Invisible In A Bright Light EXPORT

by Sally Gardner

A middle grade novel about a crystal chandelier shaped like a galleon that splinters into a thousand pieces, a girl abandoned as a baby on the steps of an opera house and a dangerous game called the Reckoning.From I, Coriander to Invisible in a Bright Light , Sally Gardner's first middle grade novel in 14 years soars with the imagination of a master story-teller. A pitch perfect, haunting story about a crystal chandelier shaped like a galleon that splinters into a thousand pieces, a girl abandoned as a baby on the steps of an opera house and a dangerous game called the Reckoning.It is 1870: opening night at the Royal Opera House in a freezing city by the sea, where a huge crystal chandelier in the shape of a galleon sparkles magically with the light of 750 candles.Celeste, a theatre rat, wakes up in a costume basket from what she hopes is a bad dream, to find that everyone at the theatre where she works thinks she is someone else.When the chandelier falls, she is haunted by a strange girl who claims to know Celeste's past and why she must play a game called the Reckoning to try to save the people she loves.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Historical, Audiobook, Fiction, Historical Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2019

About the author

AKA Wray Delaney

Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a very successful costume designer, working on some notable productions.

After the births of twin daughters and a son, she started first to illustrate and then to write picture books and chapter books, usually with fairytale- or otherwise magical subject matter. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times.

Reviews

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

Celeste is rudely awakened by a theatre worker shouting at her and telling her to get out of the costume basket. She is annoyed that the worker would have the audacity to shout at her and why is she in the basket?

Her day goes from bad to worse when people treat her like the lowest of the low and a worker, it’s not until she can’t find her mother and someone calls her by a different name then a vivid dream comes crashing back to her, including a dangerous game she was playing with a man in a green suit and a shipwreck. It would seem that she is still playing the game and has been trapped in the body of a different young girl.

When a chandelier in the shape of a galleon, a commission from the king for the missing ship ‘Empress’, falls and smashes Celeste is injured and rushed to hospital, but now she starts seeing a young girl who seems to know about Celeste’s real life and the game that she is playing in real life. Can Celeste get her true identity to come to her and lift the fog clouding her brain, or will she lose this part of the game and leave those lost trapped forever?

This is the first book by author Sally Gardner I have read. Invisible in a Bright Light is a magical and enchanting story that gets the reader involved in the plot and the character’s lives.

The opening scene had me very intrigued and I was eager to read on. However, after the initial excitement we moved onto the main plot and unfortunately it wasn’t only Celeste’s brain that became hazy, mine did too. The book took a lot of concentrating, re-reading and making notes so I could keep up with what was happening. Don’t get me wrong, the book is enjoyable it is just a little hard to decipher at times as the story seemed to go in numerous directions at once.

I do wonder whether the above was intentional though as we know that Celeste is a muddled young girl, and I’m wondering whether the muddling of the reader was to help them understand what Celeste was going through? Very clever if this was the intent as it makes the reader have to think hard.

The book is a full-on adventure and sometimes a little dark, especially the beginning and often mysterious. The characters were all intriguing and interesting to read about and the game had me wanting to know more. The book is set in a theatre and the descriptions of the theatre back in the late 1800s was such a delight to read about and I could perfectly visualise the workings of the place.

The story is certainly unique and whilst it might have taken me a while to get through it, I’m glad that I did as it is a book I will remember for a long time to come.

[ellie ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

there is a very weird erin morgenstern-inspired trend at the moment where books are fantasy but not quite, and they kind of make sense but not quite.

hope that trend ends quickly.

[Sofie Amalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very strange, very beautiful

[faanielibri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schon auf der ersten Seite wusste ich, dass ‚Unsichtbar im hellen Licht‘ von Sally Gardner eine ganz besondere Reise werden wird. Eine Reise in die Höhle der Träumer, in eine Stadt ohne Namen, in ein Theater mit einem kristallenen Kronleuchter, auf ein Geisterschiff, das wieder aufgetaucht ist – und in das Leben von Celeste. Es ist eines dieser Bücher, die man kaum in Worte fassen kann. So fantastisch ist die Geschichte, so magisch. Und dabei einfach nur wunderschön.

Sally Gardner schreibt sehr detailreich, anspruchsvoll und flüssig und hat ein unglaublich bildhaftes Setting geschaffen, perfekt für ihre außergewöhnliche und auch etwas rästelhafte Geschichte. Mit einem Sprung ins kalte Wasser führt Gardner die Lesenden gleich zu Beginn in die Höhle der Träumer, dort, wo der Mann im smaragdgrünen Anzug fragt: „Willst du das Spiel zu Ende spielen?“.
Denn darum dreht sich die Geschichte: Um ein Spiel, das nicht gewonnen werden kann. Denn der Gegner ist die Zeit selbst. Um eine Herausforderung, die unmöglich erscheint, denn wie soll ein junges Mädchen das Lied eines Vogels, der nicht singen kann, finden? Oder ein Stück, zu klein für Schauspieler? Oder ein Licht, das die Sehenden blendet? Celeste bleibt jedoch nichts anderes übrig, als das Spiel zu spielen, um die zu retten, die sie liebt. Also findet sie sich in K. wieder, denn dort wurde sie als Baby auf der Treppe des großen Opernhauses niedergelegt, um von der Frau aufgezogen zu werden, die den kristallenen Kronleuchter poliert. Celeste jedoch hat einen Vorteil, von dem der Mann im smaragdgrünen Anzug nichts ahnt..
Unvorhersehbar und mit einer ganz eigenen Magie, die dieser ideenreichen Geschichte innewohnt, eröffnen sich den Lesenden nach und nach unglaubliche Ereignisse, die immer mehr Sinn ergeben. Dabei ist alles möglich und der Fantasie keine Grenzen gesetzt. Es ist ein Buch wie ein Traum, detailreich, fantasievoll, magisch, sich über Grenzen hinwegsetzend.

‚Unsichtbar im hellen Licht‘ ist Fantasy, wie ich sie noch nicht oft gelesen habe, aber die ich immer wieder liebe. Mit einer gewissen Ernsthaftigkeit, aber auch mit der richtigen Prise Leichtigkeit entführt die Autorin die Lesenden in eine Zwischenwelt, so mystisch und fantasiereich sie nur sein kann. Und doch ist sie auf ihre Weise auch sehr real, geprägt von Neid, Missgunst, Unglaube und Unfreundlichkeit, aber ebenso von Loyalität, Freundschaft, Zusammenhalt und dem Mut, für sich einzustehen. Unbedingt lesens- und vor allem liebenswert! 5 Sterne.

[Colleen Fauchelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a magical story where nothing is as it should be. Celeste is our main character and she is not sure what is going on. People keep calling her by a different name and telling her she is a wonderful dancer and yet she can't dance. After a terrible accident she starts seeing a ghost who explains to her they are in a game and have to collect three things to show the man in the emerald suit to save those who were lost.

[Rhian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this are beautifully written, but other parts are frustratingly directionless.

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[BooksForTopics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phantom of the Opera meets Alice in Wonderland in prizewinning author Sally Gardner's first middle grade novel in 14 years.
Celeste is the lowest of theatre workers in the Royal Opera House - a mere orphan whose job it is to run errands for everybody else. One day, Celeste wakes up in a costume basket to realise that everyone else in the opera house seems to think she is somebody else - a talented young dancer preparing for a stage performance. Utterly confused, Celeste also remembers fragments of a strange dream from the night before; a man in an emerald green suit, a devastating shipwreck and a dangerous game called the Reckoning, in which she is a player.
The same day, a crystal chandelier in the shape of a galleon comes crashing down from the ceiling in the opera house, causing Celeste to become too injured to dance on stage as expected. After the accident, a series of clues about Celeste's true identity begins to emerge, including the appearance of a ghost-like girl who seems to know more about Celeste's past and an increasing realisation that Celeste is part of a high-stakes game to which she does not know the rules. A labyrinthine mystery unfolds - with elements of the surreal giving the whole plot a dream-like quality that keeps readers on their toes the whole time.
I enjoyed the opera house setting, complete with its prima donnas, colourful costume and sham effects. I also enjoyed the unravelling of the plot, cleverly moving the reader from initial disorientation and confusion to piece together the answer to Celeste's mystery step by tiny step.. The story is quite dark in places and takes good reading stamina to move through the parts that feel surreal, making it most suitable for confident readers in upper KS2 or lower KS3 who can cope with feeling a little disorientated as a mystery unravels.

Intriguing, haunting and filled with suspense, this story will transport readers right to the gutter of time and back again and is one to recommend to those who love an other-worldly read or who are looking for something a little bit different to get stuck into.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced proof copy. We have featured this book on our Autumn 2019 Ones to Watch list.

[Andrela · Rating 2 out of 5]

humpf. vamos lá.

1° Fui seduzida pela capa desse livro.

2° O Foreword do livro é muito bem redigido e cria uma grande expectativa por duas frases:
1. Que a estória ten vivido com a autora há tempos;
2. Ela pensou muito em como sincronizar um teatro, um navio fantasma e um lustre de cristal num único enredo.

E começamos a ler super empolgada.

resumo: Not my cup of tea.

O livro tem a sinopse, o enredo e os elementos fantásticos que geralmente me atraem muito em qualquer caso. Mas não funcionou pra mim. Achei confuso, uma mistura não muito coesa de O magico de Oz (foi o terno verde esmeralda), com Grimms e O fantasma da Ópera.

Não achei tão maravilhosa a escrita (como vários comentários das revisões apontam) - tem o toque lúdico de conto de fadas em muitas das falas das personagens, mas não é uma leitura "poética" por assim dizer, que nos envolve com os olhos e ouvidos durante a narrativa.

Demorei muito para "dar alguma bola" aos personagens. Tem muita gente, mas poucas tem alguma profundidade, background, ou mesmo importância para o contexto.
Talvez o “problema” seja porque somos jogados no meio dos fatos - local, o que aconteceu, as verdades, identificação do que é real e mentira, os enigmas - que vão se desdobrando aos poucos, e nem todos precisam de tanta atenção.

Capítulo 22 vale a pena rever - tem mais contos como os Grimm e uma

Os mistérios são muito previsíveis. Não querendo bancar a sabe tudo, mas todos os casos acertei antes de se desenvolverem.
Albatroz is a good character - creepy. Bom porque a loucura dele é bem construída. Por mais evidente que tenha sido desde o primeiro momento que ele era o Trickster. E não um homem ruim, mas louco por si só, que poderia ter seu passado infinitamente melhor desenvolvido, o que daria mais significado a estória.

O que o torna o segundo “vilão” depois de Madame Sabina, que era o resumo de tudo que há de ruim para uma pessoa, mas ainda assim uma personagem fraca. Malvada, invejosa e fútil, com sangue frio para matar a filha aos poucos, mas ainda assim.. acabou ai madame.

Tem nesse livro o lapso de romance com Ana e Stephen - e seu final bonitinho, porém saído do nada. Por exemplo, se não era surpresa quando Hildegard comentou com Celeste que havia visto os dois juntos, então era porque havia um relacionamento antes da Cidade do Mar, correto? Portanto… tudo o que aconteceu na City of Sea era uma situação alternativa a realidade, e quem era vivo lá, segue vivo nessa, correto? Então Hildegard: como a outra morreu e voltou? O mesmo sentimento vale para Albert Roz - ou albatroz como preferir.
O segundo lapso de romance é Maria e Viggo, que acaba quando se conhecem na dimensão real.

Celeste (super criativo dar esse nome a uma personagem que vira uma lâmpada LED depois) é uma personagem morna substituindo Maria que, embora sem muita personalidade também, parecia mais ativa. E… Não sei se ela “venceu” o jogo. Ela teve um ataque de pelanca, raiva, se recusou a continuar o jogo, jogou umas verdades na cara do homem e é isso aí. She refused to play the game and burned the Emerald Green Suit Man down. E terminou a grande função da menina.

No final do livro, quando teoricamente tudo se reune e faz sentido, temos uma desfecho… meh, e uma mudança do foco de importância. O Navio fantasma era apenas um navio com gente dormida dentro, o lustre quebrou na menina e não aparece na segunda divisão e the City of Sea se tornou um ponto importante de referencia do passado e do presente, sendo que sequer lembro a cor da cidade (meu cérebro substituiu por uma Compenhage azul), sendo que em nenhum momento essa ideia foi disposta como importante.

My cup of tea, but not the way I like it.

[JuliesBookhismus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dies ist KEIN Kinderbuch!
Die Grundidee mag gut gemeint gewesen sein, jedoch ist dieses Buch definitiv nicht für Kinder gemacht. Die Brutalität, die hier an den Tag gelegt wird, ist einfach nur heftig. Mag sein, dass es zur damaligen Zeit so war, aber so detailreich hätte es nun wirklich nicht sein müssen. Davon bekomme sogar ich Alpträume, ganz zu schweigen von einem Kind, das dieses Buch liest.
Celeste und Maria sind zwar tolle Protagonistinnen, aber es ist alles so wirr und zäh, dass man gar nicht richtig rein kommt, beziehungsweise überhaupt durchblickt, was da jetzt von einem gewollt wird. Es geht zwar auch um Freundschaft und Zusammenhalt, aber das ist auch das einzig Positive, was ich dieser Geschichte abgewinnen kann.
Ich kann hier absolut keine Leseempfehlung geben, schon gar nicht für Kinder unter 16 Jahren, da es, meiner Meinung nach, zu brutal, heftig, wirr und unverständlich, sowie zäh ist.

[Samantha (A Dream of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Invisible in a Bright Light' by Sally Gardner is a beautifully packaged hardback, enticingly designed with colourful eye-catching images, flecked with touches of gold. It's a lovely book to hold in your hands and would make an even better present to give to someone.

I'm a big fan of Sally's writing and I was very excited about her latest middle-grade offering. The opening foreword made me think of The Phantom of the Opera with an incredible chandelier, situated in an Opera House and hints at fairy tales and enchantments. I thought the first chapter was extremely captivating and definitely made me want to delve deeper into the book. It features a young girl called Celeste who is playing a game with a strange man in an emerald suit, only she doesn't know any of the rules or how to play. Although I was puzzled about the rows of people who are being kept in a cave deep under the sea, I was also intrigued and fascinated. I wanted to know more which is always the best way to start reading a book.

Celeste wakes up to find herself in the Royal Opera House where everyone she encounters seems to think she is someone else. She has vague and hazy memories of a different life, where she is happy and free but nothing really seems to make sense to her. That is almost how it feels to the reader too. I know I was a little confused at times and felt like some things were a bit foggy but this was actually a good thing because it made me sympathise and identify more with Celeste and her struggle to find out the truth about who she is and what has happened to her.

As the plot unfolds, there are some wonderfully colourful characters in the book to enjoy meeting and lots of secrets to uncover. I loved the sense of magic and wonder that is woven throughout and the sense that nothing is beyond the realms of possibility. There really is so much to enjoy in 'Invisible in a Bright Light' and this is a story that I think will appeal to both middle-grade, as well as older readers.

You can never go wrong with a Sally Gardner book and this was a real treat to read from start to finish.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing gem of a middle-grade book! It challenges the young reader, but in a good way.

Celeste wakes up in a costume basket with a life she doesn't recognise. She needs to work out the puzzle to win the game of reckoning and save herself, her family and all those who've disappeared from ships in the Devil's Cauldron.

It reminds me of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. The opening scene was super spooky but you soon get sucked into Celeste's story. The villains are properly horrid and I like that the language isn't dumbed down. 

[Kirsty]

This is beautifully written but my brain is too tired to do it justice. Will come back to it at some point

[Flavia Maltritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darum geht‘s:
Als Celeste aus einem verwirrenden Traum erwacht, findet sie sich in einem Kostümkorb wieder – in einem Kostümkorb eines Theaters, das sie noch nie vorher betreten hatte. Und warum nennen sie alle Marie und denken, sie sei eine Ballerina? Und wo ist ihre Familie? Seit ihrem seltsamen Traum ist einfach nichts mehr wie vorher. Auch der geheimnisvolle Mann im smaragdgrünen Anzug, der ihr ein Spiel vorschlägt, ist ihr vollkommen unbekannt. Ihr Gewinn wäre die Rettung aller, die sie liebt. Doch wie soll man ein Spiel gewinnen, dessen Regeln man nicht wirklich versteht? Und Celeste läuft die Zeit davon…

So fand ich‘s:
Am Anfang des Buches war ich genauso verwirrt wie die Protagonistin Celeste. Ich wusste nicht so recht wie mir geschah und ich muss zugeben, dass ich die ersten drei Kapitel ein zweites Mal gelesen habe. Trotz anfänglicher Konfusion hat mich Sally Gardners märchenhafte Erzählweise von der ersten Seite an gefangen genommen. So wollte ich dann auch nicht einfach so aufgeben und habe der Geschichte noch eine Chance gegeben. Und je länger ich las, umso angetaner war ich von Celeste und Maries Geschichte.

Mit jedem Kapitel wurden die Umstände, die Celestes Spiel mit dem Mann im smaragdgrünen Anzug umgaben, für mich immer nachvollziehbarer und ab einem gewissen Punkt hat mich dann auch ein richtiger Lesesog gepackt und das Kopfkino lief auf Hochtouren. In meiner Phantasie entstanden Szenerien wie aus der Glanzzeit von St. Petersburg mit seinen Palais, den verschneiten Straßen und Pferdeschlitten, gepaart mit den bunten Figuren aus einem Tim-Burton-Film. Zugegeben, eine etwas eigenwillige Mischung… Ich glaube aber, dass es der Autorin gut gefällt, wenn die Phantasie ihrer Leser Purzelbäume schlägt. Sie besticht jedenfalls mit einer sehr originellen und mit Liebe zum Detail dargestellten Imagination. Und das absolut passende Ende hat mich noch zusätzlich mit meinen Startschwierigkeiten versöhnt.

Rückblickend auf meine Anfangsschwierigkeiten hatte ich mich gefragt, ob ich das Buch Kindern ab 12 Jahren empfehlen würde. Tatsächlich muss ich zugeben, dass junge Leser möglicherweise viel lockerer und unbefangener an die Geschichte ran gehen und bereit sind, nicht gleich alles von Anfang an zu verstehen, sondern alles auf sich zukommen zu lassen. So gesehen, kann ich das Buch leichten Herzens allen jungen und älteren Lesern empfehlen, die gerne in Märchen eintauchen. Und wenn zu Beginn das eine oder andere verwirrend erscheint, haltet durch. Es lohnt sich!

[Anni (she • her) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine absolut märchenhafte Geschichte voller Zauber, Wunder und Geheimnisse: Celeste erwacht und jeder nennt sie Maria, obwohl sie sich an nichts aus Marias Leben erinnern kann. Als wäre die Welt verrutscht, als würde irgendetwas nicht stimmen. Und so ist es: Celeste und ihre Zwillingsschwester Maria spielen ein Spiel, denn die Passagiere eines Schiffs sind irgendwo zwischen den Zeiten gefangen und nur Celeste, die Rätsel lösen soll, kann sie retten. Auf der Suche nach Verbündeten versucht Celeste, in diesem Paralleluniversum ein Wunder wahr zu machen... Es ist schwierig, den Inhalt des Buchs wirklich gut zu beschreiben. Was aber bleibt, ist eine fantastisch anmutende Geschichte voller Wunder und Lichterglanz!

[Hella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Niet mijn gebruikelijke genre, en eerder een kinderboek dan een YA. Best sfeervol en sprookjesachtig, maar de plot erg ingewikkeld zodat je uiteindelijk met een gevoel blijft zitten dat het niet helemaal klopt, maar ook geen zin meer hebt om dat uit te vogelen. En ook the point of it all.

[lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so amazing this has ballet shoes vibes with a fantasy twist and also game element written in a way you would never expect. This is such a hidden gem.

[Andy Kowalski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feel good book, easy to read. Would have liked more in depth character development and description throughout. Overall a good read!

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich in time are the sick and injured, near drowning in long days of boredom, swimming in and out of sleep. Celeste tried to use these unchained hours to make sense of where she was: in an iron bed with linen sheets and ironed pillowcases.

For the first few days after the accident she felt that she was drifting on clouds, hanging on a thread between sky and sea. Her whole body was bandaged, white upon white. There was snow and only a short breath of day that was all too soon swallowed in the darkness of curtains drawn tight against the cold. Candlelight danced across wallpaper making strange shapes that wandered into her dreams.

Celeste couldn’t remember the order of things that had brought her to this soft bed. Time passed, people came, she heard what they had to say. Among them was Madame Sabina Petrova, talking to the doctor.

“Will she live?”


First impressions: I knew that I had to read this as soon as I saw the summary, even though, at the time, I was on blog hiatus as was trying not to commit to any more blog tours. Yet, I just could no turn this one down because I was so excited to see another book by Sally Gardner, especially one which mentioned so many things I loved – the theatre setting, themes of family and loss and a magical game with high stakes.

When I started reading I was instantly transported into Celeste’s world and came to love her as well as all of the other characters dearly. Each character is realised so fully even in just a few lines, from the King creeping up into his box in the theatre, to Anna, the governess to Hildegarde, an unloved daughter to an ungrateful mother and everyone in between. I found myself heavily invested in everyone’s fate, cheering on Celeste as she attempts to figure out the riddles of man in emerald green, makes mistakes and breakthroughs and, ultimately, has to make choices that could determine her own future as well as those around her.

The setting is also richly illustrated, with a myriad of little touches which made it perfection. I liked how the city is referred to only as C-, which reminded me of old travelogues. The gleaming crystal chandelier representing the souls lost on a ship where every passenger mysteriously disappeared, leaving their meals uneaten and belonging undisturbed, was both a beautiful yet slightly disturbing image.

This book kept me guessing right up until the end and I could really feel Celeste’s frustration as she tried to figure out how to win ‘the Reckoning’ when it seems as if the odds are stacked against her. I loved how the folklore and stories of the world in which the story is set are woven organically through the narrative with various characters referring to stories that they have heard of the Albatross or the Gutter of Time, where everything is suspended between one moment and the next.

“I saw the man in the emerald suit again,” said Celeste. “After the chandelier fell.”

“He’s very contrary,” said Maria, “and not to be trusted. He told me first he wanted me to dance. But he didn’t.“

“What else?”

“To guess his name. I believed that was a trick, so I concentrated instead on my ballet.“

“You are the answer to all that’s been missing.” said Celeste. She lay back on the pillows. “Do you remember that fairy tale? It was to do with midnight.”

“Yes. I thought it was just a story to frighten children,” said Maria, moving onto the bed.

“I used to think that too,” said Celeste. ” I remember one part – if you were to wake on the dot of twelve minutes to midnight then…then you…”

“Then you would vanish into the gutter of time,” said Maria. “A kingdom ruled by…” She paused, trying to recall the story.

“A man in an emerald green suit?” suggested Celeste.

What I liked: The magic of the story, the relationships between the characters, how the mystery keeps twisting and turning, tightening around the reader in such a way that it is impossible to stop reading. This is a wonderfully-atmospheric and magical story which will transport you into its world and is the perfect read to curl up with on a cold winter’s night.

Even better if: I feel like I will get even more out of this on a second read-though as there were definite hints and red herrings which led me astray during my first read-through.

How you could use it in your classroom: This would make a fantastic addition to any library catering for readers aged 9+ and is guaranteed to be popular with any fans of magical realism, especially those who have enjoyed books by Amy Wilson such a A Far Away Magic, A Girl Called Owl or Snowglobe. This would also be a great follow-up read for anybody who has enjoyed Nevermoor, The House with Chicken Legs or anything by Abe Elphinstone. I will be adding a number of copies to our school library and recommending it as a book that teachers could use in the classroom to pick out elements of descriptive language, character-building and scene-setting, all of which are done masterfully in this book.

[happylittlebirdy · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what sort if genre you call this kind of book, but I like it. All these full of small, surreal magic which owe something to fairy tales and something to historical novels are right up my street. Though it's never described in particular detail the settings of this book are lovely to imagine - there's just enough clues about it on the pages to fuel an image of it. The characters feel a lot like characters from a children's adventure story, but it doesn't feel like a children's book. I will keep an eye out for more of Gardner's work.

[Sammm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend to: Fans of The Night Circus/Caraval/The Crown's Game, or people who expected those books to be more than what they are, and possibly with less angst and romance lmao; at least give this one a go? =P

Oh, this so wonderful. <3 And I encountered it completely by accident! I was checking out a Twitter account of an author whose book I went checking if being a standalone lol, and just so happened to see the author retweeted about this book! It was so by chance but I'm so glad I went spontaneous and just gave it a go. 5 for 4.5~5.

(Note: I was very disturbed by a certain character's behavior, and was positively furious about it on multiple occasions, which reflects in my reading status updates; that said, I still encourage people to give this book a try, because, by the end of it, the sorry excuse of existence for that character was completely forgotten and I was just so happy about this book that, I had to come back to this review and add this part, just in case people thought I was okay with the appalling manner lol.)

I tagged time travel in a very loose sense. Ever watched the original Jumanji film adaptation? If not, consider this spoiler for that film. So, after finishing the game, things clearly went VERY different from the original timeline. So I'd count that erasing and altering events... which... kinda involves time travel cuz they were brought back to the point before everything went south. lol Time travel is never ever the focus or acknowledged, but I personally wouldn't feel incredulous if someone say there's time travel in that film. I mean, it really wasn't the point but it's more concise than trying to say "and they went back to the time when they [...]", like seriously, that sounds like time travel lmao.

But yeah, this books also involves a game, and it's one of those that's vague as heck. Apparently the game has happened multiple times, but from the context, I think the criteria would differ each time depending on who's playing it. There's a reason for that, because it happens on ships that were lost in the seas; passengers may be offered to play the game and to beat it so hey can wake up from some kind of limbo, or at least, that's what I got lmao. So because of that, the circumstances would be different.

It gave me some fright when it dawned to me what was going on, because I really, really, really didn't want to finish the book only to find out all the passengers had died, and now they can move on, to Heaven, or something; so I'm glad my temporary fear didn't come true.

Was completely unaware of the mythology-like association with the albatross, in fact, because I'm not familiar with bird's names in general, I actually had to look up what an albatross is. So I learned something new. =D

Oh, and this is totally perfect for a film adaptation. Seriously. I'm not a dedicated Tim Burton fan per se, but I can totally see his style bringing this book to life, or I should say, without an adaptation, I visualize this book with that kind of vibe. =D

[Jayne Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read Sally Gardner’s other novels The Red Necklace etc I was hoping for a similar page turner. Whilst an interesting story line, Invisible in a Bright Light didn’t quite meet the grade for me. I enjoyed the characterisation but found it lacking in connection.
This will not stop me eagerly awaiting any new novels so keep up the good work Sally.

[Book Inspector · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is told from multiple perspectives and the protagonist of this book should be Celeste, a girl who wakes up in a basket as someone else, a girl called Maria. Celeste is very confused about who is this Maria, and why she is living her life. Even though this book tells Celeste’s journey, for me, the true protagonist of this book is Hildegard, a young girl, who was abused and bullied by her self centred mother. This whole story is kind of about her. That is the beauty of this book, the characters are so closely connected and entwined, that it makes this book a one beautiful and complex work of art.

I have to admit, this book was quite hard to read sometimes. Even though the plot is great and absorbing, the writing style felt quite jumpy and chaotic, and that made this book a little difficult to understand sometimes. I have to admit, if I would read it as a child, it would not make sense to me, but reading it as an adult, I truly learned how to enjoy it to the fullest. The author discussed very important topics in this book, such as emotional and physical abuse against children, lack of confidence in children, loss, friendship, self-obsession, and many more. The plot was quite layered, sometimes it is a ghost story, sometimes an adventure and it is filled with plenty of magic as well, all these changes in the atmosphere kept me entertained throughout the pages. 🙂

This book has a truly magical setting. It is set in the theatre of a mysterious city of C- and the whole novel feels very artistic and indulging. I could feel from the way it was written, that the author knew theatre and the way it works very well, her personal experience was shining through the pages of this book. The chapters of this book are quite short, and it was a quick read for me. The ending of the book was very surprising, but rounded the story very nicely, and left me, as a reader, very satisfied.

So, to conclude, this middle-grade children’s book was not the easiest of reads, but it has a great variety of very closely connected characters, that give this book a lot of richness, magic, and inspirational power. The plot of this book filled me with many emotions, I was angry, sad, surprised, intrigued and never bored. I think this novel is great not only for children but for parents as well.

[Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Zephyr Books for sending me a gorgeous hardback edition of this book for review.

From the very first chapter in this book, I was completely hooked. The writing and the content of Invisible In A Bright Light is so gripping that it just draws you in and keeps you reading for hours on end - and that’s exactly what I did today.

Invisible In A Bright light features a young girl called Celeste who, in the very first chapter, is playing a game with a strange man in an emerald suit. Celeste doesn’t know the rules of this game or even how to play it but she is told that if she wins and completes The Reckoning then the sleepers will be saved. (What sleepers you may ask, and I may tell you, I have no idea, that’s just what they are called and I don’t even know what they are!) It appears that the first chapter must of been a dream because soon Celeste wakes up and finds herself in a Royal Opera House where everyone there thinks she is someone else, but Celeste is Celeste, she knows she is Celeste, but everyone else doesn’t believe her. She can remember a time, a different time, where she had a happy life and she remembers certain things.
Anyway - the whole point of the game is to pass the man in the emerald suit’s Reckoning and save the sleepers for if Celeste loses, then they all lose.

I loved the story to this book, it felt magical and gave me a couple of Alice In Wonderland Vibes. I will admit I was a tad confused in places with some things but I don’t know if that was intended or if it was just me. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters but the one I did like the most had to be Hildegard. Her story was so heartbreaking yet beautifully executed in a way that I couldn’t help care for her and wish her story ended differently. I found this book to feel like a bit of a dark fairytale but not too dark for younger readers.

Overall, it was a joy to read and I recommend this to anyone who needs a little bit of magic and mystery in their reading.

[Kerry https://likeherdingcatsblog.wordpress.com Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invisible in a Bright Light is an enchanting and exquisite story where reality and fantasy become so blurred it’s hard to see which is which.

Waking from a strange dream Celeste the theatre rat (the lowest worker) is left feeling surreal and unsure of everything. Some of her memories are distorted and people seem to think she is someone else. She has foggy memories of a different kind of life where her surroundings feel familiar but she cannot put her finger on why. What’s more! A strange dream occurs in which Celeste is playing a game. It’s a game of life and death but how can she play when her memories are hazy and she has no idea what the game is?

The setting of this novel is so stunningly immersive. The opera house is intricately described I was completely lost in Celeste’s world for a while. Other settings are as equally detailed and provide stunning backdrops to this story.

The plot itself is a carefully woven story of mystery and intrigue and it’s difficult not to give anything away. After the crashing of the chandelier more clues to her identity are revealed and Celeste begins to piece together the mystery. The pace is just perfect and the as a reader I couldn’t stop reading until I had answers for everything. Detailed and full of surprises, the plot may be a little too overwhelming and abstract for children in the lower age bracket of middle grade but advanced readers and older children (and adults of course) will be captivated by Celeste’s story.

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy of this book, unsolicited, by the publisher in exchange for review.

When I received this in the post I read the synopsis and was instantly excited to read it. I loved the sound of the plot and I do enjoy a magical middle grade story which I hoped this was. Unfortunately I think this was a little bit of the wrong book at the wrong time for me. I picked this one up right after finishing Godsgrave as I thought I wanted something completely different but I was still in a bit of a book hangover when I read this one.

By no means was this a bad book. The plot was interesting, although I did find myself a little bit lost at the beginning, and had some fun magical elements to it. The writing was great too. It had a really whimsical and childlike feel to it which I think fit really well with the story.

The characters were fun too, our main character was strong and knew her own mind. The 'villain' character was interesting and just the right amount of mean for a middle grade book. There were also some great themes of friendship and supporting others running throughout this book.

Overall, as I said, it wasn't a bad book however, I did find myself struggling at times but I think that's due to the fact that I was in a little bit of a book hangover. I can really see this being enjoyed by many children and adults alike.

[Amy (Golden Books Girl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In her latest novel, Sally Gardner expertly tells the story of a girl named Celeste, who is working in a theatre in a sort of parallel universe in order to try and win a very dangerous game called the Reckoning in order to return her to her normal life and the people she loves. It’s EXTREMELY hard to explain the plot of this book, basically, as you’ve likely gathered from that rambling attempt, but I promise it’s a really original and interesting concept, with great execution. I did find myself getting very confused with what was happening sometimes, but in fairness that may have been intended, or it could be that I was just being dim! I really liked Celeste, and lots of the other characters- I think my particular favourites have to be Maria and Hildegard though, particularly the latter. Her storyline was so beautiful yet also heartbreaking, and without any spoilers the ending regarding her made me cry quite a bit. Overall, this is such a clever story, and definitely one I’d recommend if you want something a bit different; I saw a description of it somewhere as a dark fairytale and that explains in a nutshell pretty perfectly.

[Daisy, Daffodils and other letters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liebe Daisy,

heute melde ich mich mit meiner Rezension zu „Unsichtbar im hellen Licht“ von Sally Gardner, das in einer Übersetzung von Alexandra Ernst 2021 beim Verlag Freies Geistleben erschienen ist (Orig. Invisible in a bright light, 2019). Ich habe das Jugendbuch bei meinem letzten Ausflug in die Buchhandlung entdeckt und mich sofort in das wunderschöne Cover (Gestaltung: Helen Crawford-White) verliebt. Als ich dann gelesen habe, dass es um Theater geht, war klar, dass dieses Buch in mein Regal einziehen muss. Das Buch wird ab 12 Jahren empfohlen, ich denke, dass aber bereits Leser:innen ab 10 Jahren Freude daran haben können; ich würde es jedoch um die Triggerwarnung ergänzen, dass hier häusliche Gewalt abgebildet, aber nicht wirklich aufgearbeitet wird.

Inhalt
Als ich das Buch gekauft habe, hatte ich ein bisschen die Hoffnung, dass es ähnlich wie Caraval von Stephanie Garber werden könnte. Das ist es überhaupt nicht. Es erinnert mich eher an eine Mischung aus Fluch der Karibik und Das doppelte Lottchen. Auf eine sehr wirre Art und Weise. Ich muss sagen, dass ich über weite Strecken wahnsinnig verwirrt von den Vorkommnissen war und auch fand, dass sich einige Themen nicht genügend durch den Roman gezogen haben, um Sinn zu ergeben. Ich werde mich trotzdem um eine knappe Inhaltsangabe bemühen:

Am Königlichen Theater in K. wird eifrig für eine neue Premiere geprobt. Celeste war immer schon Teil der Theaterfamilie, doch als sie an diesem Tag aufwacht, scheint einiges ganz anders zu sein als sie es in Erinnerung hat. Und dann ist da auch noch dieser merkwürdige Traum über einen Mann in einem smaragdgrünen Anzug, der meint, sie müsse das Spiel mit ihm Spielen und es gewinnen, um Schlimmes zu verhindern. Doch wie genau gewinnt man ein Spiel, dessen Regeln man nicht kennt?

Schreibstil
Ich muss sagen, dass ich sehr unschlüssig bin, was den Schreibstil angeht. Das Buch ist (bis auf den Epilog) in der dritten Person verfasst und springt häufig, teilweise alle paar Sätze zwischen der jeweils fokalisierenden Figur. Dennoch bleibt die Erzählung wahnsinnig äußerlich und – für mein Empfinden – behauptet. Ich hatte nicht das Gefühl, dass das Buch mich dazu einlädt, mit den Figuren mitzufühlen. Weiter noch: Ich hatte teilweise das Gefühl, dass den Figuren selbst nicht eingeräumt wurde, Empfindungen auszuleben. Sei es bei großen Freudenmomenten oder bei tragischen Erlebnissen. Das Buch war extrem stark auf die Handlung konzentriert. Dadurch, dass die Figuren aber oft nicht emotional auf diese reagierten, blieb viel davon leere deskriptive Behauptung für mich. Um ein kurzes Beispiel zu nennen (Achtung: Vager Spoiler): Im Laufe des Buches stirbt eine enge vertraute Person einer der Hauptfiguren. Dies wird mit zwei Sätzen abgehandelt und danach macht diese Figur weiter wie bisher. Derartige Situationen, in denen Verlust thematisiert werden könnte und – wie ich finde – müsste, finden sich leider häufiger. Dass darüber hinweggegangen wird, hat dem Buch leider etwas von seiner Glaubwürdigkeit genommen.

Glaubwürdigkeit
Das bringt mich nochmal zurück zu dem Inhalt und dessen Glaubwürdigkeit im Allgemeinen. Ich hatte leider das Gefühl, dass viele Handlungsstränge nur dann aufploppten, wenn es gerade passte, anstatt dass sie wirklich in die Geschichte eingewoben waren. Etwa die Dringlichkeit, das Rätsel um den Mann im grünen Anzug zu lösen. Diese geht zwischenzeitlich völlig verloren, weil sich andere Themen in den Vordergrund drängen. Ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sie zumindest ab und an erwähnt wird; nicht zuletzt, um die Spannung zu halten.
Analog muss ich leider sagen, dass ich die Figuren und die Beziehungen zwischen ihnen leider ebenfalls mehr behauptet fand. Dadurch, dass ihren jeweiligen Emotionen so wenig Raum gegeben wird, blieben sie für mich stereotypisch und platt. Mir ist über diese knapp 400 Seiten keine einzige der Figuren ans Herz gewachsen und ich könnte nicht sagen, was auch nur eine einzige davon richtig ausmacht. Das ist schade.
Obwohl ich einen guten Lesefluss hatte und auch an der Geschichte drangeblieben bin, muss ich sagen, dass ich sie bis jetzt nicht verstanden habe. Das fing beim Prolog an, den ich tatsächlich drei Mal gelesen hatte und am Ende davon noch immer nicht wusste, was er von mir wollte. Ich verstehe absolut, wenn Autor:innen einen gerne mitten in ihre Geschichten werfen. Aber mit einem derart konfusen Dialog zu beginnen, hat mich doch etwas irritiert. Wobei sich diese Irritation im Bezug auf den Mann im grünen Anzug tatsächlich durch die ganze Geschichte gezogen hat. Ich habe bis jetzt nicht verstanden, warum er derart verquer spricht, was seine Agenda ist, warum er sich nicht an Abmachungen hält und was genau die Begründung ist, dass sein Handlungsstrang derart endet, wie er es tut. Das ist leider minimal unzufriedenstellend. Versteht mich nicht falsch, ich mag Bücher, die einem Rätsel aufgeben, egal ob Krimis oder Fantasyromane wie Caraval. Ich habe große Freude daran, Hinweise zu sammeln und zu versuchen, diese zusammenzubauen. Aber in diesem Fall ließ sich nichts sammeln und das Ende fühlte sich komplett willkürlich (Stichwort: Deus ex Machina) an.

Das soll nicht heißen, dass das Buch als Ganzes schlecht war. Ich mochte es über weite Strecken. Nämlich diejenigen, in denen kaum Fantasyelemente vorkamen. Die, in denen wir uns im späten 19. Jahrhundert im dänischen Winter befanden und die Figuren in ihrem Theateralltag begleitet haben. Das waren die Passagen, die mich tatsächlich verzaubert haben.

Fazit
Ich hatte einen guten Lesefluss, das kann ich nicht abstreiten. „Unsichtbar im hellen Licht“ ist also definitiv kein schlechtes Buch. Bloß ein verwirrendes, dessen Fatasyelemente für mich keinen bzw. zu wenig Sinn ergeben haben. Aber vielleicht hast du ja Lust, zu versuchen, das Rätsel zu entwirren. Wenn es dir gelingt, gib mir bitte unbedingt Bescheid. Ich hätte da ein paar Fragezeichen in meinem Kopf.

Deine Daffy

[penmumble penmumble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I adore this story. It is a beautiful mix of fun and exciting, with such a classic style of storytelling and delightful characters.
The story, set in the world of theatre, is so otherworldly and magic. The world is dark and unpredictable but with enough light to keep the characters fighting. The mystery is unveiled in a satisfying way and with great pace, giving you enough to keep you wondering. The riddles are solved in a smart and creative way.
Celeste and Maria are such a great team. I was rooting for them and their journey from the beginning, and the riddles and tricks make for a story that is really hard to leave! I finished the whole book too fast because it was actually quite addictive.
Magic, classy, tangible. Highly recommended! :D