Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart
Summary (from Goodreads.com): Could any two sisters be more tightly bound together than the twins, Katherine and Anna? Yet love and fate intervene to tear them apart. Katherine’s guilt and sense of betrayal leaves her longing for death, until a surprise encounter and another near catastrophe rescue her from a tragic end. Set against the magical kaleidoscope of the Philadelphia Centennial fair of 1876, National Book Award nominee Beth Kephart’s book conjures the sweep and scope of a moment in history in which the glowing future of a nation is on display to the disillusioned gaze of a girl who has determined that she no longer has a future. The tale is a pulse by pulse portrait of a young heroine’s crisis of faith and salvation in the face of unbearable loss.
My Thoughts: I’m not entirely sure what to say about this book. It was quite different from what I’ve been reading as of late, but not in a bad way. It was more descriptive, and less action-based. It seemed lyrical to me. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I know it’s not what I got. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – I think that’s why I’m not sure what to say about it.
As I think hard, here is what I do come up with. I liked the conclusion. A lot. Especially the last few paragraphs. While I kinda want to know what happens next, I know that’s not what this story is about. This story is about how a girl, Katherine, finds her way after losing her twin, Anna. Not just to death, but before that, when her twin falls in love. Katherine feels abandoned by Anna when Bennett captures Anna’s heart. And I think she feels like she’s been replaced. Her life is changing dramatically, and she’s not sure how to adjust. The stronger of the two, Katherine has always been the one looking out for Anna, and I think that leaves her feeling a little possessive of her sister. Not to the point of being psycho or anything, just to the point of not wanting to share her with Bennett. I do like how Katherine seemed to come to accept things, though, by the time Anna is lost.
When we meet Katherine, she’s intent on committing suicide. It seems to be the only way she can cope. Through a series of events, memories, and chance encounters, Katherine finds a way to come to terms with her sister’s death. She finds a way to understand Bennett’s part in it all, and to understand herself better, too. I believe she makes it through the roughest part of her pain and – more importantly – the bitterness she was cultivating as she saw Bennett take her place in her sister’s life. I think the story ends with a new beginning. A new outlook. A new Katherine.
Overall, it was an interesting read with very vivid descriptions. It’s a shorter book, and I think that’s best. This isn’t the kind of story that can sustain itself over a few hundred pages. Will I read this again? Probably not. Am I sorry I read it? No. The style is reminiscent of the classics, and that’s definitely something I can appreciate.
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Received through We Love YA! Tours for review.
Read It: Dangerous Neighbors is scheduled for release on August 24 of this year. You can pre-order it HERE.
FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.
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