Identical

· Simon and Schuster
4.6
204 reviews
Ebook
576
Pages

About this ebook

Beneath their perfect family façade, twin sisters struggle alone with impossible circumstances and their own demons until they finally learn to fight for each other in this poignant tour de force from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.

Sixteen-year-old Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical down to the dimple. As daughters of a district court judge father and a politician mother, they are an all-American family…on the surface. Underneath run very deep and damaging secrets. What really happened in the car accident that Daddy caused? And why is Mom never home, always running far away to pursue some new dream?

The girls themselves have become hopelessly divided over the years. Sick of losing Daddy’s game of favorites, Raeanne turns to painkillers, alcohol, and sex to dull her pain her anger. Kaeleigh tries to be her father’s perfect little flower, but being the misplaced focus of his sexual attention has her seeking control anywhere she can—even if it means cutting herself and unhealthy binge and purge eating.

Secrets like the ones the twins are harboring are not meant to be kept—from each other or anyone else. Before long, it's obvious that neither sister can handle their problems alone, and one must step up to save the other, but the question is…who?

Ratings and reviews

4.6
204 reviews
A Google user
July 10, 2009
Identical tells the story of identical twins, and the struggles that they go through. Kaeleigh and her sister Reanne start keeping secrets from each other that sisters should always know. Deep, dark secrets like sex, drugs, parental abuse, and others. The end has a very interesting twist that i'm not going to ruin, read it yourself and find out what happens.
A Google user
Being a faithful reader of Ellen Hopkins, I must say that this is my absolute favorite. The mirror effect throughout the whole book in the free verse style of her poems really make the reader think about the way each of the girls feel at a certain point. The sex, drugs, and self-destruction may not be for everyone, but if you begin this book, you should definately stick it out to the end to encounter the amazing plot-twist. (Spoiler, sure, but it is a great twist!!!)
A Google user
December 20, 2010
The form and content were both very appealing. I enjoyed how key words were set off during the transitions between characters, giving a deeper meaning to both their passages. Shape poetry was well used. The twist was well-foreshadowed but still left me reeling. You feel like to need to reread to really understand the characters in greater depth.

About the author

Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous young adult novels, as well as the adult novels such as Triangles, Collateral, and Love Lies Beneath. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada, where she has founded Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit youth housing and resource initiative. Follow her on Twitter at @EllenHopkinsLit.

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