Customer Reviews

Painting the Invisible Man

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Painting the Invisible Man is a historical fiction novel about an ordinary writer drawn into conducting research on the world of father, a man murdered in a gangland-style hit more than two decades ago. The deeper she immerses herself in the painful and unresolved past, the more obsessed she becomes with uncovering the truth about her father, whom she thinks of as "The Invisible Man." Written with razor-sharp wit, Painting the Invisible Man is an absorbing tale that smoothly blends the quest for truth with the complexities of a self-portrait.

In Painting the Invisible Man, author Rita Schiano introduces us to Anna Matteo, a writer of Italian descend whose father was assassinated by Mafia affiliations when Anna was just a kid. Due to a simple mistake years later, a wrong key stroke while researching on the internet, Anna accidentally uncovers the unpleasant trail of online-newspaper snippets from the trial of her father's killer; a man Anna had known in her youth and whose acquittal had never given Anna piece nor her dead father justice.
Guided by the invisible hand of her muse, Anna finally delves deeper into the investigation of her father's death until she not only finds the courage to see the assassin eye to eye, but also bares free her own inner turmoil of forgiveness and self-acceptance.

With Anna Matteo, Rita Schiano created an extremely realistic character. Anna's thoughts and feelings are expressed in a way that the reader can't help but simply sympathizes with her past. Schiano's style is honest and direct. She lets Anna cuss like a truck driver and love like a daughter. I enjoyed the snappy changes between past tense, where Anna leads us back into her childhood which was enlightened by her mother's love to music and darkened by her father's affiliations and infamy -- and the present tense, where Anna is battling a one-sided battle with her muse and to come up with the courage needed to do the right thing.
Painting the Invisible Man is an entertaining novel of truth, self-discovery, and the deep urge to find inner piece. I've laughed out loud and shed a tear while this story lingered with me long after I turned the last page.

Rebecca Lerwill, author of
Relocating Mia

I enjoyed this book so much I have given it as gifts to many of my family and friends. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down until I finished it. The fact that it is fiction based on fact made it all the more interesting. The way in which the main character learns about her father is most intriguing. How many of us know the whole truth about our family background?

I would recommend this book to anyone.

Rita Schiano's Painting The Invisible Man tells the story of growing up in a family connected to the mafia. What is different about this story is the recollection as an adult the experiences of a childhood that was anything but normal. The book brings the main character to a depth of understanding about her father, showing a range of emotions that ultimately leads to forgiveness.
This book is both entertaining and thought provoking. Recommended to all, especially those of you who like mysteries.

This is a must read! I'm normally only a "mystery / who done it" type of reader, but I found this book to have it's own intrigue of mystery. It was hard for me to put it down. I would highly recommend this book.

Painting the Invisible Man by Rita Schiano is a story about the resilience of a young girl in dealing with her Italian family that is caught up in the world of organized crime. She repeatedly demonstrates flexibility and optimism in making the changes that she feels she must make to honor her commitment and bond to her parents and family. She is a master of dealing with adversity and bouncing back. As a young woman, the main character with courage shows us that it is never too late to go back and put closure on the past. The story is well written. The characters have depth. It is suspenseful and a page turner. I would enjoy seeing it used as a tool to teach these skills and attitudes
- Ron Breazeale Ph.D.
clinical psychologist and author of Reaching Home

Ms. Schiano's 'Painting The Invisible Man' is an absolutely riveting story that reels you in at the start, and holds your hand as it takes you on a bold journey into the life of a person growing up in a Mafia family. The characters are realistic and memorable - people you can definitely relate to and understand - and she has fleshed them out beautifully. You care about what is going on, and where the story takes each character, and she weaves her story in such a way that captures your attention as well as your heart.

I have always been a BIG fan of gangster and mafia-inspired fiction (as well as documentaries) so this was a particularly interesting and enjoyable read for me... I am even attempting to write a gangster-type novel of my own! My hat is off to you, Rita - on a job superbly done!

I was drawn in to this story, and couldn't put it down until it came to a conclusion. The author's style is natural and flowing. I loved the insights into a writer's methods. One side of my family is Italian so I could easily relate to the family relationships portrayed in this book. I plan to read "Painting the Invisible Man" again, for the courage to research a death in my own family history, a death that still has many unanswered questions around it.

Painting the Invisible Man is a must read! I found Rita Schiano's writing style creative, fun, poignant and the story line interesting and thought provoking. From the moment you pick up this book you are captured until it's end. I highly recommend this book!

This book is very well written with a flowing story and outstanding character development. You get up close with the characters especially Anna & Theresa and are involved in their struggles and successes. I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is very difficult to put down.