The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko

Title: The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko Author: Scott Stambach Pages: 336 Genre: YA, Literary Fiction Part of a series: No Publish Date: August 9th, 2016

First, I bow down before the powers that are Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. Words cannot express my gratitude for being able to get an advanced copy of this book to read. It was hilarious, sometimes vulgar, sweet and heartbreakingly beautiful all wrapped up in the not-so-pretty bow that was Ivan Isaenko and Polina Pushkin. This is the story of a young man in a hospital in Belarus who had been deformed at birth and lived in Mazyr Hpsoital for Gravely Ill Children. When a leukemia patient comes in, Ivan is in no way ready for Polina Pushkin. I warn you now, this is not the sweet fuzzy novel that First Love was, nor even the Fault In Our Stars. Stop considering this book if you can’t take perverse humor, foul language or talk of illness.
Ivan was born deformed. He has stubs for legs, one hand and three fingers. Mentally, he is brilliant- emotionally he is a bit of a gutter mouth and a jerk. What is one supposed to do at a hospital all day every day for life? Read copiously, study the other patients and terrorize the nurses of course. At seventeen he is a bit of a pervert and far too enamored of his Hui. There is only one in the whole hospital that he feels truly loves him- Nurse Natalya. When Polina comes in with Leukemia, Ivan doesn’t know what to make of her. She is interesting, beautiful and… perfect. She doesn’t belong at this hospital surrounded by mutants. As the two get to know one another and their bond grows stronger, something amazing happens. As Polina wastes away, Ivan learns to care, give and love. He learns to be braver, stronger and better. After her passing, he begins to write her story- their story- so that she will never be forgotten. The story is mainly about life- one in particular. Ivan Isaenko’s- before, during, and after Polina.
So… let’s discuss what I loved. The book was masterfully written, the characters colorful and interesting. I loved how Ivan could bring me to tears one moment with the most heartbreaking or gorgeous thought, and then seamlessly make me spew coke out of my nose laughing. In fact, I may or may not know how to be extremely vulgar in Russian now- or at least in writing because I doubt I would say it right. I loved the musical and literary references, I loved the play with words. There are so many little gems that I would love to quote, but as I have a copy that may be edited for publication I don’t dare. I was so glad that Ivan had Natalya and Polina. Can we also discuss how much I loved Nurse Natalya- far too maternal and giving. She is the sneaker of comforts. Books for Ivan, music for Polina, chocolate for another. She is the perfect mother figure for this boy.
Now, what I didn’t like…. This is going to be short. I wish I could have known more about the other patients. Or about Ivan after Polina. Or even more insight into Polina- though the way the author brings her forward is masterful. I know, I know, the things I want would fill another book. I suppose I am just not ready to let go.

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko took my soul and kicked it around for a few days. The setting is a children's hospital in Belarus (Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children) and the characters are the patients, the nurses, and the director. The star patient is Ivan, a seventeen year old, who has lived his entire life in this miserable institution. Ivan was born with severe physical mutations as a result of Chernobyl, his body is not whole but his mind is sharp and his imagination is vivid. Ivan has a brilliant sense of humor. His descriptions of all the characters, his room, the cafeteria, the food, and the TV are mesmerizing.

Ivan's story is a coming of age story alongside the hellish reality of sickness and disease as a result of nuclear radiation exposure. It is as sad as any story about victims of environmental disasters, war, extreme deprivation in poverty, and victims of ruthless governments and corporations. I loved Ivan's thirst for life and knowledge. I loved his affection for his favorite nurse. I simply loved Ivan.

Scott Stombach did his research thoroughly so we have a perfect telling of what happens when nuclear radiation hits a population, but along with that a very touching human story of longing and love. The book is terribly sad but you will always cheer Ivan on to victory in whatever quest he undertakes. It is a story of a hero.

I am in love...with this author, with these characters, with this book. I can't stop talking about it. Just read it.

This may be one of my favorite books ever. Ivan 's story is hilarious, heartbreaking, moving and real. What a wonderful debut novel. It's about love, and faith, and friendship and more love.I cannot wait to see more from this author! Ivan has surpassed Owen Meany as my favorite young man.

Please note: I have posted this review on Goodreads. It will also appear on my blog as the publication date nears.

Wow. I don't tend to use the word in book reviews, because I think it's kind of cliche. But, sometimes, a book is just... wow... and there's no better way to describe it.

Ivan has lived his entire seventeen years inside the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children in Belarus. He was born with a number of physical deformities, including missing 3 of his limbs, probably due to radiation exposure after the Chernobyl meltdown. Abandoned by his parents and with little hope for a normal life, Ivan gets through the day by making everything a game. One of his favorites is to pretend to be in a coma to eavesdrop on the nurses. He dislikes most of these nurses, except Nurse Natalya, who is his biggest ally, his book supplier, and, ultimately, his savior.

Much of every day is the same for Ivan, until terminal cancer patient Polina comes to the hospital. Their relationship starts as a friendship, but becomes more. In some ways it's as bleak as the hospital, in other ways it's hopeful and typically teenaged. One thing is for sure: Ivan will never be the same.

There are parts of this book that are uncomfortable to read and even a little gross. But, in it's own way, it's also wonderful and moving. This is a unique book and a strong debut from the author. I recommend it.

* Thank you to both the publisher and netgalley for granting me access to this title

The narration is fresh. Ivan's voice is rare. The reader will notice 'something different' right away......very unique style of storytelling.

As far as Ivan himself....he is 17 years old and has spent his entire life growing up in a children's hospital in Russia. He was born with severe physical abnormalities. His only real comfort for the longest time is books. ( and a favorite elderly nurse who brings him books). His body is deformed - but his mind is sharp. He basically can't stand most people, until a new patient named Polina arrives. She has cancer - But a relationship between them develops. ( refreshing and unique as the narration)

The themes are heartbreaking - but not only is there a balance of warmth - humor- heart - and purpose -- one actually needs to experience the 'way' Scott Stambach delivers this tale to see its just not the same story as "The Fault of Our Stars", or "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest",...yet this novel is equally as witty, smart, and tragic.

A tribute to the indomitable human spirit.

Thank You St. Marin's Press, Netgalley, and Scott Stambach

Such a quirky, entertaining and marvelous novel. I loved it and it's original characters and heart. Marvelous!

What an emotionally charged gem of a book! Didn't quite know what to expect from the blurb, but so glad I decided to give it a go. Such clever narration and beautifully depicted characters bring Ivan' s tragic world vividly to life. Disturbing though it so often is and with the surity of how it would end from the outset, I was utterly compelled to keep reading. A very unique book - highly recommend.

Really enjoyed this book. I foresee this becoming an bookclub classic and an instant favorite of many.

Ivan Isaenko has only ever known life in the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children in Belarus. Born physically deformed due to the effects of radiation, Ivan has carved out a pattern for himself that allows him to survive in the depressing facility. He is mentally sharp, reads absolutely everything he can get his hands on, and has an extremely tender side when dealing with some of his fellow patients. He deals with his physical disabilities along with the day to day battle that just being a teenage boy presents. Until one day, an "interloper" by the name of Polina, arrives and turns his world upside down. Suffering from leukemia yet in Ivan's eyes absolutely beautiful, Polina awakens Ivan to the possibility of love that he never knew he had. Witty, clever and sharp dialogue between the two make for a well paced story and the supporting cast of nurses, doctors and therapists make for some heart wrenching as well as very funny moments. An incredibly well done take on young love.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is quite a powerful book. Although it features two teenagers and could conceivably be a Young Adult story, it also has some more adult dark humor and subject matter.

Ivan is a 17 year old, severely disabled young man who has spent his entire life in Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children in Belarus. His deformities, as well as most of those in the hospital, came from radiation poisoning from the Chernobyl fallout. Every day is the same for Ivan - he can even use one of the resident's rocking as a clock. He has a gruff exterior, fakes comas so he can eavesdrop on the happenings, likes to play pranks on the nurses.

Besides one elderly caring nurse, no one has ever truly cared for him and the same could be said for him. Until Polina, a teenage girl who comes to the hospital with leukemia. They eventually forge a relationship that could only be described as love, and it changes both of their worlds.

Written in the form of Ivan's diaries, this book has moments of hilarity as well as heartbreak. Certainly puts you in the mind to think about how very, very hard of a life some have - and should make all of us consider that when dealing with others.

Different, interesting, and soul wrenching.

Wonderful book, makes you think of how many persons we pass and ascribe no feelings to them

Life-long resident of the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children in Belarus, Ivan Isaenko thinks he was abandoned by his parents who couldn't cope with his deformities. Set in the shadow of Chernobyl, the hospital is filled with children affected by the nuclear disaster. While Ivan's body may not have formed how he'd have liked, his brain emerged untouched by the poisoned world he was born into, and with not much to do in the hospital, he spends his days educating himself with a steady stream of books from his favourite nurse Natalya.
Then a new girl arrives at the hospital, Polina, suffering from leukemia. Despite Ivan stealing and reading her personal diary, they forge a deep and meaningful friendship that you know can only ultimately lead to heartbreak.
Despite the fact you know from the start that this touching friendship is not going to have a happy ending, you can't help but find yourself hoping for a miracle as you fall in love with the two of them. A beautifully written heartbreaking tale that's weirdly life-affirming, as it shows the power of love in all its forms. Highly recommended.

Told entirely from the perspective of Ivan a severely deformed life long resident of the hospital for gravely ill children , he is not your typical narrator . Although he is very limited physically , mentally deficient he is not. A voracious reader and observer of all things nothing gets by Ivan .His life is the same day to day until Polina arrives . Then his life takes a very big turn. Ivan is intelligent , charming and yes funny. This book will tug at your heartstrings. After I finished this wonderful book I found myself missing Ivan very much.

I absolutely loved everything about this book from beginning to end. What a fresh new voice.

The character of Ivan will stay with the reader for a long time after they have finished this book. Captivating read, cannot wait to read more from this author.

Every once in a while a book comes out that becomes an instant bestseller. This is that book.
Between the writing, the characters and the subject matter, The Secret Life of Ivan Isaenko has renewed my belief in falling in love with a book. While there are moments where tears will fall like waterfalls, they are countered by moments of laughter and clarity.
If there is any book you pick up at the bookstore this should be it.

As written on the new blog...

From the beginning readers have an instant bond with Ivan. While that bond may begin with sheer curiosity of what he looks like, which then develops to possible disgust as he describes his everyday activities and how he feels about life in general, in the end the reader will have nothing but love for him.
Living in a hospital for the mentally and physically unable, Ivan has been forgotten by society and he learns to deal with it and even mock those that have family members coming to visit. His opinions and theories on life, while as the reader may not agree with them, will certainly make you think about them and admit how it is certainly possible to become so cynical about even the smallest of things.
It is not until he meets a new hospital member who is suffering from cancer, that Ivan’s perception of life is turned upside down. Will he end up opening up to this stranger that he knows won’t be around for long, or will stay far away and hold on to his values?
The answer to this question is what makes this book so worthwhile. There is laughter, frustration, sadness and enough emotion to last a lifetime in this amazing read.

{quote}"But ultimately, it is a simply the story of a single human life, within which so much can be held."{endquote}

A perfectly accurate summary of what to expect in this book. And I loved exploring that importance and in-and-outs of Ivan's singular life.

This story surprised me, because it opened my eyes to some of the mentalities of mutilated people who have to navigate their small world in their every-day. Ivan Isaenko has lived in Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children for all of his seventeen years of his life, and the unique writing style lets the readers get into his head and see how he occupies his hours. It shows the dark reality of medical ethics in the Soviet Union, and the power of love to change your solitary live.

A heart-jerker for sure, I found myself wiping my cheeks of happy and sad tears. It really moves your heart towards empathy and rooting for Ivan, because of the very personal and vulnerable way that he tries to convey points of his life to you. This is exactly what I've been looking, a narrative that is culturally diverse and moves me; I am currently studying the Russian language so the footnotes were helpful for accuracy which was appreciated by a bilingual person.

All the side characters were developed so beautifully throughout the countdown and count-up sections. I especially loved how human Polina was and everything that went on between them really seemed like a "light in the darkness" of their life. Nurse Natalya was a mother figure who could really read Ivan well and basically dedicated herself to taking care of him, and I was so glad to see this positive influence going on in his life. All the feels though.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this for review.**

Loved this. Moving, charming, thoughtful....will read again. Human heart and soul in its fullest, most honest form. Loved it.

This book, for me, pushed all the right buttons. I laughed, I cried, I sighed, I grimaced, I was filled with sadness and filled with wonder. What a poignant story, what a great character was Ivan. Born without legs, missing one arm, Ivan is at a severe disadvantage, he has lived as a full time resident at the Mazyr Hospital for gravely ill children in Belarus for his entire seventeen years. A victim of Chernobyl, he does not know who is mother is nor his father. He does, however, have a wonderfully intelligent mind and after so long he thinks he has everything figured out, that is until a young girl with leukemia is admitted to the hospital. This relationship will change his life, cause him to branch out, reach out.

Amazing darn story, tore at my heart and yet though it is a sad and hard book to read, Ivan is special, a very unusual and funny character. The tone of the novel never comes across as morose, always maintains its humor. Another wonderful character is Nurse Natalya, she makes Ivan's life special and meaningful. If anything this wonderful book shows how small kindnesses can make a huge difference and how one special person can change one's way of thinking, one's life. A very special book, a beautiful and hearfelt story.

ARC from St. Martins Press.

Extraordinary book. Of course a bit depressing, but Ivan is such an intriguing, thoughtful character that it is about a lot more than his medical condition. It was very interesting to see the details of his thoughts.

This is such a different read. It reminds me of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, however, I think it is even better. The story of Ivan is both tragic and comic.. At the same time, it is an incredible love story. This is one book you will not forget and will be grateful that you read it.

Incredibly unique, captivatingly voiced novel that follows the journey of a 17 year old self-described "mutant" who has lived his entire life in the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children. The title character, Ivan Isaenko, is the first person narrator and he has a story to tell.

Set in 2005 in the Chernobyl-affected area of Belarus, Ivan is surrounded by many other patients whose various physical and mental limitations are described in vivid detail by Ivan. The other patients range from lifers with severe disabilities to temporary patients Ivan dubs "heart-holers" and "leukemia kids".

Ivan is apparently the only patient in the hospital whose mind is extremely sharp, despite his severe physical limitations. He has maintained a protective distance between himself and all of the patients, even most of the nurses (except the one maternal nurse, Natalya, who he does let into his world). All of this changes when a new leukemia kid shows up. Polina turns Ivan's world upside down.

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko is at times laugh-out-loud funny and desperately heartbreaking. Ivan is a character you won't forget, and within the first few chapters you start to believe you are reading a true autobiography written by a real-life 17 year old boy.

Readers should be warned that there is a good deal of foul language as well as a handful of somewhat graphic sexual scenes throughout the novel. I found myself skimming over a couple of passages for this reason, but overall this is a fantastic novel.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.