Her Fearful Symmetry

In Audrey Niffenegger's first novel since writing the ever popular Time Traveler's Wife, two twenty-one year old twin sisters living with their parents in Chicago have their lives dramatically changed when they inherit an apartment in London from their recently deceased Aunt. Set on the edge of a cemetery the apartment not only changes where they are living but who they are becoming. As their once close bond begins to unravel so does the world around them. It is a novel about love and friendship as well as jealousy, mystery, death, and tragedy.

Forever Valentina thought, I will live forever with Julia in our apartment in London, which we have never seen, surrounded by people we haven't met, forever.

The novel has several major plot twists and to write too much more of a review would be giving away a huge amount. As an avid reader I get pretty upset when writers add spoilers in their reviews so I am not going to do that to you. I will say that ghosts are involved, sisters turn on each other, and identities are mistaken. Other characters will steal your heart, but the twins you won't always like. I started out feeling sorry for Valentina because Julia was always bossing her around and in the end it was Julia who I was able to relate to.

Having said all of that, as a huge fan of Time Traveler's Wife I was somewhat disappointed by this book. I went into it with high expectations and found it lacking. The novel was entertaining and well written, a definite page-turner. Once I picked it up I had a difficult time putting it down, but to me it was trying to mix too many themes and none of them really congealed. The plot had some definite holes in it, and I wasn't in love with the way it ended. Of course this is just my opinion and most of the other reviews I have read said this was the best book they have ever read. Many liked it more than TTW.  So I could be way off base. Like I said it was well written and certainly worth reading, I just expected more from someone who wrote TTW.  However, because of all of the many themes throughout the book it would be a good one for a bookclub to discuss and therefore a great pick for your next read. If you decide to check it out please comment and let me know what you thought. If I am way off base I want to know!

Stay tuned for discussion questions to go along with the book....