Monday, July 8, 2013

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

In Control
Out of control
Sometimes they're
            the same thing
The trick is knowing
that, realizing
             it's okay to feel 
out of control
             once in a while
as long as 
you're sure
you can regain
the upper hand
when you
              absolutely need to.
And really, when
it comes to my
reclaiming control,
it comes down to one
simple little thing
something I sometimes 
have difficulty with:
saying no.

I've been eyeing Ellen Hopkins's books for ages. Every time I see them at the library or the bookstore, I think, "Ooh, I'd really love to read that. It looks like it could be really good. After all, what's not to like about a novel written completely in poetry and each dealing with majorly tough issues? But I knew that poetry novels were a bit hit-and-miss with me and the books each look like they may be a bit much, so I've always put them off, waiting until I have more time to read a lengthier book. Boy, am I glad I finally got around to it.

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are the identical twin daughters of a judge (their father) and a politician (their mother). So it's a given that they're expected to be perfect or, if they can't manage that, fly under the radar. Anything they do, anything they say, if brought to light could easily destroy everything their parents have been working for.

However, both girls are hurting so deeply that neither have any idea how to escape the pain. After the car accident where their father crashed their SUV a few years ago and put nearly all of them in the hospital, their mother grew distant and their father turned to Kaeleigh for the love he wasn't receiving from his wife.

Feeling both ashamed and confused by her father's attentions, Kaeleigh isn't sure how to cope. Meanwhile, Raeanne is jealous that her father loves her sister more, yet hates him for what he's done to Kaeleigh. Both girls seem to be sinking in a pit of despair and chaos. It seems like all hope is lost. The more the people around them reach out to them, the more they retreat into themselves. It's clear that neither can handle the portion they've been given and one of them will have to save the other before it's too late.

It's hard to say you really enjoyed a book with such heavy and scarring topics. These are the traumatic issues that no one wants to touch. They're too messy, too difficult. That's why it's so amazing to me that Ellen Hopkins managed to wrangle them and carry out the story with such finesse and perfection. I never expected this book to be nearly as good as it was, but the plot line was perfect and the pacing timed to a tee. I

Of course, I can't write a decent review for this novel without touching on the poetry aspect of it. Like I mentioned before, books written entirely in poetry can be rather hit-and-miss, which made me worry about this particular book. Wouldn't the poetry break it up too much? Would it make it less relatable and feel like separate works all tied up to create some sort of scrapbook novel? Much to my relief, this was not the case. The page-long poems were each tied together so seamlessly that it was just as effective as simple prose. I really appreciated the poetry in the end, because it really gave the reader that emotional connection without adding all the extra narrative that might have taken if it hadn't been written that way.

Altogether, it was an amazing read. The content is dark and something you have to prepare yourself for, but absolutely worth reading. Go pick it up! You won't be sorry.

Rating: ★★★★☆

I stare out over the fog-shrouded
          valley. The gray gulps me into
it, infiltrates my brain. Sad
          Will I ever find a way beyond
this sad? Tears puddle my eyes.

I let them fall, like how they 
          feel, then come to my senses.
"S-sorry," I sniffle, not sure
          why, except it's lame to cry,
like it's ever done any good.

          Sorry? What for? Greta asks. You've
                    got some powerful demons, girl,
          but I've got a few of my own.
                    Already told you I'm a good listener.
          Talk to me when you're ready.

1 comment:

  1. I'm glad you finally decided to give my books a try. Good one to start with. Many thanks for the thoughtful review.

    ReplyDelete

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