Sisterland

Earthquake. Twins possess a special bond that “singles” may not understand and appreciate. Curtis Sittenfeld explores that bond in her novel, Sisterland. Violet and Daisy grew up with heightened senses, a gift of being able to foresee future events in general or specific ways. Violet embraced her gift, while Daisy rejected it, even changing her name to Kate to erase part of her past. While the sisters head in different directions, their personal bonds remain strong. Vi predicts an earthquake for the St. Louis area where they live, and Kate senses the exact date. While that provides a gimmicky plot that I found overly quirky, I enjoyed this novel because of the ways in which Sittenfeld developed the complexity of these characters and the ways in which they behaved, both good and bad. I didn’t like Sittenfeld’s earlier novels as much as this one. There was something about the ways in which she explored the conflicts of love that I found entertaining and enjoyable. Readers with the patience to overlook some gimmicks are those most likely to enjoy this story of powerful relationships. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Sisterland from amazon.com.