TRANSPARENT

An invisible girl finds it hard to hide in this X-Men–meets–The Godfather debut.

Ever since Radiasure was invented as an anti-radiation pill during the Cold War, genetic mutations have become widespread, and 16-year-old Fiona is the world’s first invisible individual. She has been living in Las Vegas as a spy for her crime-lord father. When he decides to upgrade Fiona’s status from spy to assassin, the teen and her telekinetic mother run away to a small town in Arizona. Despite a few improbabilities (most notably, presuming that a world-renowned celebrity would not be turned in to the media), the quick-paced story, set in the present day, ticks along. Attention to worldbuilding gives interesting details of Fiona’s lifestyle, such as the way she accessorizes to draw attention to the outlines of her body. Even as she constantly worries about her father and her brother, his henchman, catching up with her, she begins to trust and befriend fellow classmates with equally impressive and secret powers of their own. The slow buildup of romance with blue-eyed Seth and the revelation of his special ability heighten the tension and leave Fiona wondering if she’ll ever have a chance at a normal life.

A great fit for fans of unusual love interests, happily free of all the brooding of Twilight.