One by Sarah Crossan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve just had to wipe off the dry tear stains on my glasses after a session of sob-cry over this book last night! I thought I’d wipe my glasses dry but was obviously not seeing clearly enough (still over teary eyes) to dry them off completely. I knew the book wasn’t going to end with HEA but you know, I always have hope against all hopelessness. Nevertheless, I still do love the ending despite my swollen eyes this morning.
This is my very first Sarah Crossan‘s and truthfully, I haven’t heard of her previously. It has very interesting concepts both in story’s premise and structure. I’m not even sure what you call this structure, narrative poetry? Is there such a thing? In any case, it is amazing! To be able to tell a story with so little words and still send strong messages; Crossan is a maestro of words. Poetry really isn’t my usual cup of tea so I can’t comment on how well they’re formed except that they spoke to me and that’s all that really matters.
One is told from the perspective of Grace, one of the conjoined twin. Grace and Tippi are 15 and due to circumstances, will no longer be homeschooled but will have to attend school outside their home. We hear Grace’s thoughts of her family and as they go out in public, her and Tippi’s response to others’ reaction to them. In essence, this book really is like all YA novels as main protagonists face coming-of-age issues but with one distinguishing feature (conjoined twins).
This is a book that will stay with me a very long time. As someone in her late 30s though, I do find that I contemplate being the girls’ mother than being one of the conjoined twins! Even if we do not hear very much of their mother, she sounded to be a very good mother to them and I could only aspire to be like her (to my own little terrors). I’m going to look for Crossan’s other books and look forward to seeing her at Sydney Writer’s Festival next month!
Tien's Blurb 