Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Genre: Adult Fiction/Contemporary
Publication: Random House (my paperback Black Swan)
Release Date: June 25th 2013 (my paperback January 1st 2014)
Pages: 400 (my paperback 528)
Spoilers: No big spoilers about the ending!
Maybe you’ve heard, but I’ve been in the hospital for a couple of days. I spent my days seeing doctors, doing exams, sleeping and reading! My mom bought me this book – Sisterland – and I was surprised because it wasn’t exactly something I would’ve bought myself. But the text on the back of the book was pretty promising so I started reading the book right after finishing The One (review to come). And… it was GREAT!
I loved the writing, it was so good. I saw it all happening in front of me. Curtis described everything vivid and colorful. Even the most boring thing in the world would be interesting. And that was what made Sisterland, for me, such a good read. It describes the life of Daisy – Kate – who’s a stay at home mom. She has two kids and and loving husband. That’s the normal part. But she’s also one half of a twin. And her twinsister… she’s a bit different.
Vi and her have had a gift since they were younger, and this thing is kinda what is bothering Kate (she doesn’t want to be called Daisy anymore) so much because it influenced her life too much when she was younger. Her sister, Vi, is doing the exact opposite. She’s embracing their gift and loves it. It’s so fun to see how twins can be so different from each other. Even when it’s fictional.
The book is FULL of flashbacks. It switches between the ‘now’ and the ‘past’. She looks back on her childhood: from her youngest years, to high school, to college until the point where she is now. Starting the book, I couldn’t really put my finger on the relation ship the twins had. But during the book, I started to understand more and more of it. But it still didn’t always make sense.
The story really begins with the prediction of Vi, stating there would be an earthquake. It sets everything in motion and messes up a lot of things. It’s all really realistic, even though it’s fiction. I really believed in their gift, when it’s like… not possible.
Back to Kate/Daisy: she’s married to this guy, Jeremy, who’s pretty much perfect. He’s sweet, he’s kind (Kate isn’t the most easy wife) and funny. He works everyday all day, comes home, plays with the kids and spends time with Kate. It’s like: WOW. He can’t be real. But then again, it’s a book, it’s fiction. But I really liked him. He’s one of my fav characters.
They also have two really cute kids, that are put down so sweet/cute, that I really hope to have that kinda kids when I’m older (much older). Rosie (THAT NAME) and Owen are two awesome kids.
At the end everything seems to be okay but then Kate messes everything up and I’m reading like: WTF ARE YOU DOING? And that was the moment I didn’t like Kate anymore and I wished she hadn’t done what she did because it wasn’t fair to anybody. Also, she’s still vague towards her sister Vi, though in the last few pages, Curtis Sittenfeld reveals they are getting along just fine. Which is something I was happy about.
I won’t say the book is exciting or anything. It’s just mesmerizing and build op very well. The world in the book is real and the words are written beautiful. I’m not sure if I’d recommend this book to all of my friends, but for those who are into more ‘grown up’ books, should really give this book a shot. I LOVED it!
