Ellen Hopkins has put together a very creative book. The subject matter itself is harsh and gritty - twin sisters, one of whom is being molested by their father, but both of whom are feeling the fallout. Hopkins does amazing work with her concept - it is far deeper than one would imagine, and her book draws back even before the twins' birth to show where the seeds of their present torment were sown.

Why I'm ranking the book as only three out of five stars is the prose. Hopkins has taken a very original path with this, using free verse (a form that I personally dislike, and found a bit exhausting) as well as a very "slow build" approach. Artistically I think it was interesting, but I personally would not choose to try something else by this author. That is not a reflection on her work, which I thought was exceptional. I listened to this on audio book - the reader did a nice job, but I wonder if I might've been better off reading it on the page. Hard to say. Very interesting, however, and Ellen Hopkins certainly has a great deal of talent, as well as a lot of bravery to take on this subject matter in a YA novel.

This is the story of a very dysfunctional family through the eyes of a teenager. I am not a teenage girl, so I initially thought I would not like the story, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Ellen Hopkins has indeed captured the world of an adolescent, but her mastery of the written word really made the story a delight. Her imagery is magnificant. She describes actions, context, and emotions with the eye of a poet. Some of her comments are very witty.

The drama that unfolds is heartrending. The family that was once a loving, vibrant testament to the american dream suffers a tragedy and is fundamentally changed. The father, a respected judge and the mother, a politician, deal with their grief by throwing themselves into their careers. This leads to the primary dysfunction in the family and the unbearable secret stress that is the crux of the story.

There are unexpected twists to the story and secrets in the past that have a relevance to the secrets of the present situation.

I came to care about the characters and would recommend this book.

I was very excited to finally read this book. I had waited nearly 6 months to see this book on the book on the shelves. When i got home, I had nearly read half before going to sleep. Ellen did a wonderful job with explaining the characters thoroughly and giving the book an amazing ending. It came as a huge shock to me, and it was definitely an awesome plot line. I recommend this book to teenagers simply because it does an awesome job of addressing issues facing teens today.

Ellen Hopkins created a stir in books for teens with her shocking, free-verse books, "Crank" and "Glass," which are about a teenage girl's descent into drug addiction and single motherhood after she was raped. While books about things like drug addiction and teen pregnancy aren't for everyone, they are sadly reflective of the reality many teenage girls find themselves in. "Crank" and "Glass" speak to the hearts of those readers.

"Identical" is similar in style. This is still a book in beautiful free verse, and while the surface of the characters' lives seems perfect, everything under the surface is dark and disturbing. There's sex and drugs and a girl who cuts herself. But this book starts out so slowly, and so much remains hidden under the surface for so long, away from the reader's eyes.

As one famous editor once told a writer, "Lay all your cards on the table." I understand why the book is written this way. It's about things that are hidden deep inside a perfect family--the worst things imaginable. But hiding those cards can make a reader feel frustrated and cheated instead of hooked. A main character knows what these hidden cards are. The writer knows what these hidden cards are. Why then is the reader the only one who doesn't get to see those cards?

I didn't finish this book. I just couldn't. But I have to admit it is beautifully written--like "Crank" and "Glass"--and it should appeal to those who love Ellen Hopkins's writing enough to put up with hidden cards.

Identical, by Ellen Hopkins in my opinion is a very raw audio book that is read very deepy real and well by Laura Flanagan. I found the words very distrubing for a young reader. I think it should not be read by a person under 18. This novel is compelling and very interesting, the way the author wove the words to describe a deeply flawed family.

I think the author was showing something in our social stucture that is contray to our outword beliefs and our actual actions behind closed doors. This book would be a good book for a book club and open dialog.

PLEASE NOTE WELL: The five stars are for the author's clearly-manifested writing ability and the reader's thespian talent . They are not an indication of the suitability of this book for a particular young adult (or mature one, for that matter).

Children and young adults are supposed to be exposed to "window books" and "mirror books" to help them become more insightful, better educated human beings. "Identical" is not the sort of window one would wish on another lightly. It goes without saying that incestuous, drug-dependent psychological confusion torments a percentage of families in these United States. If this is a world-expanding insight one wants one's unaffected child to experience vicariously, "Identical" is a brutally-poetic window for fostering it. However, for a specific child in an unfortunate situation, "Identical" might be a lifeline...a profoundly-catalytic mirror. This child will meet Gretta who will tell her/him: "Never accept evil as something you must walk with...something you deserve somehow." In this case, one can only hope/pray that one or more competent, caring, and trustworthy adults are available to help the child begin sorting it out.

Ellen Hopkins does a splendid job using terse, poetic phrases to convey her characters' confused emotions as they face their tangled, interconnected webs of recursive obsession and guilt that are cast in and around their fine home unadorned with family photos. Likewise, Laura Flanagan gives "Identical" a first-rate reading...highlighting the characters' thoughts and feelings in artfully-subtle ways.

Make no mistake about it, this is not an easy book. There was a time, not long ago, when prose such as this would have been labeled "pornographic". What's the difference between then and now? The tone of our times and the author's intention. Nevertheless, for many, this will not be an appropriate book. It is, undeniably, a well-crafted book with some important, uncomfortable themes. Buyer be aware.

Conventional wisdom holds that twins, especially identical twins, share a deeper connection to each other than siblings. This connection goes beyond mere empathy and verges on the metaphysical. Ellen Hopkins, in her latest teen novel, IDENTICAL, uses this idea as a starting point to explore a severely dysfunctional family whose twin daughters are in physical danger and emotional crisis.

Raeanne and Kaeleigh Gardella are the teenage daughters of two successful parents: dad Ray is a prominent judge and mom Kay is expected to win an upcoming senatorial election. The Gardella family is busy, with Kay mostly on the road campaigning and Ray working long hours. The girls have school to occupy them, but while Kaeleigh is involved in typical extracurricular activities, Raeanne spends most of her free time with her drug dealer, smoking pot, drinking and having sex. At home, both girls self-medicate, drinking from their father's bottles and emptying his pill bottles. It soon becomes apparent why: ever since a tragic car accident years ago, Ray has been sexually abusing Kaeleigh.

The twins respond to the abuse, as well as their father's alcoholism and their mother's emotional abandonment, in different ways. One rebels and tries to find power in relationships with men while numbing herself with drugs and alcohol; the other tries to avoid or discourage her father with overeating and emotional passivity while also numbing herself with substances and finally cutting herself to control her own body and the pain she is in. On the outside they seem like an ideal family as long as they all keep up the charade. But several changes in their lives make it impossible to pretend any longer that all is okay in their home.

Their mother is away more and more, and while the girls each begin new relationships with young men, they find out, when their grandparents contact them after many years, the events that so damaged their father. Soon, everything is spiraling out of control for both young ladies and they turn increasingly to drugs and sex, cutting and overeating. Finally, the tension is released with a frightening act and a surprising and astonishing realization. Friends new and old will be there to help pick up the pieces, but in the end, the twins have a steep and difficult road to recovery.

Hopkins's intense and graphic tale is told in non-rhyming verse. Kaeleigh and Raeanne take turns narrating the story with poems that often mirror each other, playing with repeated words and meaning. Some poems are visually styled, depicting the school bell, teardrops, broken hearts, keys and the bottle that symbolizes Ray Gardella. Despite these contrivances, the book is readable. It flows well and the back-and-forth between the girls' voices makes sense throughout, though by the end readers will see it is actually essential to the story.

IDENTICAL is challenging both in style and subject matter. It is literary yet written in a real, relatable (though sometimes clichéd) voice. The subject matter, and Hopkins's handling of it, requires mature readership. The book is not without its flaws, and although the ending may be a tad far-fetched, the main point --- about the damage wrought by abuse and secrets --- is well-taken and important.
--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

This story was touching, but parts were very hard for me to read. While it is fiction, how many other young girls suffer abuse in silence. It was an eye opener for me.

Sharing bodies, minds, thoughts and feelings are strange most times, but when you run into the wonder twins in this story you will think twice the next time you come across a set of twins. This story gives the right details, descriptions and keeps you in grossed throughout the whole story. Kudoossssssss! this was a great read!

When I ordered this book from the Vine program, I didn't pay attention to the length. When it arrived, I was shocked at how thick it was and thought, "I'll never finish that." Then, when I opened it up, I thought it was a book of poems because of the author's unique free-verse style. I'm so glad I gave it a chance. Once I started it, I noticed that, while the words on the pages look like poems, they're really just thoughts and inner conversations of twin sisters Kaeleigh and Raeanne. It reads very fast because of the monologue/thoughts style. There are not a lot of excess, flowery descriptive words, which I loved.

The book alternates back and forth between Kaeleigh's and Raeanne's points of view. Kaeleigh is more the "good girl" sister while Raeanne acts out by smoking pot, drinking and having indiscriminate sex. But Kaeleigh has the awful secret of being the daughter her judge father sexually abuses. She copes by binging, cutting and borrowing her father's pills.

I was hooked right from the start by the easy style of writing. As I said, don't be fooled by the free verse look. I really admire the talent the author shows being able to arrange each little inner monologue into shapes like hearts or letters. And many times she does a page from each sister's point of view across from each other using a some of the same words in a mirror image technique. I don't know how Ellen Hopkins pulls this off, but it's really amazing.

The subject matter is very heavy and best for 16+ year-olds. I found myself hoping both daughters would get the help they needed before they self-destructed. And I wondered why the father would only abuse of the girls, but at the same time, it was obvious that both daughters were victims. Shortly before the end, there's a fascinating twist that pulls it all together and answers all the questions. Savvy readers may see it coming but it's definitely not obvious.
I highly recommend this book.

I couldn't put this book down! As with her other amazing books, this one kept me on toes and was a great read. Her writing style allows you to get lost in the story.

I have been a fan of Ellen Hopkins for quite some time and her books never disappoint. Her interesting writing style is refreshing and different. Identical is definitely one her best works, the ending is absolutely unbelievable. It makes you want to re-read the book since you now have a completely different perspective about who the characters really are.

Okay so, WOW. I was first introduced to the power of verse writing when I read I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder. I love the rawness, no fluffy descriptions or unneeded stances, just pure emotion. Laci is a huge fan of Ellen Hopkins and she had been trying to get me to read one of her books for a long time. And it isn't that I didn't want to, I was just waiting for the right opportunity. And when opportunity comes knockin, you best answer the door.

I read a lot of books. And ones that make a definite impression are few and far between. But I'm not always in the mood to read a book that makes an "impression" sometimes I just want a book that entertains me, makes me feel good. Identical falls in the latter category with a few other books that continue to stay on my mind.

This book is engrossing, it's disturbing, it's disgusting, it's addictive, it's powerful and I loved it. I did have sneaking suspicion throughout the entire book and when it was finally revealed I still didn't believe it. But the less you know about that going in the better. Now that I've read Identical, I know I won't be able to stop, I'll have to read Hopkins earlier titles and continue to read her new ones. And a fan is born.

In Ellen Hopkins' Identical, identical twins Kaeleigh and Raeanne share a complicated, traumatic history.

Some of this history is revealed in pieces as the book progresses, showing us the twins as mirror images of each other, with Kaeleigh bingeing and cutting herself and Raeanne abusing drugs and engaging in sexual acting-out.

With their parents as pillars of the community - their father is a judge and their mother a member of congress - their lives would seemingly be picture-perfect. Certainly the external accouterments would suggest that.

But behind closed doors, ominous forces are at play - a father who sexually abuses his daughter and a mother that looks the other way - and the mirror image twin who observes and notices and protects in the only way she knows how.

Unable to reach out for help, the twins limp along, surviving as best they can.

And then, startling information comes out - at the hands of their paternal grandfather - revealing something of their father's history that explains a lot.

A final revelation startles the reader while finally allowing the light to shimmer in...And now, healing can begin.

As I read this book, I was put off at first by the style of the text, but came to admire the creative arrangements of the words on the page - reflections of the emotion portrayed - and the original design of Kaeleigh and Raeanne's voices as "mirror images" on opposing pages when
transitioning from one voice to the other.

I will not forget this book for a long time.

I've never before been interested in reading any of Hopkins' books. The premise of Identical caught my attention, however--twin sisters who look identical but appear radically different.

The style the book was written in was not something I was prepared for. Each page is a new "poem," all done in various styles, sometimes disjointed and sometimes in legitimate stanzas. If you're familiar with poetry the writing comes off as odd and difficult to process at first, but once you get past the first few pages you become absorbed with the story and you can appreciate the unusual technique used here.

Kaeleigh and Raeanne's stories are interlaced with pain and suffering that dates back to their childhoods, and in the end the poetry-prose manages to make this shine through immensely. Typical sentence-structure prose could not have pulled this off. If you like poetry the style may hurt your eyes at first, but if you appreciate good writing you'll come to see why it was used in this manner.

In short, Hopkins has pulled this off brilliantly. I am more fascinated with her unique style than the story itself, but the story is nothing to shrug off, either. Highly recommended.

This book was amazing.
Like all of her other books, but the end to this one, I did NOT see coming!
It's deffinatly a MUST read book.

This is a novel about identical twins Kaeleigh and Raeanne. To everyone around them they have the perfect family. Their parents have money and good jobs, but what happens in people's homes can be shocking and disturbing. Things aren't always what they seem.

Kaeleigh has caught her father's misplaced attention (incest), while Raeanna spirals out of control and begins down the dark path of drugs sex and alcohol. The story is told in alternating chapters between the girls.

Ms. Hopkins tells this chilling story in poetry format as she has done with her other books. At first I was unsure if this format could do the story justice, but I think it does. You get a disturbing picture of the girl's family life. I do agree with other reviewers that this book could have been edited down, so thats why I gave it 4 stars.

Teens that loved Ms. Hopkin's other books will enjoy this one as well. For adults, it may seem troubling that students would want to read about drug abuse, sex and incest, but I have found that these are the types of books that always get checked out of the library. I think this one will be hard to keep on library shelves and teens will find the subject matter interesting. For parents concerned about content, I stronly encourage them to read this book before giving it to their children. I personally think this could be a great tool for parents to sit down with their children and discuss drug abuse, sex and drinking. But make no mistake about it, the content may be shocking for some.

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical twins, 16 years old, mirror images; physically alike but in personality very different. They are half of a deeply dysfunctional family. Their mother, a politician running for office in Washington, has left them in every way possible; their father, a judge, numbs himself with whiskey and pills before coming to one daughter's bed while the other alternately hates him for it and longs for his love.

Kaeleigh, soft-centered, binges and cuts herself, can't feel worthy of the young man who loves her; and finds her only common ground with an 80-year-old woman who lives in the residential center where she works part-time. Raeanne, on the other hand, is tough and cold, has sex with dangerous boys for drugs, steals booze and oxy from her father, and purges to free herself from the venom of her past.

The unbearable events that poison the twins' present are rooted in the past, but just how far back? The car accident when they were eight years old, or further back in their parents' youth? The foreshadowing is woven through the present story, and even if the reader glimpses the truth before full disclosure, the book's worth rests not in its revelation but in the escalation of pain resulting from the family history.

I had not read any earlier books by author Ellen Hopkins so I was unprepared for the highly original design concept of this book. Done entirely in free verse in the alternating voices of the sisters, the words on the page are arranged in patterns that reflect the tone of the story. Letters, hearts, teardrops; tight intense verses; jagged word explosions on the page; and most interesting of all, where the story transitions from one twin to the other, the words on the facing pages mesh together like the teeth of a zipper. I found it literally impossible to put this book down and read it in one long session. The originality of design hooked me, but the intensity of the story delivered a punch that will stay with me for a long time.

In publisher-speak, the category "Young Adult" refers to readers approximately 12 to 18 years old. Identical would be better suited for the more mature reader toward the upper end of that range, having explicit scenes involving sex, alcohol and drug abuse, purging and cutting. Any adult wanting to understand the pressures and realities of teen life will find this book enlightening, and for everyone else it's a fast, riveting read; dark, but beautifully paced and crackling with painful truth. Five stars at least.

Linda Bulger, 2008

This book is that good. I was truly impressed by it very much. If you like a lot of drama and a book you cant put down, then this book is that type of book. Word of warning, it does read oddly though, but, its different, so, you might like the way its written or you might not. Either case, this book shouldn't be looked over. Recommended!

I love Ellen Hopkins and was overjoyed to see her creation making its way to me. The way she creates her little character paradigms - the writing that says more that it first seems to say, the way words arrange to make a maze of meanings, her displays that land somewhere other than the other side of rainbows - are fabulous. When I first read Crank I was as addicted as her character, eagerly lapping up page after page with a burning desire that said that I was going to be more than a reader of her work.
Happily, I had become a fan.

In this book, we have struggle highlighted in much the same right as her other books. We see the behaviors that involve eating woes, cutting woes, emotional woes, and a million other fragmented reactions that scream "pain." Hopkins highlights this with the way she writes: while some people put together a jigsaw of first names and A=B=C types of events, she moves her characters through poetry and a march that is beautiful. Simply reading a few lines she writes would win over many people because, unlike a lot of writers, she hides meaning in the already meaningful by making poetic entries into the lives of her characters. Sometimes this makes me feel like a voyeur and other times it makes me feel like a helpless bystander, but it always makes me feel like I know the characters and the dilemma.

It is a rare gift to find in a writer and, honestly, it is one everyone should read. Recommended to all.

On the outside, Kaeleigh and Raeanne look exactly the same but their appearances are as far as their similarities go. Although their family may seem perfect, it is in reality the definition of dysfunction. The twins' politician mother is constantly away from home to campaign, and in the absence of his wife, their district-court judge father transfers his love to Kaeleigh. In turn, Raeanne is jealous in a sick way, because she feels Daddy is favoring Kaeleigh over her, and so she turns to drugs, alcohol, and sex. Each twin harbors her own demons, but neither can handle the pressure on her own. Will the secrets force their way out or will they destroy the twins from the inside out?

Identical is a truly disturbing, impossibly real, and extremely difficult to put down no matter how sick and creepy the story may be. It deals with all facets of dysfunction: abuse, cutting, addiction, disorders, and their effects in teens' lives. Though the story told isn't by any means a "good" story, Hopkins is a fantastic storyteller and I have to say I love her writing style. The twins are surprisingly easy to relate to even in their extreme situations, and I think my shock over how horribly wrong Kaeleigh's and Raeanne's lives were and a slim hope that they would improve is what kept me reading. Hopkins'characters are just so compelling, and this makes their stories so unforgettable no matter how hard I try to forget the major creep factor.

The authenticity of this story will appeal to all teens, even the ones who don't normally read. Identical will also gain a similar audience to that of Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. I look forward to reading Hopkins' other novels, Crank, Burned, Impulse, and Glass.

I chose Identical from several choices based on the summary of the storyline posted here on Amazon, expecting a riveting read that takes the reader on a wild ride through the mind. It did just that. There are some things in this book that put me off, but there was some good found here too.

I have never read anything by Ellen Hopkins, so this book was a bit of a shock to me. I did not expect everything to be written in poetic form, and I found that it sometimes added to the storyline but sometimes it was distracting too. I especially liked some of the hidden bylines that appeared in the structure and format, particularly in the transitions between Kaeleigh's and Raeanne's thoughts.

Though in poetic form, this book frequently reads like a pair of journals written by two entirely different girls, though they are supposed to be identical twins. I enjoyed the back-and-forth transitions between them, and I liked the entirely different directions the two sisters take. It is a fascinating study in just how different sisters can be. One is a hellion, experimenting with all kinds of drugs and hanging with the wrong crowd. The other is reserved and wanting so much to be loved but unable to escape the specter of being an abused daughter.

There were a couple of things I did not like about this book. First and foremost, I think the descriptions of the incest described within the pages are a little too graphic for my tastes, and I found myself a bit disgusted at times. The other problem is that I found the story to be somewhat predictable, having figured out a critical aspect of the story 2/3 of the way though. Making the conclusion I did, it made the rest of the book somewhat less interesting to me, though I still enjoyed the read.

I can't call this a stellar book though I cannot call it a flop either. It is a decent read, and if you can handle some graphic descriptions of a VERY improper relationship then this book may be for you. I was put off by the descriptions of such and my rating of the book suffers accordingly.

My daughter has been an Ellen Hopkins fan for some time. I researched her online when my daughter began asking me for a book called CUT...I just couldn't imagine that this would be good reading for my 15 yr. old. I found on Hopkin's website that she actually is very involved with students, and has recommendations from teachers. I've never been one to censor reading, so I bought the book...and my daughter has been a fan ever since~~reading books with controversial titles such as Crank, Cut, Glass, Burned...I've tried to read them myself, and find the pull...hence my choosing to read Identical. Ms. Hopkins writes in a prose format, almost like reading a journal written as poems. I have a hard time imersing myself in the stories, and the disturbing images that they bring to mind. But they DO bring the images...and the story of Identical pulls you in...you're almost to horrified to quit reading, compelled to find out what secret Kaeleigh and Raeanne have. You're horrified by the sexual abuse Kaeleigh is the victim of, repulsed by the bulemia, drugs, sex that Raeanne inflicts upon herself. You read the story through the eyes of both girls...and see the indiffernce they're suffering from the own mother, the cries for help that aren't heeded...
While this book and this author aren't the type of reading I'd choose for myself, there is no denying Ms. Hopkins is supremely talented, and willing to take on issues that will move, repulse and have you gasping that such things actually take place. Would I recommend this for a 14 year old? No. I wish my daughter had never picked up that first book. But in a society that many of these things are reality, I guess I have to face up to the fact that she knows, and the books help her get it into perspective.

I am currently finishing this novel and I have loved it so far, Yes its morbid and totally disturbing. But if you have read any of Hopkins other novels you would know that she doesn't really make "sunny happy bubble" books she makes stories that have profound, disturbing and unfortunately for some of todays youth real life problems. And also if you read all or any of her other books...you would know they are all written in poetry form. I enjoy the change from normal novel form, its quicker paced and so beautifully poetic (No puns intended).

This novel centers on twins:

Kaleigh is shy and introverted and sometimes it seems afraid of her own shadow due to a horrible secret that she is hiding deep inside herself a secret that sneaks through the shadows of her bedroom and settles its beady disgusting eyes on her body willing to break her spirit and steal her beautiful soul for its own twisted pleasure. But something inside her is changing...strength and a need for true love is starting to break out. Will she stand up for herself and stop her own torment?

Raeanne is loud,tough and strong. She drinks, does drugs and has promiscuous sex to fill a void inside her...she too holds a secret, a strong desire to rebel against her better half out of jealousy for a sick need from Kaleigh's own monster. Is she really strong enough to survive it all...will she fall to the pressure and dark pain of self destruction or will she find her legs for herself and for Kaleigh?

Which twin will save the other? You gotta read it to find out...those who are familiar with Hopkins work and new fans I believe will not be disappointed with her latest poetic read.

If you like Snatch, Layer Cake and anything done by Guy Ritchie. You will love this book!
The book is not written in your usual chapter and verse format. It is a series of Identical (yet different) poems (on facing pages), by Identical (yet different) twins. The poems end up telling a story of heartbreak, a family torn apart by tragedy, drug addiction, self abuse and horror.
This was a most interesting read!
EMO girls will LOVE it! A great gift idea.

I have twin girls and this is supposed to be a young adult book, so I was immediately interested. I'm sorry now. There is no reason on God's green earth that this book should be read by a minor. Heck even adults should avoid this dreck.

Who wants to read about a young girl being abused by her father ad infinitum. And how graphic do we have to get? And it makes her twin sister jealous? Sheesh. Sex, drugs, more sex, more drugs. Incest. Ignorance. I believe in giving good reviews. I can't here. I could ignore this book, can't do that either, because I agreed to review it.

Okay, the writing is okay, I can see where Ms. Hopkins has talent, but I thought she took up way too many pages with her free verse. This all could have been put on a couple hundred and saved three hundred pages of paper

It's such a shame when such a talent wastes it this way. One star for content, four for talent gives me an average of two.

Now I know there are going to be people who don't like my review, people who think perhaps this book might educate young girls, might keep them from been abused or by getting them to tell if they are. I'm not one of those, sorry. I just would not want my daughters reading this.

I have got to read some samples of my books so I can see what kind of books I'm getting. I just could not get into this book so I decided to quit. I am not one to do that so I tried 3 times. Same thing, poetry or rhyme, whatever you want to call it, I just do not like this type of book. Give me good old chapter books everytime.

Maybe I missed something when I choose this book, but when it arrived I discovered it was written in freestyle poetry form. What a letdown!

I enjoy poetry, but not when it is used to tell such a graphic, detailed story. This book, for those like me, would have been a big hit if it had been written as a story, not hundreds of poems.

Readers of Ellen Hopkins' gritty YA novels in verse won't be disappointed by her latest book, IDENTICAL. In it, sisters Karleigh and Raeanne struggle to make sense of a family situation that goes beyond dysfunctional to downright gut-wrenching. Hopkins often uses a complex mirror structure with poems on opposite pages, creating identical poems within poems written in different voices with impressive results. Overall, IDENTICAL is a disturbing, beautifully written story about abuse and the sense of self, and at the same time, it's a page-turner and a mystery that delivers one heck of a punch near the end.

A note to teachers, librarians, & parents -- this isn't one of the young adult books that I'd recommend handing to a middle school student. The disturbing subject matter places it squarely in the realm of older high school readers, but for some of those more mature readers, particularly those who have faced abuse in their own worlds, IDENTICAL will be no doubt be a book with the power to change lives.

First off, I would like to say that Ellen Hopkins is a teriffic author. Her formation of poetry into a story is nothing short of gripping.

This book is, in many parts, creepy and downright disgusting. However, if you can trudge your way through these necessary plot essentials, then you will be rewarded with an amazing story. The plot was truly mesmerizing, as well as full of emotion. When Kayleigh silently pleaded for her father to stop walking towards her bedroom, knowing exactly what he would put her through, you can feel her painful anticipation. Raeanne is an equally vivid character, and her personal coping methods are just as intense as her twin's.

I think that this book is worth reading for mature audiences. Parents: Keep your elementary and middle school children away. Otherwise, read this novel, especially if you liked any of Ellen Hopkin's other books.

Okay so maybe I didn't read the description correctly but this is a book of poems. It is structured like the journals of the two girls, but it is written in poetry, not prose. I was looking for a great story. Couldn't get with this one. Be sure to read a sample first to see if you like the format.

This book is amazing, if your into reading about things like someone going through struggles in a teenage life, you should definitely read this book.

I am a huge Ellen Hopkins fan, which came as a surprise to me considering her novels are written in verse and I don't like poetry. The sparse writing style seems to work well for the painful subjects she deals with in her books.

Identical is about twin teenage girls--both struggling with their own demons. Karleigh is the good student, drama star, goes with the nice boy--but feels guilty and unworthy because she is being sexually abused by her judge father. Raeanne is the bad girl--into drugs, sex, and sometimes worse, jealous because she doesn't have her father's attention. Their mother, running for congress, is mostly out of the picture while both girls long for her to come home. Between the two sisters, they turn to pretty much every screwed up teenage behavior possible: cutting, bulminia, drug and alcohol abuse, relationships with inappropriate partners, you name it. It seems almost impossible that the two of them will ever come out of this.

This is a sad, disturbing story. My only disappointment was that I figured out the twins' secret way too early (about 1/3 of the way through the book). I would have liked to be kept in suspense longer. Still, a great read.

This book is very very good. I've read and recommend Crank, Burned, Glass and Impulse which were very great as well. This book is about twins who depend on each other for everything, more than one may come to realize. Towards the end, the book reveals everything, things that you wondered about in the beginning, and things that didn't catch your eye until it was brought upon in the end which were very well written. This is a great book and I recommend all young teens to read.

When I first opened this book I was turned off by the format. The story is entirely in the points of view of the two sisters. Each page is thoughts on a particular event or thought, almost like a journal. They look like poems sitting on the page. On some pages the words are in the shape of punctuation or formed into the shape of a letter, word, or object. It switches back and forth between sisters every few pages. I didn't think I would make it through.

I gave it a shot, though, and though it was a little distracting to start, I found the book hard to put down. The story was riveting, unfolding only through the eyes of the twins, what they see, do, hear. I just finished the book and the ending was a surprise. I already find myself going back, seeing the story through a different view.

The book is unique, well formed, well written. It was a great story told well, though sad and disturbing. If you can deal with the subject matter, the book is an experience I would reccomend.

One thing I totally disagree with though, is the age guidelines printed in the front flap. The book recommends ages 14 and up. My daughter is nearly 14 and though I am somewhat protective I just feel this book is way too much. Every vice, every bad thing I would want my children never to experience, every bad vice I would want them to avoid, is in this book. Plus more, things that give parents nightmares. The biggest, of course, is the incest, with too many details for younger readers. The twins do drugs, both (stolen) prescription and illegal. They drink to excess, witness alcoholism. They have promiscuous sex. One of them cuts herself. They lean toward bulimia. Severe mental illness. Attempted suicide. It is quite a list of scary behaviors and situations, and if it were only one or two things, maybe it could be processed by someboy younger, an opportunity to sit them down and talk, but put all together like this, well, I felt like it would be way too much. For an adult, though, this is a book that is hard to put down!

This book was disturbingly beautiful. I loved it from start to finish. I got confused by the twins, and had to go back a few pages, to see who I was reading about. The twist was something else. It had me a bit confused, and I'd like to reread the book, just so I understand. I am already anticipating "Fallout" the 3rd installment to "Crank", and "Glass". I also can't wait for "Tricks".

A note to parents: Be sure to read this first before you hand it to your child. It has incest, and they may have questions if they read it. Just a thought.

I am a high school librarian and I have read all of Hopkins' previous books so I was looking forward to this one and started it as soon as it arrived. After a few chapters, reading about the incest, I was wondering what the purpose of the book was. A friend pointed out that it was a "mirror" book -- meant to reveal how a student could see herself and her life or an event through the eyes of a character and can see how that character acts or deals with a particular situation. Hopefully to encourage that student to take steps to solve the problem. I can't write much more here because whatever I say in response to what I read would be spoilers as the book moves toward a conclusion that just fell short and ended up being somewhat unbelieavable mostly because a lot of the book took place in school or around other people. The supporting characters, especially the mother, are stereotypes and not at all sympathetic. Yes I know that many awful things happen behind closed doors in families and if by reading this book even one girl gets the courage to step forth and tell on her abuser, then I guess the author will have achieved her goal. Other than that, be warned, there's a lot of descriptive sex, drugs, alcohol abuse, suicide attempts, self-mutilation, anorexia and bulimia -- I mean all of these behaviors are exhibited -- and other mature scenes both on and off-page.

I am a huge fan of Ellen Hopkins' four other books: Crank, Glass, Burned, and Impulse. I've been awaiting Identical all summer, having preordered it in June.

As I began reading the book, I instantly loved it. I was so intrigued with the family history, and I found myself rooting for Kaeleigh to tell her secret from page one.

When the twist was presented towards the end of the book, however, I was severly disappointed. Ellen Hopkins definitely let me down.

Ellen Hopkins has created yet another page turner with a great twist! Her ability to get into the troubled teenage psyche of her characters is unbelievable and enables the reader to immediately feel a connection to them. I won't get into the plot as other reviewers have already done an awesome job of that, but I can say this book will make you want to re-read,once you get to the end! Her writing style is very readable,even though she writes in verse, but don't miss the subtle way she ties the lives of the twins together. The sub poems and mirrored poems are eye-catching and tell another, very intriguing part of the story. So, as much as you want to race to the conclusion, take the time to absorb the well-planned and oh-so-well written verse that Hopkins has brought to Identical.

Ellen Hopkins does it again! Another page-turning book by this amazing author!

This is a story filled with drugs, promiscuity, and sexual abuse. Not for those that are easily offended or may have issues with the content. That being said, if you can handle the mature content, the book surely will not disappoint.

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical twins. But beyond the external comparison, internally Kaeleigh and Raeanne are as different as night and day. One twin is the apple of their father's eye. The other twin wonders why her father doesn't love her the same way.

One twin dares to defy their father's rules. Running around with the wrong crowd. Toking up during school hours. Trading sex for favors.

The other twin is the goody-two-shoes. Gets great grades. Is the lead in the high school musical. Has a great guy that loves her.

How could the two girls be so different? It all stems back to "the accident." No one will talk about what happened the night their father drank too much and caused the fatal accident. But ever since that night, things have been far from perfect.

Their mother has basically abandoned the family with ambitions of running for Congress. But could it be she's running from them? Their father forbids any of them to speak to his parents. A secret from his past never to be revealed, at least by him. And his love for one of the girls. A love that no father should share with his own child.

Keeping everything to themselves, the girls are on a course for self-destruction. Somehow, they must come to terms with everything since the accident, and possibly trust those that want to help them. But the secrets can't be revealed to outsiders, can they?

Ms. Hopkins tells her story beautifully. Weaving between sisters, she uses the same key words to blend the thoughts of the two together. Ms. Hopkins writes in free verse. At first the pages may not look like much, but upon reading the words written in the designs, the story unfolds and the pictures the words create give more meaning behind the thoughts. The story builds to a powerful crescendo and the ending comes as a surprise as the inner workings of the two girls are revealed.

Don't let the length of this book put you off. It's an addicting read that will find you thinking to yourself, "just one more page." Before you know it, the story has drawn you in and you are hooked until the final page. Ms. Hopkins' is a great author for those teens that are hesitant or resistant to reading. The story moves quickly, and the topics are those that most authors would be afraid to broach. She speaks honestly and openly to teens, who may come away that much more aware of the world that surrounds them.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

There are so many similarities between Kaeleigh and Raeanne. They're identical twins. They share an absentee politician of a mother, and lonely drunk of a father. They both have had a painful childhood, and for both, it all began with a gruesome accident. But the source of that pain is entirely different for each girl.

For Kaeleigh, it's the pain of a father who loves her too much, who loves her as no father should love his child. Raeanne's pain is the feeling of being unloved and unwanted, except by a string of sleazy boyfriends with an abundance of alcohol and drugs. Each girl knows that what they're experiencing is wrong, but they know nothing else. And unless someone can do something to bring about a change, their pain is all they'll ever know.

Identical is depressing, disturbing, and yet strangely engrossing and electrifying. Through her irresistible and varying prose, Hopkins coaxes readers into the story, just far enough in for Raeanne and Kaeleigh grasp on, taking you on an unforgettable ride through their lives, and showing us their convoluted--yet curiously levelheaded--reasoning and their innermost thoughts. The beautiful and innovative poetry gets right down to what makes the twins tick in a frank and straightforward style that is not necessarily comforting, but is gritty and real. Full of passion, pain, remorse, and, amazingly, love, Identical is one of those books that will make you gasp theatrically at the end, and then want to immediately re-read the entire thing with new eyes--it is a book that will cause you to think.

So, I was psyched for Identical, being a huge Ellen Hopkins fan. I pre-ordered it, and it showed up on my doorstep this morning. I eagerly began reading it, and figured out the book's biggest plot twist less than a hundred pages in.

I wanted to scream at Ellen Hopkins. Her "M. Night Shamyalan-esque" twist should not come as a surprise to anybody who has read Crank/Glass, or ever watch an episode of Heroes. I'm sure that figuring out the surprise early is part of my reason for disliking this book, but I know it is not the only reason.

SPOILERS AHEAD (minor, I won't give away the 'surprise' but there will be spoilers.

I felt like for a book that was supposed to be about sexual abuse, it was less about the father/daughter relationship and more about out of control teens in the vibe of Crank/Glass. The parts of the book about this relationship were great, but they were few and far between. The history about how the father became who he is today was fascinating, and Ellen Hopkins really should have played that up more. Another thing, in my opinion, that she could have done to improve the plot would have been to continue the story after the protagonist enters rehab. We know she can write about recovery (Impulse) and it would have added to the plot in my opinion.

All in all, this book was 'Eh.' It was a disappointment, as I have come to expect more from Ellen Hopkins. Consequently, I will still be a fan after reading this book, but I won't advertise it as I have with her other works. It seems as if this summer is the summer of gigantic book disappointments. First Breaking Dawn, now this...I really hope Brisingr (the last of the trifecta of great summer books, following BD and Identical) is great.