Living on the edge of Bloemfontein, in South Africa, Maggie scavenges for scraps and grapples with the unreality, a collection of strange visions and slippery thoughts caused by the attack. When she’s approached by strangers who claim she can destroy the shadow monsters, Maggie faces a dilemma: are these people real, and if so, how can she ensure they stay with her forever?
The Invisible Girl is about seeing the world differently, and society’s tendency to ‘other’ people who make them uncomfortable. Many different ideas and experiences inspired this story: life in a backwater city, victim shaming and the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and the search for community in a world that doesn’t tolerate strangeness well.
“What makes this book so good is the skill with which Farley handles Maggie’s mental issues. It’s all told from her point of view, and the way in which Farley shows her thought processes drifting back, and forth between reality and fantasy is staggering. … To tell such a story in just 99 pages, and tell it this well is an amazing achievement, and I recommend The Invisible Girl highly.” Parsec, Dave Brzeski