Invisible As Air: A Novel by Zoe Fishman

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

A provocative and timely new novel by the author of Inheriting Edith, one that will haunt you long after the final page is turned…

Sylvie Snow knows the pressures of expectations: a woman is supposed to work hard, but never be tired; age gracefully, but always be beautiful; fix the family problems, but always be carefree. Sylvie does the grocery shopping, the laundry, the scheduling, the schlepping and the PTA-ing, while planning her son’s Bar Mitzvah and cheerfully tending her husband, Paul, who’s been lying on the sofa with a broken ankle.  She’s also secretly addicted to the Oxycontin intended for her husband.

For three years, Sylvie has repressed her grief about the heartbreaking stillbirth of her newborn daughter, Delilah. On the morning of the anniversary of her death, when she just can’t face doing one…more…thing: she takes one—just one—of her husband’s discarded pain pills. And suddenly she feels patient, kinder, and miraculously relaxed. She tells herself that the pills are temporary, just a gift, and that when the supply runs out she’ll go back to her regularly scheduled programming.

But days turn into weeks, and Sylvie slips slowly into a nightmare. At first, Paul and Teddy are completely unaware, but this changes quickly as her desperate choices reveal her desperate state. As the Bar Mitzvah nears, all three of them must face the void within themselves, both alone and together.

my thoughts:

Love, Love, Loved this book!! Fishman knows how to pen a gripping story that will make you cry, laugh, and cheer - they always have all the feels. And they are always beautifully written. This time round, she has created a character that anyone could relate to, which makes the story hit that much closer to home.

Sylvie is grieving, but she doesn't show it.  Instead she tends to her family, goes to PTA, handles the upkeep of her beautiful home, plans her son's Bar Mitzvah, and does it all without even taking care of herself.  Nope, she's too busy to truly think about what she needs. So, one day (the anniversary of her baby's death) she takes a pain pill and she loves how it makes her feel. Soon, she finds herself taking pain pills on the regular and going to great lengths to get access to them.  Her husband and son have no clue until they are forced to face the truth. And that is all I will write about this terrific story. It is a must-read!

I like that Fishman tackles the hot topic of drug addiction.  She explores the ease with which someone can find themselves slipping into addiction and the effects it has not only on the addict, but their family as well. The destructive nature of addiction is shown and it is heartbreaking to read about. Fishman has written an unputdownable story filled with unforgettable characters. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Fishman and anyone looking for their next great read.

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Invisible As Air

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!