Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Twins
by
Marcy Dermansky (Goodreads Author)
On the eve of their thirteenth birthday, identical twins Chloe and Sue agree to get matching tattoos to prove their bond is stronger than DNA. So begins Twins, Marcy Dermansky's funny and disturbingly honest debut novel, the extraordinary story of blonde, beautiful twin sisters trying to survive adolescence and each other.
Over the course of five years, Chloe and Sue overco...more
Over the course of five years, Chloe and Sue overco...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
October 17th 2006
by Harper Perennial
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
491)
As I tend to do with most of the books I read, I went to bn.com and read the reviews that other readers posted...the reviews for this book were diverse and simplistic..and after reading the book, I can say that I didn't agree whole heartedly with any of them.
"Twins" is about..you guessed it, twin sisters Sue and Chloe. Chloe is four minutes older, and in Sue's mind, Chloe received all the advantages from the start. The story follows them through their high school careers..starting when they are...more
"Twins" is about..you guessed it, twin sisters Sue and Chloe. Chloe is four minutes older, and in Sue's mind, Chloe received all the advantages from the start. The story follows them through their high school careers..starting when they are...more
I've always been fascinated by twins, so was very excited when I found this. The other reason I bought it was the blurb; "The Breakfast Club meets Heathers in this anti-chicklit novel". You just described my ideal book! And I wasn't disappointed; it's dark, it's funny, it's filled with coming-of-age angst and grit. One of my favourite books.
It’s clear to any reformed YA reader where the author got her idea for this novel: blonde, beautiful twin sisters and their college-age brother live out their teenage years in upper-middle-class suburbia. Sound familiar?
However, this is Sweet Valley High put through the chick-noir blender. Elizabeth’s passivity becomes masochism in the form of “good” twin, Chloe. Jessica’s penchant for recklessness is transformed into a destructive madness in Sue. Daniel, SVH’s Steven by another name, is a loner...more
However, this is Sweet Valley High put through the chick-noir blender. Elizabeth’s passivity becomes masochism in the form of “good” twin, Chloe. Jessica’s penchant for recklessness is transformed into a destructive madness in Sue. Daniel, SVH’s Steven by another name, is a loner...more
From the second my Friend and I read "The Breakfast Club meets..." I think I was sold on buying this book! I've only seen The Breakfast Club movie and not read the book.[Scratch that...there is no book...I was always under the impression there was a book...but searching it on Waterstones brought up something COMPLETELY different!] anywhoooo....
The Story starts at the twins 13th birthday and ends where they are around 18/19 and shows all the way through their developmental path, which was really...more
The Story starts at the twins 13th birthday and ends where they are around 18/19 and shows all the way through their developmental path, which was really...more
This is an ugly story about pretty girl. It has many of the 'first novel' faults: it's messy and at times painfully redundant. In a book titled Twins I don't know why Ms. Dermansky felt the need to reminds that the girls were identical twins on nearly every other page. We get it.
I didn't find any part of the book funny, which bummed me out as promises of humor prompted me to select this tome from my library's shelves. There were comical bits...but in the completely farcical way i.e., "there's n...more
I didn't find any part of the book funny, which bummed me out as promises of humor prompted me to select this tome from my library's shelves. There were comical bits...but in the completely farcical way i.e., "there's n...more
What if instead of the smart and practical Elizabeth Wakefield girl reporter, there was a Chloe, a hardworking, soon-to-be popular teenager stunted by her enabling? And instead of that rowdy, boy-crazy Jessica Wakefield there was a Sue with the tendencies of a low-level sociopath, crippling co-dependency and a lack of self control?
And what if, when you were introduced to them, instead of giddy hopefulness about getting into the elite high school sorority, these twins were worried about the steri...more
And what if, when you were introduced to them, instead of giddy hopefulness about getting into the elite high school sorority, these twins were worried about the steri...more
read it now; this is my reaction and also a response to another reader's review. the people in this book are so bad you start to think, "this is ridiculous. nobody is this cruel in real life. bad parents are not just bad parents. there is not one perfect twin and one totally messed up twin." but then you start to think, "yes huh. people can totally be this cruel in real life. there are people who are so blissfully unaware of themselves and the effect they have on other people that they could eas...more
view 1 comment
Loved it, but the language was extremely repetitive.
There’s a certain kind of glee that comes in discovering that the new writer you’ve recently fallen in love with has another book you can read. We need a work for this. When I was eighteen and first read John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany I nearly crapped my pants with joy when I realized he had six other books I could read.
Wahoo!
I was pretty close to pants-crapping-excited when Marcy Dermansky’s Twins landed in my hot little hands. I loved Bad Marie (so did Christa), and to have another boo...more
Wahoo!
I was pretty close to pants-crapping-excited when Marcy Dermansky’s Twins landed in my hot little hands. I loved Bad Marie (so did Christa), and to have another boo...more
Twins is about two identical twins, Sue, and Chloe, who are trying to survive adolescence. On their 13th birthday they go and get tattoos of eachother's names to show they are bonded by more then DNA. Sue completely looks up to Chloe, and when Chloe starts making other friends, Sue and Chloe grow more distant. Over 5 years the Twins go through many things. From eating disorders, no supervision, and their first experiences with love and sex. Both the girls find adults who help them on their path...more
My favorite twins book and I have read alot of them!
its fun, funny, sad, and light.
I also met the author once at a reading, and she is very kind!
its fun, funny, sad, and light.
I also met the author once at a reading, and she is very kind!
This book was...gritty, harsh, deep, dark, bitterly hilarious. It's one of the best YA novels I've ever read. Two beautiful sisters with one thing in common- each other. They grow up, together and apart, each making her own mistakes and learning. They separate when Sue, who loves only her sister, goes too far, and Chloe, longing to be her own person, breaks away. They find their way back to each other slowly, working through hard times and heartbreaks. It's hard to describe what makes this book...more
A very obvious 'first' novel that doesn't go exactly where you're it expecting it too.I had higher hopes in the first part that we might be getting something of a riot grrl renaissance, but that wasn't quite to be either. So - we have a perfectly good trope (good sister/bad sister)that brings to mind everything from Heathers to Sweet Valley high and see what happens to those 90's cliches in the 21st century. It wasn't what I was expecting, and it always refreshing to see a YA book about females...more
The book twins was crazy, everything was a twist and the author did a really good job making connections to real people throughout the whole story. Its about identical twin sisters who go through there teenage years doing different intersting things. She in detail desribes their thoughts and makes it strangely realtble. I really enjoyed this and i think so would any other teenager because of the fun storys and issues these sisters go throguh together, and in the end they end up being tied togeth...more
A review I did for the Rocky Mtn News
Author's background: Dermansky's short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including McSweeney's. She's a film critic for About.com and lives in Astoria, NY.
Plot in a nutshell: Twins Chloe and Sue tell their story in alternating voices, both struggling in very different ways with two-times the identity issues most teenagers face.
Chloe, the "golden" twin, is the object of Sue's obsession. Sue seethes in her growing stew of both worship and hatred o...more
Author's background: Dermansky's short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including McSweeney's. She's a film critic for About.com and lives in Astoria, NY.
Plot in a nutshell: Twins Chloe and Sue tell their story in alternating voices, both struggling in very different ways with two-times the identity issues most teenagers face.
Chloe, the "golden" twin, is the object of Sue's obsession. Sue seethes in her growing stew of both worship and hatred o...more
the first half of this book hurt to read. one twin is soooo unlikeable, so obsessive and manipulative and DERANGED, that really, it took some serious discipline to keep reading. Thankfully, whenever i'd reached my limit with one twin, the chapter would end, the narration would change, and instead of being lead along by the crazy twin, there, suddenly, was the passive, perfect twin narrating the book. which worked. i'm not usually into alternating voices, but here, it really served the narrative....more
What ticks me off the most about this utterly depressing, melodramatic novel, is that twice on the cover I am told it is 'funny.' You're going to have to give me page and line number on which parts were supposed to be 'funny.' The girls leap from one psychotic episode to the next; neither are sympathetic characters until about 10 pages from the end and their parents are so unbelievable as to be mere cyphers to allow the author to put her twins in ever-more ridiculous situations. Ugh. Bypass.
I found this book about the love/hate relationship between this set of twins disturbing. There's the type of disturbing that tells a good story, and then there's disturbing of bad, unsympathetic characters, with one in particular who should have probably been in a mental institution. I am fairly liberal with giving characters the benefit of the doubt, but I couldn't find much - if anything - redeeming about these girls. I kept asking myself why a person would even care about them.
This book made me quite anxious throughout, first because I thought I knew what was coming, then because it wasn't coming, then because of bizarre choices characters made, and because of the absolutely strange relationships throughout. I was left feeling pretty disturbed, slightly dejected that it hadn't taken the super psycho path I had anticipated, but overall it was a good read. Finished in three days, thought about it while I was working, stayed up late to finish it.
I love this book so much. I read it a couple years ago and it is just one of those books that sticks with you and you often think about. I read it a second time to refresh my memory of the plot. The two main characters are so different and that's what makes this novel so interesting. The honesty and rawness of the story makes me feel like I am looking into two people's minds and observing their lives as it folds out. Just a wonderful book I will never forget.
1 like · like · see review
This book was described in the blurbs as being "funny", "humorous", "a startlingly beautiful love story" and "a sly fairy tale". In reality, it was none of the above. It was creepy, chilling and sad. One twin (Sue) is obsessive and in all probability, psychotic. The other (Chloe) is weak and depressed. Their parents are distant and neglectful, and the people they surround themselves with are all users. This book scared the crap out of me.
There are only a handful of books in every decade that truly capture the essence of what it is like growing up at the time. Marcy Dermanskys Twins manages to do just that. The story is told from two points of views. Sue is the rebellious and possessive one, and Chloe the ‘good twin’. The story spans about 6 years from when they just turned 13 until they are around 19. Their story is told in separate perspectives, sometimes humorous other times tragic. These separate vantage points tell their st...more
I wanted to like this novel more than I did, but from the outset it gave off strong whiffs of First Novel, and the leadenness of the characters and plot had me yawning until the end. I'm not sure where the "comic" aspects were supposed to be -- that description must be referring to another book. Unless you're keen to step into a young-adult fantasy world of distant (literally!) parents where anything goes, I'd suggest giving this one a pass.
Couldn't put it down. I'll let my erudite friend Greg say it for me:
"A great novel aboutthe lives of twin sisters (in present day, east coast US) from age 13 to age 17, showing each sister's POV in alternating chapters. Not only does the author keep the two personalities separate, but she manages to present the psychology of twinness in a very entertaining and credible way."
"A great novel aboutthe lives of twin sisters (in present day, east coast US) from age 13 to age 17, showing each sister's POV in alternating chapters. Not only does the author keep the two personalities separate, but she manages to present the psychology of twinness in a very entertaining and credible way."
This book had made me think of a lot of things everyday after reading I would lie on my bed and think of the twins life's and they're problems. I always wanted/wished for a twin sister but I changed my mind after reading this book
this book had taught me several life lessons that I appreciated. Including twins life's are so complicated. It's a can't miss book. I literally couldn't leave the book. That's how good it was!
this book had taught me several life lessons that I appreciated. Including twins life's are so complicated. It's a can't miss book. I literally couldn't leave the book. That's how good it was!
Quietly creepy and disturbing. This is the story of teenage twins that gets stranger and stranger as it unfolds. Reminded me in some ways of Sharp Objects--it's not "in-your-face" discomfort (though Sharp Objects had plenty of that) but a slower, quieter worming into your brain. Well-written, strong characters, and a solid plot. Recommended.
This book was located in the Young Adult section of my library, and it centers around the lives of 13-18 year old twin girls. The effectiveness of the character development is evidenced by the readers frustration with their personalities! It is an interesting and amusing read and possibly another angle of insight into the life of being a twin.
This novel went in so many unexpected directions but all consistent. Very good.
Kind of a stretch to include lots of ethnic diversity - but who knows? In my office who is very loud in Spanish on the phone, a Filipina, a Native American and a couple of white people.
Kind of a stretch to include lots of ethnic diversity - but who knows? In my office who is very loud in Spanish on the phone, a Filipina, a Native American and a couple of white people.
Picked up this book becuz the title has become something I wanted to know more about. It was not really about twins, it was about spoiled rich kids and zero parenting. I finished it when I almost didn't and instead of no stars it got 1. A 1st novel for this writer who is a good storyteller.
Story of teenage twins, Chloe - the 'good' twin, and Sue - the 'bad' twin. The book is about the various trials of adolesence, such as trying to fit in at school, boyfriends, worries about looking good, etc., all of which are made harder for these girls by Sue's crippling dependency on her sister, and Chloe's alternating reluctance and desire to cast Sue off completely.
Interesting story, but towards the end, it started to become too unbelievable. I also didn't like reading about Sue's treatment...more
Interesting story, but towards the end, it started to become too unbelievable. I also didn't like reading about Sue's treatment...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Marcy Dermansky is the author of the novels Bad Marie and Twins.
Hailed by The Nervous Breakdown’s Gina Frangello as “genuinely sexy, dark and subversive but also freaking weirdly hilarious,” Bad Marie has been selected as a Barnes and Noble Fall 2010 Discover Great New Writers pick. Time Magazine pronounced Bad Marie “irresistible.”
Marcy’s first novel Twins(2005) was a New York Times Editors Choic...more
More about Marcy Dermansky...
Hailed by The Nervous Breakdown’s Gina Frangello as “genuinely sexy, dark and subversive but also freaking weirdly hilarious,” Bad Marie has been selected as a Barnes and Noble Fall 2010 Discover Great New Writers pick. Time Magazine pronounced Bad Marie “irresistible.”
Marcy’s first novel Twins(2005) was a New York Times Editors Choic...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
