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The Opposite of You
Bex and her identical twin sister Naomi used to be close. They used to be able to finish each other’s sentences, used to know exactly what the other was thinking. They were a matching pair.
And then something changed.
But Bex didn’t even realise until it was too late. When Naomi walks out of the house the night before their last GCSE exam and doesn’t come back, Bex has to think hard about how to find her.
What happens next will force Bex to unpick their shared history and the memories, following Naomi’s trail through their family, their past and all the way to the blinding lights of the Hemisphere music festival. Everything she thought she knew is called into question.
With her worries dismissed by their parents and ignored by her friends (and with Naomi's friends nowhere to be found) the only person Bex can trust is a stranger – Josh – as she tries to piece together a picture of the person she thought she shared everything with. Naomi's been leading another life, one Bex doesn't recognize... and it's led her straight into the path of Max: someone else who is not what they appear.
As Bex chases Naomi, she realizes it isn’t just whether she can find her twin: it’s whether she knows her at all.
And whether she still wants to.
And then something changed.
But Bex didn’t even realise until it was too late. When Naomi walks out of the house the night before their last GCSE exam and doesn’t come back, Bex has to think hard about how to find her.
What happens next will force Bex to unpick their shared history and the memories, following Naomi’s trail through their family, their past and all the way to the blinding lights of the Hemisphere music festival. Everything she thought she knew is called into question.
With her worries dismissed by their parents and ignored by her friends (and with Naomi's friends nowhere to be found) the only person Bex can trust is a stranger – Josh – as she tries to piece together a picture of the person she thought she shared everything with. Naomi's been leading another life, one Bex doesn't recognize... and it's led her straight into the path of Max: someone else who is not what they appear.
As Bex chases Naomi, she realizes it isn’t just whether she can find her twin: it’s whether she knows her at all.
And whether she still wants to.
224 pages, Unknown Binding
First published May 4, 2017
About the author
Lou Morgan
45 books96 followersLou Morgan is an award-nominated adult and YA author. Her first novel, Blood and Feathers – an adult urban fantasy – was published by Solaris Books in 2012 and the follow-up, Blood and Feathers: Rebellion, was released in the summer of 2013.
Her first YA novel, Sleepless, is published by Stripes / Little Tiger Press as part of their Red Eye horror series.
She has appeared at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and has been nominated for three British Fantasy Awards (Best Newcomer and twice for Best Fantasy Novel).
Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Solaris Books, PS Publishing and Jurassic, amongst others. She has also written genre novel-related features for magazines including Future Publishing’s SFX and is a long- and shortlist reader for the Bath Novel Award.
Born in Wales and a graduate of University College London, she now lives in Bath with her family.
She is represented by Juliet Mushens at The Agency Group / UTA.
Her first YA novel, Sleepless, is published by Stripes / Little Tiger Press as part of their Red Eye horror series.
She has appeared at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and has been nominated for three British Fantasy Awards (Best Newcomer and twice for Best Fantasy Novel).
Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Solaris Books, PS Publishing and Jurassic, amongst others. She has also written genre novel-related features for magazines including Future Publishing’s SFX and is a long- and shortlist reader for the Bath Novel Award.
Born in Wales and a graduate of University College London, she now lives in Bath with her family.
She is represented by Juliet Mushens at The Agency Group / UTA.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews
April 24, 2017
I love reading books about family relationships and the thing that caught my eye with this book is that it depicts the relationship between identical twins; one who follows the rules, and one who doesn't.
Bex and her identical twin sister Naomi used to be close. They used to be able to finish each other’s sentences, used to know exactly what the other was thinking. They were a matching pair.
And then something changed.
When Naomi walks out of the house the night before their last GCSE exam and doesn’t come back, Bex has to think hard about how to find her. Bex is forced to unpick their shared history and the memories and everything she thought she knew is called into question.
With her worries dismissed by everyone, the only person Bex can trust is a stranger – Josh – as she tries to piece together a picture of the person she thought she shared everything with. As Bex chases Naomi, she realizes it isn’t just whether she can find her twin: it’s whether she knows her at all.
I admit, the book does seem a bit cliché: one good twin, one bad twin. But it doesn't ruin the book at all. The book has a very unique concept to it that I can't talk about because of spoilers, but there is a key thing about Bex and Naomi's relationship that was amazing and really well thought out on Morgan's part.
I did feel really sorry for Naomi because all she wanted was her sister back, to have those times back where they could sit with each other for hours and just laugh about everything. Naomi felt replaced and so I can understand why Naomi would want to live a different life; she doesn't feel part of the one she's already in. I just don't think that Naomi's character was explored as well as it should have been. I would loved to see some more character development, some background building... The characters just felt very flat to me.
I think this was because the plot was very fast and it could have easily had 100 more pages. Easily. The plot felt rushed and this meant that the characters got lost in a blur. I think that Morgan should have taken more time developing the plot and really could have dragged out some more of the dramatic bits to make it more gripping. Everything felt over in a matter of minutes, so the plot didn't really do anything for me.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Released 4th May
Bex and her identical twin sister Naomi used to be close. They used to be able to finish each other’s sentences, used to know exactly what the other was thinking. They were a matching pair.
And then something changed.
When Naomi walks out of the house the night before their last GCSE exam and doesn’t come back, Bex has to think hard about how to find her. Bex is forced to unpick their shared history and the memories and everything she thought she knew is called into question.
With her worries dismissed by everyone, the only person Bex can trust is a stranger – Josh – as she tries to piece together a picture of the person she thought she shared everything with. As Bex chases Naomi, she realizes it isn’t just whether she can find her twin: it’s whether she knows her at all.
I admit, the book does seem a bit cliché: one good twin, one bad twin. But it doesn't ruin the book at all. The book has a very unique concept to it that I can't talk about because of spoilers, but there is a key thing about Bex and Naomi's relationship that was amazing and really well thought out on Morgan's part.
"The way the mood had shifted when she walked into the kitchen... It had made her feel like an outsider in her own family"
- Lou Morgan, The Opposite of You
I did feel really sorry for Naomi because all she wanted was her sister back, to have those times back where they could sit with each other for hours and just laugh about everything. Naomi felt replaced and so I can understand why Naomi would want to live a different life; she doesn't feel part of the one she's already in. I just don't think that Naomi's character was explored as well as it should have been. I would loved to see some more character development, some background building... The characters just felt very flat to me.
I think this was because the plot was very fast and it could have easily had 100 more pages. Easily. The plot felt rushed and this meant that the characters got lost in a blur. I think that Morgan should have taken more time developing the plot and really could have dragged out some more of the dramatic bits to make it more gripping. Everything felt over in a matter of minutes, so the plot didn't really do anything for me.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Released 4th May
July 16, 2017
I really didn't enjoy this book at all - as you can tell from the rating, unfortunately. It was boring, there was no plot and although the romance aspect was the most pleasing part of this book, I found it quite unrealistic for 15 year olds. The best thing about this book was how fast it was over, because it's so short 😬
//Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review//
//Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review//
June 9, 2017
Tense, gripping and unnerving. The ending had me gripped. Poor Noom.
May 19, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
While I really liked how this was written, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would because I just don't think it was for me. The narrator seemed very young for her age, and was a couple years younger than me anyway, so at times it was too juvenile for my liking. The mystery was decent, but it could have been a lot more fleshed out in my opinion. I still quite liked it though.
While I really liked how this was written, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would because I just don't think it was for me. The narrator seemed very young for her age, and was a couple years younger than me anyway, so at times it was too juvenile for my liking. The mystery was decent, but it could have been a lot more fleshed out in my opinion. I still quite liked it though.
May 7, 2017
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
Bex and Naomi used to be really close, as close as twins can be. However, something changed between them and they grew apart. Bex didn't really notice this change until it was too late. Until Naomi missed her last GCSE exam and no one could find her. Bex had to dive into Naomi's double life and their shared memories trying to find her. She realises that she didn't really know Naomi as well as the thought she did.
The Opposite of You started out pretty good. It had potential, but ultimately, I think it failed in its execution. The 'mystery' was lacklustre, the characters undeveloped, the pacing was off and the ending was abrupt.
What initially drew me to The Opposite of You was 1) the cover and 2) the fact that it featured twins. I started out enjoying the twin aspect. I liked how it portrayed the relationship in terms of individuality. I understand that want, but also fear, of being independent and individual. As the book stated,
As an identical twin myself, I really related to that feeling. Constantly being referred to as 'the twin's' and never your individual names. This relationship had potential. But I felt like the psychic connection ruined the whole relationship - it's an old and overused trope. I hate that it got made into something weird and paranormal. Especially because it seemed very convenient, in terms of solving the 'mystery'.
The characters themselves could have been more fleshed out and developed. I felt like we didn't really get to know who Bex or Naomi really were, and I think that mainly came down to the length of the book, it was just too short.
Ultimately, there isn't anything inherently wrong or bad about The Opposite of You, because I've heard good things about this from other reviewers. The mystery or relationships just didn't really work for me.
Bex and Naomi used to be really close, as close as twins can be. However, something changed between them and they grew apart. Bex didn't really notice this change until it was too late. Until Naomi missed her last GCSE exam and no one could find her. Bex had to dive into Naomi's double life and their shared memories trying to find her. She realises that she didn't really know Naomi as well as the thought she did.
The Opposite of You started out pretty good. It had potential, but ultimately, I think it failed in its execution. The 'mystery' was lacklustre, the characters undeveloped, the pacing was off and the ending was abrupt.
What initially drew me to The Opposite of You was 1) the cover and 2) the fact that it featured twins. I started out enjoying the twin aspect. I liked how it portrayed the relationship in terms of individuality. I understand that want, but also fear, of being independent and individual. As the book stated,
"Naomi doesn't want to be half of a matching pair. What's the point of it, anyway? No, she wants to be Naomi - not one of the two Harper twins. Identical in every way."
As an identical twin myself, I really related to that feeling. Constantly being referred to as 'the twin's' and never your individual names. This relationship had potential. But I felt like the psychic connection ruined the whole relationship - it's an old and overused trope. I hate that it got made into something weird and paranormal. Especially because it seemed very convenient, in terms of solving the 'mystery'.
The characters themselves could have been more fleshed out and developed. I felt like we didn't really get to know who Bex or Naomi really were, and I think that mainly came down to the length of the book, it was just too short.
Ultimately, there isn't anything inherently wrong or bad about The Opposite of You, because I've heard good things about this from other reviewers. The mystery or relationships just didn't really work for me.
July 3, 2018
3.7 stars
This book was not as dark and depressing as I thought it would be, I went into it with a little trepidation and came out pleasantly surprised.
Naomi and Bex are identical twins, they were never apart until they were taken to different classrooms when they started school. Now at fifteen, Naomi wants to find a place where she fits like she used to with Bex. But she’s grounded. She sneaks out the window and goes wherever she wishes, she’ll be back, when she’s had some fun, she left a note so her parents shouldn’t worry.
When Bex realises Naomi has gone, she is determined to find her but when she starts to find secret facebook accounts she wonders how she can be so in the dark about who her sister is - they were once able to read each others’ thoughts. What went wrong?
Its a little predictable, its aimed a little younger than I normally read but I found myself enjoying it.
The characters are well written, you are right there with them. Flashbacks help answer questions and add a depth and suspense to keep things interesting.
This is a well written book on the importance of family and stranger danger.
This book was not as dark and depressing as I thought it would be, I went into it with a little trepidation and came out pleasantly surprised.
Naomi and Bex are identical twins, they were never apart until they were taken to different classrooms when they started school. Now at fifteen, Naomi wants to find a place where she fits like she used to with Bex. But she’s grounded. She sneaks out the window and goes wherever she wishes, she’ll be back, when she’s had some fun, she left a note so her parents shouldn’t worry.
When Bex realises Naomi has gone, she is determined to find her but when she starts to find secret facebook accounts she wonders how she can be so in the dark about who her sister is - they were once able to read each others’ thoughts. What went wrong?
Its a little predictable, its aimed a little younger than I normally read but I found myself enjoying it.
The characters are well written, you are right there with them. Flashbacks help answer questions and add a depth and suspense to keep things interesting.
This is a well written book on the importance of family and stranger danger.
May 17, 2017
What drew my attention to “The Opposite of You” was the beautiful cover and, of course, I always wanted to be a twin and have that special bond everybody always talks about. To be able to speak with each other in your mind and no one knows what’s going on. Bex and Naomi are those twins, from early age on, they talked to each other in their heads and were able to help without really being there. When they got older this bond got broken, by new friends and a lot of misunderstandings. But when Naomi disappears, Bex finds out that only she can help find her sister before it’s too late. I liked the premises of the story and the take on twin sisters coming of age. The problem I had, was that I didn’t expect the story being made into something paranormal. That made it more unbelievable to me and I couldn’t enjoy the book like I thought I would. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Little Tiger Group!
July 16, 2017
This book was as bad as it was good. It started off well and the story seemed to have a lot of potential so I was excited to carry on but then the pacing began to seem off - it was stagnant at times and moved too quickly at others. The characters didn’t develop much from when we first met them and the ending happens so abruptly that it’s totally underwhelming.
The relationship of the twins is portrayed really well, the drive and struggle for individuality but also the fear of wanting to stay connected, was really interesting to me. I just wish it had gotten a bit more in-depth because we didn’t really get to know or understand either sister. The concept of the twins having a psychic link between them is nothing new, it’s a bit of a boring trope now and i’m a little disappointed that it went that way. It seemed like a cop out to give the mystery elements an easy fix.
Overall I enjoyed the plot but I expected it have a bit more substance and excitement.
The relationship of the twins is portrayed really well, the drive and struggle for individuality but also the fear of wanting to stay connected, was really interesting to me. I just wish it had gotten a bit more in-depth because we didn’t really get to know or understand either sister. The concept of the twins having a psychic link between them is nothing new, it’s a bit of a boring trope now and i’m a little disappointed that it went that way. It seemed like a cop out to give the mystery elements an easy fix.
Overall I enjoyed the plot but I expected it have a bit more substance and excitement.
March 6, 2021
The emotionally gripping story following two fifteen year old sisters and the obstacles they face.
Naomi, the extroverted party animal who wants nothing more than to be seen as her own person, and her straight-laced, academically focused twin Bex, whose idea of a wild night involves a sleepover and ordering a pizza with 'risky' toppings.
When Naomi goes missing on the morning of a big exam, Bex discovers Naomi has been living a double life and begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about her.
In her hunt to find Naomi, Bex discovers that people aren't always who they seem, and in order to save her sister, she'll have to dig deep within herself to find the truth, before it's too late.
Naomi, the extroverted party animal who wants nothing more than to be seen as her own person, and her straight-laced, academically focused twin Bex, whose idea of a wild night involves a sleepover and ordering a pizza with 'risky' toppings.
When Naomi goes missing on the morning of a big exam, Bex discovers Naomi has been living a double life and begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about her.
In her hunt to find Naomi, Bex discovers that people aren't always who they seem, and in order to save her sister, she'll have to dig deep within herself to find the truth, before it's too late.
May 13, 2017
This was a really different book for me. I've never read about identical twins before so I was intrigued. Having recently read The Upside of Unrequited, and loving the sister relationship in that book I was excited to read this. However, I have to say this just fell flat for me.
Let's start with the characters. I just couldn't relate to them at all. I don't know if it's my age, but I just couldn't understand the decisions that the characters made. I found myself literally screaming 'WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT?!'. Bex was the sister I liked most, she came across as the most level headed (although, definitely not all the time) while her sister Naomi was so reckless, and very naive.
Goodreads put's this in the 'mystery' category. To be honest, I wouldn't really agree with that. Even though Naomi does go missing, the reader knows what's happening, it's the other characters that don't, it just didn't feel like a mystery to me. I also think this book has some elements of magic realism to it. There's kind of a strange twin thing that goes on and I'm not really sure how to categorise it.
I did enjoy the plot of this book though, it wasn't a massively strong plot but it was still enjoyable. I don't think I've ever read about a runaway before so it was interesting to see things from that point of view.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but I just wanted more from it. I thought the family element was going to be stronger than it was, it just wasn't there for me. I couldn't get along with the characters and couldn't relate with them at all. I think that maybe a younger reader than me would enjoy this, but for someone who isn't a teenager anymore I just couldn't agree with their decisions.
Let's start with the characters. I just couldn't relate to them at all. I don't know if it's my age, but I just couldn't understand the decisions that the characters made. I found myself literally screaming 'WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT?!'. Bex was the sister I liked most, she came across as the most level headed (although, definitely not all the time) while her sister Naomi was so reckless, and very naive.
Goodreads put's this in the 'mystery' category. To be honest, I wouldn't really agree with that. Even though Naomi does go missing, the reader knows what's happening, it's the other characters that don't, it just didn't feel like a mystery to me. I also think this book has some elements of magic realism to it. There's kind of a strange twin thing that goes on and I'm not really sure how to categorise it.
I did enjoy the plot of this book though, it wasn't a massively strong plot but it was still enjoyable. I don't think I've ever read about a runaway before so it was interesting to see things from that point of view.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but I just wanted more from it. I thought the family element was going to be stronger than it was, it just wasn't there for me. I couldn't get along with the characters and couldn't relate with them at all. I think that maybe a younger reader than me would enjoy this, but for someone who isn't a teenager anymore I just couldn't agree with their decisions.
August 12, 2023
This book seemed like it would be more intriguing from the blurb on the back, but quickly lost interest even for a short 200 paged book. The end it actually started to pick up and get more interesting, but I felt like it was rushed through. I went to the oldest bookstore in Porto, portugal and really wanted to get a book from there and this was the best English book that stood out to me, but don’t think I ever would’ve sought this book out on my own, nor recommend it to anyone else.
May 6, 2017
*ebook given through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Wow! Even though it was a short one,this book did not disappoint me! I enjoyed it all the time! It could have been better written,but I liked the characters very much. All in all,a book I will recommend to anyone who likes a short good read!
Wow! Even though it was a short one,this book did not disappoint me! I enjoyed it all the time! It could have been better written,but I liked the characters very much. All in all,a book I will recommend to anyone who likes a short good read!
May 10, 2017
An interesting story about the person you pretend to be and the person you really are, with a not really explained twin connection.
This isn't exactly what I thought it would be, but what I read kept me entertained so I'd say it's worth giving it a try. Some warnings however for underage drinking and recreational drug use as well as assault.
This isn't exactly what I thought it would be, but what I read kept me entertained so I'd say it's worth giving it a try. Some warnings however for underage drinking and recreational drug use as well as assault.
May 5, 2017
Full review to follow.
June 30, 2017
It was okay. But I had issues.
July 14, 2018
Good book, but kinda weird.
January 22, 2023
This book! Oh my goodness! This book kept me hooked. I read over 4 days and I enjoyed throughout the process. It definitely wasn't what I expected it to be but I love this book regardless.
July 17, 2017
I haven't read a lot of books including twins before, and I was eager to get stuck into this as the story is something unlike anything I have read before. Morgan presented the bond between twins so well and this aspect of the book was excellently explored, as well as the kind of supernatural element, which was interesting and gave a sharp edge to the story. I thought that the different characters of Naomi and Bex were really well created; the dynamic between them was interesting to read about. In fact, the family relationships in this book as a whole were realistically portrayed and sensitively explored. I feel like any teenager would be able to relate to the way that Naomi and Bex feel, and be able to understand the kind of experiences they go through in the book.
Another part of the book that I enjoyed were the flashbacks to the past when Bex and Naomi were children - I felt like these moments gave a very important backdrop to the current situation of Naomi running away. However, I wish there was more of a build-up at the beginning of the book, exploring in greater depth Bex and Naomi's relationship as teenagers, and also their relationship with their parents. I really liked the development of the plot throughout, however I thought that the beginning and the end of the book was slightly rushed. I would have liked to see how Bex and Naomi's relationship changed at all as a result of what occurred in the story, and this for me would have brought the story to a nice, satisfying close.
However overall, I really did enjoy The Opposite of You and it is definitely a book you can race through on your summer holidays! It is a gripping mystery with a fantastic set of characters and the importance of family relationships at it's heart.
Another part of the book that I enjoyed were the flashbacks to the past when Bex and Naomi were children - I felt like these moments gave a very important backdrop to the current situation of Naomi running away. However, I wish there was more of a build-up at the beginning of the book, exploring in greater depth Bex and Naomi's relationship as teenagers, and also their relationship with their parents. I really liked the development of the plot throughout, however I thought that the beginning and the end of the book was slightly rushed. I would have liked to see how Bex and Naomi's relationship changed at all as a result of what occurred in the story, and this for me would have brought the story to a nice, satisfying close.
However overall, I really did enjoy The Opposite of You and it is definitely a book you can race through on your summer holidays! It is a gripping mystery with a fantastic set of characters and the importance of family relationships at it's heart.
September 13, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book. It kept me up late at nights, I would tell myself: 'just one more chapter,' but when it came, I would say 'one more'. It's one of those books. Every chapter ends on a cliffhanger. I really liked reading it though :)
January 9, 2024
I found, near the end, that I just wanted the book to end. This wasn't too hard because the book was so short.
April 14, 2017
Bex and Naomi are identical twins leading opposite lives, though Bed doesn't realise this, at first. Supposed to be having an important exam, Bex sits it to realise Naomi never turned up.
Bex soon takes it upon herself to unearth her sister's secrets and find her after her parents have reported her missing to the police and Bex meets a nice friend there, Josh who listens to her troubles and they commiserate their situations together.
Naomi however, has a backstage pass to a festival though plans soon go awry upon arrival and has her stuff stolen, yet she meets a supposedly kind stranger, Max at the festival after having had her bag stolen and he gives her his and it's contents to survive off.
Bex and Naomi use their unique twin telepathy to let each other get snippets of the situations and when Naomi ends up in a bad place with a drug dealer alone in his ran down flat, it is up to Bex comes with the help of Josh and the police to find her before it's too late.
The key to the plot of the novel and the title, is that Naomi has struggled to find her own identity and her sense of self. She has a secret life of partying and dressing up and reinventing a new her all the time. Yet her sister is more down to earth as she knows she wants to be an artist, study hard and enjoy life as it flows.
We also learn of how secondary school really tore their identical twin bond as Naomi played tag along to Bex and her new best friend, Kay. Bex comes to realise as does Naomi that they are closer than they have felt in years and they can't break their unique bond and more importantly, they don't want to.
I thought it was a great unique book the way it looks into the twin bond and how each one can try to break apart but the bond in will never break and nor should it have to.
Bex soon takes it upon herself to unearth her sister's secrets and find her after her parents have reported her missing to the police and Bex meets a nice friend there, Josh who listens to her troubles and they commiserate their situations together.
Naomi however, has a backstage pass to a festival though plans soon go awry upon arrival and has her stuff stolen, yet she meets a supposedly kind stranger, Max at the festival after having had her bag stolen and he gives her his and it's contents to survive off.
Bex and Naomi use their unique twin telepathy to let each other get snippets of the situations and when Naomi ends up in a bad place with a drug dealer alone in his ran down flat, it is up to Bex comes with the help of Josh and the police to find her before it's too late.
The key to the plot of the novel and the title, is that Naomi has struggled to find her own identity and her sense of self. She has a secret life of partying and dressing up and reinventing a new her all the time. Yet her sister is more down to earth as she knows she wants to be an artist, study hard and enjoy life as it flows.
We also learn of how secondary school really tore their identical twin bond as Naomi played tag along to Bex and her new best friend, Kay. Bex comes to realise as does Naomi that they are closer than they have felt in years and they can't break their unique bond and more importantly, they don't want to.
I thought it was a great unique book the way it looks into the twin bond and how each one can try to break apart but the bond in will never break and nor should it have to.
April 17, 2017
Bex and Naomi are identical twins, but whilst Bex knows exactly what she wants in life and how she is going to get it, Naomi just doesn't. In fact, Naomi couldn't be further apart, with very little direction and no real connection with who she is. All she really knows for sure is that she is trapped with a face the same as someone else's.
The story progresses very quickly, and largely the twin aspect of the story is easily forgotten, which was a shame - it's a cool, interesting concept to play around with. However the author does tie in the possibility for twins to have some unexplainable connections allowing them to almost show the other twin a mirror image of what is happening to them. It's an interesting idea, and it certainly works in this story as Naomi disappears and Bex may be the only one who could find her using the bond, but I think a lot more could have been done with the idea, in perhaps a more believable way.
Bex and Naomi are great characters to see the adventure through because they view things so very differently; this adds a nice dynamic to the story. And whilst Bex initially might seem easier to like, Naomi is a lot more complex with more to her than you might at first imagine. How must it feel to share a face with someone? To not really know who you are but to instead by defined by who you could be? Her complexity was really great to explore and I felt for her when she couldn't connect with herself, wanting desperately to disconnect from Bex, but feeling conflicted by her situation enough that she couldn't. Her story is quite sad, but a brutally honest reflection of what a lot of young people probably go through.
This is a great story, with a fast pace and fun characters to read about - it just wasn't as good as some similarly themed YA novels offering more from the concept.
ARC provided free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story progresses very quickly, and largely the twin aspect of the story is easily forgotten, which was a shame - it's a cool, interesting concept to play around with. However the author does tie in the possibility for twins to have some unexplainable connections allowing them to almost show the other twin a mirror image of what is happening to them. It's an interesting idea, and it certainly works in this story as Naomi disappears and Bex may be the only one who could find her using the bond, but I think a lot more could have been done with the idea, in perhaps a more believable way.
Bex and Naomi are great characters to see the adventure through because they view things so very differently; this adds a nice dynamic to the story. And whilst Bex initially might seem easier to like, Naomi is a lot more complex with more to her than you might at first imagine. How must it feel to share a face with someone? To not really know who you are but to instead by defined by who you could be? Her complexity was really great to explore and I felt for her when she couldn't connect with herself, wanting desperately to disconnect from Bex, but feeling conflicted by her situation enough that she couldn't. Her story is quite sad, but a brutally honest reflection of what a lot of young people probably go through.
This is a great story, with a fast pace and fun characters to read about - it just wasn't as good as some similarly themed YA novels offering more from the concept.
ARC provided free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2017
This book was such a lovely quick and easy read. I liked that it was based around twins. There was nothing that was stand-out amazing for me but it was still a good story, with great writing and lovely characters.
April 29, 2017
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was the story of Bex and Naomi, two identical twins that grew apart over the years. When Naomi disapears after a fight with her family, Bex is forced to face their past and realises how little she actually knows her sister.
This book was fine, just fine. I enjoyed the characters and the sisterly bond.
The writing was simple but effective.
It only took me a couple hours to read it and I enjoyed it fine but I don't feel like I got a lot from it.
It was just a nice, enjoyable, very short story.
This was the story of Bex and Naomi, two identical twins that grew apart over the years. When Naomi disapears after a fight with her family, Bex is forced to face their past and realises how little she actually knows her sister.
This book was fine, just fine. I enjoyed the characters and the sisterly bond.
The writing was simple but effective.
It only took me a couple hours to read it and I enjoyed it fine but I don't feel like I got a lot from it.
It was just a nice, enjoyable, very short story.
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