Mental Health In Fiction: Identical

I’m not sure how Ellen Hopkin’s IDENTICAL came to my attention. But. Um. Wow. I have thoughts and feelings about this book.

First, I have to admit I cringed at a novel written in verse, but Ms. Hopkins makes it WORK. The format is brilliant and beautiful to the point of jealousy. She burns images into your brain, which, given the subjects explored, is both good and bad. The genre is Young Adult, but it should have a long list of trigger warnings.

Note: from here on, this post will be nothing but spoilers and commentary.

IDENTICAL is told from the points of view of Kayleigh and Raeanne. They were the mirror twins of a prominent judge and politician. I say “were” because the plot twist revealed towards the end of the book I figured out by page 148. A car accident that plunged the family into turmoil is mentioned early on and a specific transition between Kayleigh and Raeanne’s narrative lead me to believe one twin died in the crash. There are clues sprinkled throughout — very reminiscent of The Sixth Sense, where once you know the secret, you realize all the micro-clues that support the Holy Moly moment.

But IDENTICAL isn’t narrated by a ghost. Kayleigh developed Dissociative Identity Disorder and her alter takes the form of her twin. DID isn’t on most people’s radar and will be surprised when it is revealed. But someone with DID is in my orbit and easier for me to recognize.

The depiction of DID is accurate in the sense there are two very distinct personalities with a smattering of similarities. What I find strange is Kayleigh is unaware of missing significant blocks of time. Her alter attends and cuts classes, but Kayleigh never wonders why she didn’t have history that day or week. It’s possible she has a vague sense of time passing or something “not being right”, but I didn’t catch either being expressed.

It’s not clear if Kayleigh’s DID results from the trauma of the accident or the sexual abuse she suffers at the hands of her father. I’m not certain it matters; Kayleigh has experienced enough trauma to justify every defense mechanism she has — and there are many. At times it feels like Ms. Hopkins is piling on as many disorders as possible, but maladaptive habits are rarely solo and there are two personalities to divide the various issues.

I’ve been concerned about the portrayal of mental health in works of fiction. IDENTICAL should be applauded for its unflinching and realistic portrayal of how trauma affects us. Sexual abuse victims and survivors often go to the extremes of avoiding connections with others (Kayleigh) or promiscuity (Raeanne). Substance abuse, binge eating, and cutting fill the void pain, shame, and guilt create. Alters help shoulder the burden of secrets and aid in their hosts’ resiliency.

Defense mechanisms are exactly that: defenses. Addressing the defense without touching the source doesn’t help anyone. Medication and love help, but neither conquers all, as too many books and movies would like us to believe. IDENTICAL concludes with Kayleigh getting the professional help she needs and extraction from the family whose behaviors are at the core of her defenses.

I definitely recommend IDENTICAL for understanding the root causes of disorders and how trauma can wreak havoc in our lives.

*I am not a mental health professional or an expert by any means. I base my comments on personal experiences with my own mental health and that of my friends.