Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

The Story  [from cover]

Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers - normal, at least, for identical "mirror" twins who have no interest in college or jobs or possibly anything outside their cosy urban home. But everything changes when they receive notice that an aunt whom they didn't know existed has died and left them a flat in an apartment block overlooking Highgate Cemetery in London. The feel that at least their own lives can begin....but have no idea that they've been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives, from the obsessive-compulsive crossword setter who lives above them to their aunt's mysterious and elusive lover who lives below them, and even to their aunt herself, who never got over her estrangement from the twin's mother - and who can't even seem to quite leave her flat.... 

My Thought

This book is spooky in its very own original way. That's what I can say about Her Fearful Symmetry. However, my feelings towards this book are all mixed up. A part of me really loves the book especially the characters and another part of me feels a little bit uncomfortable with the story, like.."woa.woa..Niffenegger, where are you bringing me to?" The great thing bout this book is it's characters. I don't say that I love all the characters in this book, buy I'm really impressed that they manage to annoy me so much. Julia with his bossy tone, and Valentina who can't even decide anything by her own, and Martin with his obsessive-compulsive craziness, Marijke, owh, what the hell she's thinking leaving Martin by his own after spending decades with him? and Espelth, erghh!! you looks stupid as a female ghost who's stuck in her own apartment and Robert? sort out your feelings man. Damn! They are all so weird, weird and weird! Great! (This is why I love the book. Haha!) Another great thing is the way Niffenegger describe the Highgate Cemetery. Normally, graveyard is not my favorite place, you know with all the gloomy and dark sensation, but in this book the way she explains the cemetery makes me feel like going there myself. It's so beautiful and historical. At least that's what I think. This is such a page turner because the mystery behind all the confusions and messed up identities make you think what will happen next? what's the secret? who's who? However, I think the ending is not fair to Valentina. To much subplots also make the books a little bit messy and not as neat as the The Time Traveler's Wife. But all in all, Audrey Niffenegger, you really did a great job to confuse me and to annoy me with all the weird, weird characters. Congratulations! This is the weirdest book I ever read and it's totally different from The Time Traveler's Wife. I love it!.

Favorite Quote

"There are several ways to react to being lost. One is to panic: this was usually Valentina's first impulse. Another is to abandon yourself to lostness, to allow the fact that you've misplaced yourself to change the way you experience the world.”

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