My reaction to Invisible Monsters is much the same as my great Aunt Kack’s to Northern Exposure back in the 80’s. She couldn’t believe what “they” were putting on TV, and I can’t believe what “they” are putting in print. And yet, just as my great Aunt Kack could be found in front of the boob tube every Monday night, for the past week or so, I could be found sprawled on my sofa reading Invisible Monsters.
When Shannon McFarland’s jawbone is shot off in a drive-by shooting, she winds up in a hospital for an extended stay. On her first venture outside a little boy calls her a monster. Enter Brandy Alexander, who takes Shannon under her wing, shows her how to be exotic and mysterious, and to focus on the future instead of the past. They, plus Shannon’s ex-fiancé Seth, set off to find Brandy’s long lost sister. As each of their intertwined stories unfolds they slowly reveal themselves to be utterly reprehensible. But then, none of the characters, right down to the nun who nurses Shannon back to health, has a single redeeming quality between them.
This is a train wreck of a novel, with an ending that defies description and leaves this librarian speechless.