sadiereadsagain's review
4.0
Whilst I was drawn in to this book quite quickly, it did take a while to win me over. The powerful individual voice of Sue stood out for me straight away, but I struggled with believing the very dysfunctional relationship you have thrown at you right off the bat. At first it felt too false, too dramatic and desperate. But as the situations and characters developed I did find myself understanding more how a close, competitive relationship could be so damaging between teenage girls struggling to grow in a wasteland of a family. I thought how each twin had their own journey was really what made this book so interesting. The story raises lots of questions about the pressure put on girls to be perfect, and is brave enough to examine parts of teenage girlhood that are still quite taboo and hushed. Yes, it's extreme and probably a bit far fetched, but ultimately I felt the story benefited from the situations the author puts the girls through. My only grumble really was that the ending was a bit too neat and saccharine...
colorcrystals's review against another edition
2.0
The last several months I've been on an angsty-teen book kick. I thought I had found the perfect book in Twins. I was very wrong. It took every ounce of my willpower to finish this novel. The description promised "funny, affecting, and told with raw understanding". I found none of this. I could find no comedic relief, which a story like this sorely needs. Perhaps if there had been a few scraps of true comedy, reading the novel would have been easier.
sarahweiss's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition
2.0
I found this book about the love/hate relationship between this set of twins disturbing. There's the type of disturbing that tells a good story, and then there's disturbing of bad, unsympathetic characters, with one in particular who should have probably been in a mental institution. I am fairly liberal with giving characters the benefit of the doubt, but I couldn't find much - if anything - redeeming about these girls. I kept asking myself why a person would even care about them.
notrachel's review against another edition
1.0
This is an ugly story about pretty girl. It has many of the 'first novel' faults: it's messy and at times painfully redundant. In a book titled Twins I don't know why Ms. Dermansky felt the need to reminds that the girls were identical twins on nearly every other page. We get it.
I didn't find any part of the book funny, which bummed me out as promises of humor prompted me to select this tome from my library's shelves. There were comical bits...but in the completely farcical way i.e., "there's no earthly way situations/people like this could be allowed to exist."
It had moments where I could see the style that the author was going for. I could see what she was trying to do. But as most of them came late in the book...almost too late for me, she fell woefully short.
The idea of the necessity for separation from those who are supposed to care for/about us so we can learn to truly care for ourselves as individuals does strike home for me. It's a painful lesson no matter what the circumstances. But the overall story of Twins, the obsession and the clinging, led to me barely caring whether any one in this story got themselves sorted or not.
I didn't find any part of the book funny, which bummed me out as promises of humor prompted me to select this tome from my library's shelves. There were comical bits...but in the completely farcical way i.e., "there's no earthly way situations/people like this could be allowed to exist."
It had moments where I could see the style that the author was going for. I could see what she was trying to do. But as most of them came late in the book...almost too late for me, she fell woefully short.
The idea of the necessity for separation from those who are supposed to care for/about us so we can learn to truly care for ourselves as individuals does strike home for me. It's a painful lesson no matter what the circumstances. But the overall story of Twins, the obsession and the clinging, led to me barely caring whether any one in this story got themselves sorted or not.
lizdesole's review against another edition
2.0
So, I must admit that I was drawn to read this by the creepy twin photo on the cover (which didn't make it to the final edition-just the advanced proof). The book didn't deliver the creepy that I was hoping for. Oh, it had it's own creepiness though. There was definitely a strange repressed incestuous aspect to this book.
Although I mostly enjoyed reading this (decent pacing), it got really mired in the sandtraps of YA fiction. The characters are so over the top. Of course they are tall and beautiful and thin. They are especially gifted. Their parents are spectacularly horrid. Their primary friend is rich and famous and beautiful. They are phenomenally messed up but end up getting it all together in the end. To the author's credit, she does deal with some of this: particularly with the twin's looks. There is plenty of self-loathing and self-doubt which leads to all sorts of problems. Unfortunately they also get a lion's share of teenage problems too: bulemia, anorexia, sexual identity issues, depression, minor criminality, drugs, and on and on.
Probably only a good read for angsty teens
Although I mostly enjoyed reading this (decent pacing), it got really mired in the sandtraps of YA fiction. The characters are so over the top. Of course they are tall and beautiful and thin. They are especially gifted. Their parents are spectacularly horrid. Their primary friend is rich and famous and beautiful. They are phenomenally messed up but end up getting it all together in the end. To the author's credit, she does deal with some of this: particularly with the twin's looks. There is plenty of self-loathing and self-doubt which leads to all sorts of problems. Unfortunately they also get a lion's share of teenage problems too: bulemia, anorexia, sexual identity issues, depression, minor criminality, drugs, and on and on.
Probably only a good read for angsty teens
danadanger's review against another edition
4.0
i love stories about twins, teenage bad girl stuff, and female bildungsromans, so this was right up my alley. a good, quick read - perfect for the train.
bookshelfsessions's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
courtneyibb's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit