Identical twins Clemmy and Helen, named after the beautiful heroines of Greek mythology, live in a dilapidated cottage in the woods, having little contact with the outside world. Abandoned at birth by their father, a painter, the girls are raised by their mother, who they ignore, existing only for each other.

At 14 they break into their father’s studio and discover a self-portrait left by him with a note for ‘his beauties’.

This opens the first crack in their relationship. Helen becomes obsessed with him and is determined to be a painter. Clemmy, rebellious and headstrong, wants nothing to do with him, and dreams of escape from the forest and of becoming an actor. Aged 16 their mother abandons them. Clemmy celebrates their freedom and the fault lines between them widens. Within a year, Clemmy leaves for London and Helen finds herself alone at the cottage, and pregnant by Beautiful Boy…

That’s as far as I take you. Read each page yourselves, you won’t regret it. There is a rhythm to Hogarth’s writing; it flows, it sings and she does not ignore the plot. Interesting and original. I thoroughly enjoyed The Other.

Sandy Hogath was long listed for the 2019 Cinnamon Literature Prize with Because of You I am

The Other by Sandy Hogarth is available in pb and e-Book