Double Exposure

Brian Caswell (author)

University of Qld Press, Australia; 2005: 251pp

ISBN: 0702235334

Genres: realistic fiction, thriller

Issues: death, family, giftedness, grief, identity, mental health, relationships

CBCA Shortlist: Book of the Year, Older Readers, 2006.

This is a complicated story about identical twins, Chris and Cain Eveson. Chris is a genius, the traditional child prodigy, a brilliant artist, confidant, analytical and always one step ahead. Cain feels ordinary by comparison. His brother recognises his emotional intelligence, his courage and the beauty of his spirit. They love and support each other through every difficulty - a domineering father and submissive mother, troubled girlfriends and personal turmoil.

As Chris tries to show through his astonishing photographs and paintings, life is rarely as simple as it seems on the surface. T.J. and Abby, the twins' girlfriends, have their own troubled, complicated lives. Soon the web of events has become too involved for the twins to sustain their separate identities. The past looms large, revealing a horrific tragedy that has repercussions for all who know them.

As is to be expected from a writer of this calibre, Double Exposure is a beautifully crafted novel of subtle depth, although it has a constant level of tension that will disturb sensitive readers. The characters are well developed with clearly defined identities, which is particularly significant given the unexpected conclusion to the story.

This is a story about trauma, resilience and identity. Almost without exception, the central characters are far too familiar with the darker side of relationships. There is Abby, a sixteen year old prostitute who was sexually abused by her stepfather when she was fourteen. There is T.J., an eighteen year old single mother whose violent ex-boyfriend is stalking her and threatening to kidnap her son. There is Cain, the quieter twin who strives to defend his brother's identity and maintain his own in the face of his emotionally abusive father. And then there is the unpredictable Chris, whom nobody but his brother really understands; a young man who appears when he is needed but more often walks in the shadows.

This is a truly remarkable novel with a disconcerting conclusion that will shock the reader. The narrative is told through five perspectives - first person recounts from the four central characters, as well as regular observations by a third person ‘omniscient author'. This makes the story more interesting, keeps the reader off balance, and maintains narrative tension.

What is both the point of the novel and a concern, given the targeted audience, is the isolation of the teenagers. They have been abused or abandoned by adults they should have been able to depend upon. They can rely only on themselves and, gradually, on each other. But what if one of them is not who he seems? How will they cope if their fragile stability is shattered yet again?