A Book Review in less than 100 words
The Girls by Lori Lansens is a highly imaginative and lyrical “memoir” about two women who are sisters, friends and twins. Rose and Ruby are companions for life, joined at the head. Get beyond the creep factor and allow the girls to share their tale as the narration alternates between them. Written in two distinct voices, this work of fiction is most captivating when we see the twins interacting with others in their small Canadian town. Rose and Ruby pepper their journey with drama and comedy while disclosing some surprises along the way.
And more…
My book group recently finished reading and chatting about Lori Lansens’ The Girls. The discussion was lively and positive, and occasionally meandering. The women who happened to gather at my home seemed to enjoy sharing their opinions and dissecting details of the book. We marveled at how this author could write such a believable and emotional story about conjoined twins. We wondered what really was in the shack in Slovakia that Uncle Stash refused to see. We questioned why the author chose to depict the sex scene between Uncle Stash and Mrs. Merkel so that only Rose could see it, yet keep it from Ruby. Some wanted closure at the end and we exchanged ideas about what might have happened to the characters. One of us brought up that “TLC program” about conjoined twins. And then, somehow the conversation drifted to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It is clear that we like books. We like reading books. We like sharing books. We like talking about books. There is a common bond we share when we read and discuss books, regardless of whether it’s consumed on a Kindle, iPad, hard cover, or iPod. It is this camaraderie that I cherish – and it’s all due to wonderful books.
Links you may be interested in:
Nancy Pearl – I’ve been listening to this clever librarian’s free podcasts (Book Lust with Nancy Pearl and Nancy Pearl’s Book Review Podcast) on my iPod. She created the program “If all of Seattle Read the Same Book,” which spread across the country. She has incredible insight and a down-to-earth way about her. Her website and blog is manna for hungry readers looking for their next great read.
Audible – I just signed up to increase my book consumption. There are just too darn many great reads out there. I can’t get to them all. The Girls was my first listen. Audible offers a free 14-day trial. Check it out.
Lori Lansens – This author site is one of the better ones because it contains extensive background information, photos and additional insights on stories. I plan on reading more by Lansens.
I’m reading Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle. What are you reading?
