One by: Sarah Crossan

Genre: Young Adult fiction, Contemporary
Published: September 15,2015 by: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 400
Rating: 5/5 stars

Tippi and Grace have always been together. That is, because they are conjoined twins. Life has been a struggle for the two girls, but they have lasted 16 years, and get by. But when a growing financial problem in their home forces them into public school for the first times in their lives, Grace and Tippi face the dilemma of fitting in, when they were born to stand out. Then the unthinkable happens, which forces Grace and Tippi to possibly make the hardest decision of their lives.

For those of you who don't know, I have a twin. Over the years, we have constantly gotten curious remarks, compliments, and have just gained general interest by our classmates. However one year, a boy in our class, a very ignorant boy, told us that he wished we were Siamese twins because that would be "cool". He was a teenager, and fully knew better. After reading this book, I gained a full understanding that conjoined twins are not animals to be locked up and gawked at. They are not "cool". They are human beings, and although I have complained many times over the years about the annoying remarks my sister and I go through, I cannot even imagine what Grace and Tippi had to go through. Why are people so ignorant?

This entire book is told from Grace's point of view. I think of her as kind of the shyer one of the bunch, she is reserved while Tippi has great interest in dramatic arts and is more outgoing. I thought that it was smart in a sense to give us a look into the mind of the quieter one, as she is sometimes overshadowed by her sister. I loved Grace and her sister's personalities, and their bond was undeniable. They relied on each other.

The entire book is written in free-verse poem. This was an incredibly unique experience that is not easy to do, and I applaud Crossan for captivating that emotion. The poems made everything sound even more beautiful, and I think the emotion came through tremendously when using this technique. It also makes the book extremely easy to get through.

I loved how this book explored various effects of Grace and Tippi's life. It's not only about their bond, but it's about romance, about financial troubles, illness, and even about their relationship with their other sister, whom they call Dragon. It was amazing to see everyone's points of views shine through even if Grace was essentially telling the story.

I finished this book in one sitting. Maybe it was because the free verse was easy to get through. Or maybe it was because I was simply captivated by the entire thing. This book tore on my heartstrings, it left me wanting more and I could not bring myself to stop. Some may say it was predictable, but I found it to be much more. Even though the ending was sad, I found it to be a triumphant honour to two sisters. These girls were not "cool". They were beautiful.

Have you read One? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess