Review: The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day... a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda?

Filled with shocking twists and turns, The Twin's Daughter is an engrossing gothic novel of betrayal, jealousy, and treacherous secrets that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Review:

I've been a big fan of Lauren ever since I read her previous release, The Education of Bet. Her terrific writing and knack for developing a strong, likable main character returned in The Twin's Daughter and I can't wait to see what's next for her!

To begin with, the plot was fast paced and addicting. Each page was filled with a new plot twist and I never knew where things were going. At first, it was just an ordinary, albeit interesting, story of a young girl who discovers her mother had a twin sister that she was separated from at birth. Helen arrives disheveled and poor, so her twin decides to get her a new wardrobe and much more until the two sisters look identical and even the main character is not always sure which twin is her mother.

From here things begin to get more and more twisted and complex. When a horrific event occurs Lucy is left to unravel the mystery and is truly put to the test of believing who is who.

Lucy is a fabulous main character. Her personality is unique and likable. She comes from a family of great wealth but she isn't snobby or disagreeable, she stands up for what she believes in and stays strong through all the events that tear her life apart.

Aunt Helen, Lucy's parents, Minerva... every character introduced in this novel left an impact on me in some way. They were well developed and seemed so realistic. Especially Kit. His character was crafted so well I felt like I had known him all my life. The connection between him and Lucy was instantaneous and I knew from the start how perfect they were for each other.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and Lauren presents it perfectly. The historical details are prominent and through her writing I was transported back in time.

The Twin's Daughter had a little bit of everything- mystery, romance, history, suspense, friendships, and family. It was definitely unique and I am looking forward to discussing it with others who have finished the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. It was twisted and suspenseful and kept me guessing until the very end. I loved Lucy and Kit!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

September 1, 2010/Bloomsbury USA/400 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Publisher (ARC)

Other books by this author: The Education of Bet, Crazy Beautiful