Book Review: The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

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Book: The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

Genre: Fiction, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction 

Publisher: Atria Books

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman begins with a single mother, Ivy Jacobs, seeking refuge on an alternative farm in Western Massachusetts to make a new life for herself and her daughter, Mia. We follow Ivy as she raises Mia within the strict, religious rules and confines of the commune. Hoffman then switches the story to Mia’s point of view where we watch the young girl secretly delve into books and discover a life beyond her restrictive community. 

The Invisible Hour would not be an Alice Hoffman book without a bit of magic. One of the books that Mia takes a strong interest in is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This text acts as a bridge between the realistic world Mia hails from to the magical scenarios that Hoffman creates. The idea of entering new worlds through reading comes to life when Mia is able to time travel and interact with Hawthorne in the flesh. 

Although this is a quick read, it covers so much ground. The themes present in the book are incredibly relevant to our immediate world today. The structure and rules of the community reveal many truths about how dangerous censorship of information can be, particularly in an isolated setting. In this book, the leader of the commune, Joel, is able to leverage the emotions and obedience of the members of the cult by restricting their intellectual freedoms and implementing oppressive rules of conformity. In the book, we are able to see the different ways that the trauma of this environment is passed down generationally in the relationship between Ivy and Mia. In many ways, Joel and the community embody all of the things that are wrong with the patriarchy, and Ivy and Mia are representative of women working from generation to generation to break free from its control.  

The Invisible Hour highlights the importance of a reader’s intimate connection with the subject matter they choose to read. There is a consistent theme of the ability of books to transform people physically, mentally, and spiritually. I’ll say it a million times–we read what we need. In life’s hardest moments, we should always be able to turn to a book to find solace, understanding, or freedom.

It’s a great privilege to live in New England and have visited many of the places Alice Hoffman writes about. I am intimately connected to her story settings, and it makes the magic of them feel tangible in an interesting way. If you are able to, I highly suggest reading any of her books and then going to visit the real places she writes about. It is remarkable the way she can authentically depict the atmosphere and energy of New England. 

As always, Hoffman’s prose is beautiful and enchanting. She writes memorable tales, and has a particular knack for writing strong and free-spirited, female characters. Her stories are inspiring, and her books are good for the soul.  

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