Hi Everyone!
My YA Book Of The Month for April is One by Sarah Crossan. I already wrote my review of it here and today I wanted to chat about some of the themes approached. They are spoiler free, however will make some aspects of the plot known so if you want absolutely no spoilers then this isn't the post for you. However, if you are okay with knowing some of the themes included in this book then I hope you will find this post interesting!
Conjoined Twins
The main plotline is the fact that Tippi and Grace are conjoined twins. Originally, my idea for this post was that it would be all about conjoined twins with information and everything but I didn't want to make it too informational and I also wanted to talk more about the context of it in the novel.
However, a bit of knowledge is needed. Conjoined twins are simply twins who are joined together. For some this is by the hip, for others it is by the leg and for some even by the head. Tippi and Grace are conjoined at the hip, and share one pair of legs. This naturally has it's challenges, especially when they start going to school.
I felt the representation was very real and felt authentic to me. I felt like it really reflected what being a conjoined twin is like and the dilemmas that they face and the issues that they come across. It's also a theme I haven't really seen represented much in YA so it was so nice to finally have a truthful insight in to conjoined twins.
It was also so interesting because it mentioned things that I hadn't thought about. For example, what if one of them is ill and bedridden and the other is fine? What about what happens when they have therapy? Does the other have to listen?
There are solutions to some of the problems they face but so many just can't be avoided. The way that Sarah Crossan writes allows you to experience what being a conjoined twin is like, without being one yourself.
I would love to hear a conjoined twin's perspective on this...
Fame
Fame is a theme lightly touched on and it's the main thing I wanted to discuss here. Grace and Tippi rejected TV opportunities for years, until they accept because of the money. They are lucky because throughout their filming, they are respected and allowed a bit of privacy. However, this is definitely not always the case and sometimes documentaries like this can be invasive and take it a step too far.
So is it right to make documentaries about people with disabilities?
In some ways, yes because it makes other people more aware and inclusive and know how to act. It also can be a great opportunity for people to share their stories and be presenters and part of something. On the other hand, it is also making their feeling of being different worse, although of course difference is a good thing, I still think this can be damaging.
For my March YA Book Of The Month, I did a discussion post based around fandom and fame, and it goes into more detail about fame in general. Grace and Tippi don't get very famous but it still has the element of letting people in to something private.
Verse Structure
I briefly wanted to mention that the verse structure of One by Sarah Crossan is different to Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, which was my YA Book Of The Month for January. It's so interesting how different books, even when written in verse, are so different in length of each poem, rhythms, shapes...it's just fascinating to me.
I know this is a bit of a different post but I hope you are all well and I wish you very happy reading!
Do you like the sound of this? Have you read it or any other Sarah Crossan books? What do you think about documentaries about disabled people and fame? Any other thoughts on this post?
Do you like the sound of this? Have you read it or any other Sarah Crossan books? What do you think about documentaries about disabled people and fame? Any other thoughts on this post?
Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on my reviews by clicking here! Your support is very much appreciated :)
p.s. Casual magic of the day:
(If you are new here and have no idea what I'm on about, click here to find out more)
I went on a mid-afternoon picnic with my family by a lake, it was so simple and yet so special <3
Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on my reviews by clicking here! Your support is very much appreciated :)
p.s. Casual magic of the day:
(If you are new here and have no idea what I'm on about, click here to find out more)
I went on a mid-afternoon picnic with my family by a lake, it was so simple and yet so special <3
I know nothing about what it would be like to be a conjoined twin. As for fame, I think there is a fine line between a learning experience for us to learn about disabilities and exploitation.
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely a fine line with regards to fame. It's an interesting topic which this book made me think about. Conjoined twins are interesting because they are so different but they are just normal people trying to live their lives and I think that's what documentaries sometimes fail to show. This was a book that definitely made me think!
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment, when I am home from holiday I will definitely have a blog hopping session and repay the favour!