Three Black Swans by Caroline B. Cooney
Reviewed by KeriRatings
Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content
LANGUAGE
VIOLENCE
SEXUAL CONTENT
ADULT THEMES
Ratings Explanation
Language: A few uses of the name of deity.
Violence: A woman holds a knife to her wrist when she hears of some bad news. She is stopped by her husband.
Sexual Content: Thoughts of how teenage pregnancy happens. Wanting to avoid looking at boys because those thoughts come back.
Adult Themes: Unwanted pregnancy, thoughts of abortion, giving up babies for adoption, using the elderly for money.
Synopsis
Clare and Missy are cousins and best friends. They have often been told that they look alike, so when Missy’s science teacher gives the class an assignment to create a scientifically based hoax, Missy has the perfect idea. Who hasn’t wished they had a twin. So with pre-planned outfits and hairstyles, they appear on Missy’s school news program to announce that they are identical twins and have been reunited. The excitement quickly spreads across the school and the girls’ video is posted on You Tube. When Missy tells her class that it was actually a hoax, the school turns against her, angry at being sucked into the drama. Some students remain convinced that the girls are twins. Their insistence causes Clare and Missy to examine whether it could possibly be true. As the You Tube video is passed on, they start to wonder what secrets their parents are hiding. Their parents are hiding secrets which turn out to be greater than they ever imagined.
Clooney has written several young adult books. The content in this book addresses the concerns of identity and love that are part of teenage life. I did have some difficulty following the changes of point- of-view from the girls to the parents. In the end it did help bring more understanding to the characters. My favorite character was a grandmother who gave this advice to her granddaughter, “It’s all about choices, my darling girl. Every single moment is a choice. Will you be good or mediocre? Will you be kind or indifferent? Will you be generous or cold? Every choice is always yours. Never somebody else’s.” Good advice for all of us.