Pieces of My Sister's Life [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth Joy Arnold (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2007

Two sisters who shared everything. One unforgivable moment.

And a second chance…There’s something to talk about in every chapter of Elizabeth Joy Arnold’s poignant, insightful debut novel—the perfect summer read for all those who loved Elisabeth Robinson’s The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, Judy Blume’s Summer Sisters, and Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper.

Once, Kerry and Eve Barnard did everything together: sailing the Block Island harbor with their father, listening to their neighbor Justin’s magical fairy tales, and all the while longing for their absent mother. They were twin girls arm in arm, secrets entwined between two hearts. Until the summer of their seventeenth birthday, when their extraordinary bond was shattered. And thirteen years later, it will take all the courage they can summon to put the pieces back together—at a time when it matters most.…

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Arnold's winning debut centers on a pair of identical twins, Kerry and Eve Barnard, who once had one face, one body, one friend (Justin) and any number of abandonment issues. Having been left by their mom at age seven, the still-smarting sisters are crushed when, 10 years later, their father drowns off the coast of their small Block Island, R.I. town. Though they've no one else to turn to but each other, the twins quickly drift apart; introspective Kerry clings to Justin, a few years their senior, and dreams of a future with him. Eve, a competitive flirt, schemes to win Justin for herself—while also pursuing a congressman and a police officer. The framing narrative finds Kerry looking back at the fateful summer from 13 years on and, while Eve is dying of cancer, struggling to face her sister and find peace for them both. It sounds confusing, but debut novelist Arnold never loses control of the complex interplay between past and present. Though a touch melodramatic, this well-observed story is vibrant and rich with the subtleties and nuances of family life; fans of Luanne Rice should clear a space in their beach totes. (Aug.)
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Review

Pieces of My Sister's Life is filled with salt air and summer breezes, the dares and secrets of island life, and the mysterious bond that exists between twin sisters. Elizabeth Arnold has written an unforgettable first novel, so beautiful and poignant it will take your breath away. -- New York Times Bestselling Author, Luanne Rice

"Pieces of My Sister's Life is filled with salt air and summer breezes, the dares and secrets of island life, and the mysterious bond that exists between between twin sisters. Elizabeth Arnold has written an unforgettable first novel, so beautiful and poignant it will take your breath away." -- Luanne Rice, NYT Bestselling Author

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385340656
• ISBN-13: 978-0385340656
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #699,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, July 30, 2007

By 

Mary Evelyn Lewis "Lynn" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pieces of My Sister's Life (Mass Market Paperback)

"Pieces of My Sister's Life" appears to be a summer romance novel, but it is so much more. Beautifully written, it tells a story of abandonment, self-sufficiency, betrayal, responsibility and love. You will come to care for the main characters in the first few chapters, and find yourself torn by which sister to cheer for on any given page.

I could almost feel the ocean breezes, smell the saltiness in the air, see the emotions the girls wear on their faces and hear the shifts of inflection in the voices of the characters. The taste of tears, for joy and sadness, is tucked away in the pages as well. Elizabeth Joy Arnold, using all five senses, shows the differences between love as a child, and the sometimes harsh reality of love as an adult.

35 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST BOOK EVER, August 13, 2007

By 

Staci Ann Blank (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pieces of My Sister's Life (Mass Market Paperback)

I am an avid reader but only once or twice several years ago have I been so moved by a book that I had to sit down the minute I turned the last page and write to the author!! Elizabeth Joy Arnolds " Pieces of my sister" will go down as one of my all time favorites! I cant stop thinking about Kerry, Eve and Justin and their unbelievable journey. Every beautifully written word in this novel gripped me like a vice. I sent an e-mail out to all of my friends who love reading as much as I do and told them to PUT DOWN whatever they were reading and start this book. I know they will all love it as much as I did. So now I'm telling you, stop what your doing and pick up this book. You will not be sorry!!!

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Glorious Achievement, January 14, 2008

By 

Murat Abus (Greater Baghdad Area, Iraq) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pieces of My Sister's Life (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a fond reader of Anita Shreve and I am deeply moved by Shreve's competent portraits of conflicts and desires on a relatively closed circle. When I first read reviews of Elizabeth Joy Arnold's "Pieces of My Sister's Life", I was at best skeptical as to whether this debut novel would live up to the standards set, among others, by Anita Shreve. After reading the book, I am thrilled to see that the themes of conflict, desire, the inevitability of death were beautifully and movingly expressed without any emphasis on the backgound developments as the novel is set on an island.