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bookishblond's review against another edition
4.0
My first taste of Cormier. Unbelievably dark. I can't wait to get my hands on his other novels!
petalat's review against another edition
5.0
FADE is one of those books that make you believe with all your senses that they're as real as can be. it hadn't occurred to me that it's a work of fiction until I reached the back cover. It's about a 13-year old inheriting the gift of the fade, and it takes you through the life of this adolescent boy, who I sympathized with a lot throughout. the writer plays with the idea of "what if one can fade?". It's a dark take on it, it's not a 'breezy' read, you'll be at the edge of your seat. Is it real? Is it not?
poachedeggs's review against another edition
4.0
Cormier is super-weird. I am not sure if his books are really targeted at young adults - perhaps those in the 17-20 age range?
'Fade' is about a boy who can disappear and remain invisible until he wills himself back into being seen. He inherited this dubious gift from his uncle, who had in turn inherited it from his uncle.
There are the usual motifs of bullying, sexual longing and alienation that increasingly seem to me to be key to Cormier's novels. His view of the world is so very dark.
Then again, the unexpected breaks in the structure of 'Fade' won me over. I did not expect the narrative to switch into another voice halfway through the book, and I think it was pretty creative. (I can't say more without giving the story away!)
'Fade' is about a boy who can disappear and remain invisible until he wills himself back into being seen. He inherited this dubious gift from his uncle, who had in turn inherited it from his uncle.
There are the usual motifs of bullying, sexual longing and alienation that increasingly seem to me to be key to Cormier's novels. His view of the world is so very dark.
Then again, the unexpected breaks in the structure of 'Fade' won me over. I did not expect the narrative to switch into another voice halfway through the book, and I think it was pretty creative. (I can't say more without giving the story away!)
thebeardedpoet's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up Fade by Robert Cormier knowing nothing about it except that a boy discovers he has the power of invisibility. I was thoroughly unprepared for the dark depiction of human depravity. Being unseen, Paul witnesses what people do behind closed doors, in the dark, when they think no one is watching--sexual depravity and cruelty. Murder too is handled in a horrific fashion. Paul's ability to fade is more of a curse than a superpower. And the curse gets more awful as the novel progresses. What did I like about it? It surprised me multiple times (and I won't spoil it for anyone.) Also it was extremely well written with solid literary prose. There's even a postmodern "story within the story" device that works quite well. The story as a whole held me mesmerized. Even though I was horrified by several scenes, I kept wanting to know how it was going to turn out.
wolfdreamer's review against another edition
4.0
An intense book, full of twists and disturbing scenes. It was the kind of story I expect from Cormier, controversial and gripping. If you're a Cormier fan, don't miss this one. If you've never read Cormier before, start elsewhere.
mike_diamond's review
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dani005's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a strange mixture of fictional history and fantasy. However, the book was slow, and it was so focused on building its characters that I had thought the author must be trying to portray some kind of theme or idea through the actions of these characters however, there wasn't any circumstance where I felt connected to any of the characters in this book. Neither was there a message, atleast not one that I could discern.
It was a strange and sad book. It had strong depictions of the hard work people put into their lives with little to show for it; often in a sense these people lived their lives in this book before as the book put it, "faded away." Maybe there is some message there, something to do with life and its uncertain courses and the sad turns it takes but I certainly didn't pick up on any such message.
I found this book for the most part slow, and it didn't really rise to any climax and it had little of an interest to me or anything that I could have related too. It took me a long time to finish this book because I honestly could not get into the story. I would lose interest after a few pages and set the book down and find something else to fill my time with. It was an okay book, however it just wasn't a book for me I guess.
It was a strange and sad book. It had strong depictions of the hard work people put into their lives with little to show for it; often in a sense these people lived their lives in this book before as the book put it, "faded away." Maybe there is some message there, something to do with life and its uncertain courses and the sad turns it takes but I certainly didn't pick up on any such message.
I found this book for the most part slow, and it didn't really rise to any climax and it had little of an interest to me or anything that I could have related too. It took me a long time to finish this book because I honestly could not get into the story. I would lose interest after a few pages and set the book down and find something else to fill my time with. It was an okay book, however it just wasn't a book for me I guess.
ireneac's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
ncrabb's review against another edition
2.0
Paul Moreaux is 13 when he first notices that cold sensation come over him. It happens during a family photo. Not long after that, when he's about to get beaten badly by neighborhood boys, that sensation happens again, and he somehow finds himself liberated from what he thinks will be an inevitable beating.
Paul's uncle, a rather infrequent visitor to the family. eventually comes to town to seek Paul out and tell him of a family inheritance that seems to travel genetically from uncle to nephew. Paul, it seems, can become invisible at will. Predictably, his 13-yea(ld mind begins to think through the possibilities of invisibility, and he's initially thrilled. Also predictably, he ultimately sees things in his community that frighten and sicken him. The rape of a 13-year-old girl by a storekeeper is just one of the things he sees.
And what happens if one of Paul's nephews determines to misuse the power? Can Paul find a way to prevent him from so doing?
I found this book less than riveting, a bit too predictable, and frankly just kind of ho-hum and silly.
Paul's uncle, a rather infrequent visitor to the family. eventually comes to town to seek Paul out and tell him of a family inheritance that seems to travel genetically from uncle to nephew. Paul, it seems, can become invisible at will. Predictably, his 13-yea(ld mind begins to think through the possibilities of invisibility, and he's initially thrilled. Also predictably, he ultimately sees things in his community that frighten and sicken him. The rape of a 13-year-old girl by a storekeeper is just one of the things he sees.
And what happens if one of Paul's nephews determines to misuse the power? Can Paul find a way to prevent him from so doing?
I found this book less than riveting, a bit too predictable, and frankly just kind of ho-hum and silly.