When is doing the right thing the wrong thing to do? In a perfect world the answer would be never, but the world is seldom perfect--a hard lesson with tragic consequences for five-year-old Molly and her family in a sleepy rural town.
It's 1955, a time of innocence and simplicity, but behind closed doors, terrible cruelties are taking place at a neighboring farmhouse--its victim helpless to protect herself. Seeking comfort and at least some measure of independence, fifteen year old Nell takes on the role of farmhand, in spite of her youth and gender, and impresses everyone with her strength and reliability. At least at first.
For Molly, who sees Nell as a playmate big sister and even a surrogate mother of sorts, it's inconceivable that someone so sweet could bring so much bitterness and desolation into her life. She has no idea what's coming. As Nell's troubled home life begins to impact her work, attention is drawn to her vulnerability. Consequentially, the seemingly idyllic surface of Molly's family life begins to unravel. With mental illness, resentment, and disillusionment, the family is torn apart at its core. The story unfolds from the perspectives of Molly, her father Billy, her mother Dora, and Nell--each struggling with their sense of invisibility over a ten year struggle.
Author Maret Johanson has created a story that is poignant and insightful, and populated with complex, realistic characters to whom one cannot help but relate and empathize. This is a story of the power of human spirit, the will to survive against all odds, of forgiveness and redemption. As they grapple to put the shattered pieces of their lives back together, nobody will ever be the same. It is impossible not to be affected by ... When I Became Invisible.
