Cormier, Robert. Fade. Delacorte Press, 2004 (c1988). 310 p. PBK $7.99 ISBN 978-0385731348
SUMMARY: "In the summer of 1938, Paul Moreaux, the thirteen-year-old son of French Canadian immigrants, inherits the ability to become invisible, but this power soon leads to death and destruction."
RISKS: Graphic violence, incest, depictions of sexual abuse,
EVALUATION: Fade is one of Cormier's most fascinating and captivating novels, perhaps because he knows how to make the fantastical appear probable and feel like truth. He also knows how to present the darker side of people in a very convincing manner. Readers are left with little question that the fade, whether it is real or not, brings out an uncontrollable evil side in those it plagues, conjuring images of psychosis. This disturbing element in the book will probably deter some readers, but will no doubt intrigue others.
READER'S ANNOTATION: If everything Paul Roget wrote is true, what does it mean when he claims the power of turning himself invisible? Is it a genuine superpower or an effort to grapple with something terrifying in his life?
TOPICS: supernatural; French Canadians; historical fiction; factories; unions; death; mourning; physical abuse; murder; revenge; self-control
AWARDS: ALA Popular Paperbacks, 2003
Ages 12-17
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