Member Reviews

Happy to include this title in the February edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

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I picked this book up after I heard about it from the author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, which I loved even though it was not necessarily my kind of book/genre.

Tilda, in her 50s, wakes up one day and parts of her body are literally disappearing. She is diagnosed with invisibility and learns that that millions of women worldwide suffer from invisibility after the age of 40. And there is no cure.

So, I understand what the author was doing here, but it was too much and too over the top for me. I think I’m the target market for this book, but I barely got through it.

2.5 stars

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This is a true story. I have lived it. I used to be listened to, asked questions of, walk in a bar and get served immediately, offered random help with all things--just to name a few things, but it all seems to be changing now that I have become a (young) senior citizen. Tilda becomes invisible is a book about a woman who is able to go from invisible to visible, by seeing herself as all she wants to be and can be. It gets 3 stars from me because it felt repetitive and needed shortening. Thank you to NetGalley and Crown for the complementary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion, my own words and not coerced in any way.

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Tilda has a successful business, two lovely daughters and good friends. But then she notices her pinky finger disappeared, and then her thumb. Her doctor tells her she has invisibility, an illness that plagues women beginning in their 40s, and there is no cure she will eventually be completely invisible. She seeks alternative therapy and finds someone who explains to her that the world can’t see her if she can’t see herself. Tilda spends time digging into her past and fighting with her inner voice so she can learn how she has sold herself short for years, and how to be kinder to herself going forward.

This one is hard to rate for me because while I loved it and the message, I had a few minor quibbles about it. It was reading really slowly for me (may have been my mood), but then I got the audiobook and I flew through it (listening when I was doing other things and reading when I could sit). I loved the narrator (I am also a sucker for an Australian accent so that certainly helped) she nailed the subtle humor of the book. Secondly, while I adored the message and thought it was done in a creative way, there were times I felt like the the themes were a bit heavy handed. That being said, I think all women around 40ish should read this one, it spoke to me and I really did love it. Some are saying All Fours is the perimenopausal manifesto - I think this one should be (and I enjoyed it more). This novels shows how women have been ignored forever by society (and we all know that) but it also, more importantly, teaches us to be kinder to ourselves and think about how our inner voice speaks.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC to review

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I'm glad so many reviewers love this book, but unfortunately, "Tilda is Visible" was just an average reading experience for me. I really don't enjoy novels that ask a lot of questions. I felt like every sentence was a question which became irritating after a while. Also, this book would as a self-help book which I wasn't aware was in the synopsis because I like to go into book completely blind. I liked the metaphors for life and motherhood in this book, but overall, I just couldn't with Tilda and domestic troubles. Also, the tone was all over the place, it had this weird corny vibe that I didn't find appealing. It was just a s0-so read for me.

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I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tilda, a woman in her 50s, starts becoming literally invisible.

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ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK

Tilda Is Visible is equal parts hilarious and deeply thought-provoking. One day, Tilda looks down, and—much to her surprise—her pinky is gone. Soon after, she’s diagnosed with invisibility, a condition that tends to hit middle-aged women who’ve spent years being overlooked, dismissed, or just…not seen. There’s no known cure, but Tilda isn’t having that. She refuses to disappear without a fight.

Determined to reclaim herself, Tilda embarks on a journey of self-discovery, leaning on old friends and picking up some new ones along the way. She tries everything—self-pity, isolation, meditation, and eventually, self-love. Some moments broke my heart, while others had me laughing out loud. It’s all so relatable.

At its core, this book is about visibility—seeing ourselves, seeing others, and finding a community that truly sees us. So many women will connect with Tilda’s story, and that’s what makes it so special. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Reviews will be posted on Goodreads, BN.com, and Instagram @Nicki_Rachlin.

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Tilda is Visible was an excellent read. I loved the writing and it was propulsive. Great character study. I would read more from this author.

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Disconcertingly, Tilda’s pinky finger is missing. Not gone, but not visible. And not longe rafter Tilda is officially diagnosed with invisibility. A diagnosis common among when over 40. Slowly more of her starts slowly fading away.

She seeks help at a support group but finds it depressing. She does however find two new friends also dealing with invisibility.

At the behest of her ‘woo woo’ friend, Tilda tries meditation and therapy with a woman who was once invisible herself but is now impossible not to see. This journey takes Tilda on a deep dive of her past, how she talks to herself, how she sees the world, how she sees herself and what she wants.

As a 41 year old woman, wow this hits home. We often lose ourself in our roles and forget a who we really are. I appreciate the reminder to love myself as much as I do others.

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Tilda is a sweet fable about aging women who let themselves become invisible by society. Tilda is disappearing - she has been diagnosed with invisibility - slowly losing herself and disappearing to those around her. But as the spiritual guide to whom our heroine turns for help says, "If you don't see yourself who else will?" - Tilda, left by her husband, ignored by bartenders, bored in her job, must learn to really see herself - and not just see herself but see the mid-life mid-career version of herself. The version that needed more than she got from ex, more than she gets from her job, more than she is willing to ask for from her mother, and more than she is willing to acknowledge to herself. Only then, will Tilda really be seen. Thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the enjoyable DRC.

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4.5 Stars

Equal parts humorous and thought-provoking, Tilda Is Visible follows Tilda as she looks down one day and sees her pinky missing, soon after being diagnosed with invisibility, an illness commonly seen in middle-aged women where they quite literally begin disappearing. There is no known cure, but causes include history of any kind of trauma, being overlooked, dismissed, generally not being seen.

Tilda refuses to believe there isn’t a cure. She doesn’t want to become invisible. As she begins on a journey of self-discovery, she leans on her friends, both old and new ones she finds along the way. She tries it all: self-pity, isolation, therapy, meditation, and self-love. There were times were my heart ached for Tilda and times where I was chortling along with her on this journey. So many were relatable moments.

I loved the overall theme of the book, the idea of seeing one’s self, of seeing others, and having a supportive community surround you. So many women will see themselves in Tilda and will appreciate the realness found in this book.

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Wow. I think this book has actually changed my perception: of myself, of other people, of the world. And isn't that why we read? I will be gifting this book to a lot of people this year. This book is exactly the boost I needed.

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TILDA IS VISIBLE by Jane Tara is a tribute, toast, thumbs-up, round of applause, and pat on the back to all women over 40. My gosh, did I ever feel seen by this novel! As a woman in my mid-forties, I’m definitely the target audience for it. When I hit the big four-oh, a lot of things changed in my life. One major thing I noticed was that people—mostly men—started to ignore me. I wasn’t mad about it. As an introvert, I kind of preferred it, actually. With this new observation, I found myself fading into the background. So when the protagonist, Tilda Finch is diagnosed with invisibility, it was oh so relatable.

“𝘈 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳—𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺—𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘥-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦.”

Yes, you read that correctly. Tilda’s body parts begin to disappear. It all starts with a finger, then an ear, her neck, and so on. Sure, you must keep an open mind and think outside the box to truly appreciate the story, but it’s worth it. Tilda’s experience will definitely resonate with women of a certain age. In no time at all, you will find yourself smiling, laughing, and nodding along with understanding and solidarity.

Through therapy and meditation, Tilda decides to tackle her diagnosis head on. She starts working on herself by unpacking some big issues like her childhood trauma, failed marriage, and self-doubt. With time and patience, she begins to see herself a little differently, and so does the rest of the world.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Reflections on motherhood
- Marriage and divorce stories
- Mother/daughter relationships
- Female friendship
- Mature characters
- Meditation and therapy
- Humorous reads
- Witty banter
- Hints of magical realism
- Aging gracefully
- Self-help and discovery
- Romance in midlife

TILDA IS VISIBLE is an absolute gem of a book. It’s funny, entertaining, inspiring, and extremely heartfelt. Out 2/25/25! 4/5 stars!

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Tilda wakes up and finds herself starting to disappear. This is a really relatable book about what it can feel like to not know where you belong and what your purpose is in the world.
As Tilda works to navigate through this, she learns more about herself and how to find her way back to herself.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

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We women of a certain age will have no trouble identifying with Tilda. We may be bright, witty, experienced, have a commanding view and understanding of life but few are interested in us, in hearing our ideas, in seeking us out for, well, anything. “Rage” - we have it and why not? How much do we really count? Why are we unequal? When did we decide that is is OK to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of a relationship? And what about that relationship with PEARL - who knows us best and holds us accountable as she is ripping our self-esteem to shreds.

There are many interesting questions, self-help quotes and deep dives into why we are wired to keep diminishing ourselves. Questioning change, perceptions, whether they are different, the same or intertwined into a knot - lots to think about. Be fully present - pay attention to yourself - you deserve this and more. A very thoughtful and thought provoking book. Well done Ms.Tara

Many thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for a copy.

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Whew! This one hit me right in the heart. As a woman in her 20’s just trying to figure it out whilst feeling lonely and invisible most of the time— this was a little close to home. I know that there’s a bit of an age gap between Tilda and myself, but I think that any woman in any walk of life can find some sort of relatability within this story. A beautiful reflection on self worth and hope. Thank you for the opportunity to read this early!

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On a seemingly normal morning, fifty-two-year-old Tilda Finch wakes up to find her pinky finger missing. Although she has long felt invisible, she now finds herself disappearing before her very eyes. After a visit to her doctor, she is diagnosed with "invisibility"—an incurable condition that affects more people (especially women) than she ever realized. Determined to reverse the rapid disappearance she is experiencing, Tilda must confront the ramifications of her traumatic childhood and painful divorce which have completely destroyed her self-esteem. Through meditation, mentorship from an invisibility guru, connection with a group of women at varying stages of invisibility, and an unexpected new love, Tilda learns what it truly means to be seen — both by others and, more importantly, by herself.

I am probably not the target audience for this book as a twenty-eight-year-old woman; however, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it even better than I expected. There is a wonderful element of magical realism that I appreciate, and its portrayal of being a woman—particularly an aging woman—is both realistic and relatable in a world that acts as though a woman's life is over once she turns thirty. The characters are fantastically developed, distinct, and well-rounded. The book places a heavy emphasis on meditation and friendship—two things that Tilda has found to be incredibly healing, just as I have. Tilda Is Visible sparked more introspection than I would have anticipated from a work of fiction, particularly regarding self-talk and how I perceive not only the world but also myself. I grew personally from reading this book and would encourage anyone who has ever felt invisible to pick up a copy when it is released on February 25.

"Tilda was in awe of her own beauty. The absolute wonder of being alive, having a human experience. She'd spent so much time finding fault with what was, in fact, an utter miracle: herself."
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me to read the ARC of Tilda Is Visible by Jane Tara in exchange for my honest review!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of Tilda Is Visible by Jane Tara, in exchange for my honest review.

Not what I expected, but so much more. I didn't read the entire description of this book before requesting it, and was pleasantly surprised. This book was so much more than I thought it would be (a cute read about an older woman "disappearing"). Real, sometimes raw, full of emotion, self-awareness, and healing.

The "invisible-ness" doesn't only apply to women of a certain age; it applies to all of us, especially those who feel less than what we are told is "normal".

I highly recommend this book!

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I was worried that this book would tip into self help and that would annoy me. Well, it kind of does go there a little, but it is so well written and entertaining I didn’t mind a bit! In fact I am already looking into trying to meditate!
Tilda is becoming invisible one body part at a time and she is alarmed, the ensuing adventures into support groups, meditation, self care, family and romance are all written with good humour and heart.
I very much enjoyed Tilda is Visible and I will be recommending it wholeheartedly. It would make a great TV show too!

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Often times women tend to feel invisible, unseen I he things we do to help our families and the people we love and care about. This can really take its toll on women.
This book dives deep into that.

The story starts off with Tilda noticing her finger missing, then her ear is unseen. She still has all her body parts she can feel them, she just can't see them.
At the doctor Tilda is told that yes, she is suffering from a condition called, invisibility.

Overall this book was very well written and amusing, I enjoyed it quite a book and didn't feel like I was getting into a reading slump.
I really liked how this book is somewhat relatable, we've all felt invisible at some point in our lives I'm sure.

The story was serious but with humor. I recommend it!

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