Unforgettable and Astonishing

These are the two words that come to mind about the book I just finished. The Girls, by Lori Lansens is one of the most remarkable books I have ever read. The story itself is extraordinary: a fictional autobiography with conjoined twins (joined at the head) as the protagonists. Rose starts the book this way:

"I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to the beguiling moon. I've never used an airplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that...So many things I've never done, but oh, how I've been loved. And, if such things were to be, I'd live a thousand lives as me, to be loved so exponentially."

So yes, the story is fascinating, but it's the characters that make this book so unforgettable. Rose and her sister Ruby are among the most memorable characters ever written (right up there with Owen Meany and Oskar Schell) and they will live in my heart for a long time, along with their Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash who loved and raised them, and their friends, who saw them as two individually remarkable young women. Of course, there were people who mistreated and took advantage of them too, but despite this, neither the girls nor their parents (Lovey and Stash) viewed them as pitiable.

Lori Lansens not only created these amazing characters, but she also provides them with voices that convey their distinctive personalities. Just in the opening passage, you get a sense that Rose is not merely a writer, but a poet. Ruby, on the other hand proves to be an accomplished archaeologist, a more down-to-earth person. Out of necessity, they have learned to adapt to each others desires and capabilities. Lansens writing drew me in completely, making it hard to accept that this was fiction and not autobiographical.

There are just so many things to love about this book, but you shouldn't take my word for it. If you are going to read one book this summer, make it The Girls.