Double Lives (A Lexington, Alabama Novel)
Twin sisters Fiona and Leona, two Black girls growing up in the South during the early 20th century, look so much alike even their mother can’t tell them apart. To protect the sicklier, more innocent Fiona, who can’t always stand their mother’s strict discipline, Leona regularly switches places with her sister to get her out of trouble. This is played in a surprisingly plausible way. The love and loyalty between these two women are moving, too, and realistic. Leona takes the fall for a pregnancy, a blouse stolen from a white-owned store, and so much more. This allows Fiona to preserve her pristine reputation with their mother and the community. She goes on to marry a steady, if dull in her eyes, man while Fiona lives a single life that saddens her and worries their mother.
After years without even a brief switch, the two women trade places one last time so that Fiona can try being single again, and Leona can experience married life. This final switch doesn’t wholly go off without a hitch, because by their thirties the two have begun keeping secrets from each other. Their fun scheme ends with a shocking tragedy, which makes for a strong ending to the story.
While I did enjoy the gossipy, leisurely pace at times, many of the events portrayed in the middle of the book did not seem wholly necessary. After such lengthy passages of only limited relevance, the dramatic, action-packed ending felt way too abrupt and swift. I would have much preferred for the women’s final switch to be portrayed in greater detail and the various dramas in the middle to be pared down. Overall, a good read.
