Book Review: Her Fearful Symmetry

Tuesday, October 4, 2011


Just finished this book on CD.

Plot:
Twin sisters, Valentina and Julia, move into their aunt's estate in London after her death. {The aunt and their mother are also twins.} They soon feel Aunt Elspeth's presence and realize she is still lingering as a ghost, not yet fully gone to the other side. Valentina is able to communicate with her aunt; they tell stories and learn about each other since they never met while Elspeth was alive.
Valentina eventually grows tired of being bossed around by her twin, so she conceives a plan to escape her life as she knows it: Elspeth will snatch Valentina's soul out of her, everyone will think she died so they'll have a funeral for her, then Elspeth will put her soul back into her body, and Valentina can go on living.
It's an absurd idea...right?

Cons:
Valentina's plan is more ridiculous than Romeo and Juliet's, but that doesn't stop them.
Some language.
A little creepy {if ghosts are a con}.
I didn't care much for any of the main characters, except for an endearingly OCD man who lives above them.
The "heroine" is a weakling. Seriously.

Pros:
I didn't want to stop listening {aka couldn't put it down}.
Well written.
Takes place in Europe.
There's a little bit of a love story.
For the most part, unpredictable.

3 comments:

  1. great review- i enjoyed this book- here is the review i wrote: http://ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/2010/01/audrey-niffenegger.html

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  2. I've never read it, but I've always wondered. Thanks for the review :)

    Also, I gave you ladies a little blog award today! Hope you check it out.

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  3. I read the time traveler's wife, and I really liked that (language and graphic sexuality aside). Not sure if soul snatching is up my alley

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