TILDA IS VISIBLE

You know how women start to feel invisible as they age? Australian author Tara makes it really happen.

Expect a surfeit of winsome wisdom; every chapter starts with an aphorism, and more adages are sprinkled throughout the characters’ pun-laced, cleverly entertaining conversations. After all, 52-year-old Tilda Finch is the co-owner—with her best friend, Leith—of a company creating “inspirational posters and products.” Although Tilda’s husband left her five years ago, her life in an upscale beachside suburb of Sydney seems enviable. A gifted photographer, she’s surrounded by a close cadre of friends and is the devoted, beloved mother of successful, happy twin girls about to turn 21. Then one morning, Tilda wakes up and can’t see her pinky, then her ear. Neither is gone—they’re just not visible. Her doctor explains that Tilda has “invisibility disorder,” an incurable condition according to mainstream medical studies. The doctor recommends a support group. Tilda is disappointed that most of the group members accept that they’ll eventually be completely invisible, although some members do offer funny lines about whether Michael Jackson suffered from the disorder since he “had the signs.” Undaunted, she decides to fight her encroaching disappearance with the help of controversial neuroplasticity therapist Selma, who claims that if Tilda rewires her brain, defanging the memories of past traumas that control her thoughts, she can reverse her condition. Meanwhile, Tilda meets Patrick Carpenter, a handsome, blind musician and wealthy meditation-app entrepreneur. Tilda feels “seen” by Patrick as she never did with her ex-husband. As she evolves from cynicism concerning what she calls “woo-woo” to an embrace of Patrick and Leith’s spiritual, mindful approach to life, the novel feels like her company’s extremely witty—if manipulative—marketing pitch to women who want to identify with the travails of rich, beautiful, talented, and adored Tilda.

For better or worse, this is the perfect read for fans of various TV series starring Nicole Kidman.