This Isn't What It Looks Like

This Isn't What It Looks Like

Company type	Novel
Industry	Publishing
Founded	2010
Founder	Pseudonymous Bosch
Products	Fantasy novel

This Isn't What It Looks Like represents the fourth installment in Pseudonymous Bosch's The Secret Series, succeeding This Book Is Not Good for You. The plot focuses on the theme of sight and picks up immediately after Cass ingests a magical "Time-Travel" chocolate, which causes her to slip into a coma. As the newly appointed Secret-Keeper of the Terces Society, Cass embarks on a mission to locate her ancestor known as the Jester, seeking to unveil the Secret of immortality. Simultaneously, Max-Ernest strives to rescue her by utilizing a unique monocle linked to visual perception.

An important disclosure suggests that Pseudonymous Bosch might be a fictionalized version of Max-Ernest, who imagines his future self as the author of their tale. The story also features Bosch’s recounting of a childhood episode involving mayonnaise, highlighting his distinctive narrative approach.

Plot

Cass regains consciousness 500 years in the past, invisible and afflicted with amnesia. She encounters a frightened boy and soon understands that she has traveled through time and is unseen rather than deceased. A Seer endowed with "Second Sight," granted by a Double Monocle, assists Cass in recovering her memories and comprehending her duty as the Terces Society’s new Secret Keeper to uncover the Secret.

Meanwhile, Max-Ernest visits Cass in the hospital’s PICU; despite his anxiety and limited aid (the Tuning Fork proves ineffective), he overcomes his chocolate allergy and consumes multiple bars. Pietro introduces Max-Ernest to tarot cards, explaining that an inverted Ace of Wands signals something must be corrected—specifically, returning the Tuning Fork to its owner, Mrs. Johnson.

Using the Double Monocle, Cass peers through walls and follows a parade leading to the palace, where bandits led by Anastasia redistribute wealth to impoverished citizens. She finds a lodestone that attracts metal objects and decides to keep it. At school, Max-Ernest meets Opal, a mischievous secretary, and discovers Mrs. Johnson wears the lodestone as a necklace, connecting it to her ancestor Clara.

At the palace kennels, Cass encounters Mr. Cabbage Face, a homunculus capable of seeing her despite her invisibility. She infers that Lord Pharaoh—the founder of the Midnight Sun—is nearby. Benjamin Blake arrives at school changed and equipped with a Double Monocle; he exposes Amber's deceit during a fortune-telling session and reveals his mind-reading ability, agreeing to assist Max-Ernest in accessing Cass’s thoughts.

Lord Pharaoh captures Cass and confiscates her possessions but remains unaware of her invisibility until discovering the monocle. While imprisoned together, Cass persuades the Jester she is his great-great-granddaughter. Max-Ernest deciphers a warning message reading "LORD PHARAOH LIVES," escalating the stakes.

Anastasia liberates prisoners from the dungeon but is later ambushed by soldiers; Mr. Cabbage Face helps Cass escape by diverting their attention. Meanwhile, Benjamin’s mind-reading is revealed as an illusion powered by the monocle when Amber attempts to use it herself. Max-Ernest retrieves the monocle after Opal confiscates it.

Cass emerges from her coma following Max-Ernest’s encouragement and Yo-Yoji’s music during Benjamin’s attempted break-in at her home. Max-Ernest's family welcomes their newborn son named Paul-Clay.

At the Renaissance Faire, Glob witnesses Midnight Sun ceremonies involving Ms. Mauvais and an invisible Lord Pharaoh drinking from a goblet. The group confronts Lord Pharaoh during a jousting event where he seizes the lodestone from Mrs. Johnson but escapes when revealed.

Opal discloses himself as Owen, a Terces Society agent secretly assisting Max-Ernest. Using the monocle at a camera obscura, Cass glimpses the Jester once more. After Glob posts urgently about Midnight Sun activities near the riverbank, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji come to his rescue while Cass confronts Lord Pharaoh again, escaping with the lodestone after tripping him with Yo-Yoji’s aid.

Later that evening at dinner, they attempt to interpret clues left by the Jester but initially fail until Max-Ernest applies magnetic powder onto Paul-Clay’s toy, revealing "AS ABOVE SO BELOW" inscribed on the lodestone. Cass receives a trunk containing treasures linked to Anastasia’s earlier theft; she unlocks it using "AS SO."

At home, Melanie discovers an ancient drawing by Cass attached to a papyrus fragment—the Secret itself—which begins rapidly deteriorating as Cass hastens to read it. The narrative ends here, setting up continuation in the following volume.

Characters

• Cass or Cassandra: The main survivalist character, identifiable by her unique pointed ears that turn red when she experiences strong emotions.
• Max-Ernest: Cass's devoted best friend and companion, sharing traits with the series' author such as a newfound passion for chocolate and visions featuring a monocle.
• Yo-Yoji: Their Japanese classmate and former Terces Society member; his expertise in music plays a crucial role in solving important mysteries.
• The Jester (Hermes): Originator of the Terces Society, once a royal jester who became imprisoned for assisting Cabbage Face’s escape; he later weds Anastasia and is revealed to be an ancestor of Cass.
• Anastasia: Leader of a bandit group who liberates both the Jester and Cass; she eventually marries Hermes.
• Lord Pharaoh: The Midnight Sun’s founder, whom Cass encounters during her time travels.
• Cabbage Face: A creation of Lord Pharaoh with whom Cass forms a friendship during her temporal journeys, exposing contradictions in prior narratives.
• Glob: A member of the Nuts Table known for running a popular food blog that draws commercial interest.
• Amber: Formerly regarded as the kindest girl at school, her image is tarnished after deceiving Max-Ernest; alongside Veronica, she admires the Skelton Sisters, who are secretly affiliated with the Midnight Sun.
• Benjamin: A Midnight Sun operative trained at New Promethean; he employs a monocle to unveil secrets but ultimately reverts to his normal state.
• Daniel-not-Danielle: Participant in the Nuts Table.
• Melanie: Cass’s adoptive mother figure.
• Grandpa Larry and Grandpa Wayne: Cass’s adoptive grandfathers.
• The bandits: Characters appearing in Cass’s vision or coma who assist Anastasia in wealth redistribution efforts.
• The Seer (Clara or Cassandra): A fortune teller who interprets Cass’s tarot cards.
• Mrs. Johnson: The school principal and descendant of the Seer.
• The regal beagles: Dogs owned by Lord Pharaoh.
• The guards: (No additional description provided).
• Veronica: Amber’s less amiable best friend.
• Dr. L: Pietro’s twin brother and adversary alongside Ms. Mauvais.
• Ms. Mauvais: The original leader of the Midnight Sun.

Reception

Caitlyn Walsh from School Library Journal commended This Isn't What It Looks Like as "a clever mystery adventure [...] guaranteed to keep listeners entertained."

The audiobook received an Earphone Award from AudioFile, which praised the strong performances of the ensemble cast and Joshua Swanson’s captivating narration that fully engages the audience.