Dolores and Mita grow up as identical twins in a family with a British father and Brazilian mother in Brazil in the 1970's. Mita and Dolores had their own secret language and danced together often, but everything changes for Dolores when Mita at seven years old starts to suffere from severe epileptic seizures. And all of a sudden, Mita is gone and send away to a care institution in London, without her parents telling this to Dolores, who has no clue where Mita has gone too. Shortly after that, the family moves from their small Brazillian town to Rio de Janeiro for her father's job where they lead a luxurious lifestyle, seem to forget that Mita ever existed and where Dolores will attend the British School. Her parent's don't have room for her grief and want Dolores to shut her mouth when she talks about Mita. At twelve years old, Dolores can't read or write, and she misses Mita terribly, and she can't find a way to know where she was sent to. She finds a new friend at school in Andrea, a girl from the favela's.Andrea introduces her to a complete different side of Rio unknown to Dolores, a Rio that is shaped by danger, rebellion, and the realities of living under a dictatorship. During the following years, Dolores grows more determined to find out what happened to her sister Mita and thinks up ways to get to England to find out if Mita is still alive..
This is a rare and very original novel that is unlike every other novel so far, with the main character of Dolores being very realistic and which gains your sympathy as a reader. You could totally feel her frustration with her parents unwiling to tell her more about Mita's fate and just acting as if she was a burden that never existed afterwards just to not deal with it and move on with their luxury expat-like lifestyle where there is no room for misfits. I found the storyline interesting and entertaining, and with a very interesting backdrop of 1970's Brazil and the political climate that was also woven into the story. The story moves back and forth in time. Dolores'smission to find out about the faith of her sister in England truly progressed during the story and it truly was moving how slowly on her parents started to understand Dolores's grief and I truly liked how this line in the story led to a travel to England. There is also a good cast of side characters in the story with Dolores's best friend Andrea and Sofia, and also somewhat questionable teachers at the British School. I really liked how the story ended as it didn't have any loose ends and Dolores could give her grief about Mita a place and move on.
Overall this is a nice and original new novel that I enjoyed reading!
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