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book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
The writing is beautiful. The phrases and descriptions so evocative: "While the world is not a place of widespread kindness, a few oysters thrive in a sea of clams. Occasional grace exists. Mother, knowing my brother and me for more than one child, kept her calm." See what I mean?
But the subject matter here is disturbing. (Chang and Eng were the "original" Siamese twins and became world-wide celebrities.) The book is narrated by Eng, and we see envy, pettiness, lust, sloth, and a deep unhappiness - always a desire to be apart and yet a great loneliness.
But the subject matter here is disturbing. (Chang and Eng were the "original" Siamese twins and became world-wide celebrities.) The book is narrated by Eng, and we see envy, pettiness, lust, sloth, and a deep unhappiness - always a desire to be apart and yet a great loneliness.
navinvembar's review against another edition
1.0
This could have been an interesting book, but it failed as a piece of writing. The author is unable to develop a writing style that makes any sense in context, and generally his "lyricism" is simply overly complex, poorly thought-out paragraphs.
theoglibrarianmom's review against another edition
1.0
I was so excited for this book, but it was awful. No redeeming characters and the story was uncomfortable and boring when it really shouldn't have been. Avoid!
marie_gg's review against another edition
5.0
Great historical novel about the fascinating lives of the world's most famous Siamese twins--amazing first novel!!
jrc2011's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this book. The idea that two people would be stuck together for life, and so close to each other without any privacy or separation, is really the misbegotten basis for Western romantic love, isn't it? Instead, you have siblings who can never spend time apart from each other except in their own heads. How does that work, exactly? What happens when they want to masturbate for example and the sex thing just didn't seem very well worked out. I know they must've talk to each other more, but the story didn't make it seem as though they communicated to each other very much. I can't imagine not getting along, there are conjoined twins Who have their own TV show, I think I'll go watch that instead.
kipahni's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting. More novel than history, I still find the themes of intimacy vs closeness explored in this book heart searching. just because you are conjoined does that make you feel any less lonely. And the two different personalities of chang and eng really begs the question, are we nurtured or natured into our characters?
msjaquiss's review against another edition
1.0
I started this book a few years ago and put it down because it was too grim. I thought I’d try again and see if I could enjoy it more but I simply couldn’t make myself open it again.
misslezlee's review against another edition
3.0
According to the receipts I found tucked away, I purchased this book from Chapter 11 on May 22, 2003. I also snagged a copy of No1 Ladies Detective Agency which I can tell you now, I didn’t particularly enjoy, despite all the rave reviews.
Chang and Eng sat on the to-be-read shelf all that time. I picked it up several times., but it never quite felt like the book I wanted to read just then. I’m not sure what I expected, but I did enjoy the story of the real Siamese twin brothers, Chang and Eng Bunker. It had a kind of Outlander feel to it, though that may just have been the fact that it was set in North Carolina a few decades later. The sex scenes, even though they are of necessity threesomes, do not even approach the descriptions of Claire and Jamie’s torrid lovemaking. Maybe it was something about the descriptions of everyday life?
The dust jacket says the book is woven from fact, myth and imagination. Their story is tragic and rather sad.
Chang and Eng sat on the to-be-read shelf all that time. I picked it up several times., but it never quite felt like the book I wanted to read just then. I’m not sure what I expected, but I did enjoy the story of the real Siamese twin brothers, Chang and Eng Bunker. It had a kind of Outlander feel to it, though that may just have been the fact that it was set in North Carolina a few decades later. The sex scenes, even though they are of necessity threesomes, do not even approach the descriptions of Claire and Jamie’s torrid lovemaking. Maybe it was something about the descriptions of everyday life?
The dust jacket says the book is woven from fact, myth and imagination. Their story is tragic and rather sad.