Gemini

by Sonya Mukherjee

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
True story, conjoined twins are something I enjoy reading about a lot. There are such a finite number of people on earth who can ever understand what it is like sharing a body with another human being, and I find it incredibly impressive when authors manage to get into this headspace. Obviously I can't say for sure, but Sonya's portrayal of both girls felt incredibly authentic.

I really enjoyed both Clara and Hailey as characters. Sure, they were sisters and had stuff in common, but they were also definitely their own people- in a realistic way. They were, aside from being conjoined, teenaged girls who faced a lot of the same decisions and apprehensions that every other teen faces. Yes, their struggles were amplified by the fact that they shared one body. But the heart of the story was really all about two young women trying to find their places in the world, making plans for their futures, and the apprehension and worry that often accompanies it.

Clearly, this is a very character driven book, but the girls are so relatable that it works well. We get to see the girls' hopes and dreams, their relationships with each other as well as friends, family, and yes, even some boys. And while the town they've spent their whole lives in is completely used to their presence (there's no awkward gawking or anything- nor is there really any special treatment, which I thought was pretty awesome), the author makes it clear that the whole world doesn't react the same way.

My only minor qualm would probably be that I may have wanted a bit more from the ending? It wasn't bad by any means- I just think that I was expecting a few more tugs at my heartstrings. Maybe I am just a masochist, I don't know.

Bottom Line: I adored this story, and cared deeply for both Clara and Hailey. While I certainly can't relate to being a conjoined twin, I can absolutely relate to them trying to figure out who they were and what they wanted to be in life, and it was a lovely journey to take!