Invisible Monsters

Ever read one of those books where you have to pause every once and a while to wonder where the idea came from? Ever had to stop and question what kind of person could think up something like that?

Ever had a novel so powerful you felt like it changed your whole life? Ever read something that changed the way you viewed the world and the people in it?

Chuck Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters is one of those novels.

Published in 1999, Invisible Monsters tells the story of a former model who suffered a horrible disfigurement, ruining her career and destroying most of her relationships with family, friends and her fiancé. When she meets Brandy Alexander, Queen Supreme, her life changes forever as she learns who she is and what life really means before returning to confront who she used to be.

The way Palahniuk writes is riveting; he encapsulates a particularly long life story into just 300 pages of intense storylines and believable characters. The main character, whose identity changes several times throughout the book, seems quite detached from everything and everyone - she gives us an honest, if not slightly cynical, view of the world as she sees it through the veils she has to wear to conceal her deformed face from the world.

Another strength of this book is the way Palahniuk incorporates humour into a serious story, and makes it fit perfectly. The analogies and wit he uses makes Invisible Monsters what it is; not just a thrilling plot with sensational characters, but a real novel. The way he interjects humour makes this book a much more enjoyable read; without it, the novel might have been too fast-paced and intense to be enjoyable.

A warning to anyone considering this book - at times, it can be quite confronting. Personally, I found it to be a difficult read, not because it was hard to read, but because it made me challenge my own views on the world. However, it is an excellent novel and I would recommend it to anyone.