The Twins by Saskia Sarginson

From Goodreads

They were inseparable until an innocent mistake tore them apart.
Growing up, Viola and Issy clung to each other in the wake of their mother's eccentricity, as she dragged them from a commune to a tiny Welsh village. They thought the three of them would be together forever.
But an innocent mistake one summer set them on drastically different paths. Now in their twenties, Issy is trying to hold together a life as a magazine art director, while Viola is slowly destroying herself, consumed with guilt over the events they unknowingly set into motion as children.
When it seems that Viola might never recover, Issy returns to the town they haven't seen in a decade, to face her own demons and see what answers, if any, she can find.

My review 

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this story in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel from Saskia Sarginson is one that you will need to read in larger chunks than a few pages at once in order to understand what is going on as it's a slow moving story that builds up gradually. You know there is some dark secret at the heart of the story but it's revealed to us slowly which isn't a criticism at all. I do enjoy slow burners that just offer enough to keep you reading. The story is well written and sets the scene well, with some great descriptive passages.

Rose is a single hippy carefree mother to twin girls Isolte and Viola, who have very few rules and guidelines set down by Rose. They are allowed to run free and are left to their own devices. As youngsters they form a friendship with twin boys John and Michael. Together as a foursome they share lots of time exploring and doing things that youngsters that age get up to. It's during their time together one evening that we find out what has been the secret at the heart of this story and has had an ever lasting effect on their friendships.

The story is narrated by both of the girls. Isolte telling the present day story and Viola telling us the past. As both tell their story and the secrets are revealed slowly we begin to realise, the reason why Viola is in Hospital and is suffering the way she is. Isolte appears to be the stronger of the twins and the secrets don't appear to have affected her as deeply or have they?

I will look forward to reading further books by this author. 8/10 in my opinion.