Rating: 
Summary: Rhode Island explained
Review: This is the story of the twin sisters Abigail and Dorcas Maher. They were born on the last day of 1938 and are, by now, in their forties. They live in Frome, Rhode Island, a state devastated by the sharp comments in this book.Dorcas is the town librarian and has the prunish character to go with it. Abigail was defiled at the age of 14 by the local football team and apparently enjoyed it. Hilda, a family friend, catalogs in a book all the terrible things that have come to Abigail's mind over the years and that have been executed by her and on her. At present, Abigail is in jail accused of killing her husband, while Dorcas reads through the biography. Her comments and corrections are the subject of this book. The two sisters loved each other dearly despite their opposite makeup. Sexless Dorcas never envied Abigail and her loose life style. She called her sister the Wife of Bath, with great power and no dignity. She herself would be the reverse. And then the devil in the disguise of suave Conrad Lowe enters the picture. He tries to seduce Dorcas but settles for the easier Abigail. And here comes the Faustian pact: Abigail must shed all the gross excess weight she carries around or Conrad will dissolve out of her life. Strangely enough, and for the first time in her life, she gives up, submits meekly and looses the required weight. But Conrad does not feel that the pact has been satisfied. He keeps maltraiting Abigail who cracks and kills him. The story is beautifully told, in full three dimensions and surprise happenings. It is not the belly laugh some commercial reviews promise, but it is full of wonderful little chuckles.. Foremost, it is an absorbing portrait of two women who seem so very strange and yet are so familiar.
Rating:
Summary: Just read it...
Review: This tale of two twins is told from the point of view of Dorcas, ascetic librarian twin, interspersed with excerpts from a book written about her sister Abigail by one of the odd circle of friends who cultivated Abigail's friendship. The adult Abigail is a 200 lb. postal deliverer who engages in impromptu sex with any man standing around the drop slot. She exudes sensuality in all her excessive traits. Dorcas completes Abigail's sentences/thoughts/life. Insightful portrait of twinness. Willett carries cynicism to the next level in her prose. The book was a page-turner, but I'm STILL wondering why it is considered FUNNY.
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