patchworkbunny reviewed One by Sarah Crossan
Review of 'One' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
One is a gorgeous, compassionate story about two sisters, simply told but so powerful. Even the most cold-hearted will be moved by Grace and Tippi, who have no choice to spend their every moment together. Yet they don’t despise each other, instead they are the best of friends. Yes, sometimes life is hard, but they really don’t want to live without the other.
Of course, it’s not just about what they want. Their parents are struggling financially due to medical bills (yes, a story to make you feel grateful for the NHS) and Grace hasn’t been feeling all the great lately. She does her best to hide it, but she can’t hide anything from Tippi. And when she meets a boy she likes, they both have to face the fact that kind of love isn’t something they can have. What kind of boy would want them?
It touches a little …
One is a gorgeous, compassionate story about two sisters, simply told but so powerful. Even the most cold-hearted will be moved by Grace and Tippi, who have no choice to spend their every moment together. Yet they don’t despise each other, instead they are the best of friends. Yes, sometimes life is hard, but they really don’t want to live without the other.
Of course, it’s not just about what they want. Their parents are struggling financially due to medical bills (yes, a story to make you feel grateful for the NHS) and Grace hasn’t been feeling all the great lately. She does her best to hide it, but she can’t hide anything from Tippi. And when she meets a boy she likes, they both have to face the fact that kind of love isn’t something they can have. What kind of boy would want them?
It touches a little on the kind of attention conjoined twins get, not just at school but the media interest. How much is their privacy really worth? I can understand the interest in them though, we spend so much time by ourselves, and we always have the option to hide ourselves away. So what is it like when that basic human right isn’t available; they never have privacy from each other. Although their therapist had an ingenious idea to make one of them listen to music whilst the other talked. That’s the closest to alone they get.
Told in free verse, this isn’t your average young adult novel. But please don’t be put off, it is so easy to read and is so emotional. It reads more like Grace’s stream of consciousness than a poem.
Review copy provided by publisher.