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Grace and Tippi. Tippi and Grace. Two sisters. Two hearts. Two dreams. Two lives. But one body.

Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins, joined at the waist, defying the odds of survival for sixteen years. They share everything, and they are everything to each other. They would never imagine being apart. For them, that would be the real tragedy.

But something is happening to them. Something they hoped would never happen. And Grace doesn’t want to admit it. Not even to Tippi.

How long can they hide from the truth—how long before they must face the most impossible choice of their lives?

434 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Sarah Crossan

20 books1,898 followers
Sarah Crossan is Irish. She graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Literature before training as an English and Drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools before leaving teaching to write full time.

She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.

She currently lives in NYC.

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5 stars
9,109 (42%)
4 stars
8,263 (38%)
3 stars
3,325 (15%)
2 stars
694 (3%)
1 star
275 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,331 reviews
Profile Image for Emily May.
2,077 reviews313k followers
July 1, 2017
This is my story.

It is a single story,
not two tales tangled up in each other
like lover’s limbs,
as you might expect.


4 1/2 stars. Wow, what a powerful book. I'm seriously considering bumping my rating up to five stars because of all the emotions I felt whilst reading One. It's sad, moving, honest and insightful. It creates two conjoined twin protagonists who are at once individuals and completely in sync with one another.

This is the second verse novel I have enjoyed by Crossan (the other being The Weight of Water). She uses the style to great effect - keeping a good pace whilst also evoking a tremendous amount of emotion. There are some authors who can portray completely unfamiliar situations and yet infuse them with such honesty and depth that you feel it's an accurate depiction.

I feel like I learned so much about the lives of conjoined twins from this well-researched little book. Both the physical/medical implications and the emotional/psychological aspect. I considered things I hadn't thought before. It was just an amazing experience to be taken into the lives of Grace and Tippi, who were complex, flawed characters who were allowed to be bitchy and unlikable at times:

For the first time I realize that
he is not perfect
And
I hate him for it.


This book covers so so many things: The everyday life of conjoined twins, their families' struggle to cope with the medical bills, the difficulty of fitting in with other kids their age, why some are persuaded to go to the media with their story, the physical difficulties, the fact that they may never be able to have a relationship or get married, what it's like to live as one person but to also be two.

I could tell while reading this - and the afterword confirmed it - that this book wasn't just an attempt at drama and sensationalism for Crossan. I felt like she wrote these characters with love and sensitivity, for both their conjoined state and their individuality. Because, behind all the things that happen in this book, there is an underlying theme of love. One of the most powerful loves this world can ever know. A love for a person who is literally a part of you, who has always been there, who you physically depend upon.

It's such a thought-provoking and touching read about both sides of the coin - the girls' struggle to be seen as two individuals and their inevitable sense of oneness.

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Profile Image for Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm).
696 reviews3,829 followers
August 14, 2017
Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.




Grace and her sister Tippi are twins whose bodies are conjoined from the waist down. Though everyone around them sees their one body as horrifying, Grace and Tippi love each other and cannot fathom a life apart. Aside from their body, they're just regular teens navigating a new school and exploring the wonders of young love, until they're met with an impossible situation that concerns their health, their lives, and their future as conjoined twins.

I can think of
one hundred things
worse than
living alongside Tippi,
than living in this body
and being who
I have always been.


One is a linear narrative told from Grace's perspective through a series of short excerpts written like poetry. Despite the limited word count, Grace manages to hook readers with her meaningful anecdotes and lyrical reflections.

You see,
Tippi and I are not what you'd call normal -
not what you see every day
or
any day
for that matter.

Anyone with a jot of good manners calls us "conjoined,"
though we've been dubbed other things, too:
freaks, fiends,
monsters, mutants,
and even a two-headed demon once,
which made me cry so hard
I had puffy eyes for a week.

But there's no denying our difference.

We are literally joined
at the hip -
united in blood and bone.


While Grace and Tippi being conjoined twins is intriguing, the more riveting element of their story is the perilous state of their health. Survival rates for conjoined twins are low; Grace and Tippi weren't supposed to live past their second birthday, yet they're now old enough to attend high school as juniors. Grace is always candid about the fragile state of their health:

The older we get
the more [mom] frets.

As time ticks by
the chances of us
suddenly
ceasing
to be
get
quite
high.


What starts as a relatively typical story of teen woes builds to a more complex account of family drama, then blooms into an emotionally riveting story of sisterhood, love, and acceptance.

One is a masterfully crafted novel sure to rend the heartstrings of its readers.
Profile Image for Nicole.
658 reviews15.7k followers
October 29, 2020
I ugly cried.
Będę wszędzie wciskała tę książkę. 5 gwiazdek to za mało.
Profile Image for Laura.
425 reviews1,304 followers
August 1, 2016
4.5 stars
    
We are literally joined
at the hip-
united in blood and bone.

And
this
is why
we never went to school.

Beautifully written verse. Heartbreakingly powerful story. One got to me in such a profound way. It's a very quick read due to it's poetic style - also making it more impactful putting emphasis on certain words or phrases due to the spacing. I've never seen verse used to a book's advantage so well. It elevated the story as well as the emotions the reader feels throughout. And let me tell you... I was feeling all kinds of things. (Tissues are a great thing to have for this one)

This is the story of two sisters like you have never seen before. Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins. They are sixteen and a half and things are rapidly changing for the girls beginning with the switch to private school from homeschool due to financial problems. We see so many aspects of their lives such as the physical difficulties they face on a regular basis, the struggle to connect with other's on an individual level, the lack of privacy, the effects of other people's perception, the difficulty to fit in, and so many other things. It's an incredibly important read.

The secondary characters all felt very real and flawed as well. There were important things the characters were coping with including, but not limited to alcoholism and eating disorders. Some things may be triggering, though I felt the free verse allowed for a lighter tone among the darker topics. The entire story was told from the perspective of Grace. I think this only helped to make the story better because of how strong a protagonist she was. Grace tends to empathize with her sister allowing us to get an understanding of what's in Tippi's head as well. Grace seems to always be thinking about her sister, while Tippi is a bit selfish.

Sarah Crossan clearly did her research on conjoined twins. I certainly learned a lot while reading. This was a very quick read because of it's style. Each chapter is essentially a new poem, though they all blend beautifully together telling a story as a whole. This is a stand out among YA contemporary. I highly recommend!
Profile Image for Whitney Atkinson.
1,009 reviews12.9k followers
August 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this! It's written in verse so it goes by quickly, and it's over such an interesting topic that i'd never even thought about reading before. I wish some more details about the conjoined twins were given, like what it's like to struggle to do things in their daily life, but for a hard topic like that, I thought it was done very well. My only complaints about this book are that 1) this book is written in first person and only follows one of the twins, which I thought was strange and even a little bit spoilery. It really should have been duel POV if you ask me. And 2) I wanted just a little more closure. I mean, we got closure, but there were a couple of things up in the air that I wish would have gotten a more defined conclusion.
Definitely check this one out!
756 reviews2,554 followers
January 16, 2018
So, like,, I finally finished this book after three months and boy does that feel good. I first read 90 pages and I was so incredibly bored, that I put it down for a month and forgot about it. Then I read like 2 sentences and put it down. Then I picked it up again 2 or 3 weeks ago and finally finished it.

For a book written in poetry format with like, literally, 5 lines each page, IT WAS SO FUCKING LONG. On top of that I just didn't care about Tippi and Grace, oops. Like yes there need to be books about conjoined twins, but describing their lives in the poem format was so fricken boring!!!! I wanted to scream from boredom. I didn't like the way it was written and it just bored me.

But then we start getting to the actual heartbreaking and emotional part which made me question my entire rating. So instead of 2, I'm settling down with three because shit that ending was WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR.

br with my favorite peni.

I've been reading this short 400 paged poetry contemporary for a month and it's about time I get it over with and trash it.
Profile Image for Sarah Elizabeth.
4,819 reviews1,374 followers
May 14, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“I’ve never really thought about
How it would be if
We weren’t together,
How
Losing her would be like lying in a fucking pyre
And waiting for the flames.
She’s not a piece of me.
She’s me entirely
And without her
There would be
A gaping space
In my chest,
An expanding black hole
That nothing
Else could
Fill.”




This was a touching story about Siamese twins, faced with the toughest decision of their lives – to separate or not?

I really liked Grace and Tippi in this story, and it was obvious how much they loved each other, and wanted to be together no matter what, and I felt really sorry for them and the choice they had to make.

“You think we’re partners but really
I’m a parasite,” I whisper.
“I don’t want to suck
Your life from you.”




The story in this book was written in verse, and I do think it suited the story well. I liked how we got insight into what was going on in Grace’s head, and I also liked how believable the story was.

“Time is already
Running out.”




There was a little bit of romance, and it was obviously a little complicated by the whole Siamese twins thing. I did think that Jon and Grace were cute together.

“We can go to school,” she says,
“and get jobs
And drive and swim and hike.
You know I’ll follow you anywhere, Gracie.
Anything you want,
Tell me,
And we can do it.
We can do anything,
Okay?”
“Okay,” I say.
“But we can never
Ever
Fall in love.
Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“I understand.”
But her warning comes too late.




The ending to this was so, so sad! I cried buckets! Best to have lots of tissues on hand for this one.

“Do you promise to live
Without me, if I don’t make it.”




8 out of 10
Profile Image for may ➹.
514 reviews2,405 followers
January 11, 2018
So this is one of those cases where “everyone cries but I don’t because I’m heartless”, which happens, surprisingly, a lot???

But I guess I should’ve known this one would be a disappointment when I got it solely to get my 2017 reading challenge done, thinking it would be a quick read, when it turned out to be FOUR HUNDRED PAGES LONG.

I’m not here for this.

One is about two conjoined twins, Grace and Tippi. More than the first 50% of the novel is about them living their lives, and quite frankly, IT’S BORING. It was somewhat interesting to see how they lived, since I’ve never been joined at the waist with someone, but it was just SO. BORING. I couldn’t bring myself to care about them, even when they were being bullied.

Then tragedy strikes, blah blah blah. I can’t say much without spoiling the book?? But something bad happens and so the twins have to go through a procedure that could save them, or kill them.

The ending was very sad, I actually got a few tears in my eyes (and that rarely happens to me, because I’m heartless). But it was honestly predictable, and while it was written in a way that made me heartbroken at the time, I don’t care about it now.

The poetic format was a problem. I think it’s one of the big reasons why I was so BORED in the beginning??? But then at the end, the poetic format made the sad parts even sadder??? And more beautiful???? So I don’t know. I really liked that at the end, the though.

Sad story, but honestly,,, I just didn’t care. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(Okay this whole review makes me sound like I have no soul and I promise you I have SOME semblance of a human conscience!!!)

// buddy read with the special edition peni collector (I’m sorry)

originally rated 3 stars but the more I thought about, the less I liked it. so.
Profile Image for Karolina.
113 reviews114 followers
November 14, 2020
Nie płaczę na książkach, nie płaczę na książkach, nie płaczę na książkach, nie pł...
Profile Image for ♛ may.
816 reviews4,373 followers
December 9, 2016

Crying, crying, crying, can’t make the tears stop!!!

description

Wow! What a book!

One is the story of conjoined twins, Tippi and Grace. The two sisters are different from each other in every way – dreams, hopes, attitudes, but they happen to share a body – joined at the waist. For sixteen years they have shared a life, knowing nothing but the weight of the other next to them, supporting, loving, caring. But after defying incredible odds for sixteen years, a real tragedy is about to befall them.

This story is written from the perspective of Grace, the more compliant, quiet twin. She tells of their life in free form poetry (I’ll get to that in a sec), which was actually quite refreshing to read. Tippi and Grace are incredible the read about. Not just because they are two separate people in one body, but because they are just like any other two people.

description

It’s often difficult to judge how to act around disabled people, not because they need to be treated differently, but because we often try so hard to be extra empathetic and friendly that it backfires and becomes ostracizing. In this book, we really do get to see the world from Grace’s eyes and it puts you in the position of one you’ve probably never imagined yourself in.

In the book, it was almost like people expect them to be miserable. They put them in this little box, building a rigid stereotype and expected them to stay within the restrictions that were mentally built.

But they failed to see that Grace and Tippi were just regular girls. Regular girls who laughed at silly things and bickered with each other and fell in love and had hobbies and likes and hates and favourite foods like all other children. They are not limited to their disability and that’s probably what most fail to see because it’s hard to comprehend how someone so different from them could be so similar.

What I absolutely adored about this book was that the twins had outstandingly different personalities. Where Tippi loved coal-black coffee, Grace drunk fruity teas. Where Tippi had a rehearsed list of snippy remarks, Grace was often compliant. I just loved, loved, loved how each of the girls were special and unique despite the fact that they’ve experienced their entire lives together.

And their love for each other. So utterly, heartbreakingly beautiful.

Now the manner in which the book was written was also pretty interesting. It was written in free-form poetry which was really easy to read and also added an extra dramatic touch. It was never mentioned why the book was written this way, it just was but I have to say, I did thoroughly enjoy reading it.

So now, my heart is cracked open and completely shredded with that ending and I’m probably gonna be lying in a curled ball sobbing for a few more hours before I get up and return to life, but I just want to recommend it to everyone cause, it’s absolutely amazing.

description

Because having a twin
like Tippi is
not
The Worst
Thing
Ever.



4.5 stars!!
Profile Image for Claude's Bookzone.
1,551 reviews249 followers
March 6, 2023
3.5 Stars

A simply written but beautiful verse novel about conjoint sisters, Tippi and Grace. Financial pressures at home has meant the girls need to attend school for the first time. They are the objects of fascination but also form some gorgeous friendships. The story is narrated from Grace's point of view as the possibility of first kisses and love start to become a reality. I listened to this as an audiobook but I think verse novels need to be read. Verse novel authors often play with the arrangement of words on the page which adds another layer of meaning to the story. I could tell I was missing some of the storytelling by listening to it. I had a few moments where my eyes welled up as it is an emotional story.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,074 reviews3,310 followers
September 22, 2018
You wouldn't spontaneously think a verse novel sounds like a good idea to introduce fiction to reluctant young adult readers.

You wouldn't spontaneously think a young adult novel sounds like a good idea for a grown-up that mostly reads classics and modern literary fiction.

You wouldn't spontaneously think a sensationalist topic like the misery of conjoined teenage twins could be so matter of fact and down to earth.

You wouldn't. And yet, this Carnegie Medal winner manages that strange danse on a tightrope between audiences of the most different kinds. It creates tension without being showy. It exposes the specific difficulties of disability without being stereotypical. It approaches pain without being teary, and it adds a strong sense of humour without exploiting a serious topic.

Tippi and Grace are conjoined twins, loosely modelled on real cases but definitely also their own special selves. They live in neverending intimate company, but at the same time they experience brutal isolation. When their bodies fail, they have to make choices that can never satisfy them. And yet, they are bravely defending their right to dignity, their right to respect and joy.

The monster is not their merged body - it is the inability of the environment to accept anything that is different from the majority norm.
Profile Image for kate.
1,421 reviews973 followers
July 17, 2016
This was fantastic. As the first book I've ever read written in verse, I wasn't sure what to expect but I enjoyed this so much. Since this was written in verse, I flew through it in just over an hour. One is beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking. I thoroughly enjoyed this (despite my emotions being taken on a total rollercoaster!!!) Highly recommend if you're looking for something unique in both writing style and plot.

I have a full review for this on my blog here... http://girlreading.co.uk/bookreviews/...
Profile Image for Chantal .
349 reviews913 followers
September 7, 2016
4.5 stars

This will be a short review because 1) this book is short (read it on the plane in 3 hours) so I don’t want to give anything away and 2) there really isn’t much to say except READ IT NOW

One is probably one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It’s touching, heartbreaking, raw and honest. It’s about Grace and Tippi, two teenage girls who also happen to be conjoined twins. It’s about their family; the physical, medical as well as the emotional implications it has on everyone around them.

This book is written in free verse but do not let that put you off. I had never read a book in verse before and it only took me a page or so to get into the writing style. The style lends the book a kind of poetry that gives the story, which is already so insightful on its own, even more impact, to the extent that you will find yourself staring into space for a couple of seconds (or maybe minutes) after you finish.

The story is an emotional one, but it also provokes a lot of thought. It makes you see things from new angles and covers a range of different topics. From the twins’ physical difficulties and the family’s struggles to pay all the medical bills, to their feeling of alienation and being unable to fit in anywhere, the lack of privacy, how they are perceived by others and the knowledge that they will never have a life of their own in which they can be in an intimate relationship with another person.

The characters themselves, both the two protagonists as well as the side characters, were complex and fleshed-out, they had their flaws but were simultaneously really likable. Despite the book’s brevity I felt attached to everyone and the ending was truly a punch to the gut.

My only complaint is that I wanted more when I was done with it. The ending felt too abrupt, too rushed and I would have like to have a bit more closure. Also, some of the subplots didn’t get the resolution, or at least attention, that I would have liked. But besides that I really have no complaints about One.

All I can say is that I highly recommend this book to absolutely everyone. It’s an important read that will make you consider things you haven’t before and will hopefully make us all a little more empathetic.
Profile Image for Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡.
736 reviews1,068 followers
January 11, 2021
Reread it with my daughter - we both loved it! Gorgeous story.

Amazon USAmazon UK



One is a story about conjoined twins, Grace and Tippi, told in the first person narrative and from the sole perspective of Grace. It's about individuality, family bonds and deep sibling love, and depicts the protagonist's unique view about her life, her thoughts and the people who surround her. Grace totally shines as the heroine and gave me understanding through her perspective, making me feel so much. Interestingly, and a factor that compelled me to read One by Sarah Crossan, is the way it's crafted into verse giving it pace, rhythm and adding to the poignant tone of the piece. It also makes it very accessible to read in bite-size chunks, or simply devour in one sitting. The simple thought provoking and clever writing totally drew me into the heart of Grace and Tippi's life.



This profound story touched my heart.
It made me think.
Feel.
And Cry.
Tippi & Grace. Grace & Tippi.
I totally LOVED it.


Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Carnegie Medal Nominee (2016), YA Book Prize Nominee (2016) <-- Totally deserved

★ Graphics created by myself with stock image I purchased from deposit photos ★
Profile Image for Maddie.
558 reviews1,140 followers
February 9, 2017
I don't really know if I can rate this book, because it just transcended the star rating system. I seriously think that everyone should read this, regardless of its rating, because it was very well written and the subject matter is eye opening.
I may have felt slightly more emotionally wrought by this book because I'm a twin myself, and I love to see how an author will write about the bond between twins...and I'm always up for some twin fiction.
I highly recommend reading 'One' if you want something different and inspired!
Profile Image for Stacey | prettybooks.
601 reviews1,641 followers
October 14, 2015
Apple and Rain , my first novel by Sarah Crossan, last year. It was then that I discovered she had a knack for beautiful contemporary writing. I was particularly excited about reading One, although I wasn't prepared for how amazing it actually was. I may have been a little apprehensive had I known that it was written in free verse, but it would have been a tragedy if I decided not to read it. Although One is written as a collection of short poems, you can read it either as poetry or as a standard novel, with each poem acting as a new chapter. This is how I read it. I found myself going back to certain passages and re-reading them because they were so poignant.

But let me start from the beginning. One is the wonderful story of sixteen-year-old twins, Grace and Tippi. They're best friends as well as sisters – and they're conjoined. As if life isn't difficult enough, they must leave their sheltered homeschooled world and step into a school full of curious students and constant stares and whispers. It is difficult not to become emotionally invested in the twins as soon as we meet them; we want to protect them from everyone else. And yet it's a joy to see them make new friends – especially fellow students Yasmeen and Jon – and discover who they are, not just as twins, but as individual girls.

One only takes a few hours to read and in that time you'll come to know both Grace and Tippi well – and watch them as they make the most difficult decision of their lives. But they don't just have each other to think about because their younger sister Dragon has her own struggles, too. Sarah Crossan's intense story is relatable and heartbreaking. It is elevated by her sensational writing, where every word is carefully considered and owns its place on the page. It's like nothing you've ever read before.

One is a wonderfully moving and breathtaking story of love, identity and sisterhood – this is one young adult contemporary novel you need to read this year!


I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Profile Image for prag ♻.
610 reviews631 followers
June 4, 2017
It's all about expectations. The more you expect a book to be good, the likelier it is to disappoint - because then you start looking for flaws you wouldn't otherwise.

The problem with this book is it's simplicity. It's written in verse which I'm not a huge fan of, the characters are nothing but stereotypes, and there's close to no plot. I guess the ending is supposed to gather sympathy points, but to me this entire book feels like a rip-off of My Sister's Keeper.
We climb into bed
still wearing our dirty clothes from the night
before.
I try to read
but the words
twirl
on the page
unable to find a
secure spot,
so I listen to an audiobook instead
and rest my head on
my sleeping sister’s shoulder.

It's really hard to concentrate on a string of words when the author haphazardly presses enter wherever she wishes.

The characters didn't help this bland writing - Grace was hardly two dimensional - pining after Jon two pages and lugging after Tippi the next.

1.5 stars
Profile Image for April (Aprilius Maximus).
1,139 reviews6,470 followers
February 13, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Childrens for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review!
Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins and throughout this novel we follow them as they go to school for the very first time and while they have to face some really tough decisions that could impact their lives forever. When I first heard what this novel was about, I knew I needed to read it. I'm so passionate about having characters with disabilities and medical conditions in YA literature. I think it's so important that we write about and discuss these topics because they're real and a lot of them affect so many people in the world. I also really wanted to broaden my knowledge on conjoined twins and thought this novel would be perfect to do so. However, I was slightly disappointed by this book in this regard. The topic was SO interesting, but I felt like I didn't get to know much about it and it wasn't discussed very much. I would have liked to have seen more about the twins' daily lives and how they go about doing things, but we aren't really shown that very much.
So you're probably thinking that since this book centres around twins, that there'd be 2 points of view. WRONG. We only follow one of the twins which I thought hindered the storytelling, the element of surprise and getting to know the other twin, Tippi.
The novel is told in verse and at first I was excited because I love how Ellen Hopkins is able to fully flesh out characters and a story just through verse, but I didn't feel Crossan achieved this unfortunately. I found it harder to connect to the characters and I felt that a lot of the novel could have been fleshed out more, but the writing style prevented that from happening. It also felt like things moved so quickly (especially at the end) because of the verse-type writing style, when I wanted things to happen at a slower pace. I also wanted more information at the end, because I feel as though it ended very abruptly and lacked closure on certain things.
Despite all of these things I didn't like about the book, I couldn't put it down because I just wanted to know what happened and I loved the idea of the book, so I ended up reading it in one sitting and giving it 2.5 stars.
It was really interesting and I recommend you check it out when it comes out if it sounds interesting to you!
Profile Image for Sarah Churchill.
477 reviews1,185 followers
July 12, 2015
One of the most emotionally charged novels I've ever read, all the more remarkable for what it achieves in so little words. I've never read a novel written in verse before, and I love that some of the chapters/poems work as standalones with just as much impact - and a different context - as they do as part of the story.

The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because I felt like I didn't know these girl ENOUGH to get the full impact of the ending, though that's probably a good thing for my feels.

I absolutely, totally, unquestionably recommend.
Profile Image for teach_book.
388 reviews631 followers
November 15, 2020
Dlaczego nie można dać sześciu gwiazdek? Ta książka zasługuje na wszystkie gwiazdki czytelniczego świata. Nic więcej napisać nie mogę, bo moje serce rozpadło się na kawałki wraz z końcem tej przepięknej książki.
Profile Image for Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin.
3,597 reviews10.9k followers
September 19, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

Wow. This was a really good story about conjoined twins Grace and Tippi, and it was sad. Before I start I want to add an excerpt from the book that I thought was funny and Tippi is the one with the snarky attitude :)

A guy with a gray beard and
a teardrop tattoo below his eye
emerges from a bathroom door
in the corner of the kitchen.


"Fuck me," he says,
dropping a cigarette onto the tiled floor
and grinding it down into tobacco dust
with the heel of his boot.
"I mean...
fuck me," he repeats,
and
as sweetly as if we'd been offered
pumpkin pie,
Tippi replies,
"No.
But thank you anyway."


This is a book of fiction but we all know there are conjoined twins out in the world. This is a wonderful story about Tippi and Grace and the things they go through as one, but two.

The girls parents are quickly running out of money from all of the medical bills it takes for Tippi and Grace. Their father lost his teaching job, can't seem to find another, and has turned into an alcoholic. Their mom works at the bank and much as she can and their sister whom they call "Dragon" is a ballerina in training. Their grandma lives with them as well trying to help out with her small check.

The girls mom tell them they have to start going to high school this year since she has to work so much, etc. They are freaked out of course because they try to keep hidden away from people. As you can imagine they are not very nice to them, saying mean and hurtful things. I will never understand people like this, but anyway..

Tippi and Grace end up with two wonderful friends in the school who have issues of their own. This would be Jon, who Grace has a little crush on, and Yasmeen. They are very good to the girls and even get them to do things they shouldn't really. I won't go into too much since you should read the book! :)

Everything seems to be going good until their mom loses her job as well and since their dad can't find work and just drinks and drinks it seems like they are going to have to move. But Grace finally talks Tippi into doing a documentary of their lives. This producer has been hounding them for years to do this, but Tippi never wanted to... but now it's dire straits and if they want to stay where they are with their friends and keep their sister happy in her ballet studio they will have to do this. So... on with the reality show.

Things take a drastic and crushing turn not long after the show starts. The end of this book is very sad, that's all I'm going to say. It's also very much worth reading in my opinion.

Fin

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Profile Image for Aj the Ravenous Reader.
1,091 reviews1,156 followers
May 28, 2019
“It’s all going to be okay. And even if it’s not okay, it really is.”

Like a hangnail, I have little tolerance for novels written in verse. They just don’t feel right so I usually avoid them like social events. I didn’t know One was written in verse when I bought it and I almost gave up on the book as soon as I opened it seeing how it’s written but it’s as if there’s a magnetic string that pulled me to it because I tried to read the first page and in no time, realized I was already done. That’s how compelling this book is and the writing style only added a lyrical feel to the entire story.

I have never ever given a single thought to conjoined twins and have almost classified their existence to fiction until this book. That probably says how too self-absorbed I could get sometimes and yes, I am very ashamed of it. Thanks (yes, with a hint of a little annoyance), book!

I thank this book for stirring in me an awareness not only of this condition but of my perception of life in general because despite being literally joined at the hip, Grace and Tippi celebrate life as if there is nothing to complain about while others whine about the silliest little thing like over a huge pimple on their forehead.

The twins on the other hand are very accepting, tough, resilient, positive and supportive of each other and they don’t see their condition as a tragedy or as an impediment to live a happy life. Their love for each other is so unconditional that they’re ready to give up their lives for each other or that if given a choice, they would rather be attached to each other forever. Spilled a few damn tears! *sniffs*

There is so much to learn about positivity, patience and real, solid love in this book and I would recommend millennials and post-millennials (whom I refer to as zentennials) who complain about their poor wifi signal or the lack of available corner at a Starbucks to read this book. Pretty please do.
Profile Image for Hafsa | حفصہ.
158 reviews183 followers
June 1, 2018
The BookBum Club: Mar theme - And The Award Goes To... – Pick a book that has won an award.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster ride through and through. I enjoyed every second of my reading experience. It's written in free verse, thus, I was sceptical going in as I've never read a book written in free verse, however, the premise of it (story of conjoined twins) made me curious enough to pick it up.

I loved how Crossan didn't focus on the twins only but their relationship with everyone in their lives and how them being conjoined effects them financially and emotionally. She didn't shy away from the fact that nurturing people who are conjoined isn't easy by pointing out at various instances how family members of Tippi and Grace sacrifice things so that the twins can have the best health care. Diversity in terms of character personalities and the dilemmas they face was absolutely brilliant.

I don't want to write more because it's a short and evocative read which everyone will connect to in their own way so yeah, just highly recommended!
Profile Image for Shannon A.
683 reviews526 followers
March 15, 2016
Actual rating 4.5 stars

Wow. I didn't know what to expect going into this book. It is a rapid-fire journey of conjoined twins, Grace and Tippi. Told in verse and right to the point, I found the honesty and pureness of the story refreshing and brave. I highly recommend this one!
Profile Image for Sarah.
408 reviews141 followers
February 9, 2017
A really beautiful book. In my opinion, I feel like I can tell when a book has been written with heart and love and this book certainly gave me the impression that it was written with a lot of heart. This book really tugs at your heartstrings because you really feel for Grace and Tippi. I feel like Sarah Crossan really stepped into her character as much as possible because everything was really fleshed out. The story was good, the characters were good and the writing was also good.

I liked how the book was written in verse. I also liked how we only got the POV from one of the twins. I feel like the writing kind of reflected the twins. We only got half of the story (one POV) but we also got the full story too because the twins were conjoined. And the girls wanted to be seen as two seperate people but they also felt like they were two halves that made a whole. The title also wraps into that. There was just so much thought put into this book and yet it flowed so effortlessly. I really liked it.

I would recommend this book to everyone and I would read another book by Sarah Crossan.
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