Anyone read 'Beside Myself' by Ann Morgan?

[Satina]

I've just finished this and loved it.

I was hoping someone else had also read it, so we could discuss.

That one looks interesting; have just ordered the Kindle sample. Have you read Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger? (Also about the relationship between twin girls.)

I haven't. Is it good? I'll see if I can get hold of it. Thank you x

Let me know what you think of Beside Myself?

I bought it!
I am at 70%; Smudge is working as receptionist in Manchester.
I am loving this story. It is harrowing, moving but humorous when you least expect it to be.
The descriptions of her (what I assume are) bipolar episodes are frightening in there detail.
The best thing is that I can't guess where this is going...

OOOPS - sorry - 'their detail'

PS - You know the reference to broken-string shoelaces, in the notes that Hellie sent to Smudge? The incident that she - Smudge - can't remember? I think that (H)Ellie saw this when she found her father's body. That might explain the change in her, from a spirited equal to Helen into a distracted and timid child.

Finished it! Perfect ending. Sorry there is no more book and nothing else available by the same author!
I have just ordered it to be sent to a friend (always buy her a good book for her birthday.)
Thank you so much for posting about it.

Glad you enjoyed it!

I loved that I couldn't guess the ending.

Spoilers

I couldn't believe that the mother would think something as big as changing Helen's whole identity would not impact her, as they live in the same house etc. Although I understand her reasoning and it's made me more aware of how twins are often lumped together as though they're one person.

Loved how we got a Helen's eye view of her manic episodes. I was saying to DH: that's why books can be brilliant as with TV we'd see the erratic behaviour but could only guess what the character's thinking.

Please may I ask what other books you've enjoyed Rosegold?

I have twin nieces, now adults. When they were school-age their friends referred to them as 'the twins' or 'twinnies' as if they were one entity. Of course, to their family they were two, equally loved, individuals with separate and quite different characters. The mother in the book chose to just see the more dominant girl (before and after the swap) and - as long as one of them was pleasing to her - didn't care which one it was!
In the Smudge chapters, the author used a fabulous devise; substituting 'you' when she meant I. For example, You open your mouth and find no words waiting. So you close it again and stare up at him The effect, on me, was that Smudge was viewing her actions from outside of herself. As readers, so are we. That made me feel there, with Smudge, watching her. Very intimate.

Going to sit in the garden and write my top ten. Back soon.

All of these I have adored - read more than once and will read again:

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
Ferney – James Long
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel
Precious Bane – Mary Webb
The Other Mrs Walker – Mary Paulson-Ellis
A Perfectly Good Man – Patrick Gale
The Blasphemer – Nigel Farndale
The Uninvited – Liz Jensen
The Secret Keeper – Kate Morton
Lambs of God – Marele Day

Have you read any of those?

Thank you!

I haven't read ANY of those and am going on holiday soon so can't wait to try some of them.

I enjoyed Kite Runner, so think I'll try A Thousand Splendid Suns next

Will you let me know what you think of any of them that you read please?

I need something new so anything you can recommend would be interesting.