Once We Were

Gr 8 Up—Because sisters Addie and Eva grew up hiding their hybrid nature, they're now learning-along with readers-some of the nuances of what it means for two souls to share one body. Is romance possible with someone always looking over your shoulder? Can a hybrid ever have privacy? What occurs if the two souls disagree? Now that Eva is fully capable of controlling the girls' body, she's unwilling to sit idly by and allow the torture (in the name of science) that happened upon them at the Nornand Clinic happen to other children. As they meet more hybrids, they hear more and more horrific stories of abuse, and they learn of a small faction that wants to take immediate action to stop further mistreatment of hybrid children. Eva is eager to help with this plan, but Addie is unsure as to whether or not what they're planning is ethical. The deeper involved in this small revolution they become, the further apart the siblings begin to grow. Until now, they've never argued about anything this significant, and it's not clear which of the two souls will win control. Zhang has a unique challenge: she must give each character two distinct personalities, which she skillfully manages. While this book lacks some of the freshness of What's Left of Me (HarperCollins, 2012), simply by virtue of being a sequel, the lovely, atmospheric storytelling is still very much present. Zhang has envisioned a complex, unique world and deftly brings it to life.—Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO