Now You See Her

by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Book Overview

Hope has it all: brains, beauty, and acceptance at Starwood, a prestigious arts prep school. A mere sophomore, she has won the lead in Romeo and Juliet , beating out seniors for the role--seniors who... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061116831
• ISBN13: 9780061116834
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Beyond Good

Expecting this to be a book I would want my teenage grandchild to read, I went into it thinking it would be fun, light and somewhat less than captivating. I was dead wrong. Took me about two days with a very busy schedule to finish because I was so committed to finding out about the true Hope Shay (Bernadette). Whole range of opinions from disgust to sympathy. Great good!!

Now You See Her

Now You See Her, written by Jacquelyn Mitchard, is the tragic story of Hope Shay. Hope is an incredibly commited actor, and always was. The older she became the more she pushed herself. She lived life upon the stage, and off the stage she didn't have one. Hope trained her to be the best, and she was. She was talented, and she and her mother knew it. Once off at new school for teens like herself- the kind that are destined for fame; Hope is pushed too far, too hard, too long. And when a teen is pushed farther than they can go.... it can end painfully. Mitchard does a wonderful job of writing as a fifteen year old.

A master storyteller!

It has been a few years since I was last in high school. When I saw this book by my favorite author, I knew I wanted to read it, but I was hesitant to pick it up because it was written for teens. I am so glad I got over that quickly, though. I have come to realize that many adults find that high school is just a hazy, distant memory, and they like it that way. I understand the disconnect that many high school students feel, thinking that everyone else has friends but they are all alone. It was painfully obvious that there was something more going on with Hope, almost from the start of this book. It definitely seemed like more than just teenage angst, but I could never quite put my finger on what the problem was. I was so surprised by the ending that I had to reread just to make sure I did not miss something. That is the amazing thing about Jacquelyn Mitchard's writing - you are kept in suspense all the way through, but you never quite realize that is what is happening until the "surprise" is exposed. I believe maintaining the suspense in such a way that the reader is taken by surprise to learn that there is a surprise is the mark of an extremely gifted story teller, and Jacquelyn Mitchard has mastered that craft. You will not be disappointed by this book.

A look down into the rabbit hole

What if everything that was part of a "normal" adolescence - parental conflict, cliques in school, crushes, lack of self-esteem, fantasizing about becoming famous, loneliness - was magnified 1000 times? There is a very fine line between being IN control and LOSING control, and "Now You See Her" tells a story that's a perfect example of a young actress who loses control of her life. Hope Shay seems to have it all, but no one, least of all her parents, has a clue as to what's going on inside her head. And because she is really battling her problems alone, and speaking directly to you, the reader, you are immediately drawn into the tale. You'll dislike her, you'll pity her, you'll commiserate with her. At first glance, none of these characters are very likeable, or easy to feel sympathy for, yet, as you read further, you will find yourself caught in an ever darkening, swirling vortex, and realize there is nothing Hope can do, until she crashes and burns. Hope tries to act the part for her overbearing mother, wearing face cream to bed and always aware of who might be looking at her. When the pressures of school, rehearsals, appearances, and expectations clash together, she is overwhelmed, and starts her spiral into a black hole. Ms. Mitchard writes in a way that makes us want to keep reading. All of her characters are realistic, and quite possibly live next door to you - maybe even in your own home. Something isn't quite right, but you can't quite put your finger on it, until it is too late for Hope, and her secrets are revealed. I was reminded of Shirley Jackson's "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" because such a melancholy story can still urge you to keep reading on. This is a book that should be read by parents AND teens, and then discussed and examined. It is a sad story with an uplifting ending, and Hope's final outcome will hopefully be the same for the strange, pathetic case of a certain pop singer so prominent today. There is much throughout the book to talk about and relate to, and ultimately take HOPE from.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

NOW YOU SEE HER is an amazingly realistic look into the life of a self-centered girl who has been showered with attention from her parents all of her life. Bernadette, or Hope, her stage name, dreams of being a famous actress--and she is willing to do anything to get to the top. Her mother has always pushed her so hard, and now her mother's dreams for Hope are her own. Hope knows she's the best and explains that her lack of friends is simply because everyone is jealous of her talent. At fourteen, she is accepted into Starwood Academy, a prestigious acting school in Michigan. Hope is sure that this is where her career will take off, and she doesn't mind in the least that she is a bit of an outcast. After all, she has Logan. Logan Rose. The most amazing boy she has ever met. Hope finds herself lost in her infatuation with Logan. Everything in her life revolves around their budding romance. The two of them formulate a plan, a plan to elope when Logan graduates. Their plan requires one thing, money, which they plan to extract from Hope's parents by faking her abduction. Faking a kidnapping is risky business, but Hope is willing to do anything for Logan, anything for their future together. Hope dreams of the day when the two of them will be winning Academy Awards together, the perfect couple. Hope's story is told through her own eyes, and I felt every emotion with her. I felt the pride in her triumphs as well as the pain of feeling lost and confused, like you are the only one who knows the truth. But it is only at the end, when the real truth is finally revealed, that you realize that Hope Shay is not all that she appears to be. Reviewed by: Amber Gibson