Here comes another review about twins. Seems to be a theme.
From the mind that brought us Delirium (which was questionable) and Before I Fall (which was just really, really strange) comes Vanishing Girls. A tale of twins pulled apart by tragedy, Lauren Oliver delivers a psychological thriller about disappearance on the physical level as well as the disappearance of self. Twin sisters Daria and Nick had always found identity in their bond, until that is severed by an accident and an emotional betrayal. Neither twin has been able to establish who they are without the other since. In a turn of event, Daria goes missing on the same night as another young girl from town. Nick is suspicious of the connection between the disappearances and takes it upon herself to investigate. This leads to a few (sort of?) unpredictable occurrences that certainly help redefine the girls.
I felt the need to add commentary throughout the synopsis because I just couldn't make myself write it without the sarcasm. I picked up this novel already having some deep prejudice against it because of the author, Lauren Oliver. I've just never been much of a fan. But I hoped I would be pleasantly surprised by Vanishing Girls. I wasn't. The book is not strong enough to be delivered without some VERY surprising plot twists and even those were timed in a way that made the reader feel like Velma from Scooby Doo. I had put it all together on my own before anything actually happened. "Psychological thriller" is perhaps not exactly what I would call this because it implies surprise where Vanishing Girls had none. Having little else to note about the utter unremarkable nature of Lauren Oliver's newest novel, it's fair to say this author is not one I will give another shot.
From the mind that brought us Delirium (which was questionable) and Before I Fall (which was just really, really strange) comes Vanishing Girls. A tale of twins pulled apart by tragedy, Lauren Oliver delivers a psychological thriller about disappearance on the physical level as well as the disappearance of self. Twin sisters Daria and Nick had always found identity in their bond, until that is severed by an accident and an emotional betrayal. Neither twin has been able to establish who they are without the other since. In a turn of event, Daria goes missing on the same night as another young girl from town. Nick is suspicious of the connection between the disappearances and takes it upon herself to investigate. This leads to a few (sort of?) unpredictable occurrences that certainly help redefine the girls.
I felt the need to add commentary throughout the synopsis because I just couldn't make myself write it without the sarcasm. I picked up this novel already having some deep prejudice against it because of the author, Lauren Oliver. I've just never been much of a fan. But I hoped I would be pleasantly surprised by Vanishing Girls. I wasn't. The book is not strong enough to be delivered without some VERY surprising plot twists and even those were timed in a way that made the reader feel like Velma from Scooby Doo. I had put it all together on my own before anything actually happened. "Psychological thriller" is perhaps not exactly what I would call this because it implies surprise where Vanishing Girls had none. Having little else to note about the utter unremarkable nature of Lauren Oliver's newest novel, it's fair to say this author is not one I will give another shot.