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BOOK REVIEW: The Girls by Lori Lansens
"I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I've never used an aeroplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that...So many things I've never done, but oh, how I've been loved. And, if such things were to be, I'd live a thousand times as me, to be loved so exponentially."
So begins Lori Lansens' The Girls, one of the books chosen for Richard and Judy's 2007 bookclub. Who could fail to be moved by such a tender and evocative beginning? And it just gets better and better.
Rose and Ruby Darlen are as close as sisters can be. Born joined at the head, they have lived a life full of spectacle, ridicule, love and wonderment. Now approaching 30, the girls are telling their own story in two contrasting styles, capturing all the hopes, fears, crashing disappointments and ordinary yet tender moments in two extraordinary lives.
I found Lori Lansens' evocative tale deeply affecting. It’s a long time for me since any fictional characters leapt from the page like Rose and Ruby, remembering their beloved Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash.
As a mum of two eight-year-olds, I'm no fan of stereotypical portrayals of twins in fiction (and there are a few about – they’re not all pairs of good or evil you know) so the warm and subtle storytelling in this for me, unforgettable book, comes like a breeze of fresh air over a sea of mediocrity. I've savoured every page - reading passages aloud to my mum or partner, as I go. At turns laugh out loud funny, heartbreaking and shocking, The Girls is an absolute gem – a book I could read and re-read.
I even found myself nodding in agreement when it came to Aunt Lovey’s musings about three different types of people in this world - those who love children, those who love their own children and those who hate children but call their pets "Baby." Oh that sounds familiar. I think I’ve met a few of that last lot. [Linda Jones]
Rating: 5 out of 5
Like this? Try My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
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Posted by Shiny Media on March 1, 2007 in American Authors, Modern Fiction, Rating: 5/5, Recent Release, Richard and Judy | Permalink
Comments
Thanks for letting me review this Keris. The thought of me having any tastes in common with Richard Madeley is frankly very alarming.
Posted by: Linda | Mar 1, 2007 10:07:18 PM
Well, perhaps it was my mood at the time, but I just couldn't get through this book! I read it in chunks, mostly skimming through it and ultimately decided to do away with it. Oh, well.
Posted by: Adele | Mar 2, 2007 2:30:52 AM
You're welcome, Linda. And don't disparage the lovely Richard! ;)
Adele, I find this with a lot of the R&J books, some people love them madly, some can't get through them. I couldn't finish Labyrinth, The Historian, The Shadow of the Wind ... and more. It'd be a boring world if everyone was the same, as my mother-in-law likes to say. :)
Posted by: Keris | Mar 2, 2007 10:02:04 AM
Yes I am disappointed by lots of things that others rave about, like say Richard Madeley :)
Posted by: Linda | Mar 2, 2007 5:27:20 PM
