Bibliographic Information: Duncan, L. (1981). Stranger with My Face. New York: N.Y. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0440983568
Plot Summary: Laurie Sutton, the protagonist of Stranger with My Face, is an adopted teenager who lives on an island with her mom, dad, sister Megan and brother Neal. Laurie does not know she is adopted until she meets her identical sister, Lia. Laurie had been spotted places around town by her boyfriend and others, even though she had not been in those places. Lia appears by "astral projection" which she learned through her mother. As the story progresses, Lia is the evil counterpart to Laurie. Whereas they both look alike, Lia never smiles and she tries to kill Laurie's friend Helen and her boyfriend Jeff.
Laurie is determined to find out more about her evil twin. She confronts her parents and they finally admitted she was adopted. When questioned why they didn't adopt her twin sister Lia, Laurie's mother said when she picked up Lia she felt cold and loathsome. Laurie learns to project herself to Lia's last home and contacts Lia's foster parents. They inform Laurie that she needs to get on with her life and forget about Lia. It turns out that Lia had tried to kill her foster parents' daughter and Lia was in a mental hospital. Toward the end of the story, as Laurie was projecting and leaving her body, Lia took over Laurie's body. The real Laurie was unable to go back to her body. In the end she finds a way for Lia to leave her body so she could return to it.
Critical Evaluation: Stranger with My Face keeps the reader wondering and frightened throughout the story. It is a very good book for readers who enjoy horror and mysteries. There were parts of the book that seem somewhat unbelievable such as the astral projection but overall it was a good book. Stranger with My Face was an ALA Best Book Young Adults.
Annotation: Stranger with My Face is a frightening story of a teenage girl who learns she has an evil identical sister.
About the Author: Lois Duncan is a famous American author who has written many children's and young adult novels. She was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Sarasota, Florida. Her parents were famous photographers: Lois Steinmetz and Joseph Janney Steinmetz. Lois sold her first story at the ripe age of thirteen. She went to Duke University but dropped out, got married and had a family. She always wrote. Lois has published more than 300 magazine articles and is best known for her suspense novels for teenagers.
Stranger with My Face was adapted into a television film. Other novels by Duncan have been adapted for the screen, including the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer. In 1989 Duncan's youngest daughter was murdered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The case was unsolved, but provided the story for Who Killed My Daughter? Duncan's childrens book Hotel for Dogs was also made into a movie.
Retrieved March 29, 2010 at: http://loisduncan.arquettes.com/
Genre: Fiction/Horror/ Mystery
Curriculum Ties: None
Book Talking Ideas: What happens when you find out you have an evil identical twin? What do you do when your evil twin sister whom you never knew existed is trying to kill everyone you love?
Reading Level and Interest Age: 13 and older
Challenge Issues: None
Reason for Inclusion: Excellent novel for horror/mystery lovers. ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
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