Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Rated 9/10

"Perfect on the outside, but behind the Normal Rockwell facades, each holds its secrets. Dark, untellable. Practically unbelievable." — IDENTICAL

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are 16-year-old identical twins, the daughters of a district court judge father and politician mother running for US Congress. Everything on the surface seems fine, but underneath run very deep and damaging secrets. What really happened when the girls were 7 years old in that car accident that Daddy caused? And why is Mom never home, always running far away to pursue some new dream? Raeanne goes after painkillers, drugs, alcohol, and sex to dull her pain and anger. Kaeleigh always tries so hard to be the good girl — her father's perfect little flower. But when the girls were 9, Daddy started to turn to his beloved Kaeleigh in ways a father never should and has been sexually abusing her for years. For Raeanne, she needs to numb the pain of not being Daddy's favorite; for Kaeleigh, she wants to do everything she can to feel something normal, even if it means cutting herself and vomiting after every binge.

How Kaeleigh and Raeanne figure out just what it means to be whole again when their entire world has been torn to shreads is the guts and heart of this powerful, disturbing, and utterly remarkable book.

MY REVIEW
It's a good book but it's also a little disturbing. I had to force myself to read some parts, and it's not because it was bad or boring, it was because some parts were too hard to read for me. There are some really hard things to read in this book, a lot of mature subject matter. There's a twist most will not expect at the end and will be suprised when reading it. Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical twins. Kaeleigh has been sexually abused by her father since she was a child and finds it hard to say no to anything. The only good things she has going for her life is Ian. Raeanne always has to be high, and loves to be used on her own terms. She loves having sex with many different guys and finds herself attracted to one of her teachers. I'm not gonna get too much into the plot because if I do I can easily give it away. So if you don't mind the sensitve subject matter of drugs, sex, and sexual abuse then I say read this book. It will be one of those books you will think about long after.