When you're a twin, reading a book about twins is kind of odd. As kids (and even now), people would often ask what it's like to be a twin. And I'd always respond by asking what it's like to have a regular sibling; since being a twin is the only sibling relationship I know, it's hard for me to explain what it's like in a way that differentiates it from the normal sibling experience.

Brit Bennett really nails the twin experience through Desiree and Stella—they share secrets and even thoughts, lean on each other and often can speak for each other, understand each other's unspoken struggles, and also deal with the identity crisis that accompanies being part of a set. One of Bennett's twins even reminisces about their childhood neighbors referring to them as "the twins" and conflating them within a single identity. Boy was that relatable. It was interesting to learn how what others saw often as "the same person" could diverge so differently with respect to life choices. It is difficult for me to imagine living an adult life without my own twin sister, and both sisters' reflections on that loss were poignant for me particularly.

The crises of racial identity that Stella and Desiree go through were fascinating to read about, and it was their divergence that really drove the plot and point of the book. Most people don't have the opportunity to choose their identity, or at least how people perceive their identity. But when faced with the option, the books prompts us, what would be easier to live with: giving up your past and your family to live a more comfortable and privileged life; or staying true to who you are knowing that your path with be more difficult and your opportunities fewer?

Another question: is it even possible to erase one's true identity? Stella decides to live her life as a white woman, but the knowledge of her choice and her fear of discovery color everything that she says and does. Despite how she appears to everyone, her past does haunt her and drive her. It could be guilt, shame, longing, or so many other things that keep her attached to her true identity and family, but whatever moves her makes for compelling reading.