PRINTThe Visibles-Review
Amazon.com
May 14, 2009 | 12:00 a.m. CST
DNA. It’s more than an acronym for an acidic tongue twister. It’s where you place blame when your hairline begins to recede and why you unintentionally find yourself imitating the square personalities of your parents. It ultimately determines what you look like based on those who came before you. So for those with a less-than-ideal lineage like protagonist Summer Davis in The Visibles, the infamous double helix can wind up causing chaos and confusion.
When Summer learns from her high school substitute that DNA binds us internally and externally, she is petrified. A few days before this random epiphany, Summer’s mother walks out on the family. This leaves the clan in a state of denial as they try to explain her actual whereabouts to others and to themselves. Her father, once a successful dermatologist, struggles daily with depression, and because of it, he becomes a burden to Summer’s mobility. In addition to that, her brother, Steven, physically and emotionally separates himself from the family after their mother’s departure. But as broken down as Summer’s familial surroundings appear, she is in her own state of disarray.
Disturbed by the prospect of an unstable future, Summer lives an equally insecure present. A social misfit struggling to make it out of adolescence alive, the young girl turns away from the few friends she has in hopes of keeping her extensive list of problems under wraps. She even steals from others to pretend she’s living the existence of someone else. As Summer becomes more obsessed with DNA, enough to persuade her to study it at NYU, she suddenly decides to leave school to care for her great-aunt Stella. Through her experiences with Stella and her Frank Sinatra-lovin’ free spirit, Summer realizes that the only thing holding her back is herself.
Some would call it a coming-of-age work, but author Sara Shepard, known for her young adult work Pretty Little Liars, is hoping to garner a more mature audience with this narrative. Containing as much angst as there is wit, the book is a quick and enjoyable work of fiction for anyone trying to escape the unrealistic nonsense of vampire courtship and memoirs written by con artists. A rare effort reminiscent of films such as Igby Goes Down and the short-lived television show Arrested Development, The Visibles is a book that will move you with its relatable characters and multifaceted plot line. In the real world, everyone has problems, and problems delivered in such a stripped-down manner make The Visibles entertaining. Through Summer’s efforts to cope with abandonment and the apprehension of an uncertain future, she learns more about herself and the importance of family bonds. So will the reader. It might not contain the melodrama and special effects of Twilight, but its honesty is what makes the novel stand out. The Visibles can make you feel many things, but more than anything, it can help you appreciate the most arbitrary of things. Even if it’s just the wide backside and bossy personality you inherited from your kin.
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