Reading Response 2; Identital

There's been an accident.

A car accident. They were hurt and their family hasn't been the same since. 

The girls' mother is running for office so she is gone a lot of the time, leaving dad at home and lonely. By switching the role of narrator between the girls, Hopkins is able to show how both feel about the accident and how their father has acted since.

Raeanne would do anything for his attention whether its wearing the right clothes or making herself throw up after eating. Kaeleigh, on the other hand, has pulled away from him, with good reason. Raeanne spoke of the night when their father crawled into bed with Kaeleigh for the first time, she said:

"Oh, i did try to tell Mom once, but she closed up like an oyster around that pearl of truth. I guess I could have offered descriptions of Daddy's 'privates' (his word), the way he wears his scars. But hey, if she didn't care, why the hell should I? Instead, I stood by and watched father love turn to what came later."

Hopkins hasn't said anything outright about the molestation or what exactly goes on but by using passages like this and his alcohol problem she not so subtly hints at it. The story keeps getting creepier and creepier. The creepiest thing about all of this is that Raeanne repeatedly says how she doesn't understand why Kaeleigh avoids him and how she craves his affection. But is this secret about their father THE secret? 

We'll find out. 

You know you love me. 

xoxo,

Bertablog.

Identical; Ellen Hopkins

I've began reading Identical by Ellen Hopkins. The covers pretty bleh, nothing exciting. Just the word Identical with a reflection; shocker. But, hey, if you're curious:

I chose this book because her book Crank is one of my favorites. Her writing is almost poetic in the sense that it's written in 2-3 word lines and each time you turn the page there is a new header; small poems that all come together to tell a story. Hopkins' books are generally dark and usually based on teenage girls who get into some trouble involving drugs and other things of that nature and from what I've read, Identical is no different. But dark stories are the best stories because who wants to read a tale with constant happy endings? No one. That's not real. 

Dark. Cynical. Tragic. 

That's real life and my favorite kind of book.

Identical starts out with Raeanne, one of the twins, narrating. Hopkins grabs the readers attention by first speaking of how her and her sister, Kaeliegh, are identical; on the outside at least. She explains how different they are otherwise, calling Kaeliegh the egg, who acts exactly as their mother, and herself the sperm, being just like her father. 

And before diving into the story, she ends with this quote: 

"Do twins begin in the womb? 

Or in a better place?"

Hopkins' writing style is one of those that makes you unable to put down a book because a good stopping point is nonexistent. The story has you hanging on to every word until the very end, where usually there is no magical solution that makes the character's life great and perfect because like I said, she writes truth, real life.

I soon found that both of the girls carry a burden with them; a secret.

 The narrating then switches to Kaeliegh who tells about needing to confide in someone about this secret; but who? I'm anxious to find what the girls have gotten themselves into; and how, or if, they'll get out of it. I'll keep you posted.

You know you love me. 

xoxo, 

Bertablog.

101 things about me :)

1) I love whales. 

2) I hate tomatoes. 

3) If you chase me, I'll start crying.

4) I love to read. Anything and everything. 

5) I know every song from every classic Disney movie, word for word.

6) I like to draw.

7) I absolutely adore whales.

8) I'm having a hard time coming up with these.

9) I hate feet, and the word moist.

10) I'm in an abusive relationship.

11) I'm grumpy 99.9% of the time.

12) I am really bad at keeping animals alive.

13) Like, really really bad.

14) I want to move to California when we graduate because misery and Missouri are synonymous. 

15) I like to watch crime shows while I do my homework because the productive people motivate me.. what?

16) Did I mention I love whales?

17) I have 4 uncles, 5 aunts, 56 cousins, and 2 sisters.

18) I love baseball.

19) Pumpkin pie is the only pie I like, and I hate breakfast foods.

20) Number 10 might be a lie.