One

Reviewed by: Sally Holt - Raymond Village Library, Raymond, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 7, 2015

Review

One, told in verse in their own voice, is the story of 16 yr. old twins Tippi and Grace who are joined at the waist and have defied all odds by living as long as they have and in their own way, independently of one another.

The doctor told Mom we wouldn't see our second birthday

Yet here we are

Not only must Tippi and Grace face the challenges of conjoinment, their father is an unemployed alcoholic and their mother works tirelessly to put food on the table so that the family can survive. However, the love they have for one another is clear.

The twins begin to attend public high school as teens for one year until Tippi falls ill due to a heart condition. Though the students at the school shy away from them Tippi and Grace do find two quirky friends named Yasmeen and Jon. A romance develops between Grace and Jon.

I mean how can they reconstruct our lower bodies so that we end up with two whole bodies?

Educational, powerful and touching.

There is an author note at the end of the book in which the author impresses that conjoined twins did not see their lives as tragic. She also states that to prepare for the writing of the book she spent many long hours studying and watching documentary footage about conjoined twins that touched her deeply.

Cream of the Crop.

Overall Book Score: excellent