Double [Hardcover]

Identity is a common theme in young adult literature. Jenny Valentine's novel Double takes this theme to an entirely new level.

Cassiel has been missing for years when 16-year-old Chap, who has been living on the streets, is mistaken for him and returned to Cassiel's family. We don't really know who Chap is or why Cassiel went missing or how it is that they could look so much alike as to fool Cassiel's own family. Chap doesn't understand this either, but since he's never really had his own normal family, he goes along with it. The mom is a bit batty, the big brother seems like he's hiding something, and the sister can be overbearing, but they've loved and accepted Chap without question, and he kind of likes it.

It's only when Chap begins interacting with some of Cassiel's friends that he begins to wonder what he's gotten himself into.

Double is a pretty easy read -- definitely for teens, but it's short enough and simple enough to appeal to young men and women who are intimidated by thick spines and complicated plots. This suspenseful plot kept me turning the pages wanting to know what had happened and why and how it was all going to end up. Fairly soon into the plot, I was rooting for Chap and wanted it to work out for him.

CONTENT NOTE -- There's a little mild cursing, and there are references to drugs (though not in a positive way), and some talk of sex, though no actual romance, so there's really nothing objectionable for an older tween, though it really felt like more of a book for 13 and up for some reason.

3.5 Stars. Double is both a who-dunnit and a tale of a sad lonely boy on his own in England. At first, Double appears to be a case of mistaken identity, but really that storyline is just to pull the reader in. The premise is crazy, unbelievable. - a teenage runaway (Boy #1) who is living in a home for runaway children is thought to be the lost son and brother (Boy #2) of a family that lost a son of theirs two years ago. And this runaway boy (Boy #1) is able to convince the family of Boy #2 - that he is their son. The runaway boy (Boy #1) is "Chap" , however he is believed to be "Cassiel" (Boy #2). When Chap first looks at a picture of the lost and missing Cassiel, Chap thinks it is a picture of himself. The resemblance between the two boys is exact. So what does a lonely boy who has nobody to care for him do? He steps into the life of Cassiel. The act of being Cassiel was almost not a conscious act. The social workers thought he was Cassiel and Chap is so alone, he is desperate to have a family and he is desperate to be someone. If you have read The Likeness by Tana French, then you know the basic (but crazy) set-up.

Double is told from the point of view of Chap (Boy #1). His pain, his insecurity and his loneliness are described in a way that I was able to believe it Chap is desperate for a life, for a family but the life he steps in to is not as perfect as he imagined. He is immediately sucked in to an intrigue of why Cassiel is gone. Every step Chap takes, every word he says, he wonders - would Cassiel have said it this way? Will they know I am not Cassiel? Does she know I am not Cassiel? Chap has such sweet love and appreciate for his new "mom" and his "sister". The love he feels and appreciation he has for having a "home" was truly heartbreaking. It made my heartbreak for children who do not have a home or parents. This ache for love, for relationships was so well-described. Ms. Valentine captures very well the level of insecurity a young unloved and alone in the world boy would feel. My only complaint is there is too much of this fear and inner monologue going on in the story. But hey, it is told from the perspective of a teenaged boy, so it is believable.

In the background of the story is Chap's tale and this is where the beauty of this book lies. Through flashbacks, Chap remembers where he came from, "who" he is and why he is alone and on the run. So woven through the tension of who killed Cassiel and the whole will-they-know-I-am-not-Cassiel-thing is Chap's own background story.

Double has quite a few twists and turns which are done really well. I had a few theories about what happened to Cassiel, who caused his disappearance and why Chap was on the run. But I was only half right. This is a gripping and emotional tale that will likely keep you guessing.

There are young adult books that are clearly written for an older audience level, this is not one of those stories. This is a book that can be enjoyed by the older young adult crowd but is also appropriate for younger adult readers. I am grading it 3.5 stars because in the end, it was a simple story that while moving, was not fantastic. But, I am excited to have my daughter read this book and I am glad to have read it. I think it would make a fantastic movie.

There is no sex or romance in this story but there is a reference to being a virgin. There is some violence, but not graphic. This would be suitable for most 6th grade students and above.

Cassiel(Cass) Roadnight has been missing for several years now. Stories abound about his fate, none good and none substantiated.

Another sixteen-year-old boy, known simply as "Chap," has been a part of the social services system for about as many years as Cass has been missing. Chap is called that by the man who raised him until Chap was taken into the foster care system -- a man Chap believed to be his grandfather. But who, really, is this elderly gentleman?

Take away two years and Chap's piercings, and anyone could see Cassiel; they look incredibly alike. Chap's social worker sees this when she finds a photo of Cassiel and sends Chap to live with Cassiel's family - mother Helen and siblings Frank and Edie. Chap believes himself a fraud, but this psychological thriller's twists and turns show readers something entirely different from what Chap -- and the readers -- believe at first.

This book is intended for teens, and, overall, it is teen-appropriate. However, there is some prescription drug abuse, occasional profanity, and some mild sexual innuendo. It is a fairly short, well-paced read that keeps readers wondering who Chap is and who Cass is and how things got so entangled.