In the wake of sudden tragedy, twin sisters uncover a secret that rips open their world. Katherine Rothschild explores the pain and power of forgiveness in a stunning debut novel that will shatter your heart and piece it back together, one truth at a time.
Sixteen-year-old Sabine Braxton doesn’t have much in common with her identical twin, Blythe. When their father dies from an unexpected illness, each copes with the loss in her own way—Sabine by “poeting” (an uncontrollable quirk of bursting into poetry at inappropriate moments) and Blythe by obsessing over getting into MIT, their father’s alma mater. Neither can offer each other much support . . . at least not until their emotionally detached mother moves them into a ramshackle Bay Area mansion owned by a stranger named Charlie.
Soon, the sisters unite in a mission to figure out who Charlie is and why he seems to know everything about them. They make a life-changing discovery:their parents were hiding secrets about their sexual identities. The revelation unravels Sabine’s world, while practical Blythe seems to take everything in stride. Once again at odds with her sister, Sabine chooses to learn all she can about the father she never knew. Ultimately, she must decide if she can embrace his last wish for a family legacy--even if it means accepting a new idea of what it means to be a family.
This book was so good. It deals with a lot of difficult topics, like HIV/AIDS, alternative lifestyles (polyamory), family, friendships, addiction, compulsions... But it does it so gracefully. I love Sabine and her character, and how she deals with her compulsions after her dad dies. Beautiful story, and I recommend to readers who might be dealing with grief, coping with family secrets, or anyone who enjoys YA fic that's light on the romance.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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16 March, 2021:
Finished reading
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16 March, 2021:
Reviewed