Sisterhood (A Tale Of Two Sisters - Anna Maxted)

Member Name: hollywoodmum

Product:	A Tale Of Two Sisters - Anna Maxted
Date:	07/10/07 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amusing

Disadvantages: Weak supporting characters, predictable ending

Full review
I decided to read this book after Heat magazined reviewed it.

Storyline
Her we meet Lizbet and Cassie sisters with very different personalities. Lizbet is softer and carefree while Cassie is emotionally harder and thrives on her successful career. As the book starts Lizbet and her partner Tim have decided ,after going on holiday with their godson, that they don't want children. Two weeks later Lizbet finds out she is pregnant. Meanwhile Cassie has never shared the fact that she is infact adopted with her sister and after tracing her biological mother and finding out she had died Cassie decided she wants a baby with her husband, George, who she no longer loves.

Characters
cassie and Lizbet are both strong character and eventhough they are different you like them both equally and you can't take sides. The supporting cast of characters are a lot weaker and you don't really get to know any of them enough to decided whether you like them or not.

Writing

I love the writing style Anna Maxted has used. It's the same story told from each of the girls sides, you start with Lizbet telling the story and then chapeter 4 Cassie takes over with her side, this carries on throughout the book switching between the sisters every three or four chapters and ends with Cassie.


Some events are predictable, especially the ending but i think if it had ended any differently the readers wouldn't be satisfied.

The Blurb

Lizbet and Cassie are close, yet far apart. after a clueless upbringing (their parents basic childrearing beliefs: 'play a trombone, see a monkey, get some fresh air'), the two sisters strike out in opposite directions, both desperate to escape...

Cassie is skinny, clever, charismatic, successful - every right-thinkig girl's worst nightmare. The one flaw in her quality controlled life may be her marriage - and if there are any flaws lurking Cassie has them covered.

Lizbet is plumper, plainer, dreamier - more concerned about the design on her coffee cup than whether she can afford her new house. She works reluctantly for Ladz Mag, deperate to make her name as a writer, but stuck writing embarassing articles on sex. Her one achievement is her relationship with Tim, who thinks she is cute not stupid for asking why Jesus has a Mexican name.

Despite Cassis being the favoured child, she and Lizbet have managed to stay friends. Perhaps because - as Cassie says- they've always wanted different things. but that's about to change. Confronted by challenges that they never asked for, forced apart by mistakes not their own, will Cassie and Lizbet ever realise the real meaning of sisterhood, or will true nature ruin everything...?

Overall
It's an well observed look at sisterhood and captures the love/hate relationship to a tee. It's highly amusing but also has harrowing moments and also looks at the question of nature v's nurture. it's enjoyable light reading.

Also by Anna Maxted
(I've never read anything else written by her but will now)

Getting Over It
Running In Heels
Behaving Like Adults
Being Commited

RRP £7.99

Summary: Good light hearted novel