Double Act - November 17, 2009

Solitary. No. Better. Double. Double Act by Jaqueline Wilson tells a heartwarming story of ten-year-old twin sisters, Ruby and Garnet. They are just ordinary twin sisters, until Rose comes. They just hate her. Their mother passed away when they both were only seven and they cannot stand the new mother. This whole book is like the diary of these sisters, recorded in an accounts book that their dad, Richard, had given them. They are not sure they can handle their new to-be mother. Ruby is rude and ridiculous, but Garnet is smart and shy. They are always together until here comes Rose. They move to the countryside because their dad had lost his job and had rented a bookstore there. There is a bunch of bullies living there, and they tease Ruby and Garnet all the time. This is a just right book for me because I enjoyed how it was written and the words were like everyday words, no complicating ones but still parts that are challenging. Then they have the audition for the movie that was coming up for The Twins at St. Clare's. There she goes again, Ruby, flipping back her hair and putting a hand on her hip. So she goes on and on to the lady with the funny accent, about the gucky muesli they had for breakfast. But Garnet. After finally deciding to speak, their dad rushes in and Garnet is speechless. And so is Ruby. With anger.
Then comes Marnock Heights. The girls decide they want to go to a boarding school called Marnock Heights, and they have an interview for a full-time scholarship. But a letter comes saying that only Garnet has earned the scholarship and Ruby hasn't. They are both sure that she has got them mixed up. It MUST be Ruby. But it really is Garnet. Now Ruby is trying her best to be different from her twin sister.

Poor Garnet. Poor Ruby. They want to be the same, yet they are so different! If they sit side by side, Garnet would read one of those classics like Little Women or something like that. But Ruby? What she'd probably get out one of those big books that have all these superstars on them. Different, right? But not in looks. In the morning, you can't really tell them apart. But when they come back from school in the afternoon, Ruby's buttons are undone, her plaits are starting to come off, and her shoes are untied. But Garnet, as neat as a pin. They both have black hair which they always tie up in plaits. But after what happened, Ruby changes her hairstyle completely. When Garnet tries to copy her, she changes it again. Last, she does the most horrible thing. She takes a pair of scissors and cuts off all her hair! Well, of course, Garnet would not want to do even that. So. Now they are different.

At last they come together. In the gang of bullies I told you about earlier, there is one fat guy that looks like a blob. And after Garnet leaves, sad because they are different, Ruby and The Blob come together as friends. Then a letter comes to Ruby from Garnet who is still at Marnock Heights. She is missing Ruby very much. Maybe it will be not just Ruby and Garnet, but forever will be just Ruby-and-Garnet.