Title: Silver Lady: The Invisible Captain

Author: Susan E. Sage

Genre: Magical realism

 

In Susan E. Sage’s Silver Lady: The Invisible Captain, we follow Cassie down River Road as she drives her houseboat from New Orleans to Minneapolis. Set in the near future, the United States has been fractured into fifty countries after the Second Civil War, and Cassie is among those trying to navigate her way in a world with strange magical occurrences. The Silver Lady is the houseboat herself, who has a mental connection with Cassie and more than a few things to say about Cassie’s crew.

Silver Lady could refer to Cassie, who is in her sixties and has a long silver braid, but Silver Lady is a houseboat with an attitude, although only Cassie is aware of it. The character gives the impression of being a noble English lady from the nineteenth century. Her vanity and sarcasm are a delight to read and add flair.

The unexpectedness of a boat as a character gives Sage’s story a whimsical undercurrent. Other than a few exchanges with Cassie through mental dialogue, Silver Lady has first-person point-of-view passages at the end of several chapters, where we get a glimpse in her interactions with the River, who has a darker side that adds suspense to the plot, should Silver Lady give in to her own edgier side.

The title carries a double meaning. Because Cassie is older, she is an unexpected protagonist, just like older actresses are often overlooked to play the leading role in a movie. But she clearly demonstrates real fervor and resilience, despite often feeling overlooked by others, that “invisible” feeling of loneliness when she still has aspiration for romantic love. Cassie has one daughter, Melanie, who she often feels invisible to, but in this magical-realism novel, Cassie may actually be invisible at times.

Sage deepens the invisibility complex that Cassie struggles with throughout as Cassie wrestles with her relationship with the cantankerous Silver Lady, who often answers her with silence, a sad reminder that echoes Cassie’s relationships with her late mother and aunt. The humor of her exchanges with Silver Lady balances well with the thoughtfulness in which Sage handles the mother-daughter relationships.

Sage excels at worldbuilding. Magical realism is a fascinating genre because it deals in the real world, yet magical elements abound alongside regular events. For example, the Second Civil War was ultimately ended by two robots duking it out over a chess match. Earlier events refer to paintings disappearing in the “Vanishing,” and now, they resurface in places like laundromats. The vivid imagery includes elusive descriptions such as mist being mistaken for ghosts.

While magical realism has plenty to offer, the genre may not be for all readers. It proves a more challenging genre to read for some. Also, some readers may struggle to follow how the structure of the plot holds together. Cassie’s journey along the river is episodic as she drifts from town to town, often as an observer rather than engaging in much action.

Silver Lady: The Invisible Captain is a slow-burn for readers who love to dive deep into a character’s psyche. Perhaps tightening Cassie’s thoughts more to the magical elements and events could create more momentum. Also, this is the second in a series, so reading the first book would prove beneficial.

Enjoyers of character-driven narratives will immerse themselves in Sage’s creation. Silver Lady: The Invisible Captain is a fascinating exploration of one woman’s connection to a houseboat with an attitude. Sage has crafted a curious world where readers can journey alongside Cassie to experience the strange and the everyday.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.