The Identicals: A Novel
The Identicals: A Novel book cover

The Identicals: A Novel

Hardcover – June 13, 2017

by
Price
$17.72
Format
Hardcover
Pages
432
Publisher
Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0316375191
Dimensions
6.25 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
Weight
1.44 pounds

Description

Praise for THE IDENTICALS: ― - "A sun-drenched treat." ― Kim Hubbard , People "Another Hilderbrand beach hit." ― Jocelyn McClurg , USA Today, 10 Hot Books You Won't Want to Miss This Summer "A fun, delightful, un-put-downable novel by the undisputed queen of the beach read."― Brenda Janowitz , Popsugar "Reading the latest Hilderbrand novel is as big a part of my summer vacation as a late afternoon glass of wine... she does a lovely job of describing life on the island of Nantucket." ― Georgea Kovanis , The Detroit Free Press "Made-for-the-beach escapism." ― Jane Henderson , The St. Louis Post-Dispatch " The Identicals is her best one yet. From the very start, her descriptions of life on both islands are rich and full of detail. She writes cleverly and leaves no stone unturned, thinking everything through so methodically, and her imagination is endless." ― Vivian Payton , Book Reporter "The writer's seemingly boundless inventiveness has also extended to her fresh characters and plotting in each new book... The Identicals will delight longtime readers of the novelist as it brings new fans into the tent." ― Joe Meyers , CT News "They call Nantucket native Elin Hilderbrand queen of the summer novel for a reason; the islands themselves have so much personality in these pages that it feels like very realistic escapist fiction." ― Modern Mrs. Darcy "Engaging family relationships mixed with vivid landscape descriptions create an effortless read." ― Library Journal "I was captivated. I finished it in a day...I longed to stay forever in fake-real Nantucket with Tabitha and Harper and Eleanor and Ainsley."― Sam Anderson , New York Times Magazine "Hilderbrand is the queen of the smart beach read, and her latest is no exception."― Entertainment Weekly Elin Hilderbrand is six minutes older than her twin brother, Eric. She spent time on Martha's Vineyard (summer 1989) before she ever discovered Nantucket (summer 1993), the island she has called home for twenty-four years. Hilderbrand is the mother of three busy teenagers (pause and consider what a miracle it is that this novel even exists). The Identicals is her nineteenth novel.

Features & Highlights

  • The instant
  • New York Times
  • and
  • USA Today
  • bestseller about two identical twin sisters who couldn't look more alike . . . or live more differently.
  • Nantucket is only eleven miles away from Martha's Vineyard. But they may as well be worlds apart for estranged twin sisters Harper and Tabitha Frost. After not speaking for more than a decade, Harper and Tabitha switch islands-and lives-to save what's left of their splintered family. But the twins quickly discover that the secrets, lies, and gossip they thought they'd outrun can travel between islands just as easily as they can. Will Harper and Tabitha be able to bury the hatchet and end their sibling rivalry once and for all? Before the last beach picnic of the season, there will be enough old resentments, new loves, and cases of mistaken identity to make this the most talked-about summer that Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket have experienced in ages.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(5.8K)
★★★★
25%
(4.8K)
★★★
15%
(2.9K)
★★
7%
(1.3K)
★
23%
(4.4K)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

I LOVE Elin Hilderbrand!!

She's done it again!! As usual, with ALL of her books, I couldn't put it down. I tried to pace myself so I could savor it longer, but I just can do that with her books. I loved how the novel took place on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. I live in Massachusetts and if you ever get the chance you must visit our Islands. Although Elin has a way of really bringing them to life for you. GREAT read! Enjoy!
24 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Frustrated With Myself...

For reading this book! Thought the concept was interesting, a beach read, (pun intended), so I was optimistic. 1/4 way in, kept telling myself it was a poorly written romance novel, put it down, give it away. I didn't listen to my inner book critic and finished it..Total waste of time.
The ending was tied up in a rushed jumble that was predictable and uninspired. I feel badly for the residents of both islands-not too many places to hide from a author seeking subjects for another waiste of paper.
8 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Boring and immature

I enjoyed the first few books written by Elin Hilderbrand. I know it's a summer read.. but the story is so poorly written. The dialogue and story line is just so infantile I really cannot understand how it's published. I love an easy fun summer read. This is embarrassing.
5 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

I was pretty excited. Sister relationships always intrigue me

Summer isn’t official to me until I’ve read Hilderbrand’s latest book and when I saw that The Identicals was a book about sisters, I was pretty excited. Sister relationships always intrigue me, but a book about twin sisters is even more appealing to me, there’s just something fascinating about the bond they share and the unspoken connection between them. Full of Hilderbrand’s trademark style, this book delivered on all levels and I think it’s the author at her best.

Following in the footsteps of her other books, this is told through various perspectives. Tabitha, Harper and Ainsley all narrate and as Ainsley is Tabitha’s teenaged daughter, it lent a YA feel to her chapters that spiced things up. Tabitha and Harper are twins that have been estranged for fourteen years and they wind up switching locations for the summer; Tabitha heads to Martha’s Vineyard and Harper heads to Nantucket. Apparently there’s a rivalry between the two places and the women both vehemently believe that their home is the superior spot. Part of the charm of Hilderbrand’s books, for me at least, is the idyllic setting of Nantucket. I really enjoyed the addition of Martha’s Vineyard this time, it was cool to get a glimpse of somewhere new in addition to the comfort of the Nantucket setting.

There is a reason that Hilderbrand is hailed as the queen of the summer beach read, she’s more than earned that title, this is her nineteenth novel after all. But it’s more than that, she really has all of the necessary components to create that perfect blend of an ideal summer read. There’s juicy scandal, gossip, family dysfunction, decadent and mouthwatering food descriptions, rich characterization and a vivid setting. To me, nothing is more purely entertaining than one of her books and I’m always completely wrapped up in the world she crafts.
4 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Worst Book Ever Read, please don't buy

If I could rate below one star, I would. I'm a voracious reader and this is by far the worst book I have ever read. The only redeemable characters are one who dies within the first page and a dog. That's how sad the characters are. Not one is likeable and the plot is slow. There is so much description without any plot movement, it's very difficult to stay enagaged. I have a twin sister and thought it would be a fun, relatable reaf but I'm very angry I wasted money on this book. Please do yourself a favor and never meet Harper and Tabitha. Or worse, dare you meet Ansley.
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

I really wanted to like this book but it was disappointing

I really wanted to like this book but it was disappointing. The storyline with the twin estrangement was no surprise but there was so much buildup of "what happened" the night Julian died and it was dealt with in a couple of pages. Plus essentially all was well again when summoned to Eleanor's to "kiss and make up." Huh? Tabitha was not a likable character and I found the relationship with her and Franklin being in love ridiculous. I don't think they ever had 1 meaningful conversation other than hey, I had a son and he passed away when he was a baby." WS that when he came home drunk and passed out after?? I was actually hoping she'd come to her senses and get back with Ramsay, nice guy who loved her and her daughter, for 4 years!! so what was the point if his role again?? Maybe he should've ended back with the 22 year old who seemed to be the most mature woman in the book. I could go on but...
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Major disappointment!

I have had a long time love for EH’s books, my first one being The Island that I absolutely loved and recommended to all my friends and family. They all got hooked on her books. Then I buy this one, looking forward to the read. What a load of crap! I am SO disappointed and in disbelief that EH wrote this! It feels like she put some key words into her computer, and the computer spewed out this thin, rediculous story. And all the name dropping is super annoying, like the author is being paid by the cafe - and store owners to mention them in her books. So disappointed. So disappointed. I will, however, give her books another try. I have really enjoyed reading them. Except The Identicals.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Not the best but I still recommend

Not sue if it was the location I was reading it, the genre, or the book in general but I had the hardest time staying focused. Hilderbrand went into so much detail about things that didn't associate to the story line. There are points that could have been taken out to make the novel shorter. I also with there was one more chapter to finish wrapping everything up.

However, as it's not the best book I've ever read I still recommend it. Once you get past the first 50 pages or so the story starts to take shape and you can see the relationship between the twins, Tabitha and Harper. Be prepared, the plot is somewhat complicated so having a quiet place to read is necessary for the first few chapters to understand all the various characters, where they live, and the relationships to one another.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

NOT MY 'CUP OF TEA!'

In the first few pages, sexual compromises are mentioned several times... Too bad, since I'd seen a gal reading this novel and she was laughing so I was looking forward to some clean humor.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

See Spot, See Spot Run.

Did a child write this book? Elins writing style if you can call it that is juvenile at best. A 10 year old could have written this book and made some improvements as well. I placed this book in my guest bathroom because it is just entertaining enough for that but I wouldn't waste my time if there is another choice of entertainment available. This might be the worst book I have ever read!
1 people found this helpful

Related Books