The Girls by Lori Lansens

I read about the book on Slate and got it from the library during a "had-too-much-Diet-Coke-at-a-Red-Sox-game-am-up-late-let's-binge-on-book-requests-from-the-library's-electronic-database-at-3-in-the-morning" episode. It has an ambitious premise: it's about two girls in their late twenties who are craniopagus twins - joined at the head. The girls have unique identities and personalities and one of them sets out to write her autobiography.

The book was well-written, and the two girls' voices sufficiently different to be interesting. I had a hard time remembering they were attached sometimes because their parents would reward one with a trip somewhere or punish one with a grounding and both girls were subjected to the event. However, the characters were likable, the story had many surprises throughout the narrative, and the overall effect was a book I looked forward to reading each night before bed.

The only thing I did not like was the ending. There is an inevitable ending the story suggests early on, but the execution of the climax and denouement was poor. Too bad, since it was a memorable book overall.