From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–Phil, 17, and his twin, Dianne, live at Visible, a decrepit Gothic mansion in a tiny, provincial German town. Their mother, Glass, 34, is unwed, promiscuous, and self-involved, and she doesn't give a damn about what anyone thinks of her or her children. Dianne is withdrawn and secretive, and communicates better with animals than with people. Unapologetically gay, Phil worries about everyone else's dramas and drives. He daydreams about his American father, of whom Glass refuses to speak. He's too passive to approach gorgeous Nicholas, so he's thrilled when the other boy takes the lead. They meet often for wordless sex, but Phil craves intimacy. When he includes his feisty friend, Katja, in their shenanigans, jealousy and betrayal ensue. Phil's narrative shifts from even, detached present-tense action to minute recollections of, seemingly, every day since his birth. Steinhöfel's female characters are vivid and fascinating, as is Phil when featured in the endless stories he tells about them. Nicholas, however, is so shallow and flatly drawn that it calls Phil's own depth into question. The author has an expert feel for setting, and Visible and its jungle gardens are lushly rendered. While the mysterious mood holds interest, the lulling pace, repetitive detail, and intrusive time shifts derail the plot. Phil's arc from self-pitying bystander to active participant in his own drama is anticlimactic, considering the length of his confessional. Enthusiastic, sophisticated readers, if patient, will be kidnapped by the lyrical, literate prose.
–Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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*Starred Review* Gr. 10-12. Growing up on the edge of a small provincial German town, Phil, 17, knows he is gay, and that his free-spirited mother totally accepts him. All his life he has dreamed of finding the American father who walked out on Mom. Phil loves the gorgeous athlete Nicholas, and they have great sex, but Nicholas is afraid to come out in their conservative community, which regards Phil's mother as a whore and Phil and his twin sister as the "witch's children." Then Phil makes a shocking discovery that helps him grow up and confront truth and lies about family, friends, and lovers. Weaving together Phil's past and present, this long novel, a prizewinner in Germany, is not a quick read. But Jaffa's translation is clear and immediate, and the funny, aching first-person narrative will keep many teens enthralled with the story about secrets and betrayal. As in the best writing, the surprises that seem shocking are revealed as natural parts of character and story, and they raise questions about passion, sex, and intimacy. What does Phil deny about his best friend? Why can't his twin sister speak to Mom? Always leaving space for what is not said, tension builds to the very last page.
Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
