The other girl by Emily Barr

Two girls meet on a train. They couldn’t be more different from each other. Tabbi is the elegantly groomed rich girl on her way to an exclusive Swiss rehab centre whilst Ruby looks like a scruffy freewheeling backpacker wearing a purple wig. But between them they hatch a wild scheme to switch identities.

The first part of the novel is told from Tabbi’s point of view. She is being sent to rehab to redeem herself following an alcohol-fuelled incident she is reluctant to talk about. Becoming Ruby is her chance to escape all the strictures of her life, and roam freely on an InterRail pass. For Ruby it is the chance to enjoy a glamorous life of luxury in a Swiss ‘hotel’. The deal is that they will meet up and switch back again after 6 weeks. Tabbi is exhilarated at getting away with such an easy con trick. However, the second part of the novel provides us with Ruby’s account of events, and we discover that there is much more to the story.

I really liked the way Barr provides the two sides to the story in separate blocks, rather than constantly switching between viewpoints. The reader is lulled into Tabbi’s account of things, and shares her gradual awakening to the complications of what she has done. When we enter Ruby’s story, the drama becomes much more twisty and scary. It’s a brilliant YA thriller which will have readers eagerly turning the pages to read on.

While the novel is an enthralling thriller, it also manages to explore complex issues of identity, responsibility and ethics. Although each of the girls seizes on a chance to escape, in the end they have to face the consequences of their actions, even if it is not in the way the reader expects. This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel, and will have readers looking for more books from Emily Barr.

Themes: Thriller, Identity-switch, Deception, Guilt, Responsibility.

Helen Eddy