10 November, 2015

#BookReview :: One by Sarah Crossan

Grace and Tippi are twins – conjoined twins.

And their lives are about to change.

No longer able to afford homeschooling, they must venture into the world – a world of stares, sneers and cruelty. Will they find more than that at school? Can they find real friends? And what about love?
But what neither Grace or Tippi realises is that a heart-wrenching decision lies ahead. A decision that could tear them apart. One that will change their lives even more than they ever imagined…
From Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sarah Crossan, this moving and beautifully crafted novel about identity, sisterhood and love ultimately asks one question: what does it mean to want and have a soulmate? 

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This was one surprising book for me. I am not sure if I would have picked this book up for myself had I come across it in a bookstore. The idea about getting into the mind of a conjoined twin is intriguing but I am not very comfortable reading in verse! But thanks to Bloomsbury India, who sent me a review copy, I picked up the book to give it a try… and soon got sucked deep into it.

Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins, who have defied the odds by simply living to be sixteen. They are close to each other, and not just physically but emotionally too. They truly love each other and always have been each other’s rock. When they find out that they have an opportunity to lead separate lives, they have to make a decision that would change their lives forever.

Grace and Tippi are interesting characters. As the changes in their lives stack up, they each do their part to meet the expectations of the people around them and experience things for themselves as well. The ups and downs of their lives, their share of joys and sadness and their dilemmas have all been shared beautifully. There were points where the book warmed my heart and points where I felt their anguish and heartbreak as my own. The book represents only Grace’s point of view and I would have loved it if the author had given us a glimpse into Tippi’s mind as well. And while the conjoined twins are the centre of the story, their parents and sister also plays an important role in driving the plot. 

The author seemed to have researched the details of conjoined twins well enough. At least it came across as such to someone who knows very little on the subject. Also as someone who is very new to free verse, I quite enjoyed it. I must say, Sarah Crossan has made me realize that free verse can indeed be a very strong literary medium.

Be sure to give this one a try and take a emotional roller coaster ride.


Review Copy received from Bloomsbury India


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