Fade revolves around the life of Paul Moreaux and the many burdens that the mysterious “fade” brings into his world. Paul discovers his ability to “fade” in the summer of 1938 when his Uncle Aldred comes to town. The “fade”, or ability to become invisible, is always passed on from uncle to nephew, and Paul has inherited it from Aldred. As the novel moves forward, Paul experiments with the “fade” and learns its curse rather than blessing. The first half of the novel is set at that time, then the novel shifts into the present. Paul has become a famous writer but has died recently at the age of 42, leaving behind a manuscript that details his power to “fade” and attempts to track down his nephew who has inherited the trait.

Robert Cormier arouses his readers emotionally through the novels gripping plot. One harrowing incident occurs when Paul is in the “fade” and he spots the local bully, Omer Labatt, demanding money from an innocent young boy. Omer has always been Paul’s nemesis, torturing him and chasing him every time they run into one another on the streets. Paul says, “Omer Labatt always has the ability to surprise me, popping up around corners or looming dangerously as I emerged from Dondier’s Market or Lakier’s Drug Store”(122). Now Paul gets his chance for sweet revenge, and has the advantage to attack without even being seen. The reader is instantly dragged into the brawl, bewildered by Paul’s thoughts and unusual violent nature: “As he clutched himself bending over, I kicked again, my shoe finding his jaw this time, and he howled in agony dropping to the ground, moaning, flecks of foam spilling from his mouth” (124). Later, when Paul is visible, he relives his attack on Omer thinking to himself, “It seemed as if the person who assaulted Omer Labatt so viciously were someone other than me” (124). His questions cause the reader to fear Paul’s sudden turn to violence and to nervously anticipate when this viciousness could strike again.

In his novel Fade, Robert Cormier profoundly establishes an intriguing plot with well-rounded characters and suspenseful circumstances that captivate the reader and leaves them yearning to read on to the next page. Though very intriguing, with its multiple points of view and occasional shifting from past to present, Cormier creates a sometimes overly complex plot that causes the reader to become confused and even impatient. However, Fade is a unique book that is unquestionably worth sticking with.

Robert Cormier distinctly evokes a horrific and complex emotional response in the reader through his vivid descriptions of thrilling situations. Critic Edward Engel understands equally the positive and negative sides of Fade: “ ‘the story is too long, and the plot is too contrived to be taken seriously, but Fade is riveting enough to be appreciated by Cormier’s fans’” (307). One may be especially interested in his book if their imagination has eve

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