3.5 Stars

Well this was a very engaging YA mystery and I am thrilled we have 3 copies of this in the library!

Chap is a teenage orphan living on the streets who dreams of a loving family and place to call home. An opportunity falls into his lap when, in a case of mistaken identity, he steps into the shoes and life of Cassiel Roadnight who went missing a couple of years ago. The family's desperation to believe he has been found and the fact that he is the spitting image of Cassiel means he slots straight into family life. However, when local teen outcast, Floyd, demands to know what happened 'that night' and why Cassiel told him his life was in danger, Chap realises he may have walked into the shoes of someone who was actually murdered. This is a great novel for Readers looking for a reasonably straight forward YA mystery with a very engaging main character. Shame about the really weird cover! It looks like one of the bully ghosts from Casper. ( )

This was Ok, but I found the plot to be a tad implausible and a little slow-moving for my liking. The characters were all a bit unlikeable as well and, boy, did I get sick of hearing "I'm sorry" coming out of Chap's/Cassiel's/Damiel's mouth! ( )

From the summary and the seriously creepy cover, I expected Double to be a thrilling, action-adventure ride. In fact, it's not. There is mystery and suspense, but the bulk of the novel was surprisingly understated. Actually, I liked Double better for that, for not taking the easy way out and focusing on the more obviously dramatic side of things.

Chap made a good narrator, very well conveying his own sense of discomfort and fear. He obviously isn't completely innocent, but he considers every action that he makes. It would be hard not to feel for a boy who misses his grandad, the only family he ever knew, from whom he was separated at the age of 10. Chap had to grow up fast, and has been unloved through so much of his childhood. Given these circumstances, it is totally convincing that he might choose to be someone else for a while.

My favorite characters were definitely Edie and Floyd, which I guess wasn't much of a competition, since the book doesn't have a huge cast. Still, I loved Edie, perhaps because her prickliness reminded me of myself. She's both so happy to have her brother back and so distrustful of how he seems different. Floyd is delightfully flamboyant, and incredibly smart.

More than anything, Double is about a boy trying to figure out where he belongs. The mystery plot is definitely secondary. The pacing of the book is somewhat slow, although I was not bored, so this would likely not appeal particularly to reluctant readers. If you're looking for an action-packed thrill ride, this is not the book for you. However, if you like to read stories of people searching for their identities, Double's worth a read. ( )

Double is both a who-dunnit and a tale of a sad lonely boy on his own in England. At first, Double appears to be a case of mistaken identity, but really that storyline is just to pull the reader in. The premise is crazy, unbelievable. – a teenage runaway (Boy #1) who is living in a home for runaway children is thought to be the lost son and brother (Boy #2) of a family that lost a son of theirs two years ago. And this runaway boy (Boy #1) is able to convince the family of Boy #2 – that he is their son. The runaway boy (Boy #1) is “Chap” , however he is believed to be “Cassiel” (Boy #2). When Chap first looks at a picture of the lost and missing Cassiel, Chap thinks it is a picture of himself. The resemblance between the two boys is exact. So what does a lonely boy who has nobody to care for him do? He steps into the life of Cassiel. The act of being Cassiel was almost not a conscious act. The social workers thought he was Cassiel and Chap is so alone, he is desperate to have a family and he is desperate to be someone. If you have read The Likeness by Tana French, then you know the basic (but crazy) set-up.

Double is told from the point of view of Chap (Boy #1). His pain, his insecurity and his loneliness are described in a way that I was able to believe it Chap is desperate for a life, for a family but the life he steps in to is not as perfect as he imagined. He is immediately sucked in to an intrigue of why Cassiel is gone. Every step Chap takes, every word he says, he wonders – would Cassiel have said it this way? Will they know I am not Cassiel? Does she know I am not Cassiel? Chap has such sweet love and appreciate for his new “mom” and his “sister”. The love he feels and appreciation he has for having a “home” was truly heartbreaking. It made my heartbreak for children who do not have a home or parents. This ache for love, for relationships was so well-described. Ms. Valentine captures very well the level of insecurity a young unloved and alone in the world boy would feel. My only complaint is there is too much of this fear and inner monologue going on in the story. But hey, it is told from the perspective of a teenaged boy, so it is believable.

In the background of the story is Chap’s tale and this is where the beauty of this book lies. Through flashbacks, Chap remembers where he came from, “who” he is and why he is alone and on the run. So woven through the tension of who killed Cassiel and the whole will-they-know-I-am-not-Cassiel-thing is Chap’s own background story.

Double has quite a few twists and turns which are done really well. I had a few theories about what happened to Cassiel, who caused his disappearance and why Chap was on the run. But I was only half right. This is a gripping and emotional tale that will likely keep you guessing.

There are young adult books that are clearly written for an older audience level, this is not one of those stories. This is a book that can be enjoyed by the older young adult crowd but is also appropriate for younger adult readers. I am grading it 3.5 stars because in the end, it was a simple story that while moving, was not fantastic. But, I am excited to have my daughter read this book and I am glad to have read it. I think it would make a fantastic movie.

There is no sex or romance in this story but there is a reference to being a virgin. There is some violence, but not graphic. This would be suitable for most 6th grade students and above. ( )

I had mixed feelings about this book. The premise is intriguing, even though it does seem a little familiar. Still, I’m a sucker for a good mystery, and this one sounded like it could have been right up my alley.

I’m a sucker for a “broken” character, and Chap/Cassiel is exactly that. He’s made some bad decisions, and landed himself in a lot of trouble in life. It was easy for me to sympathize with him. I mean, heck, if I had been in his position – homeless, living in a half-way house, hoping for some semblance of normal – and someone claimed I was the missing son & brother to a loving family, I might have done exactly what Chap did. He is so desperate to know what it feels like to have an actual family that he willingly takes on this charade, even though he knows how catastrophic it could be if/when the family figures out he isn’t who he claims to be.

When Chap/Cassiel meets his “family” they notice he seems different and a bit off, but they attribute that to him being gone for two years and living on the streets. I didn’t totally buy into this – I mean they are his family – a mother knows her son. I pushed it aside, but this nagged at me the entire way through the book. When more of Chap’s past is revealed, this all made more sense to me, and it was the history that started to bug me. It just didn’t seem entirely original and I was left slightly disappointed.

Minor annoyances aside, I felt that Ms. Valentine’s writing is very engaging and her characters were well-developed. The book didn’t seem to drag for me, in fact I read it in a day. All in all it’s a good read, I just didn’t feel that it was original enough. It just didn’t quite pack the punch I’d hoped for.

(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley) ( )