The Foursome

by Christina Baker Kline, Marin Ireland (Narrator)

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline comes a boldly original reimagining of the astonishing true story of two sisters in nineteenth-century North Carolina — Kline’s own distant relatives — who married world-famous conjoined twins from Siam.

When Eng and Chang Bunker arrive in Wilkes County in 1839, they’re not just a curiosity—they’re a sensation. Everyone is eager to learn whether the salacious rumors about them are true. Within months, the twins have opened a general store, bought land, and begun building a plantation. Now, word has it, they’re looking for wives—and in a place that thrives on gossip and legacy, their ambitions set the community on edge.

Sarah and Adelaide Yates, daughters of a once-prominent local family brought low by scandal, are drawn into their orbit. Bold, beautiful Adelaide sees in the twins’ fame a chance to reclaim her future. Sarah, quiet and observant, isn’t so sure. When the twins’ lives become entangled with theirs, they must navigate loyalty, longing, and identity in a world where everything—including race, class, and gender—is rigidly defined.

Spanning five decades and unfolding against the backdrop of a fractured nation hurtling toward war, The Foursome is both intimate and a story of love and constraint, identity and reinvention. With piercing insight and emotional precision, Kline brings to life a forgotten chapter of American history and the complex, boundary-defying marriages at its center.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Adult, Adult Fiction, Family, Audiobook

11 pages, Audible Audio

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

A #1 New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including The Exiles, Orphan Train, and A Piece of the World, Christina Baker Kline is published in 40 countries. Her novels have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among other prizes, and have been chosen by hundreds of communities, universities and schools as “One Book, One Read” selections. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in publications such as the New York Times and the NYT Book Review, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, LitHub, Psychology Today, Poets & Writers, and Salon.

Born in England and raised in the American South and Maine, Kline is a graduate of Yale (B.A.), Cambridge (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (M.F.A.), where she was a Hoyns Fellow in Fiction Writing. A resident of New York City and Southwest Harbor, Maine, she serves on the advisory boards of the Center for Fiction (NY), the Jesup Library (Bar Harbor, ME), the Montclair Literary Festival (NJ), the Kauai Writers Festival (HI), and Roots & Wings (NJ), and on the gala committees of Poets & Writers (NY), The Authors Guild (NY) and Friends of Acadia (ME). She is an Artist-Mentor for StudioDuke at Duke University and the BookEnds program at Stony Brook University.

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book begins about real-life Siamese Twins, Eng and Chung Baker. They have become a Sensation and People are So Interested in Meeting Them. This has afforded them a life of wealth and privilege. So, when they settle in Wilkes, North Carolina, they meet and want to marry Sarah and Adelaide Yates. So, on the surface this seems just an entertaining and different story, and it is, but there is so much depth beyond the surface of this book.

There is so much nuance and intimacy that Christina Baker Kline brings to this story. It examines an unusual family living life on a Plantation. The Book begins in 1839 and spans five decades. There is the beauty and struggle of family and children woven through the entire story that just was fascinating to read. Yet, always in the background is Sarah’s growing discomfort with slavery. Christina Baker Kline does such a delicate job presenting the characters reactions based on how life would have been at the time, but quietly presents the agony of this way of life.

I really loved this book. It is Excellent. Presenting such a unique story worked so well to explore so many other themes. Christina Baker Kline does a superb job that entertains, brings curiosity, love, heartache, and thinking of the choices that are made. She is in a class by herself. Highly Recommend this Book.

[Sadeqa Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline opened my eyes to a moment in history I knew little about. Centered around conjoined twins married to two sisters, the novel explores the complexities of marriage, sisterhood, and raising children in the American South in 1839—a time and place where conformity was the norm and change was just beginning to stir. Kline weaves a beautiful tapestry of love, doubt, identity, and resilience in a world that left little room for differences.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE FOURSOME
By Christina Baker Kline

An Intimate Look at an Unconventional Marriage

Christina Baker Kline’s The Foursome draws on the real-life story of the famous conjoined twins Chang Bunker and Eng Bunker, who first rose to fame touring before eventually settling in North Carolina. It was there that they met and married the Yates sisters, Adelaide and Sallie, going on to build an unconventional life together and raise a combined 21 children.

Told from Sallie’s point of view—the more hesitant sister, shaped by limited choices after a teenage scandal—the novel spans five decades and offers an intimate look at this unusual marriage and the bond between the sisters. It explores what it meant to step into a life that would always draw attention, and how four strong personalities navigated marriage, privacy, and family within such a complicated arrangement.

This is a quiet, character-focused story that finds tension in the everyday. The characters feel nuanced, carrying the weight of their choices in a way that makes an unusual situation feel real and intimate. Sallie often seems alone in her decisions, particularly when it comes to running the household and the plantation. She comes across as more empathetic than the others, who often appear aligned. I also felt that Eng frequently deferred to Chang, rather than standing firm in his own decisions.

I’ve enjoyed other books by Christina Baker Kline, and this one continues to show her strength in exploring complex relationships. Even more interesting—the sisters are distant cousins of the author. If you’re drawn to stories about sisterhood and complicated family dynamics—woven with themes of love, marriage, intimacy, identity, race, and gender inequality—The Foursome is worth reading.

Definitely a great pick for book clubs—it has plenty of layers to spark thoughtful discussion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the eARC.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly the type of historical fiction I enjoy.

I do think it's funny that at a pivotal point, it was PEANUT SHELLS that meant the jig was up.

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars "From #1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline comes a boldly original reimagining of an astonishing true two sisters in nineteenth-century North Carolina—Kline’s own distant relatives—who married world-famous conjoined twins from Siam."

This true story is a reimagining of sisters in the mid-1800s who are distant cousins of the author. This is the sensational story of Sarah and Adelaide Yates whose prominent North Carolina family was brought down by scandal and gossip. They meet famous conjoined twins from Siam, Chang and Eng Bunker. They are wealthy land owners who have started a plantation and are looking to marry. Salacious and viscous rumors fly around but the girls still marry them as they have limited prospects from the family scandal.

What follows is a compelling and engaging story which brings to life events leading up to and just following the Civil War. It is an intimate look at an unconventional marriage and its inner workings exploring motherhood, loyalty, racism, and slavery. I loved learning about the antebellum South through the eyes of a plantation owner's wife. Christina Baker Klein writes with detailed precision for the era and emotional intelligence. This is a tale that is tastefully told with compassion and empathy. If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend adding this to your TBR for a unique look at this time period.

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Book Club Girl for the gifted advance reader's copy. All opinions are my own.

[Gail Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I was looking for something different... This was definitely different. Found the premise a little inconceivable, but interesting nonetheless. Love her clear, easy writing...

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This novel offers a fascinating and unexpected look at the lives of Eng and Chang, the famous conjoined twins from Siam, set against the backdrop of North Carolina during the Civil War. While the book description suggests a focus on romance or complex familial dynamics—elements that are certainly present—the story takes a surprisingly heavy turn into historical discourse regarding slavery and class. However, despite placing itself firmly in this volatile era, the narrative struggles to meaningfully engage with the moral weight of its setting. The author includes the reality of slavery, specifically through the character of Grace (an enslaved woman), yet fails to take a meaningful stance on it, or explore deeper. Sarah, the central character, notes the class differences between herself and Grace but merely muses on them rather than making a distinct point.

This passive approach to heavy themes becomes particularly glaring toward the end of the book. Once the Civil War ends, Sarah bemoans the difficulty of her life simply because the enslaved workers have left the plantation. The narrative presents this complaining as a matter of fact without critiquing Sarah’s lack of self-awareness or acknowledging the injustice of the institution itself. It feels as though the historical context was included for accuracy rather than to say anything meaningful. Similarly, while the book acknowledges the racism faced by Eng and Chang—including the use of offensive slurs—it depicts these prejudices without exploring why they are wrong or differentiating the narrative voice from the bigotry of the time.

Despite these thematic misses, the technical aspects of the novel are undeniably strong. The writing is polished and the narrative style is engaging, making for a smooth reading experience. Sarah functions as an interesting anchor for the story; as an "outsider" within the unique family dynamic, she provides a compelling lens through which to view the struggles of those around her. Her perspective allows for a degree of empathy that enriches the character work, even if the social commentary falls flat.

A standout portion of the book involves Sarah’s time living with her Aunt Joan, who is delightfully portrayed as something of a gay icon. This section successfully fleshes out Sarah's character, teaching her the value of hard work and self-reliance. These lessons feel earned and result in a satisfying callback toward the end of the novel.

Unfortunately, the book overstays its welcome with an unnecessary epilogue. This final addition failed to establish new information or add value to the story, leaving the impression that the novel would have been stronger had it ended sooner.

Ultimately, this is a well-written historical novel held back by its reluctance to dig deeper into the serious subjects it introduces.

[Holly (hollylovesbooks1519) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Partner @marinerbooks @harpercollins and @netgalley for my gifted copy. Pub date 5/12/26.

#ChristinaBakerKline wrote an extraordinary novel inspired by her own family history. This character-driven coming-of-age novel is about two sisters who marry Siamese Twins in the 1800s. Their marriages are anything but ordinary, but they make the best of it and raise their two families together. This was a great read, especially if you love historical fiction. 4.5 stars!

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a 5 star read for me! This novel is a riveting look at the marriage of the famous conjoined twins, Eng and Chang Bunker. Their lives were largely lived in North Carolina from the early 1840’s through 1874. The other extremely interesting point is that the author was distantly related to the sisters who married the twins. I highly recommend this terrific piece of historical fiction!

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1843, two sisters from a North Carolina farming family climbed into bed with their husbands, the most famous men in America: the original "Siamese twins," Chang and Eng Bunker, who were joined at the chest by a band of cartilage. They lived this way for more than three decades. Between them, they had twenty-one children. Christina Baker Kline, who happens to be a distant relative of those sisters, has spent years trying to imagine what such a marriage might have actually felt like. The result is The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline, a novel that resists almost every easy framing the premise invites.

What the Novel Is About (Without the Spoilers)

Sarah and Adelaide Yates are daughters of a once-prominent Wilkes County family whose social standing has been bruised by an unnamed scandal. When Chang and Eng arrive in town with their wealth, their international fame, and their unmistakable presence, the gossip is immediate. The bold elder sister Addie sees a chance to reclaim her future; the quieter Sallie, who narrates the book, hesitates, observes, and ultimately follows. From the wedding through the Civil War and into widowhood, the foursome shares houses, a bed, children, money, and a life nobody around them quite knows what to do with.

If you arrive expecting carnival sensationalism, look elsewhere. Kline is interested in the long marriage, not the spectacle.

Why Sallie Is the Right Narrator

Kline's choice to filter the story through Sallie is the smartest call she makes. Addie is too sure of herself to be a complicated narrator. Chang and Eng have already been written about for almost two centuries. Sallie, who in real life was buried in an unmarked grave away from the family plot, is a near-blank in the historical record. Kline fills that absence with a quiet, watchful, self-questioning voice. Sallie sees what others choose not to see. She helps Grace, the enslaved woman in her household, with small chores not because she is a heroine but because it eases her own conscience, and Kline never lets her off the hook for that distinction.

The novel earns its strongest passages when Sallie sits with her own complicity. That honesty is what makes the book more than a curiosity piece.

The Writing

Kline writes with a clean, controlled lyricism that suits both the period and the temperament of her narrator. Sentences are unfussy. Metaphors are carefully rationed. A few set pieces stay with you long after the book is closed:

The wedding-night scene, written without exploitation, with a strange tenderness around the impossibility of privacy in such close quarters.
The slow domestic dread of the Civil War years, when sugar disappears, then salt, then almost everything else, and Sallie and Grace cook side by side because they have no other choice.
The Leah-at-the-well embroidery Sallie picks up and puts down across the years, watching what she stitches become something other than what she started.

You can feel the author pulling back from melodrama on almost every page. That restraint is also, occasionally, the book's limitation.

Where The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline Wobbles

Read against its reception, you can see why most readers settle around four stars rather than five. A few smaller issues add up.

The middle softens. The years between the early marriage and the war stretch out. Domestic detail piles up, sometimes in ways that feel more researched than alive.
Addie is held at arm's length. Sallie's narration is bounded by design, which means we get Addie as Sallie reads her, and Sallie often reads her ungenerously. A reader can sense the missing book where Addie would speak for herself.
The moral reckoning is uneven. Kline is clear-eyed about slavery, and Grace is one of the more carefully drawn enslaved characters in recent historical fiction by a white novelist. But the brothers' slaveholding, and the suggestion that Eng may have fathered children with an enslaved woman, sit in the book with a weight the structure does not always fully absorb.
A few period beats land flat. The dinner-table conversations about Lincoln and secession feel a little rehearsed, the dialogue closer to documentary voice-over than living talk.

None of this sinks the book. It does mean a strong novel occasionally settles for being a sturdy one.

What the Book Gets Right

That said, the things this book gets right are not small things.

Sisterhood without sentimentality. Sallie and Addie compete, wound each other, separate, reconcile, and keep failing to become the kind of close their shared circumstance would suggest.
Marriage as an enclosure. The constant, structural lack of privacy in a four-person marriage becomes a quiet horror more affecting than any plot turn.
A grown woman's slow change of mind. Sallie does not have a revelation. She has years of small, accumulating disturbances of conscience, the most honest portrait of late-blooming moral awakening I have read in a while.
A historical curiosity treated as a marriage. Chang and Eng are not freaks here. They are not saints either. They are difficult, charming, ambitious, sometimes cruel men, and the book never asks us to pity or romanticize them.

Final Word

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline is a careful, intelligent, sometimes beautiful novel that takes a story most readers would expect to be sensationalized and treats it with adult seriousness. It is also a touch long, occasionally too neat in its moral framing, and held back slightly by its narrator's habitual reserve. What it gives you, more than plot, is the texture of a marriage no one was ready for and a woman quietly becoming herself inside it. For readers who prefer historical fiction that values steadiness over surprise, this is well worth your time.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Excellent! The Foursome is based on a true story about the world-famous conjoined twins from Siam, Chang and Eng — who marry sisters Addie and Sallie Yates, the authors own distant cousins. How neat is that! This phenomenal story begins in 1843 Wilkes County, NC, as told by older sister Sallie, and spans their lives before courtship, to life on their own plantation, while parenting twenty-one children between them.
The community considered Sallie a fallen woman from an earlier tryst resulting in pregnancy, ruining her and her sister’s chance for marriage proposals. Even so she was still very reluctant to marry Eng (Addie talked her into it).. and had a hard time with their sleeping arrangement. Sallie became more assertive, and also openly questioned the morality of slavery (they owned slaves as did her parents). These thoughts/choices is what sets her apart from the three. Marrying Siamese twins shows the immense challenges they faced from a society that didn’t accept them.. prejudice + identity to name a few, just as the brothers had been exposed to their entire lives. Their marriages extraordinary, this fictional insight into their lives gives readers (to what felt true) glimpse into what that entailed in the 1800’s. It’s outstanding. Pub. 5/12/26

Much thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin O'Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical novel based on the true story of the author’s distant cousins, Sallie and Addie Yates, who married famous 19th-century conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker in North Carolina. The story spans five decades, from 1839 through the Civil War era.

This is a MUST READ! I’m immediately making it one of my staff picks and will be hand selling it like crazy. I started a few days ago and have alternated between the audiobook (which is fab) & reading (also fab)-- which also means that I've basically been reading it non-stop since I started. Absolutely a 5-star read! I didn’t expect any less from Christina Baker Kline, who also wrote one of my favorite novels,"The Orphan Train."

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hands down, THE FOURSOME by Christina Baker Kline is one of the most unique and fascinating pieces of historical fiction that I’ve ever read. The fact that it’s based on a true story and involves the author’s actual family truly blows my mind. Check out this brief synopsis:

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘉𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘒𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩-𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢 — 𝘒𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦’𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 — 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥-𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘚𝘪𝘢𝘮.

To be perfectly honest, when I noticed that it was set during the mid-1800s, I turned my nose up a little bit. Mostly because I wasn’t in the mood for something so ancient—I wanted something more current. Well, let me tell you that this most certainly does NOT read the way I was expecting it to. Once I started reading, I found it extremely difficult to stop. The storyline is super exciting, gripping, and even a tad scandalous. It’s also one of the most interesting stories about sisterhood, brotherhood, and sibling dynamics that I’ve encountered in a while. These siblings and spouses lived a lifestyle spanning five decades that many of us could not even imagine! Their unique situation makes for a very addictive read!

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Family drama and dynamics
- Sisterhood and brotherhood
- Motherhood and marriage
- North Carolina setting
- Mid-1800s timeline
- Civil war and slavery era
- Plantation lifestyle
- Character-driven novels

If you’re in the mood for a solid family saga with a good dose of American history, this is definitely it. I truly cannot recommend it enough. 4.5/5 stars for THE FOURSOME! It’s available now!

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible read!
Kline deals with delicate topics like intimacy between the sisters and their conjoined husbands with sensitivity and pragmatism, not salaciousness.
This was such a riveting read that I found myself rushing back to it when I had to break away from my reading.
The author captures the voice of Sallie so well and depicts her emotions, struggles, and evolution in a compelling manner.
I kept thinking as I read that I could never have lived with such an arrangement so it was intriguing to read about two women who did.
I’ve only scratched the surface so readers must discover this exquisite read for themselves!
Be sure to check out her website for more info on the family and her research.
Thanks NetGalley, Edelweiss, Mariner Books, and Harper Collins for the advance copy.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I love CBK’s writing. She has a way of bringing historical settings to life. I adored Orphan Train and The Exiles.

In The Foursome, she explores what life may have been like for two sisters who married conjoined twins in antebellum North Carolina.

You can probably imagine a salacious and uncomfortable plot line that would naturally take place. Kline handles it well even though I didn’t particularly enjoy reading about it.
Sallie’s narrative was well developed and I liked her character.

🤷‍♀️Why not five stars?
I wish this had been more focused. It switched gears around halfway through, and while I had no problem with the subject matter, it seemed like an odd shift.
Plot wise, this was very slow from around 35 percent to 70 percent.

Thank you to @netgalley for my ARC!

⚠️Profanity: 1/5 (mild and infrequent; perhaps 3-4 total)

Sexual: 3/5 (a couple of brief cracked door scenes- not overly descriptive, but not completely closed door)
Also, sexual assault is referenced multiple times.
Other- death of a child

❓This was an unusual piece of American history. What story has enlightened your knowledge of history?

[Aria Scanlon · Rating 3 out of 5]

well this was interesting

[Tulip_OnTheTBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visualizing the Impossible: A Strangely Fascinating, Flawless Risk

First things first, hands down, this is one of my favorite reads of 2026! Christina Baker Kline took a massive risk on this strangely fascinating, yet incredibly captivating story; one that transpired over five decades and landed so f**king well! I was hooked from beginning to end and could not put this book down!

The pacing was perfection and the prose beautifully written; a story of this depth can often feel dense, but this was so easy to digest. Reading this book felt like a summer stroll through the countryside, a nice breeze across the face, eyelashes fluttering in the wind, sipping a cold glass of sweet iced tea...such a delight. 🍹

As a native North Carolinian, I was taken in by the setting. Having visited Wilkesboro in my adolescent years, I could easily visualize the foothills with the Blue Ridge Mountains as the backdrop; I felt a startling connection in a distant way...🏔️

The dynamics between Eng and Sallie, and Addie and Chang, defined The Foursome in every sense, yet the story reached far deeper: a journey into individuality, growth, human judgment, and the harsh realities of slavery. Baker Kline wove every thread together seamlessly, presenting a juxtaposition that proves two truths can exist at once, even when they appear entirely at odds. And no character was left behind, not even the 21 children. I did not have to question, "What happened to this person?" or "What became of that?"

One of the supporting characters that I fell in love with was Auntie Joan. I’m a bit of a rebel who loves a misfit character that challenges the status quo; she was my SHE-RO! ⚡ I loved her grit, determination, and unapologetic audacity to not give a damn about what anybody thinks.

I also loved the author's choice to tell the story through Sallie’s perspective. It allowed for a deeper connection to her internal conflicts and the insurmountable weight she carried; had the narrative shifted to include Addie’s view, I believe it would have diluted the impact in a way that failed to move the story forward.

The Aftermath 🌷:
I am giving this book a RAVING 5 STARS!!! Not only do I need a copy for my personal library, but I am also compelled to share this story with folks near and far; it offers so much for the imagination in the healthiest possible way!

When you read this book, do so with an open heart, a sound mind, and a thirst for a rare glimpse into the not-so-distant past. This is a uniquely weird, yet fulfilling opportunity, to immerse yourself in a "one of one" time in history. Be ready to receive the vast possibilities this "Foursome" has to offer. It’s immersive, provocative, and consequential; a cinematic masterpiece that deserves a movie adaptation. 🎬✨

Publication Date: May 12, 2026

Thank you to NetGalley, Mariner Books, and Christina Baker Kline for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline. Told from the perspective of Sarah Yates, the wife of Eng Bunker, one of the famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, the novel explores marriage, jealousy, loyalty, sacrifice, and the very complicated dynamics of family life in a way that felt very human to me.
As I was reading, I found myself wondering why Kline chose Sarah’s perspective because Adelaide (who was married to Chang) initially seemed like the stronger and more dynamic of the two sisters. By the end of the novel, though, I realized that choosing Sarah was the best choice because she experiences far more growth while Adelaide remains more fixed in who she is.
The book also does not shy away from the realities of the time period. Slavery and the Civil War is a part of the story, and the Bunkers themselves were slave owners, which added another layer to the story for me. There was something especially striking about the fact that Chang and Eng had been bought and brought to the United States as part of a sideshow act, yet later became wealthy Southern slave owners themselves. The book allows those contradictions to exist without trying to simplify them.
This is the kind of historical fiction I enjoy most: immersive, unusual, and filled with characters and moral tensions that stay with you after the final page. It would make for an excellent book club discussion.

[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was given to me by the author and Goodreads for an honest review. Very absorbing, realistic and even troubling for a historical read about the conjoined twins Eng and Chang in the mid 1800’s. It was also about Sarah or Sallie and her sister Adelaide who married them. Between the couples they had 21 children, perhaps more that were born to slaves. The author had this to say: “ I approached this material with humility, care and a deep sense of responsibility. I hope the novel honors the complexity of these lives, the contradictions they embodied, and the humanity at their core.” Great quote and an enticing read.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book. It is a fictional treatment of the lives of Eng and Chang Bunker the famous Siamese twins. They marry two sisters and have 21 children between them. The twin’s lives are well documented but not their wives. The author brilliantly provides a fictional take on the families and she paints a vivid picture of life during the early 1800s.

[Tina Panik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kline handles this complicated marriage, and its tumultuous time in history, with great care.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible! I was completely captivated immediately and this author has the most sweeping and beautiful storytelling. I could not put it down!

There is so much to this book; I was fascinated by the lives and logistics of the Bunker conjoined twins and the many turns it took. But like the author I was also fascinated by their wives and how their paths crossed with the twins, what motivated them to start this unconventional life (especially at this time in history) and how things were navigated. This book was a whirlwind of simmering emotions and that was brought beautifully off the page by the author's words. What also really hooked me was seeing Sally's attitude toward slavery changed throughout the book. When she has the realization that her easy days were made on the backs of the slaves' hardest ones was such an important point that is still so relevant today. And seeing how she knows it's wrong, but still goes on because it is so complicated, goes to show that even people who were against slavery were not willing to do the immense work to unravel it from their lives, which is how it was perpetuated in so many ways even after abolition and into today in various ways disguised as something else. I could go on, but the author does a much more elegant job with this.

I love seeing all of this history through Sally's eyes and seeing the juxtaposition of the conjoined twins obviously connected life, at the same time she is figuring out how to sever her own tie and reliance on her sister. I think because of her husband, she is able to see her restrictions and works hard to free herself from them, which shows a lot of personal growth throughout the book. This book looks at not just physical ties to a person, but emotional, economical, hierarchy and oppressive ties between humans as well. I have not read nearly enough about post-civil war times and now I want to change that!

Note: The audiobook narrator was FABULOUS. She had the perfect tone for this very unique story and imbued the story with the right amount of emotion at times of sorrow, exhaustion, as well as the small glimmers of happiness.

Thanks to the publisher for a free copy; my thoughts and review are my own.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline is an interesting, fact based story about the con-joined twins from Siam given the moniker the “Siamese Twins,” known as Eng and Chang Bunker. Now they had finished touring and were ready to settle down so they bought a farm in North Carolina. Of course, with settling down came the desire for a wife (wives). Sarah had caused a scandal by believing the wrong boy and birthing a child.. Despite the fact she had been sent away to live with Aunt Joan, everyone knew. Addie’s reputation was ruined as well. So when, Chang showed some interest, she was all in. And she dragged Sarah along with her. Their father was angry. The town was scandalized and curious. They married. Each woman had her own bedroom in their home. Eng and Change, obviously, shared one. Addie chose to consummate her marriage in this very strange situation where the two men were joined by a “cord” at their ribs.

Between them they had twenty-one children, survived the civil war, and affairs. They lived together for a long time, but eventually they moved to separate houses, spending three days, and then moving to the other for three days. It was an intriguing story of how people make the best of the lives they are given. It is a story of love. And also of strong women with totally different personalities, as this was the women’s story, not the men’s. Kline handled sensitive topics with grace. Interesting that they are shirttail ancestors of Kline. Terrific book.

I was invited to read The Foursome by Mariner Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MarinerBooks #ChristinaBakerKline #TheFoursome

[MrsHarvieReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline takes the concept of a complicated family drama to the next level. It’s the story of two sisters in nineteenth century North Carolina who marry world-famous conjoined twins from Siam. A decades long saga featuring themes of unconventional love, grief, racism, identity, and the impact of slavery.

I’m already a fan of this author, so I knew I had to read this as soon as I saw the premise. And also, I have 2 sisters and cannot fathom sharing a marital bed with them till death do us part! I was quickly sucked into the story, and fascinated to read it’s loosely based on the lives of the author’s distant relatives. She manages to make this inconceivable choice by the sisters, especially, Sarah “Sallie”, the book’s narrator, sympathetic. “Here’s the truth, even the most extraordinary life feels ordinary when you’re living it.”

The characters are richly drawn and the writing is full of strong, vivid pictures. I especially appreciated how she was able to draw parallels between the parts of this story that her relatives decided to omit and the history of slavery in our country that we choose to ignore. “There are sins of action and sins of inaction. I cannot forgive myself for the times I saw the wrong and turned away.” While the middle takes its time, the overall writing and unforgettable characters make the story absolutely worth it 4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for a gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle Herzing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not sure what to expect from a historical fiction novel based on the lives of Chang and Eng Bunker, siamese twins who became famous in the mid-1800's, but in the able hands of Christina Baker Kline, I was willing to give this novel a try. What a journey I have been on reading this fantastic tale that is so much more than I imagined!

I always want to learn something about the time period when reading historical fiction, and though I was familiar with the Bunker brothers as a circus novelty, the story of their lives out of the spotlight was fascinating. Told from the point of view of one of their wives, the story goes much deeper into what life is like when you are unable to be alone, and the toll it takes on even your closest relationships.

The novel takes place primarily during the pre-through-post Civil War in the South, with the Bunker families as slave owners. The characters' attitudes toward and treatment of the people who are owned by and serve their households is a theme that is interwoven through the story, and, as explained in the author's note, sparked the choice to use Sallie's POV as the focus. I found this novel's treatment of slaveholding particularly thorough, illuminating many conflicting repercussions of the Civil War, particularly in the South.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the digital ARC of The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

When Eng and Chang Bunker arrive in Wilkes County in 1839, they’re not just a curiosity—they’re a sensation. Now, word has it, they’re looking for wives. Sarah and Adelaide Yates, daughters of a once-prominent local family brought low by scandal, are drawn into their orbit. Bold, beautiful Adelaide sees in the twins’ fame a chance to reclaim her future. Sarah, quiet and observant, isn’t so sure.

Y’all have heard me say this in the past, I love a book that has me researching. I was almost immediately researching these twins from the moment I started this book. And yes, I have heard about them, I just never really knew a lot about their lives. But, these two and their wives had me intrigued from start to finish.

Not only is this union and this family unique, the time period of 1830 prior to the Civil War is also very riveting. These twins owned slaves and when the war comes it throws their whole world into chaos.

This is a captivating, emotional and down right unique tale you do not want to miss! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I know you are not supposed to quote an arc but this quote got me!

“Grief does not end. It’s shifts, settling into the crevices of your days.”

[Carrie Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told from sister Sally’s point of view after marrying Eng, it offered an interesting fictionalized glimpse into their lives while still weaving in recognizable historical details. Christina Kline did a great job making Sally feel believable and human — especially through her hesitations, doubts, and emotional conflicts. The mix of known facts with imagined personal moments felt natural rather than forced. The story also flowed smoothly, making it an easy and engaging read that kept me invested throughout.

The novel is inspired by the real-life Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, who became world famous in the 1800s after being brought from Siam (modern-day Thailand) to America. The book imagines the private side of their unusual family life, marriages, and relationships through Sally’s eyes, blending historical fact with fiction in a way that makes these larger-than-life figures feel surprisingly personal and relatable.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely fascinated by The Foursome! I was captivated from the first page, and just could not put it down! In 1839, the famous co-joined Siamese Twins, Chan and Eng Bunker, arrived in Wilkes County, North Carolina seeking a permanent home, after a whirlwind tour in various cities. The tour brought them both wealth and fame, and they quickly become a sensation in Wilkes. Chan and Eng, however, wish only to settle down. They purchase land for a farm, hoping to each find love and marry. When they meet sisters Adelaide and Sarah Yates, daughters of a local, long-established family, now marred by scandal, a friendship forms between the four that eventually leads to marriage. Christina Baker Kline, who is a descendent and a distant cousin of the two sisters has written a brilliant, totally captivating book about these four, and their families, as well as the slaves they owned, during five decades of life, love, hardship, loss and the Civil War in the South. It is a multi-layered plot that explores the exploitation of Chan and Eng as children, how the four adjusted to the unusual nature of their marriage, the Southern way of life prior to the Civil war, the plight of the slaves, and the gradual change of heart experienced by Sarah, after the end of the war. The author has brought all of the characters vividly to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

[Debra Hock · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
Although the story is fiction, the characters and a lot of the story based on the brothers and their families are true and highly researched. It’s beautifully written, well narrated, intimate and character focused. It’s an interesting and unusual piece of American History and focuses on the daily human experience of the Bunker family dynamics.
Description:
This is a historical novel based on the true story of the famous conjoined twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, and the two North Carolina sisters (Adelaide and Sarah "Sallie" Yates) they married. Told from Sallie's perspective, the book spans five decades to explore the complexities of their unconventional, boundary-defying marriages and the impact of the looming Civil War.

[Michelle San Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic, sprawling historical fiction based on a true story about world-famous conjoined twins Chang and Eng, and their marriage to sisters Addie and Sallie Yates (who are distant cousins of the author!) in North Carolina. The story spans five decades, starting in the 1830s and concluding at the end of the Civil War, and delves into the foursome's relationships, as well as the way they are perceived and treated by society. Much of the story also centers on the upheaval in the world at large as the prospect of war looms, and Sallie begins to question everything that her Southern upbringing has taught her. So many themes are explored so deftly, and Kline does an amazing job weaving the historical events into the foursome's personal lives. Wonderful characters and an immersive storyline - a must-read for historical fiction fans.