When I Was Invisible by Dorothy Koomson

From Goodreads

‘‘Do you ever wonder if you’ve lived the life you were meant to?’ I ask her. She sighs, and dips her head. ‘Even if I do, what difference will it make?’

In 1988, two eight-year-old girls with almost identical names and the same love of ballet meet for the first time. They seem destined to be best friends forever and to become professional dancers.

Years later, however, they have both been dealt so many cruel blows that they walk away from each other into very different futures – one enters a convent, the other becomes a minor celebrity. Will these new, ‘invisible’ lives be the ones they were meant to live, or will they only find that kind of salvation when they are reunited twenty years later?

My thoughts

I borrowed this book from my local Library and have had it ages, I just kept renewing it. I gave this a 3.5 stars or 7/10.

This was quite a long book that looks at the relationships and friendships between people. Two young girls with similar names, meet one day at ballet class. The girls are from different backgrounds, but share a love of dancing sparking up a friendship of sorts.

This book is told in alternate points of view from both characters in each chapter and at times it does get a little confusing, as to who the story is relating the events about.

Both Roni and Nika appear to have both had similar experiences in the past, but both dealt with their past in different ways. As fate throws them together again, will they reignite their friendship and come to terms with their past?

I started this book back in May 2019, but it got put to one side for one reason or another. I restarted this in January 2020 and was determined to read it all, which is what I have done this time.