's fairly easy to get into, so if you're looking for something to binge, definitely consider INVISIBLE WOMAN. Please don't read more synopsis information about this book as it is a bit heavy on the spoilers. I would definitely read more from Katia Lief in the future.
March 16, 2024
This one is 5 stars for me and it’s going to get overlooked. I just know it. It’s only rated at 3.73 so far.
This is feminism done right.
It is meta. Who doesn’t love that. This is a nod ( or even more perhaps) to the author Patricia Highsmith. I don’t care for her writing but her story elements even had Alfred Hitchcock paying attention.
It’s about the lovely 5th decade in a woman’s life when they become invisible. It’s about the rage of that. It’s also about the freedom of that.
The cover mentions the jaw dropping twist. Yep. There is one very good one.
If you were a woman getting your start in the 80’s. This is for you.
The book is so well done and so tightly written and that is my 5 star decision.
This is feminism done right.
It is meta. Who doesn’t love that. This is a nod ( or even more perhaps) to the author Patricia Highsmith. I don’t care for her writing but her story elements even had Alfred Hitchcock paying attention.
It’s about the lovely 5th decade in a woman’s life when they become invisible. It’s about the rage of that. It’s also about the freedom of that.
The cover mentions the jaw dropping twist. Yep. There is one very good one.
If you were a woman getting your start in the 80’s. This is for you.
The book is so well done and so tightly written and that is my 5 star decision.
January 15, 2024
Somewhere along the line, the grin and bear it smile worn by the women of her mother's generation had found its way onto her face.
Set in the midst of the #MeToo movement, and heavily influenced by the works of Patricia Highsmith and the noir storytelling tradition, Invisible Woman is a subversive and thought-provoking exploration of marriage, womanhood, motherhood, and friendship.
In the 1970s, Joni Ackerman was an up-and-coming Hollywood film director -- one of the only women to break into a field that, at that time, was even more male-dominated than it is today. But she stepped away from her career to marry Paul, a television producer whose star was steadily on the rise, and raise their children. Now, more than two decades later, Joni and Paul have relocated to a Brooklyn mansion from Los Angeles and are about to throw a party celebrating the beginning of Paul's East Coast entertainment takeover. But on the eve of the party, a scandal rocks the film industry, which brings a long-ago incident involving her friend Val to the front of Joni's mind. After years without contact, Joni decides to reach out to Val...and their reunion will bring about explosive consequences in both of their lives.
Invisible Woman is a well-constructed work of character-driven psychological suspense that explores the life of a woman in late middle age, who has grown children, a stale marriage, and too much time on her hands. Katia Lief takes us deep into Joni's complicated and messy inner life, and we sympathize with her even if we don't entirely trust her. Lief's character work and dialogue are stellar as she fleshes out Joni's relationships -- with her husband, with her daughters, with Val, and with the hired help. In a narrative that is as psychologically compelling as it is propulsive, Lief explores feminism, classism, and the complexities of our closest relationships.
Invisible Woman is not a thriller in the traditional sense; it's a bit quieter and more meditative than a mainstream thriller, but still the narrative takes some shocking turns. Both Lief's writing and the narrative flow smoothly, even as the book continuously shape-shifts from one type of story to another. It kept me completely riveted and off-balance, unsure how everything was going to play out. Although I've read plenty of stories like this -- with unreliable narrators, destructive secrets, and #MeToo themes -- Invisible Woman managed to feel completely fresh. Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.
December 19, 2023
Katia Lief gives us a cleverly crafted story touching on several subjects. Joni Ackerman is at the same time a complicated and a quite straightforward character. When she was young she knew what she wanted and she got it through hard work and perseverance. She wanted to be a film maker and her first two films were a huge success. Given the fact that the movie business 'then' was even more male dominated than 'now', she did a great job.
And then she met Paul, got married and decided to raise children.
When the story begins, Joni is slowly getting back on track; she's writing a film script and looking forward to a new job as a teacher at a nearby university. But time has taken its toll; Joni is restless and after a horrible event some years ago, she started drinking. Husband Paul in the mean time is getting more and more famous and seems to have no time at all left for his family.
The story unfolds in a short time span, just a couple of weeks, and the tension builds up with almost every page. When Joni's friend Val has to make the difficult decision to speak up or stay silent - mainly to protect other people - Joni's world unravels and we can see her mental state spiralling down.
A compact story with a lot of background, it sets the reader thinking about 'what if' questions - what if Val and Joni spoke up earlier? What if Val decided to go public with her story as soon as another, similar, story hit the news?
A solid read from one of my favourite authors.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Atlantic Monthly Press for this review copy.
And then she met Paul, got married and decided to raise children.
When the story begins, Joni is slowly getting back on track; she's writing a film script and looking forward to a new job as a teacher at a nearby university. But time has taken its toll; Joni is restless and after a horrible event some years ago, she started drinking. Husband Paul in the mean time is getting more and more famous and seems to have no time at all left for his family.
The story unfolds in a short time span, just a couple of weeks, and the tension builds up with almost every page. When Joni's friend Val has to make the difficult decision to speak up or stay silent - mainly to protect other people - Joni's world unravels and we can see her mental state spiralling down.
A compact story with a lot of background, it sets the reader thinking about 'what if' questions - what if Val and Joni spoke up earlier? What if Val decided to go public with her story as soon as another, similar, story hit the news?
A solid read from one of my favourite authors.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Atlantic Monthly Press for this review copy.
March 20, 2024
Joni and her friend Val were working in the film industry decades ago when Val was raped by someone she knew at a party. Val chose to keep it a secret and Joni agreed. They both married, had children and careers. Joni looks Val up on Facebook after the rapist is being accused by other women to encourage Val to speak up. From there other secrets start to unravel Joni’s carefully curated life and put Val in the position to decide whether or not to come forward.
As most women over 50 will tell you, we truly are invisible. So much so that it’s often comical. I really hope this novel gets the attention it deserves. So many stories written about women of “a certain age,” write the women as caricatures and wacky grandmother types instead of authentically as this author has. If you were a woman in the 80’s trying to get ahead and navigate the male dominated workforce, this is for you. I like reading about people of all ages, but I’m always so pleased to read an author who writes my age of woman so well. I thought it was a unique and well done #MeToo story. Choosing Carrington MacDuffie as the narrator was perfect casting. She was brilliant and added to my enjoyment of the story. I also enjoyed the references to Patricia Highsmith throughout the story.
March 24, 2024
Oooh I loved this dark, twisty story about the bonds of female friendship, loyalty and the way a horrible rape incident in college comes back to haunt their adult lives when accusations start to fly in the present.
Told in alternating perspectives as Joni and Val reflect on their lives in college working on indie films versus the way their lives changed as they became wives and mothers. There was a bit of everything in this domestic drama including secrets, suspense and strong female main characters!
Great on audio and highly recommended! I look forward to reading more from this author!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Told in alternating perspectives as Joni and Val reflect on their lives in college working on indie films versus the way their lives changed as they became wives and mothers. There was a bit of everything in this domestic drama including secrets, suspense and strong female main characters!
Great on audio and highly recommended! I look forward to reading more from this author!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 14, 2024
Just ok. Fast read.
May 6, 2024
Very Enthralling
I really enjoyed her writing style, and the story flowed really well. It wasn't so much of a mystery as it was easy to guess the secrets early in, but they were still very interesting secrets. The characters were likeable. I enjoyed reading this.
I really enjoyed her writing style, and the story flowed really well. It wasn't so much of a mystery as it was easy to guess the secrets early in, but they were still very interesting secrets. The characters were likeable. I enjoyed reading this.
December 10, 2023
Gritty and intense, this literary thriller is a suspenseful story revolving around the #metoo movement. Joni Ackerman sacrificed her successful career as a filmmaker 25 years ago to start and raise a family. In the present time, she and her husband, Paul, relocate to Brooklyn so he can launch a production company. Simultaneously, a scandal breaks out in the industry that involves her best friend, Val, who is reluctant to speak out. This story is an intricately plotted expose on friendship and marriage and the bonds that hold those relationships together. It also explores the reasons why women are so horribly wronged but sadly afraid to come forth and expose the perpetrators. I thought this book started out kind of slow but it picked up around 30% and took me on a twisty ride. And can we just take a moment to admire that beautiful cover art! Thank you Netgalley, Grove Atlantic, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on January 9, 2024
December 5, 2023
In the Invisible Woman I struggled to get into the narrative or connect with any of the characters, which is a sad because the premise sounded so interesting. I had high hopes that I would since it was dealing with the hot topic of the #metoo movement. The book started off pretty slow and I found myself waiting for things to pick up, only to be disappointed because everything unfolded in an underwhelming manner. #netgalley #invisiblewoman
December 3, 2024
I tore through this book. Definitely a gripping tale with a modern theme.
April 7, 2024
Damn good.
February 3, 2024
Set in the #MeToo era, this is a thriller told from the perspective of a woman whose husband is a Hollywood bigwig. It was a fun, fast-paced read with a couple twists that surprised me. I didn't feel super connected to the characters, which I don't think is usually a problem for a book like this, but I did feel a little bit removed from the storytelling as a whole.
But, that being said, this is a very feminist thriller and I love that about it. The vibe is definitely "I support women's rights and women's wrongs" and it works.
But, that being said, this is a very feminist thriller and I love that about it. The vibe is definitely "I support women's rights and women's wrongs" and it works.
May 11, 2024
Good 👏🏻for👏🏻her👏🏻
I wanted a liiiiiiiittle bit more depth to some of the main themes, but otherwise a great story.
I wanted a liiiiiiiittle bit more depth to some of the main themes, but otherwise a great story.
February 6, 2024
This book is a waste of paper.
Spoilers, kinda, ahead, even though you kind of deduce this from the beginning.
I can go on and on about the plot holes (that thing that came up about Alex in the end felt like an afterthought and does not fit at all anywhere with the plot and how the characters dealt about it in the beginning), lack of nuance about feminism when it is a feminist book, lack of character consistency and development (which is embarrassing in such a character heavy book), lack of depth, the unlikability of the main character and the severe lack of understanding of how someone who has been manipulated and gaslit for 26 years would feel about sharing things with her abuser (which added to the unlikability of the character and made her sound well... dumb. At least in the scenes where basic survival instinct should have kicked in, like confronting the abuser of the crimes he committed, including attempting to murder someone, while being alone with them in the house? like telling him a secret she vowed to keep 20+ years before in relation to someone being raped (not her) and knowing because of earlier comments he made that at the very least, doesn't care about the topic at all). It felt like reading female characters written by a man who calls himself a feminist on twitter.
The writing style also felt forced? Like someone who is writing what they think their professor at university wants to read. The descriptions were very awkwardly put in the flow of the story and sometimes were irrelevant and made me frustrated and the inner monologue of Joni was annoying because it didn't even make sense at times. It felt patronizing a bit to read it as someone who did survive abuse very similar to Paul's, which is a type of abuse that is very common sadly. And the ending fell flat as literally everything was predictable but Joni's actions were not calculated, reckless, impulsive and dumb.
Spoilers, kinda, ahead, even though you kind of deduce this from the beginning.
I can go on and on about the plot holes (that thing that came up about Alex in the end felt like an afterthought and does not fit at all anywhere with the plot and how the characters dealt about it in the beginning), lack of nuance about feminism when it is a feminist book, lack of character consistency and development (which is embarrassing in such a character heavy book), lack of depth, the unlikability of the main character and the severe lack of understanding of how someone who has been manipulated and gaslit for 26 years would feel about sharing things with her abuser (which added to the unlikability of the character and made her sound well... dumb. At least in the scenes where basic survival instinct should have kicked in, like confronting the abuser of the crimes he committed, including attempting to murder someone, while being alone with them in the house? like telling him a secret she vowed to keep 20+ years before in relation to someone being raped (not her) and knowing because of earlier comments he made that at the very least, doesn't care about the topic at all). It felt like reading female characters written by a man who calls himself a feminist on twitter.
The writing style also felt forced? Like someone who is writing what they think their professor at university wants to read. The descriptions were very awkwardly put in the flow of the story and sometimes were irrelevant and made me frustrated and the inner monologue of Joni was annoying because it didn't even make sense at times. It felt patronizing a bit to read it as someone who did survive abuse very similar to Paul's, which is a type of abuse that is very common sadly. And the ending fell flat as literally everything was predictable but Joni's actions were not calculated, reckless, impulsive and dumb.
April 2, 2024
ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐⭐⭐ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀
ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝.
𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 #𝐌𝐞𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥–𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤–𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫.
𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒦𝒶𝓉𝒾𝒶 𝐿𝒾𝑒𝒻, 𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒶, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.
ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝.
𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 #𝐌𝐞𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥–𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤–𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫.
𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒦𝒶𝓉𝒾𝒶 𝐿𝒾𝑒𝒻, 𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒶, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.
March 29, 2024
The Invisible Woman (audio)
2⭐️
This was…unique. A domestic drama with topics of abuse and feminism. What felt like the main twist was given to the reader early on, but MC Joni is unaware. Once she found out it was anticlimactic and unemotional. The book follows Joni’s perspective, her frustration of living in a man-centered world, her unhappiness in her marriage, and grief over her earlier career short lived success (although she seems disinterested in actually working at this point). Joni has too much time on her hands and turns to alcohol and obsessing over a previous friend’s assault, making it all about her under the guise of worry/concern for the friend as the abuser is publicly outed by other victims. She is so focused on her own worries and frustrations that she never stops to think about other people. There was a twist towards the end that made me gasp-but besides providing a liiiittle more insight to her mental health/alcoholism, it really wasn’t a big part of the book.
I don’t know if it was just me or if it was the book, but I struggled to connect with the characters and storyline. With so many hard hitting and relevant topics I would have expected more of an emotional reaction at some point.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date 09 Apr 2024
August 15, 2023
Lief has created a snapshot of the stories related to the #Metoo phenomenon. Joni Ackerman is married to a famous director husband and decided years ago to shelf her filmmaking dreams to have children and support the home. The marriage is fraying now that the children are gone and Joni is beginning to want more in their new household on the East Coast.
When news comes out of a familiar man being accused of multiple transgressions, she contacts her old friend Val. Val wants nothing to do with the issue but Joni keeps pushing. Suddenly Joni has a lot more to deal with when the police come to the door.
A good novel, some of the pieces don't quite come together and may have been better left on the cutting floor. But certainly a good example for this exciting time.
When news comes out of a familiar man being accused of multiple transgressions, she contacts her old friend Val. Val wants nothing to do with the issue but Joni keeps pushing. Suddenly Joni has a lot more to deal with when the police come to the door.
A good novel, some of the pieces don't quite come together and may have been better left on the cutting floor. But certainly a good example for this exciting time.
March 20, 2024
I'm just not sure about this book... It was well-written and a fine story, but there was just no suspense or mystery about it. The book STARTS with her casually thinking about killing her husband (but like, as a joke, haha, but seriously though) and then everything else is just her confirming suspicions that the reader has already come to a conclusion on. It's a fine enough book, but it just fell flat for me.
September 10, 2023
#metoo meets the Mommy Track in this satisfying literary thriller about what women bury to protect their families. An Impressive debut. 4.5 rounded up fr me.
January 26, 2024
Invisible Woman is a story of a marriage, a friendship, and #MeToo. Joni Ackerman was once a trailblazing director, but her career took second place to her marriage and raising her children. Paul, her husband, has a high-powered career in the same industry, though they claimed different sectors, film for her and television for him. As the book opens, the family has been transplanted to New York for Paul’s career but with the children grown, she’s itching to get back in the fray and that would be in California, not New York. She feels out of place and displaced.
After the Weinstein scandal broke, the dam broke exposing other rapists. Joni reaches out to her former roommate, Valerie. They were best friends but something happened to Val and Joni feels culpable for not paying attention and for keeping it secret. She wants to go public. Val does not. Joni thinks Val blames her, but she could not be farther from the truth. Their once close friendship feels like estrangement. Val even takes out a restraining order on Joni.
Invisible Woman is a fast-paced thriller that makes many valuable points and for every revelation that people respect her more than she might think, I gave a little cheer. Go, Joni! Invisible Woman effectively shows how a woman’s confidence can be eroded with subtle, nearly invisible actions that undercut her efforts. It also shows the damage secrets can do, but also how the bonds of friendship can be pulled really hard and still bounce back.
I think the story would have benefited with just a bit less foreshadowing. The major revelations were anticipated. It was nice to see I guessed right, but I should not even be guessing so early. I think keeping a secret from readers is the essence of suspense, but I hate when I guess it too early.
I think Lief did well with her characters. At first Joni seems all put together, accomplished filmmaker and loving mother in a loving marriage, but the cracks start to show and you learn how she has been diminished over time as this feminist filmmaker conforms to gender norms and you see how her accomplishments are over-shadowed. As you learn this, you also start to reevaluate her husband, her children, and her friend This is done brilliantly.
I also love the way Patricia Highsmith is such a catalyst in Joni’s self-discovery. It makes it even better to learn that the books were a gift from Val long ago. I love how different books appear to become almost part of the story.
Invisible Woman at Grove Atlantic
Katia Lief
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
After the Weinstein scandal broke, the dam broke exposing other rapists. Joni reaches out to her former roommate, Valerie. They were best friends but something happened to Val and Joni feels culpable for not paying attention and for keeping it secret. She wants to go public. Val does not. Joni thinks Val blames her, but she could not be farther from the truth. Their once close friendship feels like estrangement. Val even takes out a restraining order on Joni.
Invisible Woman is a fast-paced thriller that makes many valuable points and for every revelation that people respect her more than she might think, I gave a little cheer. Go, Joni! Invisible Woman effectively shows how a woman’s confidence can be eroded with subtle, nearly invisible actions that undercut her efforts. It also shows the damage secrets can do, but also how the bonds of friendship can be pulled really hard and still bounce back.
I think the story would have benefited with just a bit less foreshadowing. The major revelations were anticipated. It was nice to see I guessed right, but I should not even be guessing so early. I think keeping a secret from readers is the essence of suspense, but I hate when I guess it too early.
I think Lief did well with her characters. At first Joni seems all put together, accomplished filmmaker and loving mother in a loving marriage, but the cracks start to show and you learn how she has been diminished over time as this feminist filmmaker conforms to gender norms and you see how her accomplishments are over-shadowed. As you learn this, you also start to reevaluate her husband, her children, and her friend This is done brilliantly.
I also love the way Patricia Highsmith is such a catalyst in Joni’s self-discovery. It makes it even better to learn that the books were a gift from Val long ago. I love how different books appear to become almost part of the story.
Invisible Woman at Grove Atlantic
Katia Lief
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
June 1, 2024
Joni Ackerman’s decision to raise children, 25 years ago, came with a steep cost. She was then a pioneering filmmaker, one of the few women to break into the all-male Hollywood club of feature film directors, but she left all those behind. Amidst a major scandal rocking the film industry, Joni revisited a secret from long ago involving her friend Val. As her marriage frayed and the feeling of isolation deepened, Joni took solace in the novels of Patricia Highsmith—particularly the masterpiece Strangers on a Train—until the lines between reality and fantasy blurred.
This relatively short story packed a punch. I think listening to this as an audiobook, I got the best experience out of it. The storytelling style was mostly Joni’s internal monologues of her perceptions of things, which beautifully took me into her state of mind.
Joni’s experience with motherhood and loneliness rang true, and I appreciated the social commentaries throughout the book about society expectations of being a woman. I loved the backdrop setting of me-too movement in this literary thriller, and it was somewhat satisfying to see the guilty parties starting to worry about their turns to get exposed!
All in all, a great, enjoyable one. This book even managed to sneak a plot twist on me that made me gasp. This sub-genre just keeps getting better over time!
(Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
This relatively short story packed a punch. I think listening to this as an audiobook, I got the best experience out of it. The storytelling style was mostly Joni’s internal monologues of her perceptions of things, which beautifully took me into her state of mind.
Joni’s experience with motherhood and loneliness rang true, and I appreciated the social commentaries throughout the book about society expectations of being a woman. I loved the backdrop setting of me-too movement in this literary thriller, and it was somewhat satisfying to see the guilty parties starting to worry about their turns to get exposed!
All in all, a great, enjoyable one. This book even managed to sneak a plot twist on me that made me gasp. This sub-genre just keeps getting better over time!
(Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
May 24, 2024
There’s nothing particularly wrong with Katia Lief’s Invisible Woman: I just didn’t find it engaging. The protagonist is a woman who abandoned her groundbreaking film-making career to become a Little Woman, to support her husband's now-flourishing TV career. The book begins with the preparations for a huge party celebrating his success. She reconnects with an old friend who abandoned her groundbreaking acting career at about the same time. It gradually transpires that there is a Tragedy in each woman’s past and that only solidarity will rid them of the pain they’ve each suffered. Recent events (caused by men) put each woman’s life at risk; the protagonist reads Patricia Highsmith; they figure out what’s going on and everyone gets what s/he deserves … more or less. It’s certainly not the worst of the recent batch of feminist-influenced mysteries.
By the way, I don’t know where Leif lives, but her words “buying that house was the best investment they never knew they were making” could easily apply to S. California. The words she doesn’t add could have been ‘so they sold the once-cheap place for a gazillion dollars and moved to North Dakota (or Mississippi or Azerbaijan) because it turned out that a gazillion is barely a down payment for houses in their [former] area.’
By the way, I don’t know where Leif lives, but her words “buying that house was the best investment they never knew they were making” could easily apply to S. California. The words she doesn’t add could have been ‘so they sold the once-cheap place for a gazillion dollars and moved to North Dakota (or Mississippi or Azerbaijan) because it turned out that a gazillion is barely a down payment for houses in their [former] area.’
April 9, 2024
“Invisible Woman” is a mashup of a feminist literary fiction & a psychological thriller. It’s thought provoking, exciting, and a little heart breaking.
In this story, Joni’s screenwriting career is nearly non-existent while her husband Paul’s career as a film producer is skyrocketing. Someone in their social circle is caught up in a scandal centered around the “Me Too” movement in Hollywood, and Joni becomes wrapped up in trying to put the pieces of the story together. Simultaneously, she fills her lonely days with reading Highsmith novels and begins having trouble separating her life from the murderous themes in the stories she’s reading.
This novel examines many complex aspects of womanhood and motherhood, and gender dynamics in the film industry all while taking you on a wild a mysterious ride. My only critiques are that certain elements of the plot felt predictable which made it less of a “page turner”, and some of the characters actions seemed illogical & frustrating. But overall, this was a great read.
Thank you to Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for granting me access to the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
In this story, Joni’s screenwriting career is nearly non-existent while her husband Paul’s career as a film producer is skyrocketing. Someone in their social circle is caught up in a scandal centered around the “Me Too” movement in Hollywood, and Joni becomes wrapped up in trying to put the pieces of the story together. Simultaneously, she fills her lonely days with reading Highsmith novels and begins having trouble separating her life from the murderous themes in the stories she’s reading.
This novel examines many complex aspects of womanhood and motherhood, and gender dynamics in the film industry all while taking you on a wild a mysterious ride. My only critiques are that certain elements of the plot felt predictable which made it less of a “page turner”, and some of the characters actions seemed illogical & frustrating. But overall, this was a great read.
Thank you to Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for granting me access to the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
April 18, 2024
✨𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕕𝕒𝕪✨
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief shines a light on the depravity of Hollywood bigwigs and shows another angle on the MeToo movement but with a deadly spin to it.
I thought the premise was solid and appreciated the dramatic twists and thoughtful insights. I appreciated seeing what it might have been like for a woman in the 80s trying to become a director and the pressure to adhere to the matriarchal norms at that time. Although not surprising, the underlying mystery was compelling kept an interesting edge to the story.
However, the audio was lacking emotion in areas where it really felt necessary. I tried hard to not let the audio affect how I felt about the story but it really does change it when the characters emotions feel inadequately portrayed. This is obviously just my how I felt about the narrator so who knows, you might really like it.
I think if you’d like to read a different take on #MeToo and female filmmakers of the 80s this might be a good fit.
ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ - 4/5⭐️
ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ - 2.5/5⭐️
Thanks to Dreamscape Audio for the alc via Netgalley!
QOTD: This was definitely a “the cover made me request it” moment. I thought it was so fun! What’s the last cover that caught your eye?
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief shines a light on the depravity of Hollywood bigwigs and shows another angle on the MeToo movement but with a deadly spin to it.
I thought the premise was solid and appreciated the dramatic twists and thoughtful insights. I appreciated seeing what it might have been like for a woman in the 80s trying to become a director and the pressure to adhere to the matriarchal norms at that time. Although not surprising, the underlying mystery was compelling kept an interesting edge to the story.
However, the audio was lacking emotion in areas where it really felt necessary. I tried hard to not let the audio affect how I felt about the story but it really does change it when the characters emotions feel inadequately portrayed. This is obviously just my how I felt about the narrator so who knows, you might really like it.
I think if you’d like to read a different take on #MeToo and female filmmakers of the 80s this might be a good fit.
ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ - 4/5⭐️
ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ - 2.5/5⭐️
Thanks to Dreamscape Audio for the alc via Netgalley!
QOTD: This was definitely a “the cover made me request it” moment. I thought it was so fun! What’s the last cover that caught your eye?
January 29, 2024
On the surface, this story revolves around two women who became close friends in college. While Joni develops her talents as a film director and Val pursues acting, they attend a Hollywood party where Val is drugged and raped by two men. They agree to keep this a secret but gradually drift apart. Now, over twenty year later during the "Me Too" movement, several women have come forward against a film industry executive. He is one of the men who raped Val. Joni contacts Val and this leads to tragic consequences for both women. However, this is more than a feminist tale of misogyny. I believe, whether intentional or not, the book has deeper meaning concerning human frailty, friendship, love, marriage, deceit, memory, family, morality, hubris, vengeance, and man's inherent capacity for violence. Several unexpected twists and turns. XOXOXOs to the author, Katia Lief, for creating this well-written and fast paced novel.
Note: This review is based on an uncorrected proof copy received through goodreads.com.
Note: This review is based on an uncorrected proof copy received through goodreads.com.
May 11, 2024
With plot twists, secrets, deceit, and a variety of powerful and well-connected themes, Katia Lief leaves no stone unturned when it comes to portraying the struggles of womanhood.
I caught the audiobook on the Read Now options on NetGalley; I'm so grateful to the author and Dreamscape Media for sharing this edition. Carrington McDuffie does an excellent job with the narration. She has a great voice, that's for sure, but what really impacted me is that she knows how to put just enough emotion into the scenes. This story has so much going on that it does not need to be exceedingly performed. McDuffie's narration is paired beautifully with the brilliance of the author's writing, avoiding overshadowing the themes with an elaborate narration. This narrator has a mean male voice, which is perfectly suitable for a guy like Paul.
This is a 7-hour audiobook; I finished it in one day at the standard speed. A story so good you won't want to pause it.
I caught the audiobook on the Read Now options on NetGalley; I'm so grateful to the author and Dreamscape Media for sharing this edition. Carrington McDuffie does an excellent job with the narration. She has a great voice, that's for sure, but what really impacted me is that she knows how to put just enough emotion into the scenes. This story has so much going on that it does not need to be exceedingly performed. McDuffie's narration is paired beautifully with the brilliance of the author's writing, avoiding overshadowing the themes with an elaborate narration. This narrator has a mean male voice, which is perfectly suitable for a guy like Paul.
This is a 7-hour audiobook; I finished it in one day at the standard speed. A story so good you won't want to pause it.
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