Chang and Eng

This is an ambitious and intriguing debut novel, which is based upon conjoined twins, Chang and Eng, who were born in Siam during the nineteenth century. It is through them that the term "Siamese Twins" entered the vernacular. Here, the author takes known facts about these famous twins and weaves an expertly woven story about their lives, while attempting to individualize them, giving each of them their own distinct and unique personality. The author tells the story of the conjoined twins through the first person narration of Eng. Born in 1811 in a house boat on the Mekong River in Siam, which is now known as Thailand, Chang and Eng entered the world linked together at the chest by a fleshy band of cartilage. It would be this short band of flesh that would forever bind them together, ensuring that they would never have a truly private moment. For their entire lives, they would be bound to each other, and the two would be forced to live as one. The author explores their private and often strange lives, which the reader views through Eng's eyes. It is through his intimate thoughts that the reader envisions how the twins may have possibly viewed their own lives. The reader follows the path that their lives took, from their poverty stricken childhood on the Mekong River to their presentation to the King of Siam. It then shows how, as adolescents, they came to arrive in America, where they were displayed as oddities. Eventually, they became an international sensation, becoming nineteenth century celebrities. Amazingly, they went on to marry two sisters, Adelaide and Sarah, with whom they fathered a total of twenty-one children. Chang and Eng set up house in North Carolina, where they raised their family. Still, this book is not so much about the factual portion of their lives, but rather, about the thoughts of Eng, as he and Chang pass through life together. It is a very intimate, insightful look at their lives and, in particular, the longings of Eng to experience life as most do, as one and not as two. This is a well-written and delicately nuanced work of historical fiction that is highly imaginative. Instead of having the reader remain on the outside of the lives of Chang and Eng, looking in, the author manages to take the reader into their lives, having the reader look out onto the world from the perspective of Eng. Through Eng, the reader sees the twins as having two very distinct and unique personalities and realizes the angst that they must have experienced in never being able to have a truly private moment. At times, Chang and Eng appear to have had a love-hate relationship. This is a poignant and haunting look at these two individuals, who were, by necessity, constrained to live as one. For those who are intrigued by the lives of Chang and Eng, but would prefer a purely biographical treatment, "The Two" by Irving Wallace and Amy Wallace is excellent and highly recommended.

I read this book while chewing DoubleMint gum. And then it dawned on me how perverse that was. Anyway, it's full of lush prose, a bizzare dreamscape of believable characters, and a great plot. What more could you ask for? Cheng and Eng have fascinated me ever since I first saw them in the Guiness Book of World Records; they were total freaks to me. Now some twenty years later, after reading this book, I see them as two beautiful humans and maybe I was the freak for having been so judgemental.

I expect this book to win all kinds of awards come award-season: new author, best fiction, etc. This is a wonderful book in the way MY LIFE AS A GEISHA is. It takes you right into the lives of the people and gives you a perspective never before thought of. For instance, how many of us at times find another person (spouse, sibling, fellow worker, etc.) occasionally irritating, to the point where we just walk away for a few minutes. Well, Chang and Eng couldn't do that, EVER! Can you imagine? You will be able to imagine while reading this book. I found it humorous in many places, and sad in others. Fascinating at all times! We have all heard of the legend of the Siamese Twins, and here they are brought to life. The book is fiction, I know, but you will believe it is fact as the author convinces you with his wonderful writing.

Being the local historican in the town where the Siamese Twins lived when they came to North Carolina to make their home, I though it would be impossible to read Darin's book as a novel. Having studied the Wilkesboro life of Eng and Chang for many years, I found it very exciting as Darin surmised how events could and may have been. The events in the life of the two remarkable men have been expressed in remarkable words. It is a book that I will cherish forever. Joan Baity

Reading Chang and Eng makes you wonder how anything can come after it. Strauss was so giving with every sentence it feels as though he used up all the beautiful prose in the world. Like the girl in the book who falls madly in love with Chang and Eng never to be heard from again, I'll never get over this book.