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Things #2
Things Hoped For
Seventeen-year-old Gwen is preparing to audition for New York City’s top music schools when her grandfather mysteriously disappears, leaving Gwen only a phone message telling her not to worry. But there’s nothing more stressful than practicing for her auditions, not knowing where her grandfather is, and being forced to lie about his whereabouts when her insistent great-uncle demands an audience with him. Then Gwen meets Robert, also in town for music auditions, and the two pair up to brave the city without supervision. As auditions approach and her great-uncle becomes more aggressive, Gwen and Robert make a startling discovery. Suddenly Gwen’s hopes are turned upside down, and she and Robert are united in ways neither of them could have foretold. . . .
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2006
91 people are currently reading
2189 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Clements
190 books2,181 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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November 6, 2025
Read for the fifth time in 2025. When I decided to re-read Things Hoped For in 2020, I didn't realize it had been 10 years since I last read the book! I'll be re-reading this book and the other two in the series more often because when the library closed in 2020, I bought my own copies.
Beautiful in subtle complexity and layered meaning. Things Hope For is the sequel to Things Not Seen. The third and final book in the "Things" series is also available: Things That Are.
I consider Andrew Clements a master storyteller. This little book is packed full of music and literary analogies. His simplistic yet profound way of writing appeals to a wide variety of ages. Here is just one example:
"I sleep and I wake just as the bus dives like a whale into the Lincoln Tunnel, and then it plunges up and out into the gray air of the city. The harpooned bus spins around and around and comes to a gasping stop on the floor of the Port Authority terminal. I climb out, Jonah with a suitcase and a cheap violin ..."
There is so much involved in this short book. Clements writes for children and teens, but as fully-grown reader, I am happy to trade extra pages for more substance.
In my review for Things Not Seen, I compared Invisibility to Disability. I believe that same comparison can be seen in Things Hoped For, although Invisibility makes a much less prominent appearance. Here is an example "...you do not need to shout in my direction, Gwendolyn. I am presently invisible, but my hearing is unimpaired".
When you hit chapter 11 which is titled "No Steak", get ready for the beginning of the ending and more intense happenings than were previously experienced in the book. One of the things I hope for is that this magnificent series continues!
I believe there are invisible people among us.
Related Works: Things Not Seen, Things That Are, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Lord Jim, Robinson Crusoe
Related Television: The Cosby Show
Poetry References in Things Hoped For:
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
-William Wordsworth
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, . . .
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
- W.B. Yeats
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad.
Take a sad song, and make it better;
-Beatles
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick . . .
-W.B. Yeats
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
-W.B. Yeats
This child, this child of deadly Zeus,
She brings ruin and destruction down upon our heads.
Shun her, shun her, fear her evil eye,
For she has sold her soul to the bloodred moon.
Favorite Passages in Things Hoped For:
For me, leaving West Virginia didn't feel brave. More like necessary. But it wasn't like I left all at once. I left molecule by molecule over a period of four or five years.
_______
I have always felt Grampa's presence in the next room, or down the hallway, or up a flight of stairs. We both like being alone, but we enjoy being alone together, the way toddlers like to sit side by side while they play in their own worlds. Sometimes I sit next to him and we watch Wheel of Fortune. Once he asked me to read a chapter of Lord Jim out loud. And two or three nights a week we have our bedtime snacks together. Simple moments. And already I miss that.
________
And it occurs to me that my grandfather might be asking me to break the law. Because the law has a different word for pretending: fraud. And I have been to church enough to know that fraud is called in the Bible: bearing false witness.
________
Alone is not a problem for me. I couldn't count the hours I have spent alone. Alone in the woods. Alone in my room. Alone in the library. Alone in a book. Alone in my music. I'm comfortable with alone.
________
With the right care, a violin will live forever. And if a violin gets dropped or comes unglued, a specialist will resurrect it. This one was made in Italy in 1883. Dozens of other musicians have used this violin, and a lot of them are dead and gone. Someone else will be playing this violin long after I have died. It doesn't matter that I don't own it, because I'm just the player of the moment. I borrow everything. Violin, music, air, water, time, this practice room - everything's on loan. And I have to prove that I deserve it.
________
A bad college audition is the end of the world. Or at least it's the end of one world. It means you have to go and find another world to live in - a world that's not about studying with a great teacher, or learning new pieces, or mastering an instrument, or playing music for a living. A world that's less perfect. A world where music might become a sad, wistful hobby.
________
The next time someone offers free concert tickets, I need to ask for details.
________
I can't shake the feeling that things are skidding, sliding out of control. And I hate feeling so powerless.
________
. . . Wouldn't it be nice if everything always happened on purpose.
And then I think, Maybe it does.
________
Even though I can find all these perfectly logical explanations, my worries follow me around like a dark swarm of bees. And I run to the creek, and I dive down deep, and I hold my breath as longs as I can. But when I come up, gasping for air, I can still hear the buzzing.
________
As I listen, I'm still trying to find a reason to dismiss the whole thing as crazy, but the story's tight. There's nothing inconsistent, nothing off-key. Because it's like when I begin to play my violin: If one string is even a little out of tune, it can't be hidden. And I hear Robert's voice and I see his eyes, and there's not a single false note.
________
. . . I feel like my world is changing. Again. And there's nothing subtle about it. Everything has shifted, like when a symphony suddenly modulates to a different key.
And I wonder how many times the world can change in one week.
I'm beginning to think that it's a large number.
________
I glance into the faces of all these people out for a Sunday stroll, but I'm not seeing eyes and noses and mouths. I'm seeing stories. Every person is a story. All the hopes and dreams. And fears. And secrets.
In every face.
So many stories. And I feel like I can't ignore them anymore.
And then I remind myself that I have to keep telling myself my own story. My story.
_______
And my story, that simple story of a girl trying to get into music school, my story feels like it's bee swallowed up whole, the way an owl eats a mouse.
Then it's like this huge gust of wind pushes through my mind and all the fog is gone. Everything snaps sharp and clear.
_______
I mean, so many things had to happen just right, or I wouldn't even be here, wouldn't be doing any of this. So many others have been part of my story.
_______
I try to put Robert and Uncle Hank and Grampa out of my thinking, push everything aside until there's nothing left except me and the music. Pyotr Melyanovich taught me that.
I can hear his thick Russian accent. "The music is not in your violin. The music is not in your bow or your technique. And the music is not in the notes on the page. A hundred years of practicing will not help one bit unless we have the music in here. This is where we must find the music, inside our hearts."
_______
And as I begin the correnta section of Bach's Partita number 1 in B Minor, I remember last night, playing for Robert in the dark. That was real music. And our trumpet-fiddle duet? That was music and poetry and life and everything else. Everything else that matters.
_______
The reality of the situation around me begins to take shape in my mind . . .
And my story, that simple story of a girl trying to get into music school, my story feels like it's been swallowed up whole, the way an owl eats a mouse.
Then it's like this huge gust of wind pushes through my mind and all the fog is gone. Everything snaps sharp and clear.
_______
And sometimes trust has to be enough.
_______
_______
Warning bells go off in my head, because I've never liked the kind of person who holds a grudge. And again, I feel a dark undercurrent - something almost cruel. Something dangerous.
________
________
I'm at the table now, and I take a drink of orange juice. It tastes sour. Everything seems to have turned sour. Sour and surreal.
________
". . . I'm sorry I doubted what you told me earlier. But until it's right there, it's just too . . . unbelievable."
Because this afternoon on the subway when I dropped Robert's story into the same bucket with Belinda's alien adventures, I couldn't see how this invisibility stuff would ever affect my own little story.
And now William has changed that. My story has been picking up a lot of passengers recently. Too many.
I say it again. "So I'm sorry I doubted you."
_______
And sometimes trust has to be enough.
_______
I've just been given a brand-new portrait of my uncle Hank, and I need to let the paint dry a little.
_______
And when I'm almost to the end, and I'm out there on the edge of the musical universe, and I start trying to re-enter the atmosphere so I can land this song, there's Charlie again, running side by side with Paganini. And I'm thinking that I'd pay a million dollars if just once I could see old Niccolo up there on the stage of Austin City Limits, just him and Charlie Daniels, both of them setting their strings on fire.
And when I finally drop into the wrenching, clenching, double-stopped finish of the caprice, I can't quite believe what I've just heard. And felt. Because it's been three minutes of pure beauty. And I played that piece with my whole self, my whole heart.
______
Gifts. Moments like this are gifts. A person calls from a thousand miles away, and it feels like a friend, and suddenly there's some light again.
______
Because I want to know this. Right now. It feels important. Everything feels important right now.
______
Grampa said the people who loved him and cared for him would understand. And now I do. Because now I have a whole story.
I have my own story, and I love my story, but I know I can't tell it alone, not now. Because stories have centers, but they don't have edges. No boundaries. And I need to learn that.
Beautiful in subtle complexity and layered meaning. Things Hope For is the sequel to Things Not Seen. The third and final book in the "Things" series is also available: Things That Are.
I consider Andrew Clements a master storyteller. This little book is packed full of music and literary analogies. His simplistic yet profound way of writing appeals to a wide variety of ages. Here is just one example:
"I sleep and I wake just as the bus dives like a whale into the Lincoln Tunnel, and then it plunges up and out into the gray air of the city. The harpooned bus spins around and around and comes to a gasping stop on the floor of the Port Authority terminal. I climb out, Jonah with a suitcase and a cheap violin ..."
There is so much involved in this short book. Clements writes for children and teens, but as fully-grown reader, I am happy to trade extra pages for more substance.
In my review for Things Not Seen, I compared Invisibility to Disability. I believe that same comparison can be seen in Things Hoped For, although Invisibility makes a much less prominent appearance. Here is an example "...you do not need to shout in my direction, Gwendolyn. I am presently invisible, but my hearing is unimpaired".
When you hit chapter 11 which is titled "No Steak", get ready for the beginning of the ending and more intense happenings than were previously experienced in the book. One of the things I hope for is that this magnificent series continues!
I believe there are invisible people among us.
Related Works: Things Not Seen, Things That Are, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Lord Jim, Robinson Crusoe
Related Television: The Cosby Show
Poetry References in Things Hoped For:
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
-William Wordsworth
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, . . .
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
- W.B. Yeats
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad.
Take a sad song, and make it better;
-Beatles
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick . . .
-W.B. Yeats
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
-W.B. Yeats
This child, this child of deadly Zeus,
She brings ruin and destruction down upon our heads.
Shun her, shun her, fear her evil eye,
For she has sold her soul to the bloodred moon.
Favorite Passages in Things Hoped For:
For me, leaving West Virginia didn't feel brave. More like necessary. But it wasn't like I left all at once. I left molecule by molecule over a period of four or five years.
_______
I have always felt Grampa's presence in the next room, or down the hallway, or up a flight of stairs. We both like being alone, but we enjoy being alone together, the way toddlers like to sit side by side while they play in their own worlds. Sometimes I sit next to him and we watch Wheel of Fortune. Once he asked me to read a chapter of Lord Jim out loud. And two or three nights a week we have our bedtime snacks together. Simple moments. And already I miss that.
________
And it occurs to me that my grandfather might be asking me to break the law. Because the law has a different word for pretending: fraud. And I have been to church enough to know that fraud is called in the Bible: bearing false witness.
________
Alone is not a problem for me. I couldn't count the hours I have spent alone. Alone in the woods. Alone in my room. Alone in the library. Alone in a book. Alone in my music. I'm comfortable with alone.
________
With the right care, a violin will live forever. And if a violin gets dropped or comes unglued, a specialist will resurrect it. This one was made in Italy in 1883. Dozens of other musicians have used this violin, and a lot of them are dead and gone. Someone else will be playing this violin long after I have died. It doesn't matter that I don't own it, because I'm just the player of the moment. I borrow everything. Violin, music, air, water, time, this practice room - everything's on loan. And I have to prove that I deserve it.
________
A bad college audition is the end of the world. Or at least it's the end of one world. It means you have to go and find another world to live in - a world that's not about studying with a great teacher, or learning new pieces, or mastering an instrument, or playing music for a living. A world that's less perfect. A world where music might become a sad, wistful hobby.
________
The next time someone offers free concert tickets, I need to ask for details.
________
I can't shake the feeling that things are skidding, sliding out of control. And I hate feeling so powerless.
________
. . . Wouldn't it be nice if everything always happened on purpose.
And then I think, Maybe it does.
________
Even though I can find all these perfectly logical explanations, my worries follow me around like a dark swarm of bees. And I run to the creek, and I dive down deep, and I hold my breath as longs as I can. But when I come up, gasping for air, I can still hear the buzzing.
________
As I listen, I'm still trying to find a reason to dismiss the whole thing as crazy, but the story's tight. There's nothing inconsistent, nothing off-key. Because it's like when I begin to play my violin: If one string is even a little out of tune, it can't be hidden. And I hear Robert's voice and I see his eyes, and there's not a single false note.
________
. . . I feel like my world is changing. Again. And there's nothing subtle about it. Everything has shifted, like when a symphony suddenly modulates to a different key.
And I wonder how many times the world can change in one week.
I'm beginning to think that it's a large number.
________
I glance into the faces of all these people out for a Sunday stroll, but I'm not seeing eyes and noses and mouths. I'm seeing stories. Every person is a story. All the hopes and dreams. And fears. And secrets.
In every face.
So many stories. And I feel like I can't ignore them anymore.
And then I remind myself that I have to keep telling myself my own story. My story.
_______
And my story, that simple story of a girl trying to get into music school, my story feels like it's bee swallowed up whole, the way an owl eats a mouse.
Then it's like this huge gust of wind pushes through my mind and all the fog is gone. Everything snaps sharp and clear.
_______
I mean, so many things had to happen just right, or I wouldn't even be here, wouldn't be doing any of this. So many others have been part of my story.
_______
I try to put Robert and Uncle Hank and Grampa out of my thinking, push everything aside until there's nothing left except me and the music. Pyotr Melyanovich taught me that.
I can hear his thick Russian accent. "The music is not in your violin. The music is not in your bow or your technique. And the music is not in the notes on the page. A hundred years of practicing will not help one bit unless we have the music in here. This is where we must find the music, inside our hearts."
_______
And as I begin the correnta section of Bach's Partita number 1 in B Minor, I remember last night, playing for Robert in the dark. That was real music. And our trumpet-fiddle duet? That was music and poetry and life and everything else. Everything else that matters.
_______
The reality of the situation around me begins to take shape in my mind . . .
And my story, that simple story of a girl trying to get into music school, my story feels like it's been swallowed up whole, the way an owl eats a mouse.
Then it's like this huge gust of wind pushes through my mind and all the fog is gone. Everything snaps sharp and clear.
_______
And sometimes trust has to be enough.
_______
_______
Warning bells go off in my head, because I've never liked the kind of person who holds a grudge. And again, I feel a dark undercurrent - something almost cruel. Something dangerous.
________
________
I'm at the table now, and I take a drink of orange juice. It tastes sour. Everything seems to have turned sour. Sour and surreal.
________
". . . I'm sorry I doubted what you told me earlier. But until it's right there, it's just too . . . unbelievable."
Because this afternoon on the subway when I dropped Robert's story into the same bucket with Belinda's alien adventures, I couldn't see how this invisibility stuff would ever affect my own little story.
And now William has changed that. My story has been picking up a lot of passengers recently. Too many.
I say it again. "So I'm sorry I doubted you."
_______
And sometimes trust has to be enough.
_______
I've just been given a brand-new portrait of my uncle Hank, and I need to let the paint dry a little.
_______
And when I'm almost to the end, and I'm out there on the edge of the musical universe, and I start trying to re-enter the atmosphere so I can land this song, there's Charlie again, running side by side with Paganini. And I'm thinking that I'd pay a million dollars if just once I could see old Niccolo up there on the stage of Austin City Limits, just him and Charlie Daniels, both of them setting their strings on fire.
And when I finally drop into the wrenching, clenching, double-stopped finish of the caprice, I can't quite believe what I've just heard. And felt. Because it's been three minutes of pure beauty. And I played that piece with my whole self, my whole heart.
______
Gifts. Moments like this are gifts. A person calls from a thousand miles away, and it feels like a friend, and suddenly there's some light again.
______
Because I want to know this. Right now. It feels important. Everything feels important right now.
______
Grampa said the people who loved him and cared for him would understand. And now I do. Because now I have a whole story.
I have my own story, and I love my story, but I know I can't tell it alone, not now. Because stories have centers, but they don't have edges. No boundaries. And I need to learn that.
April 15, 2010
I liked the musical story line and the mystery of the missing grandfather. I am VERY glad I read this before my son did. After really liking Things Not Seen, I was highly upset at the way this story wrapped up. I do NOT think that it is appropriate for the age group of Clements other books. I asked my 5th grader to wait until he was older to read this because I was afraid of the mental picture haunting him at this age. Not reccommended for younger readers.
August 27, 2007
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one, Things Not Seen. In the first book the invisible boy is the main character; in this one, it's all about a girl who is studying to be a concert violinist, and the invisiblity thing doesn't even show up until much later in the book. Seventeen year old Gwen lives with her grandfather, but one day she comes home to find that he has left her, with only a mysterious answering machine message to say that he has gone away. She teams up with Bobby, the character from the first book, to try to figure out what's happened to her grandfather. It's an interesting book about how music affects people who are really into it, how much hard work is involved in becoming a top notch musician and getting into a good music conservatory, and just a good coming-of-age story with a clever mystery. However, suddenly in the middle there's this subplot with a bad guy who's invisible like Bobby used to be, and that part I did not find necessary. If readers are looking for another book about someone who can turn invisible, this is not that kind of book. I almost wish the author had dropped that subplot altogether, because it really was just a tenuous connection to the first book.
December 2, 2016
This book was about a girl named Gwen. Her passion was music. While she's preparing to audition for top music schools in New York, she finds out that her grandfather suddenly disappeared. But before he left, he wrote her a letter telling her not to worry and that he left some money for her while he's gone. I liked this book because of the part where his grandfather went missing and everything else changed.
December 20, 2023
TRAMATIZING.
SPOILERS
I abandoned this after she found her grandpa in the freezer and then picked it up again after a long time
SPOILERS
I abandoned this after she found her grandpa in the freezer and then picked it up again after a long time
April 14, 2020
This book was about a girl named Gwen. Her passion was music. While she's preparing to audition for top music schools in New York, she finds out that her grandfather suddenly disappeared. But before he left, he wrote her a letter telling her not to worry and that he left some money for her while he's gone.
I think reading the first book will pull loose end together for me. I will read the first book soon. The book is a mystery with twists and turns. I just think reading the first book will help me more.
I think reading the first book will pull loose end together for me. I will read the first book soon. The book is a mystery with twists and turns. I just think reading the first book will help me more.
August 14, 2021
don’t know why i’m writing a review for this but i am so. first, i read the series (i don’t know if it’s techincally a series but whatever) out of order so i kind ofknew what happened, but that’s my fault anyway. i also love andrew clements so i’m already biased. i think the plot of the book (and the plot of the second one as well) is really cool, and i liked that there were other themes throughout the book. the characters were good, except i’m pretty sure the mc annoyed me sometimes, and he changed a little in the second book but maybe it’s just because they’re from different perspectives. anyways really good book, and so is the second one. 4.5 out of 5 stars
August 2, 2016
Wait, what? Ok, this one does *not* stand alone. A slow (for me) start, exciting second half, and wtf ending. Upon serious, thoughtful reflection, I can figure out some themes and ideas, but only by remembering themes from the first. And the part about William, well, there had better be a revelation of the relevance of that, come the third book. Otherwise, too melodramatic, and also too random.
November 3, 2008
This book really shows what a passion to obtain a goal is like. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! Music is the best; I think I start either singing or humming whenever I think of this book; THe main Character, Gwen, has the utmost passion for music, and I applaud both her and Andrew Clements for providing me with such heart-warming words and music.
July 17, 2018
I prefered the first book "Things not seen", but this one was not disappointing at all. I had fun reading it!
April 2, 2021
********************************(SPOILER ALERTS)*****************************
I rated this book a 2 because it was somewhat poorly written, and the plot wasn't cohesive.
(It is Young Adult, not really children material BTW)
Reading this book...... was like reading a story of my life in a parallel universe. I, like Gwen, auditioned on violin for some of the top music schools in the U.S, I'm shy, and I would rather be practicing 90% of the time
Positive stuffs:
There were some details in the storyline that was scarily accurate, and I appreciate the attention to detail. One particular example was the repertoire that she was preparing. To audition for Julliard, N.E.C, etc., you need to prepare a couple of movements of Bach, from his Sonatas or Partitas, a Paganini caprice or 2, and a major violin concerto. I also love how she was from the country and was from a middle-class family. It just goes to show that not all people in classical music are rich, and the book also addresses the fact that good violins are NOT cheap. (Let it be noted though, that you can find a good violin that is less than $30,000, or even $20,000, which were the numbers given in the book) Tanglewood is a real music festival, too!
Other thoughts:
Another, more abstract kind of accuracy was the fact that she realized that not everything was going to line up for her. That having a music career was not going to be all unicorns and rainbows. It IS amazing when you are performing, and you can really "get into" the music. But the reality is that there is a lot of hard work and sweat and tears that goes into making it happen.
Negative elements:
Ok, my main issue with this book is the relationship between Robert and Gwen. (leaving behind the whole grandfather thing) How does he have a girlfriend, yet this girlfriend is TOTALLY NOT CONCERNED with Robert staying with another girl in a faraway city, in the same apartment, UNSUPERVISED?? Hmm????!!!! She must be stupid.
Also, when he mentions his experience of being invisible, he says that he didn't wear clothes. I'm not sure why, because what if he became visible unexpectedly and wasn't wearing clothes? that would be embarrassing. Also, that would be very cold and uncomfortable. It was one element in this book that was not very needed. Language-wise, it was very clean! No swearing or using God's name inappropriately that I can remember.
Spiritual elements:
The Bible is mentioned a couple of times, and John 15:13 is mentioned towards the end. You get the sense that the parents are Bible-believing Christians, but the daughter is somewhat indifferent. The religious perspective didn't really add much to the plot, but I guess it didn't really take away from it either.
I rated this book a 2 because it was somewhat poorly written, and the plot wasn't cohesive.
(It is Young Adult, not really children material BTW)
Reading this book...... was like reading a story of my life in a parallel universe. I, like Gwen, auditioned on violin for some of the top music schools in the U.S, I'm shy, and I would rather be practicing 90% of the time
Positive stuffs:
There were some details in the storyline that was scarily accurate, and I appreciate the attention to detail. One particular example was the repertoire that she was preparing. To audition for Julliard, N.E.C, etc., you need to prepare a couple of movements of Bach, from his Sonatas or Partitas, a Paganini caprice or 2, and a major violin concerto. I also love how she was from the country and was from a middle-class family. It just goes to show that not all people in classical music are rich, and the book also addresses the fact that good violins are NOT cheap. (Let it be noted though, that you can find a good violin that is less than $30,000, or even $20,000, which were the numbers given in the book) Tanglewood is a real music festival, too!
Other thoughts:
Another, more abstract kind of accuracy was the fact that she realized that not everything was going to line up for her. That having a music career was not going to be all unicorns and rainbows. It IS amazing when you are performing, and you can really "get into" the music. But the reality is that there is a lot of hard work and sweat and tears that goes into making it happen.
Negative elements:
Ok, my main issue with this book is the relationship between Robert and Gwen. (leaving behind the whole grandfather thing) How does he have a girlfriend, yet this girlfriend is TOTALLY NOT CONCERNED with Robert staying with another girl in a faraway city, in the same apartment, UNSUPERVISED?? Hmm????!!!! She must be stupid.
Also, when he mentions his experience of being invisible, he says that he didn't wear clothes. I'm not sure why, because what if he became visible unexpectedly and wasn't wearing clothes? that would be embarrassing. Also, that would be very cold and uncomfortable. It was one element in this book that was not very needed. Language-wise, it was very clean! No swearing or using God's name inappropriately that I can remember.
Spiritual elements:
The Bible is mentioned a couple of times, and John 15:13 is mentioned towards the end. You get the sense that the parents are Bible-believing Christians, but the daughter is somewhat indifferent. The religious perspective didn't really add much to the plot, but I guess it didn't really take away from it either.
May 10, 2023
Very enjoyable, and somehow reminiscent of The Austin Family, with independent teenagers, a grandpa and sudden deep friendships. And a major unexpected plot twist...
December 16, 2014
I really enjoyed this second book in the "Things" series by Andrew Clements.
Initially, I was a bit put off by Gwen and Robert's friendship, since it was fairly fliratations, and seemed to be headed in a romantic direction, and I wasn't ready to switch gears from where we left Bobby and Alicia's budding relationship in Things Not Seen. As it turned out of course, Alicia and Bobby are mature enough and their relationship is strong enough, that they aren't swayed by Bobby making friends with another female. Probably a good message to young teen readers: it is possible and acceptable for your boy/girl friend to have friends of the opposite sex - there's no need for fits of jealousy!
Like other reviewers, I was more than a little shocked, and fairly creeped out, by the turn the book took when Gwen discovers what has happened to her grandfather. I still think it was a bit of an extreme route to take and could have been accomplished with a different plot twist, but ultimately it worked, and I recovered from the initial "yuck factor" to enjoy the remainder of the book.
I have not read any other book that so brilliantly captures the lifestyle, dreams and thought processes of young musicians. Not that I am a young musician myself, but Clements' descriptive prose and musical analogies gave me a nice clear window into the way music gives life and purpose to a musician, so this would be a good recomendation for musically inclined teens.
Some people were bothered by William's somewhat random appearance in Gwen's story, but I thought this was an excellent way to allow Gwen to understand the Robert that readers met in Things Not Seen and sets up the series very nicely for a new installment to resolve William's story. I hope we also get to see more of Gwen!
Initially, I was a bit put off by Gwen and Robert's friendship, since it was fairly fliratations, and seemed to be headed in a romantic direction, and I wasn't ready to switch gears from where we left Bobby and Alicia's budding relationship in Things Not Seen. As it turned out of course, Alicia and Bobby are mature enough and their relationship is strong enough, that they aren't swayed by Bobby making friends with another female. Probably a good message to young teen readers: it is possible and acceptable for your boy/girl friend to have friends of the opposite sex - there's no need for fits of jealousy!
Like other reviewers, I was more than a little shocked, and fairly creeped out, by the turn the book took when Gwen discovers what has happened to her grandfather. I still think it was a bit of an extreme route to take and could have been accomplished with a different plot twist, but ultimately it worked, and I recovered from the initial "yuck factor" to enjoy the remainder of the book.
I have not read any other book that so brilliantly captures the lifestyle, dreams and thought processes of young musicians. Not that I am a young musician myself, but Clements' descriptive prose and musical analogies gave me a nice clear window into the way music gives life and purpose to a musician, so this would be a good recomendation for musically inclined teens.
Some people were bothered by William's somewhat random appearance in Gwen's story, but I thought this was an excellent way to allow Gwen to understand the Robert that readers met in Things Not Seen and sets up the series very nicely for a new installment to resolve William's story. I hope we also get to see more of Gwen!
September 17, 2014
I found it very difficult to relate much with the main character when she was talking about her background in a wealthy family, the ease at which she can devote herself to musical pursuits, the many people who care about and support her, her and her family's christianity, and her infatuation with an attractive guy she just met (as if any attractive guy she meets is suitable for breeding practices).
I also have a problem with how much meal-related sections of this book seemed more like filler, and very typical. Why does a story with a femle main character talk, think, and get talked at so much about food and meals and bodies? Is this what the author thinks girls care about, or should? I really don't think young people need any more fixation on body monitoring than they already get in the invasive culture of repression in the usa.
I could relate to and even like her when she described in artistic detail the enjoyment and unique experience in creating music, in reading poetry. The author does not simply name-drop and culture-reference to suggest the character is interesting and thoughtful, instead the character discusses in-depth the importance of these figures, and thinks back to certain lines and lyrics as the story progresses.
By the end, I was feeling quite emotional about everything. Things came together quite well, and I like that the author has partially continued his stories with youth-empowerment (though this is limited even moreso due to wealth than Robert in Things #1). The author could do more than empower a suburbanite, but I enjoyed these two (moreso the first) for giving me ideas for youth-empowerment stories.
I also have a problem with how much meal-related sections of this book seemed more like filler, and very typical. Why does a story with a femle main character talk, think, and get talked at so much about food and meals and bodies? Is this what the author thinks girls care about, or should? I really don't think young people need any more fixation on body monitoring than they already get in the invasive culture of repression in the usa.
I could relate to and even like her when she described in artistic detail the enjoyment and unique experience in creating music, in reading poetry. The author does not simply name-drop and culture-reference to suggest the character is interesting and thoughtful, instead the character discusses in-depth the importance of these figures, and thinks back to certain lines and lyrics as the story progresses.
By the end, I was feeling quite emotional about everything. Things came together quite well, and I like that the author has partially continued his stories with youth-empowerment (though this is limited even moreso due to wealth than Robert in Things #1). The author could do more than empower a suburbanite, but I enjoyed these two (moreso the first) for giving me ideas for youth-empowerment stories.
October 6, 2009
An interesting companion novel to "Things Not Seen". It takes a bit of a different direction, and I'm hoping the third book of this trilogy will tie everything together.
Gwen Page loves music above everything else; roaming far from her rural West Virginia roots, she's staying in New York with her distant but loving grandfather to practice for upcoming auditions. Big name schools are on the horizon, and Gwen wants to give her beloved violin music her full attention.
But the story Gwen imagines for herself quickly gets tangled up. Her grandfather disappears, leaving her with only a cryptic answering machine message as a clue. Her belligerent great-uncle is relentless in his demands for money. And now her only ally alone in a big city is a teenage trumpet player named Robert (also known as Bobby, the previous book's protagonist).
I liked Gwen okay as a narrator; her obvious passion for music and the way she learned to play and describe it was interesting. It was also good to see Bobby through someone else's eyes; I think a lot got added to his character here through his friendly interactions with Gwen. And a little bit more dimension got added to the "invisible" story. I'm looking forward to the final book.
Gwen Page loves music above everything else; roaming far from her rural West Virginia roots, she's staying in New York with her distant but loving grandfather to practice for upcoming auditions. Big name schools are on the horizon, and Gwen wants to give her beloved violin music her full attention.
But the story Gwen imagines for herself quickly gets tangled up. Her grandfather disappears, leaving her with only a cryptic answering machine message as a clue. Her belligerent great-uncle is relentless in his demands for money. And now her only ally alone in a big city is a teenage trumpet player named Robert (also known as Bobby, the previous book's protagonist).
I liked Gwen okay as a narrator; her obvious passion for music and the way she learned to play and describe it was interesting. It was also good to see Bobby through someone else's eyes; I think a lot got added to his character here through his friendly interactions with Gwen. And a little bit more dimension got added to the "invisible" story. I'm looking forward to the final book.
June 6, 2014
This book was pretty good. The story is about this girl who has auditions for a college she wants to go to, but her grandpa goes missing, so she has to hold down the house while pretending to everyone else that grandpa is still there.
"In this city of ten million people, I am alone."(Clements 10) The main characters only nearby relative is missing. She does not have anyone to go to, and this sets the overall feeling for the story that the characters cannot go to anyone.
"I have my own story, and I love my story, but I know I cant tell it alone, not now" (166)The main character realizes that people are never alone and can count on someone to help them, as she learned throughout the story.
"In this city of ten million people, I am alone."(Clements 10) The main characters only nearby relative is missing. She does not have anyone to go to, and this sets the overall feeling for the story that the characters cannot go to anyone.
"I have my own story, and I love my story, but I know I cant tell it alone, not now" (166)The main character realizes that people are never alone and can count on someone to help them, as she learned throughout the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2010
summry: A 17yr.old girl is living alone with her grandpa in New York to study music(her parents are still living). She has a mean uncle that comes over to yell. One day she came home and her grandpa was gone. So she lived at home alone. She meets a boy who has been invisible before and she met someone who is invisible. She ends up finding her grandpa in a shocking way.
opinion: I think it's boring at first, but then it gets good but don't read this book until you read Things Not Seen or you won't think its that exciting.
recomendation: I think you should read this but its not the best.
opinion: I think it's boring at first, but then it gets good but don't read this book until you read Things Not Seen or you won't think its that exciting.
recomendation: I think you should read this but its not the best.
October 9, 2011
I enjoyed the book, wasn't for sure what to expect, but was really surprised that the book ended up being a mystery. There was a lot of twists that I did not expect and don't want to give it away in this review. The author did a good job describing the characters and took a lot of time to develop the story. Just when I thought I had it figured out it did the opposite. My favorite character was Gwen because she was so brave to take on so much at such a young age, again don't want to spoil the story. I recommend this book it is a good story and the mystery will keep you reading.
May 4, 2009
The sequel to Things Not Seen was as amazingly intense and delightful as the first book. A violin playing teen coming up to college auditions finds that the grandfather she's living with is far more important to her than even she suspects. Throw in the trumpet playing character from Things Not Seen and an invisible intruder and the reader can't figure out what's going to happen next! Way to go, Andrew Clements!
August 3, 2016
Initially, I read this only to help my other high school student on his book report but I was able to finish reading this in less than six hours. It is an exciting book which packs one surprise after another.
April 19, 2023
I found this book so bizarre. I really liked the first Things book, and thought its science fiction elements were an interesting factor not really seen in Andrew Clements' other books. It's been years since I read it, but I still think of it fondly. I hoped (pun not intended) that the second book would explore some more themes and ideas the first book introduced, like other causes of invisibility or Bobby and Alicia's new relationship. But unfortunately, the book introduces a whole new main character that has nothing to do with Bobby at first. This is fine by itself, but for a sequel to Things Not Seen, I was very confused by this choice. Then, Bobby/Robert (not sure how to refer to him) shows up, and suddenly he is a hugely accomplished trumpet player (apologies if it's my memory, but were there any references to his interest in music in the first book?) looking to pursue it as a career. Anyway, I thought Gwen's grandfather's story to be WEIRD. Like, in what world would dying in your basement freezer, causing your granddaughter to find you there and be traumatized for the rest of her life be LESS distressing than dying...normally? Sure, I get he wanted to make sure she went through her auditions without stress, but I would think disappearing without explanation and making a 17 year old girl live by herself in a big city (with a frightening uncle no less) would be stressful as well.
I liked that Bobby and Alicia were now happily together, although I would have liked this book to be about them. But that's just me.
I didn't like how Bobby could apparently fake any voice perfectly. And also, when he did it in front of the house, how did the uncle not know that the sound was from outside and not inside the house?
Also, where did the invisible guy come from? It was so random and the ending was so cramped. I would've liked to know more about how he became invisible and more of his story, but nooo, he just had to be a one dimensional villain for no reason.
And another THAT'S JUST ME thing is that I hate reading about violin players as a former player myself. Like I don't think anything was completely wrong, but it feels like everything gets dumbed down for a lay audience. Plus, Gwen's practice system is all wrong, and I know because I practiced that way too. Maybe that's why I never got anywhere. [insert gifted kid never learned how to study rant].
I liked that Bobby and Alicia were now happily together, although I would have liked this book to be about them. But that's just me.
I didn't like how Bobby could apparently fake any voice perfectly. And also, when he did it in front of the house, how did the uncle not know that the sound was from outside and not inside the house?
Also, where did the invisible guy come from? It was so random and the ending was so cramped. I would've liked to know more about how he became invisible and more of his story, but nooo, he just had to be a one dimensional villain for no reason.
And another THAT'S JUST ME thing is that I hate reading about violin players as a former player myself. Like I don't think anything was completely wrong, but it feels like everything gets dumbed down for a lay audience. Plus, Gwen's practice system is all wrong, and I know because I practiced that way too. Maybe that's why I never got anywhere. [insert gifted kid never learned how to study rant].
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2021
When I was a bit younger, one of my favorite books was Things Not Seen, by Andrew Clements. So when I discovered three years later that it was a trilogy, I eagerly sought out the second book. Things Hoped For (a Sci-fi/realistic fiction story) isn't quite as good as its predecessor, but I still loved it. The book takes place some time after Things Not Seen, with a new main character, Gwendolyn Page, who is a violinist in training. One of my favorite parts of the book was the introduction to her, using figurative language to compare her life to a DVD player, or in other words, a song. ("At this moment my mind is a DVD player, and all my days are there, scene after scene" (page 1)) The story is about her life in New York living with her grandpa, until one day, he disappears leaving a note for her. This book is in an entirely new setting from the first one, with Gwen being the new main character. Bobby Phillips, the previous protagonist, is integrated into the story as well, and I loved reading about how he had changed from the previous book, and his inclusion didn't interfere with the book focusing on Gwen's story. I like how they connected and became friends over music, and how there wasn't a forced love triangle between Gwen, Bobby, and Bobby's girlfriend Alicia from the first book which was something I was worried would happen. The overall story of this book is much less sci-fi based than Things Not Seen, which was about Bobby turning invisible. I liked the more grounded in reality approach the author took with this sequel, focusing more on the mystery of Gwen's dad and her studying music with Bobby, or as he's known in this book, Robert. The turning-invisible element is integrated into this story, but (no spoilers) I actually really didn't like how it was. This book isn't really a great sequel to Things Not Seen, but holy cow is it a good story. I'll rate it four out of five stars and recommend it to anyone who likes Andrew Clements' books.
May 23, 2025
3.5, rounding up to 4 stars. A senior in high school is on the brink of auditions in attempt to get into college when her grandfather mysteriously disappears and leaves her a cryptic message. She has to lie low, since she’s technically only 17. She grapples with what to do, worries for her grandfather, but then also tries to focus on practicing for auditions, otherwise all she’s worked for can go down the drain.
What I liked: I really liked this book as it had an engaging mystery element and loved insight into the world of a young violinist, and all that comes along with it as she hopes to get into college to continue to master her skills. I loved her as a character, along with Robert, what we know about grandpa, parents, and even uncle Hank comes around to being likable towards the end. I love the literary references and all the allusions. It even brought tears to my eyes towards the end of the story, so I clearly began to truly care about the characters.
What I didn’t like: The invisible character thrown into the mix was strange and didn’t seem to connect much to the rest of the story. He was a very random, odd, and mysterious villain. Also, the discovery about grandpa seemed a bit abrupt and the choice and method the grandfather made seemed a bit questionable, although the author tries to explain the reasoning at the end, I wasn’t fully convinced he couldn’t have gone about it in a better way. Talk about traumatizing, especially at a pivotal time in her life. Also, after the discovery, her parents let her fend for herself / handle the police on her own and arrive the next day- idk about others, but I would hop in the car that very moment and find the quickest method to support my child. That was a bit weird too, especially since she’s still a minor and the parents are portrayed as very loving, caring, and concerned for her well-being.
Overall, I do recommend this to those who like music and mystery elements in their books.
What I liked: I really liked this book as it had an engaging mystery element and loved insight into the world of a young violinist, and all that comes along with it as she hopes to get into college to continue to master her skills. I loved her as a character, along with Robert, what we know about grandpa, parents, and even uncle Hank comes around to being likable towards the end. I love the literary references and all the allusions. It even brought tears to my eyes towards the end of the story, so I clearly began to truly care about the characters.
What I didn’t like: The invisible character thrown into the mix was strange and didn’t seem to connect much to the rest of the story. He was a very random, odd, and mysterious villain. Also, the discovery about grandpa seemed a bit abrupt and the choice and method the grandfather made seemed a bit questionable, although the author tries to explain the reasoning at the end, I wasn’t fully convinced he couldn’t have gone about it in a better way. Talk about traumatizing, especially at a pivotal time in her life. Also, after the discovery, her parents let her fend for herself / handle the police on her own and arrive the next day- idk about others, but I would hop in the car that very moment and find the quickest method to support my child. That was a bit weird too, especially since she’s still a minor and the parents are portrayed as very loving, caring, and concerned for her well-being.
Overall, I do recommend this to those who like music and mystery elements in their books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2018
Andrew Clements’ novel Things Hoped For is a story about a girl named Gwen who is from originally from West Virginia, but now lives in her grandpa’s house where she is closer to pursuing her dream of becoming a concert violinist. Gwen is just weeks away from her auditions at Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music, so her grandpa gets people to build a soundproof room in the basement where she can practice.
One of the best parts of the book that surprised me was when her grandpa all of sudden disappeared, but left her a note saying he had to go away for a while, and to tell no one especially Hank ( grandpa’s brother). Overtime Gwen attempts to go through her daily routine, but she can’t get over the fact that her grandpa is away with Uncle Hank demanding money for the house that they both own.
Another great part in the story was when Robert ran into Gwen at a coffee shop, and Robert recognized Gwen from a previous summer camp. Robert is originally from Chicago, but he flew to New York for an audition himself since he plays the trumpet. Over time they soon become great friends, and Robert plays a key role in helping Gwen deal with the situation with her uncle.
I definitely loved how the book turned out because of the roller coaster taken by Gwen to audition for her dream colleges and universities. Gwen didn’t let anything get in the way of her dreams, especially Uncle Hank. I would read this book again because of the loss and passion experienced by Gwen to become a concert violinists.
One of the best parts of the book that surprised me was when her grandpa all of sudden disappeared, but left her a note saying he had to go away for a while, and to tell no one especially Hank ( grandpa’s brother). Overtime Gwen attempts to go through her daily routine, but she can’t get over the fact that her grandpa is away with Uncle Hank demanding money for the house that they both own.
Another great part in the story was when Robert ran into Gwen at a coffee shop, and Robert recognized Gwen from a previous summer camp. Robert is originally from Chicago, but he flew to New York for an audition himself since he plays the trumpet. Over time they soon become great friends, and Robert plays a key role in helping Gwen deal with the situation with her uncle.
I definitely loved how the book turned out because of the roller coaster taken by Gwen to audition for her dream colleges and universities. Gwen didn’t let anything get in the way of her dreams, especially Uncle Hank. I would read this book again because of the loss and passion experienced by Gwen to become a concert violinists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2022
Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements
167-page Hardback
Things #2
Genre: Young Adult > Teen; Science Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Children's > Middle Grade; Realistic Fiction, Music
Featuring: New York, Violinist, Teen MC, Grampa, Missing Person, Music, Titled Chapters
Rating as a movie: PG-13 for adult situations
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: 📖 Page 47 of 167 Ch. 5 - I'm disappointed the MC from the last book isn't in this one, this girl is the new MC. So far it's a bit dull, there is a reason why this has been on my TBR for several years. I'm going to read more tomorrow. I thought I'd been farther along than I'm but it's a slow vibe.
📖 62 Ch. 7 - Well, I'm an idiot the MC is a new character, but the original guy is in this book. I didn't recognize him because it's been forever since I read the first book.
📖 93 Ch. 10 - It finally picks up and now I have to stop for family time.
📖104 Ch. 12 - What!!!
This was okay. It wasn't as good as the first book, I wasn't expecting it to be, but it was a solid story. I'm not mad about putting it off all this time. I'm not rushing to jump into the next book but it's in my possession so I'll be reading it sometime in the next week or two. I'm still hoping there are some unpunished books that Andrew Clements's family is willing to put out there, but in the meantime, I'll just read the few books left on my list.
Recommend to others?: This series has a really good plot. It's more teen than middle grade so the story is darker than the usual fare.
167-page Hardback
Things #2
Genre: Young Adult > Teen; Science Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Children's > Middle Grade; Realistic Fiction, Music
Featuring: New York, Violinist, Teen MC, Grampa, Missing Person, Music, Titled Chapters
Rating as a movie: PG-13 for adult situations
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: 📖 Page 47 of 167 Ch. 5 - I'm disappointed the MC from the last book isn't in this one, this girl is the new MC. So far it's a bit dull, there is a reason why this has been on my TBR for several years. I'm going to read more tomorrow. I thought I'd been farther along than I'm but it's a slow vibe.
📖 62 Ch. 7 - Well, I'm an idiot the MC is a new character, but the original guy is in this book. I didn't recognize him because it's been forever since I read the first book.
📖 93 Ch. 10 - It finally picks up and now I have to stop for family time.
📖104 Ch. 12 - What!!!
This was okay. It wasn't as good as the first book, I wasn't expecting it to be, but it was a solid story. I'm not mad about putting it off all this time. I'm not rushing to jump into the next book but it's in my possession so I'll be reading it sometime in the next week or two. I'm still hoping there are some unpunished books that Andrew Clements's family is willing to put out there, but in the meantime, I'll just read the few books left on my list.
Recommend to others?: This series has a really good plot. It's more teen than middle grade so the story is darker than the usual fare.
January 10, 2020
Okay, so here's the thing.
This is a book that has been sitting on my bookshelf for some years. One day, I just decided to pick it up. It wasn't until I was already chapters into the story, that I looked it up and realized it was actually the 2nd book of a trilogy. It was so interesting tho, that I didn't care to stop reading. Without spoiling anything, I say that this book stands alone well on its own. I enjoyed it a lot, especially as someone who loves the piano (this book being about a violinist - my 2nd favorite instrument). Gwen, the main character, is an introverted musician with a poetic soul that I could relate to in a way. I really enjoyed the way she was written. Because of the two characters involved that came from the 1st book, I will say that a certain situation that happens towards the end of the story was a little awkward reading. Had I read the first book from the start, it would've made more sense, simply for being familiar instead of just a random part of the story that reading it alone made it feel. Still, I was able to understand it well. The ending was decent, but because of THAT situation, which never really got explained/solved, I guess it feels a bit incomplete? I suppose having a 3rd book in the series gives a decent conclusion to it all tho. One day, I hope to read the other two books of the series, and this one again, so I can thoroughly enjoy the entire story. Good read!
This is a book that has been sitting on my bookshelf for some years. One day, I just decided to pick it up. It wasn't until I was already chapters into the story, that I looked it up and realized it was actually the 2nd book of a trilogy. It was so interesting tho, that I didn't care to stop reading. Without spoiling anything, I say that this book stands alone well on its own. I enjoyed it a lot, especially as someone who loves the piano (this book being about a violinist - my 2nd favorite instrument). Gwen, the main character, is an introverted musician with a poetic soul that I could relate to in a way. I really enjoyed the way she was written. Because of the two characters involved that came from the 1st book, I will say that a certain situation that happens towards the end of the story was a little awkward reading. Had I read the first book from the start, it would've made more sense, simply for being familiar instead of just a random part of the story that reading it alone made it feel. Still, I was able to understand it well. The ending was decent, but because of THAT situation, which never really got explained/solved, I guess it feels a bit incomplete? I suppose having a 3rd book in the series gives a decent conclusion to it all tho. One day, I hope to read the other two books of the series, and this one again, so I can thoroughly enjoy the entire story. Good read!
December 13, 2022
Pros:
•this is an easy, quick read with some surprising twists.
•The idea of the main character being a serious, religious music student from West Virginia trying to make it in New York is cool
Cons:
• think the biggest thing for me was that this was a bizarre sequel. Bobby’s character felt VERY different than in the first book, and I didn’t think the topic of invisibility totally fit in in this story (though I think when I first read this as a kid, I thought the subtle sequel was cool)
•It also felt pretty rushed, like the big twists didn’t get enough time
Recommendation: I recommend if you’re looking for a quick YA/middle grade read with no romance plot. This book will make a little more sense if you’ve read Things Not Seen, but honestly you could read it standalone as well. You could also probably skip this book in reading the series. Especially recommend to kids interested in classical music, though interest/knowledge in that are not required. Overall, this was fun and quick, and my life wasn’t changed reading it, but it also wasn’t a waste of time.
•this is an easy, quick read with some surprising twists.
•The idea of the main character being a serious, religious music student from West Virginia trying to make it in New York is cool
Cons:
• think the biggest thing for me was that this was a bizarre sequel. Bobby’s character felt VERY different than in the first book, and I didn’t think the topic of invisibility totally fit in in this story (though I think when I first read this as a kid, I thought the subtle sequel was cool)
•It also felt pretty rushed, like the big twists didn’t get enough time
Recommendation: I recommend if you’re looking for a quick YA/middle grade read with no romance plot. This book will make a little more sense if you’ve read Things Not Seen, but honestly you could read it standalone as well. You could also probably skip this book in reading the series. Especially recommend to kids interested in classical music, though interest/knowledge in that are not required. Overall, this was fun and quick, and my life wasn’t changed reading it, but it also wasn’t a waste of time.
September 20, 2025
It was a little jarring following a different character. And she doesn’t even really add much to the overall story. It’s just someone that robert can interact with while he discovers a new invisible man. But not much actually happens. This is just an in between book to bridge up to the third book
- Gwen stays with her grandpa but he goes away “for a while” and leaves her in charge of the house
- Preparing to audition for a music school
- Grandpa’s brother is nosey and wants to take the house
- Did she just meet the kid from the first book???
- Robert is helping with the crazy uncle. Pretends to be grandpa
- Sees a weird shadow figure. Robert tells gwen about his invisibility phase
- Finds grandpa in the freezer
- Meet with the invisible man at grandpa’s funeral. He’s an asshole and earns money by selling stolen jewelry
- Reads letters sent before death. Includes will and reason for basically suicide
- Robert helps the police try to find william (the invisible guy). He and gwen are afraid that he will come find them because they told the cops about william
- Alisha calls and asks gwen to play for her. Helps prepare for her audition. Believes grandpa did what he did because he knew he was getting bad and wanted gwen to have more days on peace and practice before her audition
- Gwen stays with her grandpa but he goes away “for a while” and leaves her in charge of the house
- Preparing to audition for a music school
- Grandpa’s brother is nosey and wants to take the house
- Did she just meet the kid from the first book???
- Robert is helping with the crazy uncle. Pretends to be grandpa
- Sees a weird shadow figure. Robert tells gwen about his invisibility phase
- Finds grandpa in the freezer
- Meet with the invisible man at grandpa’s funeral. He’s an asshole and earns money by selling stolen jewelry
- Reads letters sent before death. Includes will and reason for basically suicide
- Robert helps the police try to find william (the invisible guy). He and gwen are afraid that he will come find them because they told the cops about william
- Alisha calls and asks gwen to play for her. Helps prepare for her audition. Believes grandpa did what he did because he knew he was getting bad and wanted gwen to have more days on peace and practice before her audition
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2020
This is Book 2, following Things Not Seen, but the plots of the two books don't have a whole lot to do with each other. This story mostly follows Gwen and her grandpa as Gwen tries to unravel a tough mystery.
Gwen is a serious music student, and she's a senior in high school. She lives in NY with her Grandpa, and she hopes to be a famous musician someday. She’s been practicing hours a day for a Juilliard audition. She’s only got a few days left!
Then her grandpa disappears. There’s a cryptic message on the answering machine:
Keep it a secret!
Don’t tell Uncle Hank!
Gwen’s got to find him, make sure he’s safe. He’s disappeared without a trace. Even with time running out before her big audition, Gwen knows that finding Grandpa can't wait.
(REVIEW: If you're looking for a read-alike for Things Not Seen, this will be a disappointment. The characters from TNS show up, but only at the very end of the story. This mystery is mostly about Gwen and her grandpa, and the ending is really a bizarre twist out of nowhere.)
Gwen is a serious music student, and she's a senior in high school. She lives in NY with her Grandpa, and she hopes to be a famous musician someday. She’s been practicing hours a day for a Juilliard audition. She’s only got a few days left!
Then her grandpa disappears. There’s a cryptic message on the answering machine:
Keep it a secret!
Don’t tell Uncle Hank!
Gwen’s got to find him, make sure he’s safe. He’s disappeared without a trace. Even with time running out before her big audition, Gwen knows that finding Grandpa can't wait.
(REVIEW: If you're looking for a read-alike for Things Not Seen, this will be a disappointment. The characters from TNS show up, but only at the very end of the story. This mystery is mostly about Gwen and her grandpa, and the ending is really a bizarre twist out of nowhere.)
November 23, 2017
whoof. An emotional rollercoaster. Vastly different from Things Not Seen in tone, feeling, and plot. The style is essentially the same, I suppose...following a kid around for a few days.
The story revolves around a high school senior and her college music auditions. I'm in the exact position as her currently- so it was very strange to just randomly pick up this book and find it's about my life rn! The two other plots were a bit... strange, and I almost fell the third plot with William was nearly unnecessary. They all participated in the story though and everything seemed to connect in the end.
This is probably the most out-there book I have read by Clements, but it is still his classic writing of real people, real life, real look into the world and how and why things work. His descriptions of music and the musical life felt very real, and even eye opening for me. And the Christian influences/winks were nice as well. A different, but good book that was enjoyable to read.
The story revolves around a high school senior and her college music auditions. I'm in the exact position as her currently- so it was very strange to just randomly pick up this book and find it's about my life rn! The two other plots were a bit... strange, and I almost fell the third plot with William was nearly unnecessary. They all participated in the story though and everything seemed to connect in the end.
This is probably the most out-there book I have read by Clements, but it is still his classic writing of real people, real life, real look into the world and how and why things work. His descriptions of music and the musical life felt very real, and even eye opening for me. And the Christian influences/winks were nice as well. A different, but good book that was enjoyable to read.
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