BOOK REVIEW: Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen

Louis and Louise are the same person in two different lives. They are separated only by the sex announced by the doctor and a final 'e'.
They have the same best friends, the same red hair, the same dream of being a writer, the same excellent whistle.
They both suffer one catastrophic night with life-changing consequences. Thirteen years later, they are both coming home. 

Publisher: Orion

Pages: 296

Julie Cohen's last book, Together was one of my favourite reads in 2018 so I was ridiculously excited to see what her latest book would be about. Louis & Louise follows a baby born in 1978, one narrative explores what would happen if the baby was a boy- Louis and the other narrative explores the events if the baby was a girl- Louise. Both Louis and Louise have the same set of circumstances; same parents, same friends and childhood experiences, so what difference does their gender make? Louis & Louise is quite a simple idea really but Cohen uses it to visit so many complex issues- parent and child relationships, loyalty, gender, friendship, sexuality and the wealth divide in America.
This is a fantastic book and so relevant for the time we live in. It left me with a huge amount to think about and question. At first I enjoyed Louise's narrative more as I think I obviously identified with her as a female. However as Louis' narrative developed, it was just as enjoyable. It was fascinating to observe how they both react to identical circumstances. Their relationship with their parents, Peggy and Irvine is so well done. Having had difficult relations with my own parents in the past, it was quite profound to have it presented on the page. Cohen shows how all parents make mistakes at times but if you strip everything back, that vital family link and shared history will always be there. It's often much easier to be angry at somebody you love rather than someone you don't have that attachment to. Louis and Louise are born in 1978 so this book felt quite nostalgic to me. I was born four years later in 1982 but I could identify with both characters and the events in their childhood. Cohen cleverly uses twins Allie and Benny as Louis and Louise's best friends and it was a good way of comparing them gender-wise, plus a good marker for how different they are in the present to their closest friends from the past. Both Louis and Louise leave the tight-knit community that they grew up in whereas Allie and Benny remain for one reason or another.
I think Louis & Louise will appeal to so many readers. I marvelled again at the capacity Julie Cohen has to explore human emotions and feelings. She never shies away from the uncomfortable or complex and this brings a huge amount of realism to her writing. Cohen's talent sings from every page of this book and I urge you to read it.

Many thanks to Orion for sending me a copy of this book to read, Louis & Louise is out now.