Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins | Mariner Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest historical fiction novel by Christina Baker Kline. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!
It's 1839 when Chang and Eng Bunker, conjoined twins from Siam (now Thailand), arrive in Wilkes County NC. They are wealthy after their circuit as oddities, and they quickly buy land and start building. Sisters Adelaide and Sarah Yates, daughters of a once-prominent local family scarred by a scandal, are drawn into their orbit. Addie sees marriage to Chang as her way of reclaiming her future; Sallie is less sure. But their lives soon become entangled.
As you would expect from this author, this is a wonderfully researched book, made personal by the fact that the Yates are distant cousins. Natural curiosity leads anyone to ponder just how this marriage and its subsequent 21 total children worked, but the book never veers into salacious territory. Instead, we are privy to the emotional side of this coupling and the inevitable squabbles between spouses, brothers and sisters. It's beautifully written, leading you to explore the unimaginable feeling of being tethered to someone for life. This is also a story of the period, of slavery and the Civil War. It's a fascinating look into these people as well as these issues. Highly recommended.


