Girls Just Want to Have Fun

By Hailee W.

            In fewer than 400 pages, author Lori Lansens manages to pen an evocative story about two girls whose lives are, quite literally, intertwined. The fictionalized memoir The Girls is a remarkable tale of Rose and Ruby, two conjoined twins writing their autobiography and facing the world heads first.

            At 29, Rose and Ruby are the world's oldest craniopagus (conjoined at the head) twins. At 29, the two sisters have lived lives filled with more hardship than some hundred year olds. Born during a tornado, their mother abandoned them after learning about their birth defect. They were immediately adopted by a nurse, and grew up in a small town where they are known as "the girls." When reality sets in about Rose's brain aneurysm, Rose decides to write her, and Ruby's, autobiographies.

            Throughout The Girls, readers gain insight about the twin's dynamics. Rose is determined to have a writing career, and is the initiator for their autobiography. Ruby disapproves of the mere thought of the autobiography. After all, she argues, it is really an autobiography when it's about two people? The Girls is written in alternating perspectives, and Lansens manages to separate both characters through different writing styles. Rose is more articulate and thoughtful during her chapters, while Ruby is more conversational. Through Lansens' choice of formatting, readers can truly understand the sisters as individuals.

            While Lansens' writing style was unique, her plot was not. Her introduction was captivating, her conclusion was poignant, but the rest was lack luster. The Girls depended greatly on anecdotes to move the story along. Because of this, there was limited structure and plot throughout the novel. I also disliked the lack of chronological order of the story. Regardless of how aimless The Girls was, Lansens' stunning character development allows readers to fall in love with Rose and Ruby, no matter how mundane the plot may be.

            There is no doubt that Lori Lansens is capable of making her audience fall in love with her characters. However, it seems as though The Girls is completely dependent on the characters and the concept of the novel, rather than the plot, to attract readers. If readers are not interested in conjoined twins, The Girls would not be a suggested read.