Gemini

Gr 8 Up—Clara and Hailey are conjoined twins, attached at the hip and sharing a spinal cord. They've lived in the same small town their whole lives, where their parents have worked tirelessly to give them a "normal" childhood. Now seniors in high school, the twins are compelled to admit that they are, in fact, completely different people: Clara is introverted and scientific; pink-haired Hailey is gregarious and artistic. Clara never wants to leave Bear Pass; Hailey wants to be anywhere that isn't here. But it's only when Clara falls for handsome newcomer Max, and Hailey decides to ask Alek to the Sadie Hawkins dance, that they really start to consider what their futures will be like: falling in love, getting married, and having a family begin to look like impossibilities. Even going to college will be difficult given how different their passions are. Finally, the sisters contemplate the once unthinkable step of surgical separation, in opposition to their parents' wishes. The girls' alternating voices move the story along. With nuance, Mukherjee shows their differences as well as their similarities and exposes the many difficulties, large and small, experienced by the very few people with this condition. The girls' decision, at the end, feels right to them, and although readers may not agree with it, it is a natural progression of their character development. Thought provoking and engaging, this story of two girls finding their own unusual path to adulthood will pull readers in and give them a lot to think about.