Her Fearful Symmetry

Title: Her Fearful Symmetry
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Published: 2009
Synopsis from Goodreads

Like its predecessor, The Time Traveler's Wife, Her Fearful Symmetry has a plot both vividly original and yet evocative of time-etched genres; in this case, the neo-gothic. The story involves Julia and Valentina, seemingly typical American teens who have inherited their aunt's London flat. The apartment, as it happens, sits beside Highgate Cemetery, a shadowy burial place that possesses a presence of its own. To this strange mix, Niffenegger adds a medley of neighbors with whole battalions of obsessions and other disorders. The plot is engulfing, the characters unforgettable.


"Nightmare on Elm Street" gave us Freddy Kruger.



"Friday the 13th" gave us Jason.



"Halloween" gave us Michael Myers then Rob Zombie got a hold of it and really made it a blood bath.



But nothing in this world is as terrifying as what this book has brought us. I can honestly not come up with anything more terrifying and horrific as ... da da da..... The Little Kitten of DEATH!!! muhahahahhahahahas!!



Yes folks!! You heard right.... The little Kitten of Death is the most evil of all kittens. He's insanely cute, cuddly, playful.... and then he dies.



But it was a good death. You see... the story all centers around these twin girls who win a one way death ticket to London when their aunty kicks the bucket.



What does that have to do with dead kittens? Well, not much... until aunty KILLS the kitten in cold blood!! Muhahahahahas!!



Ok ... ok... It wasn't COLD blood. It was more like Aunty the friendly ghost was just mucking around with the Little Kitten of Death's soul, kitten got pissed, ran off in ghost form, and the warm fuzzball became as still as roadkill.



(BTW... we can all blame Leila for this colorful review lolz!! She lovingly gave me this book to read then asked for a Greta-review. I think I've had a little too much fun with book reviews lately and have created a monster. Yes... let's blame her ;) It's soo much more simpler then admitting that I have a problem.)



Oks.... So, like I said... this book centers around twins... and another set of twins... and that's all the twins that I'm giving you.



The young set of twins (like I said if you were paying attention) won a free death ticket ride to London. You see.... Auntie Elspeth (seriously... why all the wacky names in books?) dropped the bucket and twins Julia and Valentina (I would never name my kid this) Poole are on the fast track to London's digestive cookie... or whatever you call them society to learn how to live it up in merry ol' England.



This kind of sounds like a bad horror movie doesn't it? Rich aunt dies.... Leaves the kids her flat..... They have to stay there for a year.... then they can either sell the apartment or what have you.... Well, maybe it sounds more like a Scooby Doo cartoon.



BUT!! It's a little racier. Well, one part is. I really think the author's hubz or significant other had a hand in one part. The young supple twins move over to hobbitland.... the one mousy one, Valentina (I would never name my kid this) falls for Auntie Dead's old flame (who lives in the flat under them) and right when she's all "I'm not ready to have sex" and stuff he feels her up while he's doing the dishes. WHAT???? With sudsy water and stuff? That's right!! So, that part while racy didn't sit well with me. First off... men don't do the dishes when they have a hot girl in the room. Second.... chicks don't want to be felt up with dishpan hands.... and last... all authors in the future should stop writing about men just petting their women's boobles in an order to soothe them. This is giving my husband the wrong idea and he keeps trying to paw at me.



Ok... what else? Oh yes.... So, Auntie Dead kicks the bucket blah blah blah, and then guess what? She's a ghost!!! So, for the first 200 pages you hear about the twins learning England and then the dishpan hand fondler works at a cemetery so you hear about that, they twins get a kitten , and there's an OCD Hoarder dude that makes crossword puzzles up above the twins. Sounds interesting, right? Ok... it was a bit but the book doesn't get really cool until page 201 when Auntie Dead learns how to communicate with the living (then kills the kitten). I was glued after that.



Martin, is the OCD guy. I also believe he is a hoarder. He was my favorite character. I wish he had more in the book. My favorite part with him was when he had a toothache and refused to leave the house to get it treated. Dishpan Fondler Guy understands that he needs a dentist so he goes to work (which is the cemetery) and picks up an undertaker who wanted to be a dentist when he grows up (ok... there's more but I don't want to explain it all and am very lazy) to remove his tooth. After paying my dental bill today I have now decided that I am only going to hire undertaker dentists to take care of all my dental needs. They only ask to be paid in tea.



There's some OMGs at the end and even though this review is full of spoiler bunnies I don't want to ruin the whole thing for you. There's also an Awwww so that should make you happy since all I seem to want to talk about is dead kittens.



It's a really nice book. I recommend you read it with someone though. That would make it more fun :)


It's a nice book about death, ghosts, and dead kittens ;)


2 dead kitty paws way way up!!

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