The Twinning Project (review)

Eddie (the nice twin) and Tom (the smart twin) were separated at birth, but they share a telepathic connection. The catch? Tom lives in 2011, and Eddie lives in 1957—or, more accurately, on a “twinned” version of Earth that started about fifty years after the first so that the aliens who created it could see what atrocities were coming on Earth 1 and tweak events on Earth 2 to avoid them. Since the atomic bomb, though, the aliens have decided that both Earths are unredeemable and their monitors are preparing for its destruction. Eddie and Tom are the keys to the only person who might be able to thwart that plan—their father, a rogue monitor—and their plan to save the world requires them to switch places and blend into their new homes. This is approachable, with its short chapters and whimsical tone, and the protagonists are likable. However, this series opener is plagued by loopy logic, from the paper-thin premise (it’s never clear exactly what purpose the twin-switch serves, other than as a set piece for shenanigans) to the facile treatment of bullying. While readers are routinely reminded of how smart Tom is, he does a spectacularly bad job of flying under the radar, even arguing with a teacher about Pluto’s planetary status; Eddie, meanwhile, is expected to explain his sudden politeness and amnesia as a side effect of mood-stabilizing pharmaceuticals. Eddie’s mid-century sensibility touches enough on some significant issues (Eddie “had never spoken to a Negro person”) to puncture the balloon of light sci-fi action but not enough to explore the relevant issues. There’s an appealing voice here, but ultimately readers will be better off engaging in intergalactic battles elsewhere.