The Invisible

Harald Fors #1

by Mats Wahl, Katarina Tucker (Translator)

One ordinary Monday morning in May, Hilmer Eriksson walks into his high school classroom and discovers that he has become invisible. No one can see him, no one can hear him. In fact, a police detective named Harald Fors arrives at school that very morning to investigate Hilmer's disappearance. The boy has no idea what's going on, but he's frightened, and he's starting to forget things - including what happened to him a few nights earlier. Detective Fors suspects foul play, and those suspicions lead him - trailed by the ghostlike presence of Hilmer - to a group of skinheads. These unpopular, disaffected kids are very vocal about their Nazi sympathies. But how does Hilmer's life intersect with theirs? As Fors scours the village and interviews area residents for clues, he begins to piece together the puzzle of Hilmer's disappearance. Meanwhile Hilmer waits, silently, to discover what has happened to him.

In this riveting mystery set in northern Sweden, Mats Wahl deftly alternates between the policeman's and the victim's points of view, as the story of a missing-persons case shifts with a sad inevitability into a heartbreaking murder investigation.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, School, Supernatural, Fiction, Crime, Sweden

186 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

Mats Wahl (1945-2025) was a Swedish author. He has published 43 books but also written several plays for the theatre, TV programs, novels and movies. Vinterviken (in English: The Winter Bay) is one of his most famous books, which is also a film.

Reviews

[Lisa Rathbun · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this at all. The book began with Hilmer's point of view, which had the potential to be interesting, but then the book switched to primarily the detective's POV. There were a couple chilling parts early on, as Hilmer realizes that he's not just invisible but that something has happened to his face. But there is no suspense or mystery about who did it. Actually, near the end, it becomes more of a statement about the ineffectiveness of the Swedish justice system in dealing with juvenile criminals. The book just seems empty. Really depressing and pointless. (L)

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

I was not at all impressed with this book. This is one of the few times that I liked the movie better than the book. I saw the movie a few years ago when it came out, and they did change a lot of the story for it. But, what they changed made the story smoother, more interesting and more compelling.

The story itself had a lot of potential. The book starts with Hilmer going to class. It doesn't take him long to realize that no one seems able to see him. Then, a police officer comes into the classroom to announce that Hilmer has disappeared, and anyone with information should come forward. Hilmer is confused and concerned. He decides to follow the officer to determine anything he can about what is going on. He panics as he realizes that he can't remember anything from the day he disappeared. After that, other than a few disjointed, awkward paragraphs, we are no longer listening to Hilmer, and are instead following the police officer, Detective Fors, and it's his thoughts we hear.

Once we switch narrators, the book loses whatever momentum and appeal it had. There is absolutely no sense of urgency to the story. Everything meanders calmly from one place to another. This tempo is fine in certain stories, and at times, it can actually enhance the reading experience. But no one wants to read a meandering story about a boy who has disappeared and it is assumed that someone made him disappear. Every interview was the same- You are looking for the boy? - Yes, do you know anything? - No, can't say that I do. - Let me know if you think of anything. - Ok. - (SHORT TIME LATER, same person) You knew about this--seriously important piece of information--before?! - Umm, Yes... - Why didn't you tell me?! - I didn't know if it was important, and I didn't want to bring it up... It could cause unnecessary trouble, ya know? Don't make a big deal about it... It could be nothing. Wouldn't want to cause concern now and make the tourists think we were a bad sort, ya know?

None of the townspeople seem to care about this missing boy. Other than Fors, none of the police officers seemed overly concerned about it either, which is shocking because they suspect that someone killed him. It took forever for them to get the dog out to track the scent, and they made a big deal about sending anyone else out there to help. It just seemed ridiculous and bla. No one wants to read how unconcerned a town is when a local boy shows up missing, especially when all the information they have makes it pretty clear that it is very unlikely he would have chosen to leave on his own.


The book was dull, unimaginative and mostly a waste of time. It was originally written in Swedish, and some of the pacing problems I noticed could have come from the translation, but I'll never know and it just wasn't a great read. It wasn't horrible, there just isn't much to recommend the book. It's a great idea, with great potential but the book did nothing with either. This is probably the only time I will say this, but do yourself a favor and just watch the movie instead... (Lightning is now going to strike me down in my hypocracy, but seriously... It's worth it this time...)

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably one of those times when I liked the film better than the book. I think it had a lot of do with the repetitive prose you often find when a book is translated from its original language.

[estefania. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Invisible" is originally a Swedish novel, but was translated by Katarina Tucker to create a great novel full of suspense, twists, and turns.
Ever feel alone, ever feel left out or forgotten? Ever feel invisible? Well, Hilmer Erickson, the main character, knows more about that feeling than anyone else.
Hilmer walks into his school like it was any other Monday morning. However, this Monday would be a lot more different than he would expect; when his classmates ignored him, when school bullies just brushed past him, and when there was a city officer that came into his class to talk about his dissapearance, Hilmer discovers he is invisible.
This novel was great! Your on the search for the person responsible for Hilmer's semi-death, feeling as if you're right next to the detective in charge of finding Hilmer,before it's too late. With interviews and clues and leads and suspiscions, finding the person(s) responsible for such a grand act of violence is woon what your life revolves around.
I began reading thsi novel around ISAT week, and reading it during such an important time was great!
Read it!

[Sarah Freund · Rating 1 out of 5]

Denne bog fangede mig ikke jeg skulle læse den i skolen og det var en kæmpe skuffelse der var intet plot og personerne var ikke realaterbare det er en krimi så jeg forventede mere mystik og spænding end hvad bogen gav mig man kunne gennemskue hvem der havde gjort det. Spar jer selv for bogen.

[yourluvlyyanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So geweint ohne Spass

[Neile B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story moved along quickly, however I wasn't fully captivated by it. The ending is much different, in more ways than one, than I thought it would be. This book was just ok for me.

[danea · Rating 2 out of 5]

i has to read this for school💀

[Nicki Viktorsson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inte riktigt en bok för mig. Ser den lite som vaniljglass, en bok som skulle kunna uppskattas av de flesta unga men i mitt tycke inte så märkvärdig.

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I unfortunately did not enjoy this book that much. I found the beginning really interesting, with the main character Hilmer suddenly realising he's kind of ended up in limbo for some reason he cannot remember. Everyone is looking for him, saying he's dissapeared - and he can't even remember his own family. This intrigued me, and I was eager to find out more about Hilmer's situation and why it was what it was.
But then the story completely forgets about that, and we only get to follow criminalist Fors in his search for Hilmer. The following 150 pages are 80% dialogue - which in the end felt kind of boring to read. There's little to no descriptions of the characters and their environment. I didn't have a clear image of any character in this book - which made it hard for me to relate to them and feel what they were feeling. The lack of character development drags the story down, as does the very rushed ending. I felt no suspense whatsoever in the last 50 pages - because it was already clear who the "bad guys" were. The author focuses on making them look as bad as possible instead of giving them a "concrete" motive to their actions.
Hilmer being stuck in limbo is pretty much completely left out of the rest of the book, which is such a shame, since I honestly thought that was the most interesting aspect of the book.

So after this major rant - was there anything I liked about this book? Well yes, I liked the way Wahl criticized society and the major political issues that played a huge part in this story. He really made the reader feel the threat of it all, and realise that this is a real thing that should be taken seriously. I was shocked by the actions of the "bad guys", and just thinking about these kind of things still existing in the World really make me horrified, sad, disgusted and uncomfortable.

So I'll give Mats Wahl's book 1,8/5 stars.

[Riah Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Invisible by Mats Wahl is a suspenseful book that is full of mysterious plots. I truly recommend to other readers who enjoy reading mysterious fictions. Hilmer Eriksson, the main character of the book, enters his classroom one day, invisible. No one is able to hear, touch, or see him. As a police detective, Harald Fors, tries to investigate Hilmer Eriksson’s disappearance, he collects some of the major clues around the village and ultimately pieces together the violent event that Hilmer had to suffer. Mats Wahl does an excellent job in providing detailed-descriptions: “…Light-colored furniture, two sofas placed together at an angle, an old tile stove, and a large TV…white clogs were decorated with painted roses…” (Wahl 54). With these descriptions, Mats Wahl allows the readers to picture the scene and understand the suspenseful mood of the book better. The author also clearly explains the expression and the emotions of the main character, Hilmer: “...Hilmer tried crawling… over the wet grass, shivering from the cold…But no one heard and one saw, because Hilmer was invisible.Just like his hopes. Just like his life. The rotted leaves of autumn in his mouth” (126). Throughout his book, Mats Wahl clearly portrays the desperate situation of Hilmer and how miserable his life was during the event. Not only does The Invisible focus on the tragedy of the victim of the crime but it also introduces the readers to the victim’s point of view.

[Jon Merkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not the same as the movie.






Now that that's out there, I'd like to expand on that a little. :) After a bit of thinking and feeling a little cheated at just how different the two are, I came to the realization that they were both done in a way that is equally as effective for their media format.

I really didn't like the movie when I first (and for the second time) saw it. It made me think a bit, though. After watching the second one and talking about it with someone, I came to accept it as an effective movie in it's thought provoking way of handling and relaying the whole situation that these Americans were going through.

Now for the reason anyone would read this: the book. As I was going through it, I kept trying to expect things I saw in the movie and kept finding other things instead. It wasn't what I expected; it was better. It was brought out in a way that would not work at all for any method other than a book. It had a certain feel to it that kept true to what feelings I expected and, (unlike too many stories) I wasn't able to guess how it ended. It really was a great book and it kept true to it's format by using the advantages that the book format has for conveying great stories.

[Sine Nomine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is rare, but the movie is better than this book it is based upon. I first watched the movie years ago when I was still in high school, and I got obsessed with it. After years I managed to get my hands on the novel. It is hard to find the book because it is initially in Swedish translated into English. I wish I could give it 2.5 stars because I am generous by giving it a rating of 3 stars. They changed around 80% of the book in the movie, and I am glad they did! The story in the book is just plain and simple. It is about a boy who gets brutally beaten by a group of three Neo-Nazi bullies. The boy becomes invisible outside his body while dying in a hidden place. The culprits get arrested, and the boy doesn't make it at the end. The movie added plenty of details and spiced up each of the characters' stories, making it unforgettable. Still, the book is okay and not dull.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book meant a lot more to me since I've started reading more books by Swedish authors. What some people described as a "problematic" style of writing, I found it to be straightforward yet symbolic, dialogue-rich yet with a quickly advancing plot. It felt very real to me, like I too was invisible and following Detective Fors through his investigation. I highly recommend this book--quick read, v. good!

[Bryan Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would very very very much recommend this book to anyone. Very gripping story about human nature, and the nature of relationships and shame. I would also very much recommend the movie of the same name, as it is a very well done American take on this Swedish book, that just so happens to have an AMAZING soundtrack.

[Senka · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is probably one of those times when I liked the film better than the book.

[Mariana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book at all. I watched the movie three or four times and I love it. The book is very different from the movie, and the story is very slow. I didn't care about the characters.

[Alberte Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Den var fin nok, men det skal min lærer ikke vide

[Yeji Lim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have selected to read this book because I saw it in our school library bookshelf, but I think I didn’t really enjoy reading this book. First of all, the book itself was really interesting at the beginning of the book, how he is not visible to anyone else and he tries to figure out what’s happening but his memories are slowly disappearing.

Then suddenly the book changes to a detective’s point of view where I felt like the book lost most readers including me. the pace was getting weird and boring. Couldn’t really understand why it suddenly changed the narrator making it confusing. Also, in the book the main character who was invisible seem like he wasn’t really important or people didn’t even care about him in the town. When he is most likely got killed by someone, the police also didn’t seem like they were caring about him too.

I didn’t really feel this book was a mystery book, there wasn’t any real mystery or suspense on who actually did it or if it was even a murder. Which turns out to show that it is more of book that talks about the ineffectiveness of the Swedish justice system dealing with juvenile criminals. It was kind of a boring, I don’t think I would recommend it to others… there is a film version I think the film would have expressed better of what the book is actually trying to show.

[Zach Berndt · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Invisible by Mats Wahl is about a boy named Hilmer Eriksson. Hilmer is a ordinary good high school kid. Until one day when he walks into class and tries to talk to people, but no one answers. He finally realizes he is invisible. His memory starts to fade and he starts to follow around the detective researching his disappearance. He finds out that he disappeared a couple of days ago on his way home from his girlfriends house. He then follows detective Fors around who is investigating his disappearance, to try to find out what happened to him. This story kept me guessing what happened to Hilmer and who did it? I kept asking myself will he be dead when they find him or will he be fine. I also liked how the beginning of the book was wrote in Hilmers point of view it was like you were there living it with him. I did not like how even though it was still Hilmers point of view for the whole book it was like it really shifted to detective Fors point of view. This book I would recommend to young adults who like mystery and suspense novels. Also to anyone who likes a book that was made into a movie. I would give this book two out of five stars because I did not find it that interesting. It was kind of boring to me. It did not really make me want to keep reading after I had found out what had happened to Hilmer, it carried on to long I feel.

[Lauren Beale · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Invisible was one of my favorite movies in my teenage years. It has a little bit of everything: teen angst, suspense, depth of characters, redemption, and the slightest hint at love (more in a sacrificial sense than romantic one).

This book had 0% of that, and overall it was just incredibly dry. I wonder if some of it was lost in translation, because the writing itself was very choppy and bland. But also, the story just didn't really seem to have a purpose. The book primarily follows the detective as he interviews people about the missing student, and then there are a few sentences interspersed where we get to see the student walking around invisible.

Where the movie really explores the complexities of people's circumstances and personalities, the focus of the book is mostly on Swedish politics and hate crimes. I was hoping the book's ending would at least tie things together and lend some sort of deeper insight, but I found it just as scattered and pointless as the rest of the book.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry to say, the ‘catch’ was the worst part of this book. The jarring, uneven use of the ‘ghost’ managed to almost ruin a good detective’s story—of course if you can overlook the fact that an entire town is more concerned with prospective tourists than the fact that a teenager has gone missing and a great deal of evidence points to foul play. There was no huge mystery. The readers can quickly figure out who was guilty of the crime yet enjoy the procedural steps of the detective. Skip the paragraphs of the ‘ghost’ and the last three pages and a reader’s rating would go up.

Thankfully, there was no unnecessary writing and to his credit Wahl managed to convey much of the contemporary sentiments of the Swedes (albeit a smallish population) towards immigrants and their country’s shrinking economy.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best way I can describe this book is a vibe. The atmosphere reminds me of the show The Killing, but, like, dipping your toes into the Killing, it doesn’t go as deep or as dark but it has this depressing ominous vibe and a feeling of a whole town in denial of its dark side.
It also isn’t really a suspense or mystery, I think it’s more of a statement on Swedish law enforcement, though unfortunately some of their comments regarding how rape is handled ring true for where I live as well. I can’t say for sure that the book is supposed to be a statement, not really knowing much about how Sweden’s small towns are run, but that’s how it felt. It wasn’t the best book ever but I liked how ominous it felt and it did make me sad, which I also believe was the point, so it succeeded.

[Anca.T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book at al. The story is very flat and boring. It began with Hilmer's ( the Invisible) point of view, which had the potential to be interesting but it only went downhill from there, when it switched to the detective's point of view. None of the people in town seem to care about this missing school boy. There is no mystery about who did it. You can tell from the start pretty much.
I have to say though, it sheds a light on the ineffectiveness of the Swedish legal system, on how their schools are definitely not all that they're thought to be and how in fact Sweden is not heaven on earth and it has a lot of criminal activity in many many cities.

[Flygaren Cederlöv · Rating 3 out of 5]

En bra bok att ha som klassuppsättning där fokus ligger på rädsla den främlingsfientlighet som växer fram i en liten stad. En stad där företagen lämnar, huspriserna rasar och framtidstron utrotas. I denna tid verkar det saknas en skolinspektion och en fungerande socialtjänst.

Jag hade önskat att författaren gett Hilmer mer utrymme. Jag tänker mig korta kapitel där Hilmer får berätta ur sin synvinkel. Slutet med flickvännen är en besvikelse. Varför inte bara ha slutet att Himler bara... varför försöka mjuka upp döden? En eloge till författaren för att han citerar författaren Christofer Browning.

[Shauna Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is translated from Swedish to English so there are a few language discrepancies. However the flow of the book is still very odd and disjointed. The premise is very chilling and interesting but falls flat. I like books where the point of view changes but in this book it keeps changing at jarring and confusing points throughout the book.
I'm guessing the film may be better( haven't watched it but considering the odd flow of the book I definitely think it would make a way better movie as the scenes are chilling/play with your emotions.
Still the book is worth reading just it needs a bit of editing to smooth out the flow and then it would Def be close to 5 stars.

[Romana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im Großen und Ganzen leicht und angenehm zu lesen. Ich finde nur das Buch gibt einem das Gefühl philosophisch sein zu wollen, aber es bekommt es nicht ganz hin. Die gewissen Passagen sind nicht unbedingt verständlich und man weiß nicht genau was gemeint ist.
Warum der Geist des Hauptcharakters den Kommissar begleitet bis zum Schluss ist, wenn man den Schluss kennt (finde ich) auch nicht so ganz verständlich.

Das Ende war auch eher sehr allgemein gehalten

In einer Geschichte muss nicht immer alles verständlich und erklärbar sein, dafür haben wir ja Fantasie, aber das wären so die Kritikpunkte und Sachen die mir beim Lesen aufgefallen sind. Sowas sollte man eben erwarten

[Gina Ledwich · Rating 2 out of 5]

The people involved are revealed right from the get go. There is no suspense, no mystery. For this being a fiction novel, it reads like NF as if you are reading about an event that happened. The ending was okay, though I wish they would've talked about what happened with the kids involved. The author also started out with the main character (the "invisible") being more involved but kind of dropped after the first half of the book. Maybe things were lost in translation along the way (the book was originally written in Swedish), but not a moment of the book was engaging.

[Mackenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

The prose wasn't really up my alley. It's rather plain, which is fine, it's just not for me. And there was a certain monotony in some of the details/dialogue.
However! There were some beautiful lines and sentiments. I was especially fond of the way the author goes about animating "the invisible" to be both spectral but also an invisible presence made manifest from people constantly thinking of him.

(P.s. I loved the movie when I was younger and while the two are very different I was able to read the book without comparing the storylines and instead let each be as they are.)

[Nanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Decent story about life, death, the afterlife, and teenagers. It is amazing how thoughts of teens are so dramatic during those years because of their upbringing, choice of friends etc... which can affect how they treat others. Being an adult, one forgets how the teenage years can be tumultuous. I think it is a good enough Swedish translation book to make as a reading choice. I am not disappointed that I read it. Will see the motion picture based on this book.