Helen and Ellie are identical twins, "two peas in a pod." Helen is the older twin, the smart one, the one favored with special toys, clothes and shoes. Ellie is the more difficult child, whose hair never stays in place, whose clothes are often splattered with food, and who throws fits in school. One day, Helen invents a game where the two switch identities--and life is never the same for either of them. Despite Helen's protests and actions, suddenly her friends, toys and clothes are Ellie's and she is stuck being Ellie.
When Helen attempts to return to herself, her mother says, "'Oh Ellie... What have you done to your hair? And wearing Helen's clothes too. How many times do we have to go through with this? Yours is the left drawer and Helen's is on the right...."
Even though their own mother can't tell them apart, Helen never stops struggling to prove her true identity, making Ellie smirk and Helen cringe. She descends into a world of mental illness, behavioral issues, and eventually drugs and sex, while Ellie continues to be the golden child, favored by Mother, her friends and teachers. As the years pass, Helen even wonders if the switch really took place.
Morgan's debut psychological thriller is a stunning portrayal of what might happen when one's identity is stolen. The writing is succinct, spot on and moves at a rapid pace. Fans of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects will want to add Beside Myself to their reading list. Set aside time to read though, since you won't want to put this book down. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer