The Unseen World by Liz Moore
Released: July 26, 2016 | Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Coming Of Age
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Ada Sibelius is raised by David, her brilliant, eccentric, socially inept single father, who directs a computer science lab in 1980s-era Boston. Home-schooled, Ada accompanies David to work every day; by twelve, she is a painfully shy prodigy. The lab begins to gain acclaim at the same time that David’s mysterious history comes into question. When his mind begins to falter, leaving Ada virtually an orphan, she is taken in by one of David’s colleagues. Soon she embarks on a mission to uncover her father’s secrets: a process that carries her from childhood to adulthood. What Ada discovers on her journey into a virtual universe will keep the reader riveted until The Unseen World’s heart-stopping, fascinating conclusion.
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The Unseen World was inspired by Liz Moore’s own childhood. Her father was a physicist, and she spent time around his lab, colleagues, and their families. Moore even admitted she once fantasized about being a child prodigy like Ada, the novel’s gifted young protagonist.
REVIEW
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Never has a book stuck with me like this. 🤔💭🤩
Years later, I still find myself thinking about it. Usually, you remember a book because you see it on a shelf, hear it mentioned, or watch a movie or show based on it. This is the only book that comes to mind unprompted. Every now and then, it just creeps into my thoughts, and I’m quietly amazed at how subtly ambitious it is.
When I sat down to write this review, I planned to revisit a few key passages to refresh my memory. Instead, I ended up re-reading the entire book.
Seeing what something has become is never as satisfying as seeing something become.
For context: At its core, this is a coming-of-age story, and I usually dislike those.
But this one is different. At times, it feels less like a typical coming-of-age tale and more like a coming-into-the-world story. Ada is so far beyond her years, she feels more like an introverted adult than a painfully shy 12-year-old. Mentally, she’s already come of age, but she has done so completely closed off from the outside world. We follow her as she discovers the world and herself, grows into adulthood, and embarks on a cerebral journey to uncover her father’s mysterious past.
Liz Moore’s writing style is one of the most accessible I’ve ever encountered. Everything is told straightforwardly, yet with an elegance that captures both the intelligence and sophistication of the characters and the emotional weight of each moment.
Everyone raves about the stunning ending (and it truly is), but the scene that stuck with me most was Ada’s first day of school. The awkwardness, the humiliation. I related deeply. I had my own terrible first day and never wanted to go back.
This might sound corny, but this book is like a fine wine, it gets better with age. Honestly, The Unseen World grows stronger the more time passes, as its emotional power simmers in your subconscious.
It is emotionally devastating and fulfilling at the same time.
For those who love a slow burn.
