Identical by Ellen Hopkins
Identical by Ellen Hopkins has just about everything you can think of. Dysfunctional family. Check. Extra marital affairs. Check. Sexual abuse, drug abuse, cutting, bulimia, pot, drinking, inappropriate relations with a schoolteacher. Check, check, check, check, check, and check. Identical is the first book that I’ve read by Ellen Hopkins and wow, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s told in free verse and sometimes the form of that free verse makes pictures and there are poems within poems. Maybe this is common but it was all new to me.
You never know what’s going on behind closed doors. The picture perfect American family may not be so perfect after all. Identical is about two identical twin sisters, Kaeleigh and Raeanne, whose family spirals out of control after a car accident, but on the surface you’d never tell. Their father is a well respected judge and their mother is running for a senate seat. But Kaeleigh and Raeanne are falling apart.
There is a huge twist that I did not see coming and I enjoyed it that much more because of it. I do have to admit that although I didn’t see it coming, I was suspicious of a few things that made sense after the reveal. Another admission, it took me about a quarter of the way through this fat 585 page book before I kept the characters straight with each other. Maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention.
Identical is raw, stark, and disturbing. One of those books that you can’t say that you particular enjoy but you don’t quite forget.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: E-H Author, free verse novel, I-L Title, published 2008
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I have yet to read a book by Ellen Hopkins, but have many on my TBR list. YA?!?
on December 14th, 2008 at 5:36 amThat sounds rather disturbing.
on December 14th, 2008 at 6:38 amIt sounds a bit too much for me.
on December 14th, 2008 at 7:28 amI agree. I can’t forget it, but I didn’t ‘enjoy’ it either. I did think that the poem structure had moments of brilliance. I liked how some of the poems fit together, how they mirrored one another. Very powerful.
on December 14th, 2008 at 8:03 amKoontz writes a lot of books that I “can’t say that I particular enjoy but I can’t quite forget.” Never read anything by this author though
on December 14th, 2008 at 11:13 amI have read two of her other books (Impulse and Crank) and thoroughly enjoyed them. From this description they are similar to this but not as far in the exteme. They both have many of the elements listed above, yet not all. She definitly has a unique style and genre of writing. One where you just never can forget the books, but I do believe you can enjoy them. I believe you have to be prepared for the content before starting the book to enjoy it fully. They are unique and wonderful books that are very insightful into the dysfunctional world that many of us are too blind to realize exists in our own neighborhoods or even homes.
on December 14th, 2008 at 11:16 amI haven’t read any of her books before but I’m going to add this to my list. It’s those books that you can say you don’t really enjoy, but that you can’t forget either that I find good. Thanks for a great review.
on December 14th, 2008 at 12:29 pmI read one of Hopkins’ books and didn’t really like her style. Her free verse worked well at times and other times it gets in the way of character development and dialogue.
on December 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pmI LOVE Hopkins’ work. I’ve only read CRANK so far, but all of her books are on my TBR list. I’m currently waiting for my friend to loan me GLASS, but I’m considering reading IDENTICAL because its not part of the series.
on December 14th, 2008 at 3:49 pmI’ve heard so many good things about her books and I haven’t read one yet. Maybe I’ll start with this one.
on December 14th, 2008 at 4:34 pmhmm, i’ve been wanting to read that book for some time now. was it too disturbing?
on December 14th, 2008 at 6:52 pmJoy – Yes, it’s Young Adult.
Kathy – Yes, disturbing.
Jeane – It wasn’t that bad but there did seem to be a lot of different things all thrown in together.
Becky – I loved how the poems mirrored each other. I have to admit that I was at least 5-6 chapters in before I realized that there were secondary poems contained within the mirrored poems.
Ladytink_534 – I haven’t read anything by Koontz. I’ll have to look that author up.
Talisa – I had no idea what this book was about before starting it, so I was taken a bit off guard by it. It also does make you wonder what is going on behind closed doors of what appears to be the typical happy American family.
Darlene – For some reasons, those are the types of books that I like the best.
Ali – I think that’s the beauty of free verse, it is raw and stark. It’s not full of fluff. But yeah, it is hard to develop full characters at the same time.
Abbi – I would be very willing to read her other books.
Em – It’s the one I started with!
Krissy – I guess it depends upon your comfort level. The cutting part was hard for me.
on December 14th, 2008 at 9:08 pmI’m intrigued. I like stories where darkness lurks behind a harmless exterior. Still, I’m not sure I can handle the free verse.
on December 14th, 2008 at 9:33 pmGreat review, I hadn’t known that Hopkins had a new book out but I will definitely pick it up. I like her books because they address much more serious issues than most YA novels.
on December 15th, 2008 at 5:58 amI have read all her books crack , glass ,impulse ,burned. this is on my list. From a older peoples point of view its distrubing but froma teens point most can relate to some part of a book . I love the books because they keep you on your toes and theres so much going on . You have to pay attention. But i think they are great and that the books have alot of things that are over looked in life these days. Its alot different from how it use to be. 7 sometimes hard to think that some of these things really happen but its juss a reality check for everyone. Cant wait to read her this book and her 2 other oens coming out in may and august of 2009
on December 16th, 2008 at 6:31 amCharley – I’ve just started reading free verse this year. So far I’ve liked them all.
Joanne – Yeah, I don’t know if it could get any more serious than this!
Nicole – I agree. I think that teens would be able to relate to at least one thing in the book. I guess I need to read her other books.
on December 16th, 2008 at 9:23 pmI was BAWLING my eyes out at the end of this book.
on January 10th, 2009 at 1:06 amIt is so amazing!
I am seriously freaking out right now.
Because I just finished reading this book.
I would recommend Identical to everyone!
whats raeannes boyfreiends name!?
on January 19th, 2009 at 11:40 amEmily – Don’t cry to hard!
Amy – Do you know what? I read a library copy of this book and I can’t remember his name. Anybody?
on January 20th, 2009 at 9:23 pmI have read all of ellen hopkins books, and i have loved them all. I am only 15, but i enjoy her books. They really are great, i love the way she writes.
on March 1st, 2009 at 7:09 pmBriana – I’m so happy you have enjoyed her books. So far this is the only one that I’ve read but I’m looking forward to her other books.
on March 1st, 2009 at 8:02 pmI’ve read Burned and Impulse and I loved them…well maybe “loved” isn’t the right word…
Anyway, I’m not sure I want to read Identical because it sounds really mature and I’m only 12
on March 7th, 2009 at 11:57 ami have read every single one of ellen hopkins books. they are all beautifully written and disturbing. i love stories about real life problems so when i heard about the series, i was thrilled.
on March 25th, 2009 at 7:48 amI just finished this book yesterday and it was pretty good…It’s not my favorite from her series but overall it was still good, it’s a good read…The ending was definetly gave me chills…if you read it hopefully you’ll know why…
Oh and by the way Raeanne’s boyfriend’s name were Mick and Ty…
on March 28th, 2009 at 11:34 amIdentical is the first book I read by Ellen Hopkins but I had always wanted to read one… Im so glad I did… I could not put the book down… And I’m usually good at predticting things in books but I did not see that ending… Although it does make sense.. I think the way she writes just adds so much to the novel…
on March 31st, 2009 at 8:49 pmIt deff in the top 10 of my favorite books of all time…
You do have to be ready for the subject matter though, because it can be really disturbing to those not prepared for it..
Identical is the first book I have read by Ellen Hopkins and I loved it. It talks about real life scenerios and what goes on in real teens life and creates a good image of life and its struggles. All in all, it was an amazing book.
on April 8th, 2009 at 9:32 amthis book is quite disturbing but i love it anyways, it keeps me interested and hopkins book’s are the only ones i read
on April 23rd, 2009 at 8:58 amIdentical is the third book I have read by Ellen Hopkins and I think it is by far the best. It was full of wonderful imagery, and deep, sometimes chilling thoughts. I thought the book was disturbing in the way that any of that could be happening to what you think is a normal, loving family.
on April 29th, 2009 at 6:44 pmidentical, i am still currently reading. ahven’t reached the twist yet but im excited for it. I have enjoyhed every book elen has written thoroughly, and cannot read anything but her books now. They never have the best ending but that’s what makesthem heart wrenching and unforgettabe.
on May 13th, 2009 at 12:28 pmEllen Hopkins is a writing Genius.
I read this book actually just finished it was good but I liked Impulse better. It was rather disturbing but it was good and Ellen has a great style of writing
on May 22nd, 2009 at 10:20 pmI’ve read all of Ellen Hopkins books
on June 3rd, 2009 at 10:48 pmand I would have to say I loved them all.
Identical probably was the most disturbing
but still very, very good.
If you have not read any of these books
you need to ASAP.
They are wonderful.
Very well written.
And very inspiring.
Burned was probably my favorite one.
I reccomend them to you all!
Enjoy!
I just read Identical for a school book report and it was mentally disturbing but a good book. It was very interesting all the way through and i am going to read all books by Ellen Hopkins now.
on September 20th, 2009 at 7:33 pmFirst of all, Ellen Hopkins is my favorite author. I love the sinister beauty of the free verse, and I live for the chills that I get from the plots. Though Impulse is my favorite, Identical is, as you can always expect from Ellen Hopkins, superb. The ending blew me away, and the rest of the book made me think and think and think. These books are brutal, but everyone alive should read them. These messages need to be spread. As for the appropriate age for the audience, it depends on your tolerance. I’m only 12, but I can personally relate to a lot of her ideas and stories. The books can be very graphic at times, so you might want to be careful. Still- I highly recommend anything by this author.
on September 29th, 2009 at 2:43 pmKathryn, you should become a book blogger. I’d subscribe.
on September 29th, 2009 at 3:30 pmI am absolutly in love
on October 26th, 2009 at 7:59 pmwith all of Ellen Hopkins books.
I can personally relate to almost all of the topics, and i think Ellen
portrays them masterfully.
I feel so pasionaltly that
everyone should read these books,
therfore i loan them to anyone
i can convince to read them.
They could get much better
Couldnt*
on October 26th, 2009 at 7:59 pmman i love your books!
on October 29th, 2009 at 8:47 pm