Product Description

'I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I've never used an aeroplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that...So many things I've never done, but oh, how I've been loved. And, if such things were to be, I'd live a thousand times as me, to be loved so exponentially' In twenty-nine years, Rose Darlen has never spent a moment apart from her twin sister, Ruby. She has never gone for a solitary walk or had a private conversation. Yet, in all that time, she has never once looked into Ruby's eyes. Joined at the head, 'The Girls' (as they are known in their small town) attempt to lead a normal life, but can't help being extraordinary. Now almost thirty, Rose and Ruby are on the verge of becoming the oldest living craniopagus twins in history, but they are remarkable for a lot more than their unusual sisterly bond.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11001 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
'An immensely readable novel, compelling and convincing. The Girls is an enchanting blend of the extraordinary and the everyday' New Statesman 'Perfectly pitched... an utterly heartwarming tale, without any traces of mawkishness. Anyone with a sister will relate to this' Book of the Month, Marie Claire 'Beautifully written and deeply moving, it's unforgettable' Image magazine

New Statesman
'An immensely readable novel, compelling and convincing. The Girls is an enchanting blend of the extraordinary and the everyday'

Book of the Month - Marie Claire
'Perfectly pitched...an utterly heart-warming tale, without any traces of mawkishness. Anyone with a sister will relate to this'

Customer Reviews

The Girls
A wonderful book that I will never forget. Both well written and extremely interesting. I really felt I knew the characters. Again as others have said, it is moving without being mawkish. I would hate to buy a book advertised as a tear jerker. Are some readers so superficial that they decide what to read simply based on the emotons they want to feel?

Dull
With words like `extraordinarily moving', `heart-warming' and `touching' on the front cover I was hoping I could curl up for the afternoon with a good book, some chocolate and a glass of milkshake, and have a good cry. I love bittersweet stories, and I was hoping this would be just that.

What a disappointment.

Rose and Ruby, those are The Girls. They're craniopagus twins, which basically means they're joined at the head, and it's a story about their life in Leaford - I think it's in Canada, but I'm not sure. The story begins well - and by that, I mean, you actually get to read a little about living your life with your sister attached to your head . Then Rose starts to tell the reader all about their history and the town they live in; which, of course, is all very vital to story telling, but this was done in such a way I began flicking pages and skimming over long paragraphs of boring, overwritten prose. On and On, Rose writes about Aunt Lovey and her Slovakian husband, Stash, and how they were born on a very stormy night by a young girl who called herself Elizabeth Tyler, who then abandons them and dies sometime later. And then, in the midst of all of this boring information, there's this story about a boy being swept away in the storm, and his mother sorrow. I really didn't get why she was part of the story, but then that's probably because I put the book down without finishing it.

Does this mean I shouldn't review? I don't think so. A book should be compelling enough to read from the beginning to the end, and if I can't do that because it is too much of a chore, then it is a very bad book indeed. I rarely leave a book unfinished.

I think the main problem for me and The Girls (apart from the name `Lovey' being incredibly annoying and manipulative), was the utter lack of attachment I felt for either one of the twins. It was like I was reading the story of Lovey and Stash, not of Rose and Ruby. The characters are so paper thin I can barely remember anything about them. Lovey was a nurse; Stash was from Slovakia; Rose liked to write; Ruby was sick a lot.

I feel I should say something positive to compensate for all the negativity, but then I'd just be lying. In all, it was an incredibly disappointing read and incredibly boring for something that could have been very insightful and heartfelt.

Beautiful, thoughtful, compelling reading.
The Girls is the story of Rose and Ruby Darlen, who are twins. However, not only are they twins, they are conjoined twins, who are separate people, but joined at the head. They are individual, provocative, intelligent, who are forever joined, but totally different. Rose is a writer, she writes poetry, short stories, has a wonderful imagination, and is a deep thinker. Ruby is very dependant on Rose, as Rose actually supports Ruby, by carrying her round, as Ruby has little legs that don't work properly, and club feet. The Girls, as they are known in their town, are local 'celebrities'. They have always looked the same, so people accept them for who they are. They have jobs at the local library, each doing her own tasks. They have different interests also. They want to become the oldest conjoined twins in history, and this is their story, and it is wonderful. The girls ambition is to reach their 30th birthday, however, they discover that Rose has an aneurysm in her brain, which will be fatal to both of them. They decide to write their life story, or rather, Rose decides, and Ruby contributes. It makes for fascinating reading.It could have been overly-sentimental, or patronising, or mawkish. However, it is glorious. It is so well written, so well thought out, and so believable!! That is the thing for me, I forgot that I was reading a book, these girls were real to me, and I think that is the sign of a great work. I LOVE this book, will read it again I know, and recommend it to all. If you haven't read it yet, then do, it's wonderful!!