The Twin by Natasha Preston

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Justification

I chose The Twin for the mystery/thriller requirement because of the Single White Female vibe I got from reading the premise. While it's a trope, it's still one that usually makes for a good plotline. I love well-written thrillers, and this really felt like it would have had a rich, gothic atmosphere instead of quaint small-town suburb paranoia.

Response 

I was excited to start reading The Twin but felt put off pretty quickly. The atmosphere and tone never felt quite right in relation to the plot. It just did not feel like I was reading a thriller. (F) I was definitely expecting more Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects for YA and was left disappointed. The plot twist is literally listed on the back of the book--that Ivy's mom may have been murdered. That should have been a flag for me, as I expect thrillers to have plot twists that keep me guessing and wholly engaged in the text. The writing came across as clunky, especially as Ivy gets more and more paranoid about Iris. Again, the premise is solid, if a little overused. It can make for an exciting beach-type read. But it really fell flat due to the lack of character development. Iris just isn't a believable psychopath. Ivy's paranoia comes across and simple paranoia and stress instead of something that is driven by Iris's actions. 

Ivy is a high-strung, overachieving athlete. (A) That part of her personality is depicted very well and is relatable, as most people feel pressure of some sort from school, work, or life in general. Ivy is also self-conscious in the sense of not believing that her boyfriend could have chosen her out of all the girls at their school. I felt this deep in my soul. As a teenager, I lacked confidence and felt out of place. 

Conclusion

In all honesty, I hate-finished The Twin--which isn't to say that it's so awful that it took me forever to finish. The pacing is just fast enough to keep you engaged, even through the incredulity you may have at Ivy and her poor decision-making skills. I really just kept hoping for a plot twist that made everything fall together in a surprising way that gave the clunky writing and increasing character paranoia have a purpose.

Citation

Preston, N. (2020). The twin. New York: Delacorte Press.

Genre: Mystery/Thriller