In Invisible Me, Tzipi Caton brings to the fore selective mutism, a severe anxiety disorder in which a person who is normally capable of speech is unable to speak in given situations or to specific people. She conveys the harrowing experience of being a selective mute through her 16-year-old Jewish Orthodox protagonist, Dini Braverman.
Dini communicates by writing notes, and throughout the novel we hear her voice and her thoughts through her note-writing. A typical teenager in every other respect, we see Dini struggle with her familial relationships and her school tribulations. Her voice is clear and articulate, and her struggles feel vivid and real. As the novel progresses, Dini begins to emerge from her closeted existence, communicating with her therapist after three years of bored silence and venting the anger she feels at being treated as an invisible person by virtue of her mutism. In the context of her Orthodox surroundings, Dini’s lack of speech has ramifications for the rest of her family. A shidduch for her brother is compromised by what is regarded as her peculiar disorder, and Dini constantly feels that she cannot live up to her mother’s expectations and that her mutism casts a pall over the family’s otherwise perfect life. Invisible Me is a compelling read, both for teens and adults. It brings the teenage world into sharp clarity and gives selective mutism a voice and a presence. A talented writer, Caton brings Dini, her friends, and family to life with literary flourish. For ages 12 and up.
