PSA: I'm quite a bit behind in these posts, so expect several in the next few days so I can try to get caught up.
I absolutely loved Niffenegger's first book, The Time-Traveler's Wife. I rarely cry at books, but I absolutely bawled at the end of that one. It was just so beautiful and a great love story. However, I am typically let down by an author's second novel after their first one is so acclaimed. I have to admit that I was a little hesitant going into this book because of this (I also think I remember someone telling me they didn't like it.)
This, however, was another great woven story in my mind - at least for the first two thirds of the book. The story centers around two sisters (twins) whose aunt (their mother's twin) dies and leaves them her flat in London and requires them to live there for a year (and that their parents cannot step foot into the flat). Throughout the entire story, there are hints of something horrible that has happened to separate the aunt and mother before the twins were born. During this time, we're also introduced to the aunt's lover (Robert), the other tenant in the building, Martin who has a severe case of OCD, and the aunt's (Elspeth) ghost, who plays a major role in the story.
I have to admit that the twins, Julie and Valentina, creeped me out a bit. I found it odd that women in their early 20s still dressed exactly alike - but we're allowed to see that that is more of Julie's doing than Valentina's.
Then you hit the last third of the book and there are some twists I didn't really expect. They're a little creepy and disturbing. These twists made me like the book a little less.
It is still wonderfully written despite the creepiness and oddness. Just be forewarned before you start it!
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