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331st out of 1,156 books
—
8,373 voters
Double
When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel's identity, gaining the family and friends he's always dreamed of having. But becoming someone else isn't as easy as he hoped—and Chap isn't the only one hiding a secret. As he teeters on the brink of discovery and begins to unravel the m...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
February 21st 2012
by Hyperion Books for Children
(first published August 1st 2010)
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Apr 09, 2011
Clare Cannon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
13-18 years
Shelves:
young-adult,
13-15yrs
The Double Life of Cassiel Roadnight manages to deal with heavy themes in the style of a light, satisfying read.
It is important to note that the cover, the easy-to-read formatting and the simple storytelling style all seem to be directed at a younger audience (perhaps 10 to 12), yet the serious themes and occasional bad language are more suited to an older readership (I'd suggest mature 13s to 18).
As a good murder mystery the story is built on lies and secrets, murder and money, and there's even...more
It is important to note that the cover, the easy-to-read formatting and the simple storytelling style all seem to be directed at a younger audience (perhaps 10 to 12), yet the serious themes and occasional bad language are more suited to an older readership (I'd suggest mature 13s to 18).
As a good murder mystery the story is built on lies and secrets, murder and money, and there's even...more
This review part of two other mini reviews on my blog.
2 1/2 rating!
Double has an interesting premise, but the story itself was, for the most part, boring. Chap doesn’t really start to unravel Cassiel’s life and why he went missing until page 200, and there’s only 256 pages of this book. The last 50 or so pages really were interesting, although I felt a tad bit rushed, and I needed to know what had happened to Cassiel and Chap. I just wish the action started earlier, because otherwise this thrill...more
2 1/2 rating!
Double has an interesting premise, but the story itself was, for the most part, boring. Chap doesn’t really start to unravel Cassiel’s life and why he went missing until page 200, and there’s only 256 pages of this book. The last 50 or so pages really were interesting, although I felt a tad bit rushed, and I needed to know what had happened to Cassiel and Chap. I just wish the action started earlier, because otherwise this thrill...more
1 like
·
like
· see review
I should've abandoned this book long before I finished it.
SPOILERS ALERT!
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You see, I have this thing. A knack of suspecting every character that has a single of dialogue in a book. Its my own personal thing that I think caught after my obsessive LOST and Harry Potter years, but that's not the point. And I'm not saying that just because every character didn't turn out as epic and imaginatively written as I'd gathered doesn't make an author lame or anything. What DOES make an author lame, though,...more
SPOILERS ALERT!
You see, I have this thing. A knack of suspecting every character that has a single of dialogue in a book. Its my own personal thing that I think caught after my obsessive LOST and Harry Potter years, but that's not the point. And I'm not saying that just because every character didn't turn out as epic and imaginatively written as I'd gathered doesn't make an author lame or anything. What DOES make an author lame, though,...more
Aug 20, 2012
Andrea
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ideal-for-a-rainy-day
I was going to give this book 3 stars because it IS a 3 (3.5) stars type of book. But I enjoyed it SO much after Lost in Time that I decided to give it solid 4 stars. It's a book that caught my attention on Amazon a couple years back. It looked kind of good and I bought it. But as it happens with many books like this, it fell forgotten in my bookshelf while I was trying to catch up with other reading. I found it again this summer so I took it for holidays.
This is an interesting book. Not really...more
This is an interesting book. Not really...more
This is probably my favorite of the teen mysteries I've read the past month or so. Strangely, this is the 3rd book I've read where the MC is a teenage boy who poses as the long-lost child victim who has suddenly returned to his family (Counterfeit Son and Dead To You being the other two) after a years-long absence. In each book, as the boy returns to his "family" questions arise about the genuineness of his identity and the events of his past. This is really all the three books have in common as...more
I love Jenny Valentine. I really do. I have all three of her previous books, all of which are currently sat of my bookshelf, looking at me, asking me to buy this book.
I'll be honest with you, I didn't know it existed until today. I was wandering my library, looked at a shelf, thought "Nah, nothing on there I want to read," looked again "Is that Jenny Valentine????" Grabs.
Well, I knew a book of this name existed. I just didn't know it was by her...
Anyway. Our unnamed character, who I shall call B...more
I'll be honest with you, I didn't know it existed until today. I was wandering my library, looked at a shelf, thought "Nah, nothing on there I want to read," looked again "Is that Jenny Valentine????" Grabs.
Well, I knew a book of this name existed. I just didn't know it was by her...
Anyway. Our unnamed character, who I shall call B...more
You just knew it would happen.
You were sitting there, following the fast-paced plot quite easily, knowing it would happen.
And it did. And it pretty much ruins any chance of this book getting 4 stars.
First of all, it's not up for 5 stars because of swearing. Frequent, frequent uses of "God" and one character who uses the f word three times really mar this book. The plot is good and the quality of writing makes the main character and the surrounding characters quite cohesive, which really pulls...more
You were sitting there, following the fast-paced plot quite easily, knowing it would happen.
And it did. And it pretty much ruins any chance of this book getting 4 stars.
First of all, it's not up for 5 stars because of swearing. Frequent, frequent uses of "God" and one character who uses the f word three times really mar this book. The plot is good and the quality of writing makes the main character and the surrounding characters quite cohesive, which really pulls...more
Mar 28, 2012
Beth
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
library,
borrowed,
2012-reads,
march-2012,
quick-read,
disappointment,
mixed-feelings,
not-for-me,
mehhh,
loved-the-premise
2.5 stars
This one had so much potential, but it just fell flat for me in the end.
Valentine is obviously a good writer. Her writing is fluid and addictive and "Cassiel Roadnight" had that rare unputdownable quality. Even though I kept telling myself that I had to go do something else, I kept scurrying back to read it.
But, overall, it was just a disappointment. The mystery is not even there. There is no twists, no real tension, no surprises. The character foreshadowed to be a creep IS a creep. Ev...more
This one had so much potential, but it just fell flat for me in the end.
Valentine is obviously a good writer. Her writing is fluid and addictive and "Cassiel Roadnight" had that rare unputdownable quality. Even though I kept telling myself that I had to go do something else, I kept scurrying back to read it.
But, overall, it was just a disappointment. The mystery is not even there. There is no twists, no real tension, no surprises. The character foreshadowed to be a creep IS a creep. Ev...more
I would have given this one a 3.75.
I enjoyed this book well enough. It was interesting and, at times, a page turner. Sometimes it was a bit thin and could have used a little more character development, but on the whole it was a decent book and one I would recommend to high-low or younger readers.
Book Description
Publication Date: February 21, 2012
When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel’s identity, gai...more
I enjoyed this book well enough. It was interesting and, at times, a page turner. Sometimes it was a bit thin and could have used a little more character development, but on the whole it was a decent book and one I would recommend to high-low or younger readers.
Book Description
Publication Date: February 21, 2012
When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel’s identity, gai...more
Happy Release day to Double! Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Double. This book captured my eye very early on and I was glad I was able to read it early.
Jenny Valentine is BRILLIANT! I could not out down Double. I needed to keep reading until I found out what happened. Man oh man Double had me on the edge of my seat and the ending was EPIC!
Chap is in a home after losing his grandfather when someone recognizes who he is. Only he is not sure who he is. He knows he has no f...more
Jenny Valentine is BRILLIANT! I could not out down Double. I needed to keep reading until I found out what happened. Man oh man Double had me on the edge of my seat and the ending was EPIC!
Chap is in a home after losing his grandfather when someone recognizes who he is. Only he is not sure who he is. He knows he has no f...more
From the summary and the seriously creepy cover, I expected Double to be a thrilling, action-adventure ride. In fact, it's not. There is mystery and suspense, but the bulk of the novel was surprisingly understated. Actually, I liked Double better for that, for not taking the easy way out and focusing on the more obviously dramatic side of things.
Chap made a good narrator, very well conveying his own sense of discomfort and fear. He obviously isn't completely innocent, but he considers every acti...more
Chap made a good narrator, very well conveying his own sense of discomfort and fear. He obviously isn't completely innocent, but he considers every acti...more
I was hesitant to finish reading this book as the tagline seems more promising than the first half of the book. The book is a quick read and very predictable.
The main character Chap is being detained. His only known family is an old homeless man whom he thought was his grandfather. When Chap is giving the chance to have a real identity, he takes it without really thinking of the consequences. His biggest fear is getting caught, not why the situation really opened up. We learn that young teen wh...more
The main character Chap is being detained. His only known family is an old homeless man whom he thought was his grandfather. When Chap is giving the chance to have a real identity, he takes it without really thinking of the consequences. His biggest fear is getting caught, not why the situation really opened up. We learn that young teen wh...more
"When I stole Cassiel's life, I thought it would be better than mine. I thought he was happier and healthier and more wholesome than me. I thought he had a loving, stable family. I wanted what he had. Now I had no idea what that was. I had no idea who any of them were.
When I only knew for sure that I was lying, how could I trust anybody else?"
Sixteen year-old Chap is a young man with no real name, no discernable past, and no future. He’s lived a large portion of his life being shuffled between...more
When I only knew for sure that I was lying, how could I trust anybody else?"
Sixteen year-old Chap is a young man with no real name, no discernable past, and no future. He’s lived a large portion of his life being shuffled between...more
Veamos...
Esta será una mini reseña... pero ya verán porqué...
Ok, este es otro amor a primera vista entre lector y portada de libro…
Y de momento… no me ha salido mal.Enlace
Chap no tiene amigos, ni familia, ni un lugar al cual llamar hogar. La suerte ha querido que lo confundan con un niño llamado Cassiel. Excepto por algunas cicatrices y los dientes, se ven exactamente igual. Piensa que ésta es su oportunidad de tener una verdadera familia, así que les sigue la corriente a todos y dice que él es...more
Esta será una mini reseña... pero ya verán porqué...
Ok, este es otro amor a primera vista entre lector y portada de libro…
Y de momento… no me ha salido mal.Enlace
Chap no tiene amigos, ni familia, ni un lugar al cual llamar hogar. La suerte ha querido que lo confundan con un niño llamado Cassiel. Excepto por algunas cicatrices y los dientes, se ven exactamente igual. Piensa que ésta es su oportunidad de tener una verdadera familia, así que les sigue la corriente a todos y dice que él es...more
I received this ARC through the Around The World ARC Tours. Here is my honest review:
Chap finds himself in a predicament when, after two years of being on the run, he is confronted with a choice: admit who he is or take someone else's life. It would be easy to pretend to be Cassiel since he looks just like him. He's never had a family, but is the grass greener on the other side? Chap is about to find out.
I felt like the first third of this book took a while to get going, but once the story picke...more
Chap finds himself in a predicament when, after two years of being on the run, he is confronted with a choice: admit who he is or take someone else's life. It would be easy to pretend to be Cassiel since he looks just like him. He's never had a family, but is the grass greener on the other side? Chap is about to find out.
I felt like the first third of this book took a while to get going, but once the story picke...more
3.5 stars rounded up for awesomeness.
I requested this book from NetGalley a while back, initially because I thought it was a science fiction book. I didn’t read the description, just saw the cover and I mistook the little water droplets as 01010101 computer language stuff. Anyway, turns out this is not a science fiction book at all! There’s nothing sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, fantasy, etc. about it at all. But, even though the book was not what I expected at all, it turned out to be a really...more
I requested this book from NetGalley a while back, initially because I thought it was a science fiction book. I didn’t read the description, just saw the cover and I mistook the little water droplets as 01010101 computer language stuff. Anyway, turns out this is not a science fiction book at all! There’s nothing sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, fantasy, etc. about it at all. But, even though the book was not what I expected at all, it turned out to be a really...more
Chap is a nobody. He has no family, friends or identity. He has been hopping from place to place for the past four years and has no place to call home. That is until his picture is found on a missing person's ad. Cassiel Roadnight. It's like looking in the mirror. Why can't he be him? Nobody would know... These are all the things Chap thinks to himself as he decides to take over this boy's life.
As Chap becomes Cassiel and is brought "home" he learns that this isn't going to be the perfect life t...more
As Chap becomes Cassiel and is brought "home" he learns that this isn't going to be the perfect life t...more
THE FAERYS VIEW
Double by Jenny Valentine is a suspenseful mystery hidden under the guise of a mistaken identity. Ms. Valentine writes beautifully about a poor young man who goes from rags to riches but soon finds out it was safer out on the streets!
Chap lived dangerously out on the streets, fighting for every scrap of food, a place to sleep and, at times, for his very life. Suddenly his luck changes and he’s mistaken for a wealthy missing boy named Cassiel, he eagerly assumes the role and his li...more
Double by Jenny Valentine is a suspenseful mystery hidden under the guise of a mistaken identity. Ms. Valentine writes beautifully about a poor young man who goes from rags to riches but soon finds out it was safer out on the streets!
Chap lived dangerously out on the streets, fighting for every scrap of food, a place to sleep and, at times, for his very life. Suddenly his luck changes and he’s mistaken for a wealthy missing boy named Cassiel, he eagerly assumes the role and his li...more
He never claimed to be the missing Cassiel. He just neglected to deny it. Given the choice between being a nobody, nameless and homeless, or being a somebody, with everything you've never had, who wouldn't hesitate? However, pretending to be someone else isn't easy, especially when no one is who they seem.
Jenny Valentine's young adult novel, Double, begs the reader to ponder the essence of a person's character - what defines a person and how that affects, or is affected by, an individual's choic...more
Jenny Valentine's young adult novel, Double, begs the reader to ponder the essence of a person's character - what defines a person and how that affects, or is affected by, an individual's choic...more
Originally reviewed for http://www.In-Interest.blogspot.com . Will be posted nearer to publication date.
Nobody goes into a youth hostel and Cassiel leaves. Somewhere inbetween, the boy that enters is falsely recognised as 14 year old Cassiel, who went missing 2 years previous. The boy, a first tries to protest, but Cassiel has everything he's never had. A family that love him. Friends. A life. He stops protesting and enters the not so perfect life of Cassiel Roadnight. His life remains a intense...more
Nobody goes into a youth hostel and Cassiel leaves. Somewhere inbetween, the boy that enters is falsely recognised as 14 year old Cassiel, who went missing 2 years previous. The boy, a first tries to protest, but Cassiel has everything he's never had. A family that love him. Friends. A life. He stops protesting and enters the not so perfect life of Cassiel Roadnight. His life remains a intense...more
This book interested me from when I first read the synopsis. A case of mistaken identity is always intriguing, and I figured I’d give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. I should have predicted the ending from a mile away, yet somehow I didn’t. It was a bit of a mix of thriller/mystery/murder story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
What I really thought was unique about the novel was the writing style. It definitely wasn’t tradition, yet it just fit with the story. Chap is lost and...more
What I really thought was unique about the novel was the writing style. It definitely wasn’t tradition, yet it just fit with the story. Chap is lost and...more
This book would not have been my usual forte. Just reading the back of it, I probably wouldn't have picked it up. But I had the chance to check out the ARC, and the narrator drew me in instantly. I was pleasantly surprised when I actually enjoyed this mystery.
The main character, Chap, is who initially kept me reading. But the presentation of his grandfather, who is never actually in the story but is shown through flashbacks, became truly compelling and pushed me on to finish the story. And then...more
The main character, Chap, is who initially kept me reading. But the presentation of his grandfather, who is never actually in the story but is shown through flashbacks, became truly compelling and pushed me on to finish the story. And then...more
Chap, a homeless nobody, is shown a MISSING poster of a boy who looks exactly like him. Nothing to lose by pretending to be him. "Okay" he lied.
Now called Cassiel, Chap is taken to Cassiel's home in an English village. He isn't the only one with secrets. There are many hidden secrets. Danger lurks.
Double is not a paranormal book and does not have mystical characters, but it reads with the refreshing atmosphere of a fairy tale.
Ahhhhh, a thoroughly satisfying read when all the puzzling questions...more
Now called Cassiel, Chap is taken to Cassiel's home in an English village. He isn't the only one with secrets. There are many hidden secrets. Danger lurks.
Double is not a paranormal book and does not have mystical characters, but it reads with the refreshing atmosphere of a fairy tale.
Ahhhhh, a thoroughly satisfying read when all the puzzling questions...more
This is one of those mysterious book that keep you sucked in from the very first word of the page. I love mysterious. But what I loved the most about it, is being able to follow along a trail of secrets, dark pasts and murders.
Imagine you finding out that the life you been living is the lie. Your parents are not your parents and nobody knows who you are. Chap feeling bemused by all of this decided to continue living the lie he already lived. I mean,whats the point? You've been living a lie this...more
Imagine you finding out that the life you been living is the lie. Your parents are not your parents and nobody knows who you are. Chap feeling bemused by all of this decided to continue living the lie he already lived. I mean,whats the point? You've been living a lie this...more
http://nose-in-a-book.net/2011/08/08/...
This book is really intense. It’s basically straight fiction, nothing paranormal, no romance involved. I’ve been stressed the entire time I’ve been reading this, because Chap is so on edge, so sure he’s going to get caught. His “family” never gives him a straight answer, and Chap has no idea how to be Cassiel. The whole book is uncomfortable and scary, and it’s really rough to be in Chap’s shoes, because you as a reader know only as much as he does. This b...more
This book is really intense. It’s basically straight fiction, nothing paranormal, no romance involved. I’ve been stressed the entire time I’ve been reading this, because Chap is so on edge, so sure he’s going to get caught. His “family” never gives him a straight answer, and Chap has no idea how to be Cassiel. The whole book is uncomfortable and scary, and it’s really rough to be in Chap’s shoes, because you as a reader know only as much as he does. This b...more
Valentine has written a great mystery novel revolving around a mistaken identity, a daring theft, and a possible murder. Chap relays his story through a first person narrative, making it easy for the reader to connect with him. First person limited is my favorite point of view because it allows the reader a direct line to the narrator’s thoughts, creating a deeper connection between the reader and narrator than, say, a third person narrative. I was glad to see that Valentine evoked this point of...more
¿Quién es Cassiel Roadnight? Cassiel no existe. O si. Solo sabemos que el nuevo Cassiel es Nadie. Aunque ese 'nadie' se llama Chap, o así le llamaban. Chap, es idéntico a Cassiel, por eso cuando es cogido por servicios sociales y le enseñan la foto de Cassiel para que él admita que es el de la foto y le puedan llevar con su familia, Chap no se lo piensa dos veces y dice que si. La familia de Cassiel es lo más parecido que tiene a una familia a parte de su abuelo. Por eso lo intenta hacer todo bi...more
This was a taut thriller from the very start. Kid stumbles into a youth hostel, is identified as a kid missing for two years, and he decides to accept the identity because he has always wanted a real family. There's dark, dark secrets in his past, and dark, dark secrets in the new family's past, and it all crescendoes at the end.
Valentine's writing was excellent, choosing to tell the tale through the kid's voice. He goes through a lot of angst when he realizes that he's decided to live a lie. He...more
Valentine's writing was excellent, choosing to tell the tale through the kid's voice. He goes through a lot of angst when he realizes that he's decided to live a lie. He...more
“Funny, the distant little roots of big and life-changing things, their humble beginnings. The phone call that causes a car crash, the delayed train that kicks off an affair, the whiskey shortage that turned me into nobody.”
What happened to Cassiel that his face is now on a missing flyer? Who is Chap, and why does he look a lot like Cassiel? This is the mystery that unfolds in Valentine’s new novel, Double.
First, let me say that as a whole, I enjoyed this novel. I did not love it, but I did enjo...more
What happened to Cassiel that his face is now on a missing flyer? Who is Chap, and why does he look a lot like Cassiel? This is the mystery that unfolds in Valentine’s new novel, Double.
First, let me say that as a whole, I enjoyed this novel. I did not love it, but I did enjo...more
Double, or The Double Life of Cassiel Roadnight as it is known in the UK, is a simple mystery story, told by our main character, Chap. Chap just wants a new life, and one is handed to him on a plate. I can't blame him for taking it either, he's a child of the streets, sleeping rough every night and I can't imagine how hard life must have been for Chap before someone realised he looked like Cassiel. Of course, there are some differences between Cassiel and Chap – Chap has self inflicted piercings...more
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Jenny Valentine moved house every two years when she was growing up. She has just moved house again, probably not for the last time. She worked in a wholefood shop in Primrose Hill for fifteen years where she met many extraordinary people and sold more organic loaves than there are words in her first novel. She has also worked as a teaching assistant and a jewellery maker. She studied English Lite...more
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“According to Grandad, being a vegetarian wasn't about just health or cruelty of money or flavor: it was about manners. He said that stealing milk and eggs and honey was enough of a liberty without hacking off someone's leg and then drowning it in gravy. He had a point.”
—
1 person liked it
“I cut off a piece of meatball dripping with sauce. I tried to make my face right. I tried to smile and not grimace, tried to close my eyes in delight , not panic; tried to swallow, not gag. They watched me like hawks.
'Delicious,' I said, still chewing. They tasted like salt and shit and gristle.
'As good as you remember?'
'Better.'
I got through two. I drank a lot of water. I broke them down into fractions of themselves, sixteen more to go, fourteen more, eight, one. In my head I said sorry to grandad, and to the lamb or pig or mixture of creatures I was eating. I put my knife and fork together with four of them still swimming on my plate.”
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1 person liked it
More quotes…
'Delicious,' I said, still chewing. They tasted like salt and shit and gristle.
'As good as you remember?'
'Better.'
I got through two. I drank a lot of water. I broke them down into fractions of themselves, sixteen more to go, fourteen more, eight, one. In my head I said sorry to grandad, and to the lamb or pig or mixture of creatures I was eating. I put my knife and fork together with four of them still swimming on my plate.”
Apr 05, 2013 10:34am