Readathon Book Review: Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart

Philadelphia 1876: Katherine's hollowness after the loss of her twin Anna drives her to contemplate suicide.  Katherine had always been the more responsible twin, self-charged with looking out for careless, carefree Anna.  So when Anna dies in an accident, Katherine feels it was her fault - and she just can't live with her guilt.

As per usual, Kephart writes with clarity, beauty and keen observation.  I felt the weight of Katherine's grief - the tragic fragility of life and how all can be lost in an instant.  Katherine cannot cope with the fact that the world bustles on, despite Anna's departure.  Her parents refuse to talk about it, she has no other friends to turn to. But the Centennial fair, and the chance encounters it provides, brings hope back into Katherine's life.

This is a quiet story - no shocking revelations or sordid twists. It's power lies in its intense emotional honesty and its finely crafted prose.

Find out more about the book at the author's blog.