BOOK REVIEW

TWINS
MARCY DERMANSKY

I have to start off by saying that my book review of the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY is long overdue, and I want to let the author know not to take it personally because when I finally got a chance to read her novel I could hardly put it down. I absolutely loved TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY.

First off I want start off by saying how both the author and myself have to laugh at how difficult it was for me to receive a copy of her novel. It all started when the author, MARCY DERMANSKY, told me how her novel TWINS was being released in paperback and would love to send me a copy to review for my MySpace blog NEWS AND REVIEWS FOR BOOK LOVERS. However, she told me that HarperCollins her publisher was holding a contest over on their blog at www.theolivereader.com and she wanted me to enter. She was curious how many people would enter. Heck, I would be too if I wrote a book and had it published. Heck, I am even curious who reads my blog NEWS AND REVIEWS FOR BOOK LOVERS what my readers think about what I have to say. Since I did not think it was right to receive two free copies of the book I just mentioned to the person who was in charge at HarperCollins that the author informed me of the contest, but even it I did not win a copy of her novel she would still like me to receive a copy to review. Well, let me tell you a few weeks went by and the author, MARCY DERMANSKY, contacted me asking if I had received a copy of her novel TWINS yet. I had to say unfortunately no. She went on to say it was not a problem and that she had a few copies at home and she would gladly send me one. I have to admit I secretly prefer getting books straight from the authors because they usually sign the book the with a little note addressed to me personally, and that is exactly what the author of the novel TWINS, MARCY DERMANSKY, did for me. It is the little things that make a difference. The funny thing about this whole situation is about a week after I received the novel directly from the author I received a copy of the exact same novel from the editor at HarperCollins in the mail. I guess it is true what they say about the mail being slow in Canada. LOL. This is so what I did not want to happen. Don't worry MARCY DERMANSKY I gave the extra copy of your novel TWINS to a friend of mine who is also an avid book lover and I know she would enjoy your novel just like I did.

After reading the synopsis on the back cover I knew that it would be a book that I would definitely love to read. I started reading TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY immediately because it reminded me of a dark and twisted version of the Wakefield twins from the beloved series SWEET VALLEY HIGH created in 1983 by Francine Pascal that all my friends and myself included would devour reading when we were teenagers. Please take note that I am by know means comparing MARCY DERMANSKY's novel to any of the SWEET VALLY HIGH books. Even though the main characters of both the novel TWINS and SWEET VALLEY HIGH are teenage girls the storytelling and the voices of the main characters are uniquely different.

I have to admit that I had to stop reading the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY halfway through. There were many reasons for this, but the main reason was my husband was on vacation from being away working on a cruise ship for four months and he was only home for two months. In the two months that he was home we had to buy a car, find a place to live, and move before he had to leave again for work. To say that I was busy and distracted at the same time was putting it lightly. When I read a book that I plan on reviewing I want to be able to have to concentrate on the characters, plot, and writing style of the book and nothing else. I know that sounds selfish, so that is the reason that I put my book reviews on hold when my husband is on vacation. I want to be able to spend as much time with him as possible when I only get to see him for short periods of time.

Another reason that I think is important to mention on why I had to put the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY down halfway through was my current emotional state. I never thought that the emotional state that I was in would reflect on those books that I would decide to read or not to read. However, I guess that is the case and I have to say that I never really thought about it until now. I do know one thing that after reading a true crime novel or a really disturbing book I will go and buy a HARLEQUIN ROMANCE novel to read. Laugh all you want. What I really love about HARLEQUIN ROMANCE novels is I can read them in just a few hours and I always feel good after reading the novel. What more can you ask for in a romance novel especially after reading something that you find disturbing?

Anyways, back to why I could not finish the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY was that for the past few months I had been living with my father. It was not going well. I have not lived at home for any length of time for the past thirteen years. I do feel for my father because I am definitely my mother's daughter she was the one who basically raised me by herself and I must have reminded him so much of my mother who had passed away just over two years ago. Let me tell you it was hard on both us to live together under the same roof. During this time without my mother being around I was really able to observe my father's behavior and discover who he really was and/or turned into since my mother's death. To say that I was not surprised and disappointed in learning that my father was not the man that I thought he was and whom I had put on a pedestal for most of my childhood was to call me a liar. I ended up becoming very angry with my father, and we ended up starting to fight all the time about the most trivial things. After awhile he just started to go out all the time like he could not stand being around me for even just an hour. So feeling all this anger and hostility I found it very difficult to continue reading such an emotional novel like TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY. I think by living with my emotionally detached father in the house that I grew up in brought back a lot of painful memories of which I could relate to the main characters, Chloe and Sue. All the anger, resentment, and loneliness that I felt when I was a teenager all came flooding back to me. It was just too hard for me at the time to finish MARCY DERMANSKY's debut novel TWINS. Well, I guess that is what you have to call powerful writing. Congratulations, Marcy! I have never felt such strong emotions while reading a fiction novel, or should I say any novel.

Eight months later I was enjoying a nice two-week vacation on a cruise ship in Alaska with my husband, and since he was working I had a lot of time on my hands. I was nice and relaxed after getting my life all sorted out in the past few months. That is when I decided it was safe enough to finally pick up the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY and start reading the book from the beginning again now that I had a whole new fresh perspective on my life.

MARCY DERMANSKY'S debut novel TWINS is one of the most emotionally charged novels that I have read in a long time. Even though I am not a twin I could totally relate to the main characters, Chloe and Sue. MARCY DERMANSKY, the author, really understands and was able to tap into the pressures and emotions that teenagers face in today's society.

If I would have not know anything about the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY or had not read the book cover I would easily have thought that the novel was about a teenage girl with a split personality. Trust me I have read and watched many books and movies on multiple personalities. The way the author describes Chloe's frequent headaches due to Sue's constant nagging in person or just in Chloe's head is a sign that different personality is going to take control of a situation that the current personality can not emotionally deal with. Other clues that lead me to believe that the novel is about a teenage girl with a split personality is the way Chloe and Sue would constantly talk about how they share the same DNA and how when they look at one another they could see themselves, like a reflection in a mirror. One of the stranger things that I found that could link the novel to a teenage girl with a split personality is that Chloe and Sue constantly saying to each other in the novel is how much they love the other more then anyone else in the world. I found it to be like a selfish kind of love that you could only feel for oneself. The main thing about how split personalities develop is through a tragedy or the main personality cannot emotionally deal with present stresses of their life. I feel that when Sue says to Chloe that they were so happy when they were children because they were content on being exactly the same, but now that they are teenagers everything has changed. I thought in the novel TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY the teenage girl develops a split personality because she felt that maybe if she could change into someone completely different than her parents would start noticing her more and take an interest in her life and love her for who she is instead of constantly ignoring her, like she was invisible. That is why I believe the author, MARCY DERMANSKY, made her two twins so completely different in character.

I realize the author, MARCY DERMANSKY, did not write her novel TWINS about a teenage girl with a split personality, but actually about twin sisters, Chloe and Sue. Even though the author claims she is not a twin she does an amazing job of writing what if feels like to be an identical twin. Heck, I thought they were the same person until three-quarters through the book. LOL. It was not until Sue ran away from home that I knew for sure that Chloe and Sue were actually two separate people. Usually the healing process of a person with multiple personalities is the 'fading away' of the separate personalities until just the main personality is left. Instead MARCY DERMANSKY's debut novel TWINS ends by Chloe and Sue find redemption by going their different directions and discovering for themselves who they really are as individuals and learning how to live and be happy without each other to lean on for support.

Some readers probably would find it hard to believe all the addictions that Chloe and Sue go through in the course of five years. However, again I can totally relate to the twins situations. I started when I was around twelve skipping school and smoking, which gradually led into drinking. By grade ten I was unable to sleep due to my constant worrying about my grades in school and started to abuse pill, which led into experimenting with marijuana. Only way I can describe multiple addictions is you are constantly looking for something to take away emotional and/or physical pain, and when one addiction stops to work you try another. It is an endless cycle. At the end of the day you have to realize you have to create your own happiness and no one can do it for you but yourself. That is exactly what Chloe and Sue learn at the end of MARCY DERMANSKY'S novel TWINS.

Only thing I want to comment about is the cover of both the hardcover and paperback version of MARCY DERMANSKY's debut novel TWINS I think looks to Young Adult; especially, the paperback version. I was just in the middle of explaining to a gentleman in the ship's library that the book cover (paperback) is deceiving and that the book is actually very dark and thought provoking. Although, the novel's main characters are teenagers I do not believe it was published as a Young Adult novel, but as an Adult novel. Please someone correct me if I am wrong.

I finally understand now why the author, MARCY DERMANSKY, has been waiting so patiently for me to write this review and let her know what I thought of her novel. She knew that I would totally get her novel TWINS and the message she is trying to send to her readers. I am very grateful to Marcy also because I can tell that she reads my blogs on both my MySpace profiles 'TRISHA' and 'NEWS AND REVIEWS FOR BOOK LOVERS' or else how would she know I could relate to her main characters, Chloe and Sue's struggle to survive adolescence. I want to thank-you again MARCY DERMANSKY for sending me a copy of your debut novel TWINS to read and review.

TWINS by MARCY DERMANSKY is not exactly what you call mainstream fiction, and MARCY DERMANSKY may not be a household name like JODI PICOULT, but she is a talented new writer on the verge which I recommend everyone to keep their eyes on for this author has a bright future. I personally can't wait to read her next book. Marcy, please tell me you are working on a new novel.

Check out MARCY DERMANSKY's website www.marcydermansky.com, on MySpace www.myspace.com/chloeandsue, and I would also recommend Googling MARCY DERMANSKY. She is a very busy person whom like Brad Listi knows how to use the Internet to her advantage.

I hope you enjoyed my nineteenth issue of NEWS AND REVIEWS FOR BOOK LOVERS. Please leave comments because I am also very curious who reads my reviews and what you think of them.

Cheers,
Trisha Mortimore

TIP: If you are searching for this novel on www.amazon.com type in the author's name, MARCY DERMANSKY, instead of just the title of the novel TWINS. It will make search a lot easier and faster.