26A [Paperback]

26A by Diana Evans introduces readers to the lives of identical twin sisters. Bessi and Georgie are intricately connected from even before the womb, as the author so uniquely illustrates. The story is set in England, in a suburb of London called Neasden, their address being 26 Waifer Avenue (the "A" signifying the attic where the twins reside). Bessi and Georgie are bi-racial and live with their mother, Ida, who fled from Lagos, Nigeria to avoid an arranged marriage; their father, Aubrey, who is English and a successful businessman who met their mother while in Nigeria on an extended business trip; their older sister, Isabel (Bel) and their younger sister, Kemy. All of the sisters are extremely close and very protective of each other. However, their older and younger sisters make special effort to protect the bond of the twins. Their space is respected and no one enters their world without permission. The sisters are an extreme comfort and support to each other as they deal with their parents impending "divorce" and cope with their father's frequent bouts of anger, as they often refer to him as Dr. Jekyll or Mr Hyde, depending on his behavior that day.

What resonated most about 26A was the way in which the author described the relationship between Bessi and Georgie. Evans literally blew me away with how she described a relationship that I, as an identical twin, could never begin to put into words myself - and probably never would, because some of the things shared seemed as natural as breathing. For example, Bessi and Georgie "share" dreams. Georgie visits a character in her dreams named Gladstone that she talks to Bessi about all the time, as if he is a real part of their family. Another example is how they feel each other's discomfort or pain. Evans described a scene so vividly in which one of the twins was being harmed and the other felt her pain.

Bessi and Georgie do not make any moves without consulting the other - their twin's consideration is always put first and it has to be because they were partners before their lives began! From being business partners in their flapjack-making endeavor, The Famous Flapjack Twins, to lifetime partners. Their dependency on one another is likened to the way your left foot is dependent on your right. One cannot go further until the other one goes first and if one breaks, well, the other one will carry all the weight until her partner recovers.

This is a love story of sorts which describes the bond between two soul mates that would do anything to protect the private world in which they live. They protect this world by keeping it peaceful, safe, happy, and young. First and foremost, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a twin or a sibling of twins, for you will gain much more appreciation for your/their relationship, or anyone that is fascinated with the unique relationship of twins or of sisters coming of age. The cultural references were also enlightening and very interesting to read about as well. Overall, you will not be disappointed!

Reviewed by: Lena Willis
APOOO BookClub

In this magnificent debut, Diana Evans captures the magic and complexity of childhood with such honesty and candor it will take you right back to your own memories. To quote an excerpt:

"On the outside of their front door Georgia and Bessi had written in chalk '26a', and on the inside 'G + B', at eye level, just above the handle. This was the extra dimension. The one after sight, sound, smell, touch and taste where the world multiplied and exploded because it was the sum of two people. Bright was twice as bright. All the colours were extra. Girls with umbrellas skipped across the wallpaper and Georgia and Bessi could hear them laughing."

Georgia and Bessi are identical twins growing up in Neasden, London. Their mother is a Nigerian immigrant who pines after her homeland and converses with 'spirits' while their father, an English accountant, drowns his sorrows in the bottle. Despite these difficulties, Georgia and Bessi grow up as confident and imaginative girls, escaping in their own world of fantasy and possibility.

What makes this novel so successful is the ultra-delicious writing, sprinkled with unusual linguistic devices and elements of 'magical realism'. Add to that animated, well-crafted characters and a story line that is hard to put down!

Part hilarious, part endearing, part sobering, 26a is a moving ode to childhood, the pains of growing up and the magic of 'twinhood'.

I listened to this on tape, read by the amazing Adjoa Andoh. I don't know if I would have appreciated all the playful language if I had been reading silently. The language, the view through children's viewpoints (which not many of us actually grow out of anyway, the great story telling all made me keep listening. The troubles near the end may disturb ome readers, but, in spite of mystical touches, the difficulties of the lives are not treated fancifully. I was quite interested in the characters in spite of their great differences from my milieu.

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