Identical twins Julia and Valentina Poole inherit a flat in London bordering Highgate Cemetery from their estranged aunt, Elspeth Noblin. Upon moving from America, they encounter Elspeth’s lover, Robert, who is documenting the cemetery’s history, and a neighbor, Martin, who suffers from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. The sisters soon discover Elspeth’s ghost remains trapped within the apartment. As the spirit communicates with the twins, the boundaries between their individual identities blur, leading to a series of physical and psychological manipulations aimed at achieving a permanent return to life.
This book serves readers interested in the psychological dynamics of codependency and the limitations of shared identity. It attracts those fascinated by the mechanics of grief and the difficulty of establishing independence within intense family bonds. Readers walk away with a specific look at how secrecy and obsession can corrode personal boundaries. The narrative provides a study of how individuals struggle to separate their own desires from the expectations of those they love, even after death.
Inward-looking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2009
- Language
- EN
