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The Less You Know The Sounder You Sleep
Based on a true story, The Less You Know the Sounder You Sleep is a tale of survival and self-determination, innocence and lies.
‘We’re waiting. I squeeze my eyes shut and dig my fingers into Masha’s neck where I’m holding her. She digs hers into mine. The curtains slowly open. I can’t see anything because the spotlight is on us, bright as anything and blinding me, but I can hear the gasp go up. They always gasp.’
Dasha cannot imagine life without her sister. Masha is feisty and fearless. Dasha is gentle, quiet and fears everything; from the Soviet scientists who study them, to the other ‘defective’ children who bully them and the ‘healthies’ from whom they must be locked away.
For the twins have been born conjoined in a society where flaws must be hidden from sight and where their inseparability is the most terrible flaw of all.
Through the seismic shifts of Stalin’s communism to the beginnings of Putin’s democracy, Dasha and her irrepressible sister strive to be more than just ‘the together twins’, finding hope – and love – in the unlikeliest of places.
But will their quest for shared happiness always be threatened by the differences that divide them? And can a life lived in a sister’s shadow only ever be half a life?
‘We’re waiting. I squeeze my eyes shut and dig my fingers into Masha’s neck where I’m holding her. She digs hers into mine. The curtains slowly open. I can’t see anything because the spotlight is on us, bright as anything and blinding me, but I can hear the gasp go up. They always gasp.’
Dasha cannot imagine life without her sister. Masha is feisty and fearless. Dasha is gentle, quiet and fears everything; from the Soviet scientists who study them, to the other ‘defective’ children who bully them and the ‘healthies’ from whom they must be locked away.
For the twins have been born conjoined in a society where flaws must be hidden from sight and where their inseparability is the most terrible flaw of all.
Through the seismic shifts of Stalin’s communism to the beginnings of Putin’s democracy, Dasha and her irrepressible sister strive to be more than just ‘the together twins’, finding hope – and love – in the unlikeliest of places.
But will their quest for shared happiness always be threatened by the differences that divide them? And can a life lived in a sister’s shadow only ever be half a life?
440 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
81 people are currently reading
1602 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
July 17, 2017
I knew this book was going to be heartbreaking, because how could it not be with a hopeless situation like this, but it was even more crushing than I anticipated. It was fascinating and unique and with the backdrop of a Russia in the midst of political change it became a incredibly rich and emotional story.
But as I kept turning the pages and finding out more about Masha and Dasha (both through the book and thorough google searches) I wondered; why isn’t this a non fiction story? I think the format confused me a bit since it was fiction but kind of also not fiction. Personally I love a good non fiction book and I think I would have enjoyed it more had it been one.
It was a page turner though and I carried it with me for weeks after I was done. A thoroughly intriguing and poignant read.
But as I kept turning the pages and finding out more about Masha and Dasha (both through the book and thorough google searches) I wondered; why isn’t this a non fiction story? I think the format confused me a bit since it was fiction but kind of also not fiction. Personally I love a good non fiction book and I think I would have enjoyed it more had it been one.
It was a page turner though and I carried it with me for weeks after I was done. A thoroughly intriguing and poignant read.
January 23, 2018
What I liked about this book is the way it challenges social views of disability and 'normality': Dasha's voice throughout cannot be distinguished from any other child/girl/woman (the story is told in the presence tense so she ages as we read), only her experiences of the world differ - because she is a conjoined twin, born in Moscow in 1950.
Butler has a fantastic topic here and a life story that deserves to be told. Dasha and her twin Masha live for 53 years, sometimes hidden away, sometimes finding friendship and even love. The first half of the book is definitely the most engaging, though the cutesy voice of timid, loving Dasha can tip over into the twee at times.
There are big emotive moments usually revolving around a sudden revelation: when the twins first realise that other people see them as 'monsters'; when Dasha first sees their reflection in a mirror. Gradually, though, as the pages turn, a distance creeps into the story and things happen that should be heart-stopping that actually don't dent the narrative or punctuate it in the way they should given their emotional weight.
Reading around the twins' story, briefly, including interviews with Butler, it's clear that the book smoothes over the harsher aspects: Masha's psychopathy, her physical and mental abuse of Dasha, are touched on so lightly that the story even makes Masha a kind of rebellious heroine, especially in the first parts. Writing the darker aspects of the girls' deeply troubled relationship back into the fiction would have given it a depth that was lacking. Perhaps Butler's own friendship with the girls was an obstacle rather than an aid in presenting their lives in fictional form? Despite some misgivings, this is a story definitely worth reading.
Butler has a fantastic topic here and a life story that deserves to be told. Dasha and her twin Masha live for 53 years, sometimes hidden away, sometimes finding friendship and even love. The first half of the book is definitely the most engaging, though the cutesy voice of timid, loving Dasha can tip over into the twee at times.
There are big emotive moments usually revolving around a sudden revelation: when the twins first realise that other people see them as 'monsters'; when Dasha first sees their reflection in a mirror. Gradually, though, as the pages turn, a distance creeps into the story and things happen that should be heart-stopping that actually don't dent the narrative or punctuate it in the way they should given their emotional weight.
Reading around the twins' story, briefly, including interviews with Butler, it's clear that the book smoothes over the harsher aspects: Masha's psychopathy, her physical and mental abuse of Dasha, are touched on so lightly that the story even makes Masha a kind of rebellious heroine, especially in the first parts. Writing the darker aspects of the girls' deeply troubled relationship back into the fiction would have given it a depth that was lacking. Perhaps Butler's own friendship with the girls was an obstacle rather than an aid in presenting their lives in fictional form? Despite some misgivings, this is a story definitely worth reading.
April 19, 2017
By page 34 this book was breaking my heart. It is an amazing telling of the lives of co-joined twins Masha and Dasha who were born in 1950 in Russia. It tells of the dreadful conditions and heartbreaking lives they were forced to live. But it also contains love, humour and hope. It is a book which will stay with you long after you finish the last page. Totally engrossing and more so because it is all true.
May 11, 2019
Wow. I don't know how to review this or rate it. I gave it five stars because there's nothing wrong with it or the story... except that it exists at all. I've had this out from my library since August (because their system glitched and they don't know I have it) and I've only just gotten around to reading it. I don't remember how I even came across it to begin with.
But when I finally started reading it, I almost immediately wanted to put it down. Not because it was bad (though it did feel like a slow start) but that because it's uncomfortable to read. It's fictional novelization of a true story, and as I went along I couldn't fathom it was true. It bothered me a lot that I wasn't sure what was true and what wasn't, thinking the author must have exaggerated because what goes on in this book is insane. She says almost all of it is true.
And I'm left at the end, feeling... heavy. It's hard to describe. Numb, almost. Because I cannot in my wildest imagination, imagine what those women went through in their lives. To be literally attached at the hip, one of them with psychopathic traits and the other unable to do ANYTHING of her own independent will... how? How did they manage to coexist for 53 years? I couldn't have done it. The anger at being put on this earth to endure life the way they did... would ruin me.
I understand why people would be fascinated with them and want to know all the details of how their bodies work - I know I do - but how can you write off two intelligent women as nothing more than freaks and something to experiment on? I don't know much about Russia but to think this was allowed? Condoned? What kind of awful place did they have the misfortune to be born in!? And the fact that they were treated so terribly by almost everyone, from a place to live to their deaths... why didn't anyone care!? Why did no one help them? The shock and anger and pain I feel for them just rolls up into numbness at the way they were treated. I am so sorry.
I wish they'd explained more about how Masha was born a psychopath if they're meant to be identical. The way she treated Dasha was had to read and my heart broke for her on every page. I know I keep saying it, but I just can't fathom this story, I cannot comprehend humans treating other humans like this.
It's a profound read, and not at all for the faint hearted. I consistently wanted to put it down after just a few pages because it's a lot to take in and it's heavy. It's a commitment, but a story that should be told. I hope they're at peace now.
But when I finally started reading it, I almost immediately wanted to put it down. Not because it was bad (though it did feel like a slow start) but that because it's uncomfortable to read. It's fictional novelization of a true story, and as I went along I couldn't fathom it was true. It bothered me a lot that I wasn't sure what was true and what wasn't, thinking the author must have exaggerated because what goes on in this book is insane. She says almost all of it is true.
And I'm left at the end, feeling... heavy. It's hard to describe. Numb, almost. Because I cannot in my wildest imagination, imagine what those women went through in their lives. To be literally attached at the hip, one of them with psychopathic traits and the other unable to do ANYTHING of her own independent will... how? How did they manage to coexist for 53 years? I couldn't have done it. The anger at being put on this earth to endure life the way they did... would ruin me.
I understand why people would be fascinated with them and want to know all the details of how their bodies work - I know I do - but how can you write off two intelligent women as nothing more than freaks and something to experiment on? I don't know much about Russia but to think this was allowed? Condoned? What kind of awful place did they have the misfortune to be born in!? And the fact that they were treated so terribly by almost everyone, from a place to live to their deaths... why didn't anyone care!? Why did no one help them? The shock and anger and pain I feel for them just rolls up into numbness at the way they were treated. I am so sorry.
I wish they'd explained more about how Masha was born a psychopath if they're meant to be identical. The way she treated Dasha was had to read and my heart broke for her on every page. I know I keep saying it, but I just can't fathom this story, I cannot comprehend humans treating other humans like this.
It's a profound read, and not at all for the faint hearted. I consistently wanted to put it down after just a few pages because it's a lot to take in and it's heavy. It's a commitment, but a story that should be told. I hope they're at peace now.
November 20, 2019
“You're hopeful one moment and then disappointed the next. You think everything's going well and then there's some change and you realize it wasn't going well at all. You realize it was all going wrong and that you'd been lied to. So then you start all over again, believing it's all going to be right this time. You keep on and on, hoping.” ― Juliet Butler, The Less You Know The Sounder You Sleep
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but it was a pleasant surprise. This is a fictional account of Russia's famous conjoined twins, Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova, born in Moscow in 1950.
It's written by a British journalist who met them and documented their meetings for over a decade. A great number of her notes with the twins have been included in The Less You Know, The Sounder You Sleep to give readers a better idea of how these two women differed despite sharing a lower body.
Masha and Dasha were removed from their mother's care when they were born. They became wards of the State to protect other 'Healthies' from 'Defective' children. This allowed the state to study them in detail. Soviet scientists subjected them to unspeakable testing when they were growing up. They were hidden from the public eye for most of their lives because they lived in a country that could not accept any types of visible flaws.
Back then, 'Defectives' in Russia were removed from their families and placed in institutions where they were further experimented on for medical science.
Butler chose to use Dasha as the narrator of this story because her voice was often overshadowed by Masha's strong personality. Dasha is extremely intelligent, she's gentle and quiet, and she takes the brunt of her sister's constant anger at their situation.
Masha was thought to be a borderline psychopath showing little to no emotion except anger and brutality. She was the dominant twin and often took her anger out on her sister, with many physical and emotional rages carried out on her gentle sister. (The sisters were joined at the waist, but had their own upper torso and nervous systems, but a shared circulatory system.) They were very different individuals and most of their encounters with other people usually ended up as dead-ends because Masha chased them away with her temper and outbreaks.
Butler has also indicated that this biography really doesn't portray the true story. She touches lighly on many aspects of their lives that she witnessed, but no one can really understand what these two sister went through under state care. It's truly heartbreaking to learn of just how much was kept from the twins. They never knew their mother was alive until they became adults. They didn't really remember the experiments that were done on them when they were extremely young, but they knew what they were afraid of. The first people they met in their lives were scientists and they found out later on that the people they thought they could trust could not be trusted at all.
I thought the way this book challenged society's views of disability was quite clever. I also really enjoyed the dialogue between the two sisters, even though we know about Masha's character and the effect it had on her sister. What happened to these two women is heart-breaking and shocking, but this is also a very telling tale of resilience and survival. There is also a constant thread of hope threaded throughout the story - hope that things will get better for them and that their lives will improve.
The twins lived to 53 years of age and spent their entire lives living under scrutiny as wards of the State. Butler's objective with this novel was to show 'Healthy' readers that 'Defectives' are people too.
She wrote this point of view from Dasha's perspective because that is what Dasha wanted: to be loved and understood. To live a normal life and not be called monsters or freaks for being born the way they were born.
You can Google the twins to learn more about them or Google Butler's interviews for first-hand information about her time spent with the twins.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but it was a pleasant surprise. This is a fictional account of Russia's famous conjoined twins, Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova, born in Moscow in 1950.
It's written by a British journalist who met them and documented their meetings for over a decade. A great number of her notes with the twins have been included in The Less You Know, The Sounder You Sleep to give readers a better idea of how these two women differed despite sharing a lower body.
Masha and Dasha were removed from their mother's care when they were born. They became wards of the State to protect other 'Healthies' from 'Defective' children. This allowed the state to study them in detail. Soviet scientists subjected them to unspeakable testing when they were growing up. They were hidden from the public eye for most of their lives because they lived in a country that could not accept any types of visible flaws.
Back then, 'Defectives' in Russia were removed from their families and placed in institutions where they were further experimented on for medical science.
Butler chose to use Dasha as the narrator of this story because her voice was often overshadowed by Masha's strong personality. Dasha is extremely intelligent, she's gentle and quiet, and she takes the brunt of her sister's constant anger at their situation.
Masha was thought to be a borderline psychopath showing little to no emotion except anger and brutality. She was the dominant twin and often took her anger out on her sister, with many physical and emotional rages carried out on her gentle sister. (The sisters were joined at the waist, but had their own upper torso and nervous systems, but a shared circulatory system.) They were very different individuals and most of their encounters with other people usually ended up as dead-ends because Masha chased them away with her temper and outbreaks.
Butler has also indicated that this biography really doesn't portray the true story. She touches lighly on many aspects of their lives that she witnessed, but no one can really understand what these two sister went through under state care. It's truly heartbreaking to learn of just how much was kept from the twins. They never knew their mother was alive until they became adults. They didn't really remember the experiments that were done on them when they were extremely young, but they knew what they were afraid of. The first people they met in their lives were scientists and they found out later on that the people they thought they could trust could not be trusted at all.
I thought the way this book challenged society's views of disability was quite clever. I also really enjoyed the dialogue between the two sisters, even though we know about Masha's character and the effect it had on her sister. What happened to these two women is heart-breaking and shocking, but this is also a very telling tale of resilience and survival. There is also a constant thread of hope threaded throughout the story - hope that things will get better for them and that their lives will improve.
The twins lived to 53 years of age and spent their entire lives living under scrutiny as wards of the State. Butler's objective with this novel was to show 'Healthy' readers that 'Defectives' are people too.
She wrote this point of view from Dasha's perspective because that is what Dasha wanted: to be loved and understood. To live a normal life and not be called monsters or freaks for being born the way they were born.
You can Google the twins to learn more about them or Google Butler's interviews for first-hand information about her time spent with the twins.
April 28, 2018
De cover is heel mooi, maar toch had er beter voor een realistischer cover gekozen kunnen worden, met een, desnoods getekende, siamese tweeling, want daar gaat het boek per slot van rekening over. De titel kan je op meer manieren opvatten, zowel positief alswel negatief.
Al gelijk vanaf de eerste bladzijde in Onafscheidelijk wordt je geraakt door het verhaal dat is geschreven vanuit Dasja. Dasja, een vrouw die waarschijnlijk het meest heeft geleden en waar je alleen maar sympathie voor kan hebben. Je had zo graag gewild dat ze haar dromen kon verwezenlijken. Je hebt te doen met beide vrouwen die niet met, maar ook niet zonder elkaar kunnen. Na het lezen van het verhaal heb je wel meer begrip voor Masja gekregen. Je begrijpt beter waarom ze was zoals ze was.
Onafscheidelijk is een hartverscheurend verhaal van een siamese tweeling die gelijk bij de geboorte bij hun moeder is weggehaald. Langzaamaan kom je steeds meer te weten waarom er zo met ze werd geëxperimenteerd, vooral in het laatste gedeelte kom je erachter wat er echt is gebeurd in hun jeugd, waarom Masja en Dasja bij hun moeder zijn weggehaald. Je komt erachter hoe het is om altijd letterlijk aan elkaar vast te zitten, hoe het is dat je nooit iemand 'privé' kan spreken, hoe eenzaam je kan zijn ook al ben je altijd samen, dat zelfs siamese tweelingen als dag en nacht kunnen verschillen van karakter, hoe men vroeger in Rusland dacht en omging met mensen die gehandicapt waren.
Lees verder op https://surfingann.blogspot.nl/2018/0....
Al gelijk vanaf de eerste bladzijde in Onafscheidelijk wordt je geraakt door het verhaal dat is geschreven vanuit Dasja. Dasja, een vrouw die waarschijnlijk het meest heeft geleden en waar je alleen maar sympathie voor kan hebben. Je had zo graag gewild dat ze haar dromen kon verwezenlijken. Je hebt te doen met beide vrouwen die niet met, maar ook niet zonder elkaar kunnen. Na het lezen van het verhaal heb je wel meer begrip voor Masja gekregen. Je begrijpt beter waarom ze was zoals ze was.
Onafscheidelijk is een hartverscheurend verhaal van een siamese tweeling die gelijk bij de geboorte bij hun moeder is weggehaald. Langzaamaan kom je steeds meer te weten waarom er zo met ze werd geëxperimenteerd, vooral in het laatste gedeelte kom je erachter wat er echt is gebeurd in hun jeugd, waarom Masja en Dasja bij hun moeder zijn weggehaald. Je komt erachter hoe het is om altijd letterlijk aan elkaar vast te zitten, hoe het is dat je nooit iemand 'privé' kan spreken, hoe eenzaam je kan zijn ook al ben je altijd samen, dat zelfs siamese tweelingen als dag en nacht kunnen verschillen van karakter, hoe men vroeger in Rusland dacht en omging met mensen die gehandicapt waren.
Lees verder op https://surfingann.blogspot.nl/2018/0....
October 9, 2017
Juliet Butler felt that the biography she penned with Masha and Dasha - conjoined twins born into 1950's Soviet Russia - didn't portray the real story. It is possible that this fictionalised version of their life doens't either but it is absolutely engaging reading. Not only does it provide an insight into the attitude of the medical profession and Soviet society, but it also gets inside the head of Dasha, the gentle twin of the two and the life she endures at the hands of her more feisty sister. Recommended.
August 22, 2017
An enlightening and interesting read about determination and lies, coming from a personal and real life experience, giving it a more comforting and reliable feel about it. Conjoined twins, Russia under the reign of Putin and something that connects with your feelings, what more could you want?
February 20, 2018
“She says that just because crayons are broken, it doesn’t mean they can’t colour in.” Page 150
November 28, 2019
Meine Meinung
Ein Buch über das Schicksal zweier Frauen, die Unglaubliches und Grausames als medizinische Versuchskaninchen erleben und aushalten mussten!
Wir bekommen den Einblick in das Russland von Stalin bis Gorbatschow und wie man zu dieser Zeit mit Behinderten in der UdSSR umgegangen ist. Denn das Leitmotto war (sinngemäß): “In Russland gibt es keine Behinderten!” So wurden alle körperlich wie auch geistig behinderte Menschen in spezielle Heime weggesperrt. Zudem galt die Überzeugung, dass körperlich behinderte und beeinträchtigte Menschen gleichzeitig auch geistig behindert seien.
Die beiden siamesischen Zwillinge Masha und Dasha wurden nach der Geburt ihrer Mutter weggenommen. Der einfachen Bauersfrau wurde weisgemacht, ihre “Missgeburt”-Kinder wären gestorben, damit man sie in eine Klinik bringen konnte, wo zu medizinischen Zwecken Versuche an ihnen durchgeführt wurden. Bis sie sechs Jahre alt waren mussten sie das alles über sich ergehen lassen. Sie lebten in einem Zimmer, konnten nicht laufen, nicht richtig sitzen und wussten nicht, wie man mit Besteck ist.
Danach führte ihr Weg über ein Kinderheim für Behinderte und nach der Schulausbildung direkt ins Altersheim. Ja, Altersheim und zwar mit ca. 18! Die beiden jungen Frauen inmitten von Alten und Kranken, ohne Perspektive auf ein angemessenes Leben. Dies deprimierte Dasha mehr als Masha, denn erstere war die sensiblere. Während Masha burschikos, keck und dominant war, konnte sich Dasha mit ihrem Leben und der Unterdrückung durch ihre Schwester schlecht arrangieren. Sie versuchte mehr als einmal ihr Leben zu beenden, wurde aber von Masha gestoppt, die ihr dann den Suizid verbot. Somit tröstete Dasha sich mit Wodka und enfloh mittels Akohol der Wirklichkeit und wurde abhängig.
“In der UdSSR war es üblich, schwer behinderte Babys von ihren Eltern zu trennen. Jede Abweichung von der Norm war eine Beleidigung für die Kommunistische Partei, und so wiesen Ärtze den Eltern geistig und körperlich behinderter Kinder an, diese in speziellen Waisenhäusern unterzubringen – in möglichst abgelegenen Heimen, weit entfernt von Blickfeld der Öffentlichkeit.” (Zitat S. 9)
Dies ist inhaltlich kein leichtes Buch, berichtet es doch über Kindesmisshandlung. Darauf war ich nicht gefasst. Glücklicherweise endet dieses Kapitel, nachdem die Zwillinge sechs Jahre alt waren. Aber vergessen kann man es das ganze Buch über nicht.
Ich habe mir nie Gedanken darüber gemacht, wie es körperlich und / oder geistig behinderten Menschen außerhalb von Deutschland geht (ging). Das siamesische Zwillingspaar hatte 1993 die Möglichkeit für 10 Tage nach Deutschland zu reisen und beide Frauen konnten nicht glauben, wie gut es behinderten Menschen in Deutschland ging. Sie wurden nicht beschumpfen und begafft. Man behandelte sie respektvoll und überall in den Heimen gab es Rampen für Rollstühle und umgebaute Badezimmer usw. Dasha wollte gar nicht mehr nach Russland zurück. Diese Reise nach Deutschland zeigte ihr ein Fenster in eine Welt, die es für sie nie geben würde. Danach hatte sie kaum noch Lebenswillen und trank noch mehr.
Das Buch ist sehr lesenswert, zeigt es auf der einen Seite, was für Schicksale manche Menschen erleiden müssen. Andererseits sensibilisiert es den Umgang mit behinderten Menschen und lässt einen erkennen, wie verletztend das Verhalten mancher Menschen auf sie wirkt.
“Im Dienst der Wissenschaft stahl man uns unsere Mutter. Hat je jemand daran gedacht, dass sie darunter leiden würde? Oder was es für uns bedeutete, in Kliniken aufzuwachsen, ohne Liebe ohne Familie? Nein. Denn wir waren eine einmalige Chance für die Wissenschaft, und ind er Sowjetunion wurde dem Dienst an der Wissenschaft alles untergeordnet.” (Zitat S. 12)
Mir gefiel lediglich der Stil der Autorin nicht, wie sie dieses Buch geschrieben hat. Aber vielleicht liegt es auch an der Übersetzung. Hauptsächlich wird in einer wechselnden ich-/wir-Form geschrieben, die aber nicht nur die Sicht von Dasha oder Masha wiedergibt. Zwischendurch lässt die Autorin auch Ärzte, Pflegepersonal usw. in der ich-Form oder über Zitate, direkte Rede zu Wort kommen. So war ich hin und wieder irritiert, wer denn nun erzählt.
Fazit
Ein Buch, das nur im Ausland veröffentlicht wurde und intensive Einblicke in das Leben von den siamesischen Zwillingen Masha und Dasha bietet. Sie wollten der Welt erzählen, wie es ihnen ergangen war und wollten damit eine Lanze für behinderte Menschen brechen, sie sichtbar machen. Absolut lesenswert aber nichts für zarte Gemüter!
Ein Buch über das Schicksal zweier Frauen, die Unglaubliches und Grausames als medizinische Versuchskaninchen erleben und aushalten mussten!
Wir bekommen den Einblick in das Russland von Stalin bis Gorbatschow und wie man zu dieser Zeit mit Behinderten in der UdSSR umgegangen ist. Denn das Leitmotto war (sinngemäß): “In Russland gibt es keine Behinderten!” So wurden alle körperlich wie auch geistig behinderte Menschen in spezielle Heime weggesperrt. Zudem galt die Überzeugung, dass körperlich behinderte und beeinträchtigte Menschen gleichzeitig auch geistig behindert seien.
Die beiden siamesischen Zwillinge Masha und Dasha wurden nach der Geburt ihrer Mutter weggenommen. Der einfachen Bauersfrau wurde weisgemacht, ihre “Missgeburt”-Kinder wären gestorben, damit man sie in eine Klinik bringen konnte, wo zu medizinischen Zwecken Versuche an ihnen durchgeführt wurden. Bis sie sechs Jahre alt waren mussten sie das alles über sich ergehen lassen. Sie lebten in einem Zimmer, konnten nicht laufen, nicht richtig sitzen und wussten nicht, wie man mit Besteck ist.
Danach führte ihr Weg über ein Kinderheim für Behinderte und nach der Schulausbildung direkt ins Altersheim. Ja, Altersheim und zwar mit ca. 18! Die beiden jungen Frauen inmitten von Alten und Kranken, ohne Perspektive auf ein angemessenes Leben. Dies deprimierte Dasha mehr als Masha, denn erstere war die sensiblere. Während Masha burschikos, keck und dominant war, konnte sich Dasha mit ihrem Leben und der Unterdrückung durch ihre Schwester schlecht arrangieren. Sie versuchte mehr als einmal ihr Leben zu beenden, wurde aber von Masha gestoppt, die ihr dann den Suizid verbot. Somit tröstete Dasha sich mit Wodka und enfloh mittels Akohol der Wirklichkeit und wurde abhängig.
“In der UdSSR war es üblich, schwer behinderte Babys von ihren Eltern zu trennen. Jede Abweichung von der Norm war eine Beleidigung für die Kommunistische Partei, und so wiesen Ärtze den Eltern geistig und körperlich behinderter Kinder an, diese in speziellen Waisenhäusern unterzubringen – in möglichst abgelegenen Heimen, weit entfernt von Blickfeld der Öffentlichkeit.” (Zitat S. 9)
Dies ist inhaltlich kein leichtes Buch, berichtet es doch über Kindesmisshandlung. Darauf war ich nicht gefasst. Glücklicherweise endet dieses Kapitel, nachdem die Zwillinge sechs Jahre alt waren. Aber vergessen kann man es das ganze Buch über nicht.
Ich habe mir nie Gedanken darüber gemacht, wie es körperlich und / oder geistig behinderten Menschen außerhalb von Deutschland geht (ging). Das siamesische Zwillingspaar hatte 1993 die Möglichkeit für 10 Tage nach Deutschland zu reisen und beide Frauen konnten nicht glauben, wie gut es behinderten Menschen in Deutschland ging. Sie wurden nicht beschumpfen und begafft. Man behandelte sie respektvoll und überall in den Heimen gab es Rampen für Rollstühle und umgebaute Badezimmer usw. Dasha wollte gar nicht mehr nach Russland zurück. Diese Reise nach Deutschland zeigte ihr ein Fenster in eine Welt, die es für sie nie geben würde. Danach hatte sie kaum noch Lebenswillen und trank noch mehr.
Das Buch ist sehr lesenswert, zeigt es auf der einen Seite, was für Schicksale manche Menschen erleiden müssen. Andererseits sensibilisiert es den Umgang mit behinderten Menschen und lässt einen erkennen, wie verletztend das Verhalten mancher Menschen auf sie wirkt.
“Im Dienst der Wissenschaft stahl man uns unsere Mutter. Hat je jemand daran gedacht, dass sie darunter leiden würde? Oder was es für uns bedeutete, in Kliniken aufzuwachsen, ohne Liebe ohne Familie? Nein. Denn wir waren eine einmalige Chance für die Wissenschaft, und ind er Sowjetunion wurde dem Dienst an der Wissenschaft alles untergeordnet.” (Zitat S. 12)
Mir gefiel lediglich der Stil der Autorin nicht, wie sie dieses Buch geschrieben hat. Aber vielleicht liegt es auch an der Übersetzung. Hauptsächlich wird in einer wechselnden ich-/wir-Form geschrieben, die aber nicht nur die Sicht von Dasha oder Masha wiedergibt. Zwischendurch lässt die Autorin auch Ärzte, Pflegepersonal usw. in der ich-Form oder über Zitate, direkte Rede zu Wort kommen. So war ich hin und wieder irritiert, wer denn nun erzählt.
Fazit
Ein Buch, das nur im Ausland veröffentlicht wurde und intensive Einblicke in das Leben von den siamesischen Zwillingen Masha und Dasha bietet. Sie wollten der Welt erzählen, wie es ihnen ergangen war und wollten damit eine Lanze für behinderte Menschen brechen, sie sichtbar machen. Absolut lesenswert aber nichts für zarte Gemüter!
July 7, 2021
Truly heartbreaking, it aches me how so many brilliant minds are left to be forever caged because people with special needs are mostly shunned away by the society. This book is really interesting, the disturbing experiments sometimes make me forget that Masha and Dasha's story is not fictional. I hope that as our world progresses, so does our treatment to our fellow human beings.
February 28, 2022
I was really fascinated by this story and the horrible circumstances these girls had to live through. But the story seemed to drag on too much for my liking, I found myself getting quite bored despite the interesting subject matter. And Masha annoyed me to the point of almost wanting to DNF the book, even though I could feel for her and could understand why she was who she was. That makes me love the fact that Dasha finally got her voice through this book.
August 18, 2020
I have never cried harder over a book than this one.
December 27, 2021
Finally finished reading this book. I would say this is a rather sad book. It talks about two individuals being experimented upon just because of being conjoined twins. And once the authorities are done experimenting (or more of being banned) with them, they are deemed as invalid and no longer useful for the society. But again hope is always there as they find various ways to make their life better. This book is their story from Dasha’s point of view.
December 2, 2020
I found the writing style of this book to be extremely boring. The author is a journalist and sadly, this may have hampered the way she narrated the story. I had to literally force myself to keep reading in the hope of discussing at least the motivation behind the author. This did not pan out well as I constantly had to read and re-read to stay on track.
I understand the writer wrote from Dasha's perspective to give her a voice but I would have found it more interesting if I had known what motivated Masha to abuse her twin.
I'm conflicted regarding how the author portrays Masha as a psychopath. I wonder if this, even when it is fiction, can even be objective when she's being vilified throughout the story.
What I did find the author did well was provide us with the circumstances of the Soviet Union at the time. The lack of ethics and moral code of medical staff and how the mother of twins was lied to was heinous.
The fact the twins were treated in such a dehumanizing way and still managed to live until they were 53 shows their resilience.
It was heartbreaking when they were finally let out and were called a monster. Sadly, they looked around to see where the monster was.
I had a hard time understanding how it was possible for Dasha to fall in love with a boy while the author says Masha was asexual. If this is fiction, why was Masha made to be the one uninterested in sex?
While this read was not my cup of tea, it did provide exposure to a subject matter I don't generally read.
I understand the writer wrote from Dasha's perspective to give her a voice but I would have found it more interesting if I had known what motivated Masha to abuse her twin.
I'm conflicted regarding how the author portrays Masha as a psychopath. I wonder if this, even when it is fiction, can even be objective when she's being vilified throughout the story.
What I did find the author did well was provide us with the circumstances of the Soviet Union at the time. The lack of ethics and moral code of medical staff and how the mother of twins was lied to was heinous.
The fact the twins were treated in such a dehumanizing way and still managed to live until they were 53 shows their resilience.
It was heartbreaking when they were finally let out and were called a monster. Sadly, they looked around to see where the monster was.
I had a hard time understanding how it was possible for Dasha to fall in love with a boy while the author says Masha was asexual. If this is fiction, why was Masha made to be the one uninterested in sex?
While this read was not my cup of tea, it did provide exposure to a subject matter I don't generally read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2017
'It is our duty to protect them (the healthies) from you... you're not monsters, as such.' This is what these conjoined twins were told as children. Victims of Stalin and his communist world, this book clearly describes the two individual personalities and characters of these twins, thus dispelling any myths about whether or not conjoined twins are one person or two. It is a shocking, but moving, fly- on-the-wall true story of the segregation of disabled children in Russia. This moving book describes how these girls were kept as an experimental research study- paraded naked, although enveloped in humiliation, for others to see; deliberately conscious for surgery in order that doctors could witness their reactions. It is heartbreaking reading but an absolute must read if, for no other reason, for us to truly understand what life can be like for disabled people, to take away the fear on our part and to instead bring out our empathy and compassion. This beautifully written book reduced me to tears on many occasions and I was sobbing by the end of it as, obviously, there can be no happy ending. Read it out of respect for these girls and in order that they will be remembered........
August 19, 2019
Written by a journalist who knew them, this book tells the true story of conjoined twins, Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova, as they try to gain independence but are sent from institution to institution throughout their lives. The story is set against the backdrop of the Soviet Union from the 1950s- early 2000s and looks at the treatment of those with differences and disabilities throughout Stalin’s communism and into Putin’s democracy. At the heart of the book is the conflict between Masha and Dasha themselves- two INCREDIBLY different women who are together through everything. It is a harrowing and deeply interesting story of difference, survival, and trying to find a sense of family in horrific conditions. One of the best books I’ve read this year, and maybe ever.
April 26, 2021
My heartaches for these two strong women. They were born under the most torturous and inconvenient circumstances and they still prevailed.
This is a really inspiring book. If like Dasha, you have spent your entire life trying to please others and shutting your mouth instead of using your voice, then you will find the power to be courageous after reading this book.
It's a really good read because it tells the perspective of people with disabilities and how they are so much like any one of us.
Lastly, it inspires you to not stand by the title "the less you knows the sounder you sleep". It speaks to you to know more, to be brave and fight for your rights as a human despite of your misgivings or restrictions.
This is a really inspiring book. If like Dasha, you have spent your entire life trying to please others and shutting your mouth instead of using your voice, then you will find the power to be courageous after reading this book.
It's a really good read because it tells the perspective of people with disabilities and how they are so much like any one of us.
Lastly, it inspires you to not stand by the title "the less you knows the sounder you sleep". It speaks to you to know more, to be brave and fight for your rights as a human despite of your misgivings or restrictions.
January 26, 2025
A heartbreaking story based on the real lives of Russian conjoined twins. It is also an eye opening insight into the horrors of state care in Russia, which it seems hasn’t improved over the decades. The story follows their 53 years and the history of Russia over that time. Sad and fascinating in equal measure. Recommended.
August 14, 2024
Such an incredibly sad story - all the more so when you realize that it happened and not too long ago. How sad tgat people are the victims not only of their own fate but also of the ideological milieu they find themselves in.
February 13, 2022
Heartbreaking 💔
May 29, 2017
‘The less you know you the sounder you sleep’ by Juliet Butler is a compelling and beautiful novel surrounding the tale of two conjoined twins growing up in Soviet Russia.
Whilst the novel is multifaceted in message, undoubtedly one of the most striking elements is the relationship between the conjoined twins – opposite in almost entirely every way excluding their biology. Both protagonist and antagonist share a body, which makes for a mesmerizing, yet at times troubling, read for the observer. Yet in spite of their frequently volatile relationship, the twins act as the only constant throughout the story – battling a severe and tumultuous socio-political climate within the microcosm of their own journey. While the intrigue of this combination of surreal events play out, the author maintains an astounding juxtaposition between events and the grounded perspective of the central character, Dasha. It could even be argued that the twins are demonstrative of the internal turmoil and identity crisis the USSR/Russia experienced as it exchanged divergent leaders and ideologies that ultimately led to the fall of the Soviet Union and it’s subsequent rebirth under the malleable narrative of Putin. Whilst the relationship of the twins is troubled, it is speckled with important and touching moments that allow the reader to empathize with Dasha’s, at times frustrating, reluctance to overrule her abusive sibling. While this bond ultimately drives the narrative, it certainly doesn't complete the thematic spectrum of the novel.
Disability is an inevitable focus of the book, but the remarkable way in which the author depicts these characters, not by their physical limitations but rather their souls, is a deliberate tool; yet the significance of this only becomes apparent by the end. This unique and compassionate perspective on an under-represented aspect of modern literature makes for a refreshing take on a pressing issue within 21st century society. If one reflects on the number of literary hero/ines of limited physical expediency, even within our time, the list is woefully short; particularly when examined within the historical context of this novel. The narrative is undoubtedly at times painful to read, in a not dissimilar sense of despair and veracity that Arundhati Roy provokes in her critically acclaimed 'God of small Things.'
One of the inescapable, and more uplifting, aspects of the book is the tale of female empowerment. The book is inundated with powerful women, even when taken in a contextual sense; from the twins own uniquely powerful yet paradoxical personalities, to the intelligent women they surround themselves with, to the powerful mother-figures they both seem to so desperately seek. It could even be argued that the divergent nature of the separate personalities of the twins tackles the ultimate dichotomy of womanhood in the 21st century; dominant bitch versus empathetic nurturer. Ultimately, the book speaks to me of female strife in a world where everything, including their fundamental biology, is set against them; and the way in which they overcome these immense challenges, and subsequently their survival, is inherently tied to the relationships they forge with other strong female characters. Not totally irredeemable with the narrative that rules 21st century women today. This trans-generational element is another appealing aspect of the novel, particularly when taken in the context of modern times.
The plot and pace of the story is captivating and has much more than the confines of this review to analyse. The writing itself is a concrete accomplishment, extremely illustrative with well-developed characters and dialogue. The hugely evolved voice of Dasha is a particularly strong achievement and a key element of the story - as the author eventually reveals.
My final takeaway of this sad, yet beautiful, tale lies with the unrelenting will of the ferocious female protagonist, portrayed veraciously by perhaps the only voice that knew her well. Set in the impassioned, yet flawed, backdrop of a society that came closest to implementing that ultimate goal of human equity, yet also demonstrating the largest recorded human rights violation in modern history. It is this unique, grounded and intriguing insight that compels the reader; through the shockingly patriotic perspective of a thoroughly marginalised group within propagandised Soviet society; into the life of an inescapable and abusive relationship; and into the everyday rationale that governs us all as human beings in a non-linear world. Juliet Butler's 'The less you know the sounder you sleep' is a tragically beautiful story, and one that I would thoroughly recommend for anyone with an interest in the complex and fragile narrative of the micro versus the macro.
Whilst the novel is multifaceted in message, undoubtedly one of the most striking elements is the relationship between the conjoined twins – opposite in almost entirely every way excluding their biology. Both protagonist and antagonist share a body, which makes for a mesmerizing, yet at times troubling, read for the observer. Yet in spite of their frequently volatile relationship, the twins act as the only constant throughout the story – battling a severe and tumultuous socio-political climate within the microcosm of their own journey. While the intrigue of this combination of surreal events play out, the author maintains an astounding juxtaposition between events and the grounded perspective of the central character, Dasha. It could even be argued that the twins are demonstrative of the internal turmoil and identity crisis the USSR/Russia experienced as it exchanged divergent leaders and ideologies that ultimately led to the fall of the Soviet Union and it’s subsequent rebirth under the malleable narrative of Putin. Whilst the relationship of the twins is troubled, it is speckled with important and touching moments that allow the reader to empathize with Dasha’s, at times frustrating, reluctance to overrule her abusive sibling. While this bond ultimately drives the narrative, it certainly doesn't complete the thematic spectrum of the novel.
Disability is an inevitable focus of the book, but the remarkable way in which the author depicts these characters, not by their physical limitations but rather their souls, is a deliberate tool; yet the significance of this only becomes apparent by the end. This unique and compassionate perspective on an under-represented aspect of modern literature makes for a refreshing take on a pressing issue within 21st century society. If one reflects on the number of literary hero/ines of limited physical expediency, even within our time, the list is woefully short; particularly when examined within the historical context of this novel. The narrative is undoubtedly at times painful to read, in a not dissimilar sense of despair and veracity that Arundhati Roy provokes in her critically acclaimed 'God of small Things.'
One of the inescapable, and more uplifting, aspects of the book is the tale of female empowerment. The book is inundated with powerful women, even when taken in a contextual sense; from the twins own uniquely powerful yet paradoxical personalities, to the intelligent women they surround themselves with, to the powerful mother-figures they both seem to so desperately seek. It could even be argued that the divergent nature of the separate personalities of the twins tackles the ultimate dichotomy of womanhood in the 21st century; dominant bitch versus empathetic nurturer. Ultimately, the book speaks to me of female strife in a world where everything, including their fundamental biology, is set against them; and the way in which they overcome these immense challenges, and subsequently their survival, is inherently tied to the relationships they forge with other strong female characters. Not totally irredeemable with the narrative that rules 21st century women today. This trans-generational element is another appealing aspect of the novel, particularly when taken in the context of modern times.
The plot and pace of the story is captivating and has much more than the confines of this review to analyse. The writing itself is a concrete accomplishment, extremely illustrative with well-developed characters and dialogue. The hugely evolved voice of Dasha is a particularly strong achievement and a key element of the story - as the author eventually reveals.
My final takeaway of this sad, yet beautiful, tale lies with the unrelenting will of the ferocious female protagonist, portrayed veraciously by perhaps the only voice that knew her well. Set in the impassioned, yet flawed, backdrop of a society that came closest to implementing that ultimate goal of human equity, yet also demonstrating the largest recorded human rights violation in modern history. It is this unique, grounded and intriguing insight that compels the reader; through the shockingly patriotic perspective of a thoroughly marginalised group within propagandised Soviet society; into the life of an inescapable and abusive relationship; and into the everyday rationale that governs us all as human beings in a non-linear world. Juliet Butler's 'The less you know the sounder you sleep' is a tragically beautiful story, and one that I would thoroughly recommend for anyone with an interest in the complex and fragile narrative of the micro versus the macro.
August 5, 2017
'The Less You Know, The Sounder You Sleep' is the enlightening, curiosity-sating, shocking and ultimately heartbreaking story of Masha and Dasha - Russian twins who were conjoined at birth and remained conjoined in death - and written with clear, deep respect and love by a woman who knew them personally. It is a must-read for anybody who appreciates an intimate, inside-view of real, fascinating, unimaginable lives, and appeals just as relatably to those who have experienced or witnessed discrimination of any kind.
Set in Soviet Russia, commencing in the 1950s, the story follows the twins through their early years and their all-too-brief (yet record-breaking) adulthoods until, ultimately, their deaths in 2003. We witness their battle to be accepted, and their unending and sadly often fruitless determination to understand why they are not; we read of their encounters with bullies, both in childhood and adulthood; we watch them fall in love, be subjected to experiments and treated like animals by scientists, and see them rejected by both friends and professionals as they unknowingly fight to be understood. The book is riddled with weighty nods to the 20th century Russian healthcare system, and an intimate vision into societal perspectives on the physically and mentally fit and unfit (or 'healthies' versus 'defectives', as they were labelled), and is as heartwarming as it is shocking. The reflections on Russian politics at the head of each chapter, which show unrest and change as the years go by, not only offer an informative aid to those of us who might be a little less informed on our Russian history, but give light to so much of what influenced the twins' lives, and make the novel inimitable in its delivery. All of this said, Masha and Dasha's story is not only one of political, social and cultural poignancy - it is deeply, soul-warmingly (and soul-crushingly) personal.
Juliet Butler's decision to write solely from Dasha's perspective means we, as readers, are privileged to borrow a profound insight into the emotional state of both girls, but of Dasha particularly. Dasha being the more submissive of the twins, her story is at once a beautiful and painfully ugly mirror that reflects the world around her, while her sweet, childlike reflections offer the reader empathy and light from the very moment we meet her. Through the author's meticulously considered depictions of Dasha's world, we feel we begin to know Dasha ourselves. She offers us so much to relate to, despite her unimaginable struggles; so many of us - at some point in our lives, and to some degree - have been Dasha. Her vulnerability, naivety and deep desire to trust those around her is endearing at the very least, and heartbreaking at the very worst, and it's those sweet, almost poetic reflections on the world around her that draw you in from the very beginning and keep you gripped until the tragic end. That personal touch makes this book accessible to anybody of any age and from any place in the world, and gives a beautiful balance of humour and heartbreak.
Beautifully and sensitively written, and clearly with tremendous care for these two phenomenally brave women, 'The Less You Know, The Sounder you Sleep' will enlighten and inspire for years to come. It was a joy and an honour to read.
Set in Soviet Russia, commencing in the 1950s, the story follows the twins through their early years and their all-too-brief (yet record-breaking) adulthoods until, ultimately, their deaths in 2003. We witness their battle to be accepted, and their unending and sadly often fruitless determination to understand why they are not; we read of their encounters with bullies, both in childhood and adulthood; we watch them fall in love, be subjected to experiments and treated like animals by scientists, and see them rejected by both friends and professionals as they unknowingly fight to be understood. The book is riddled with weighty nods to the 20th century Russian healthcare system, and an intimate vision into societal perspectives on the physically and mentally fit and unfit (or 'healthies' versus 'defectives', as they were labelled), and is as heartwarming as it is shocking. The reflections on Russian politics at the head of each chapter, which show unrest and change as the years go by, not only offer an informative aid to those of us who might be a little less informed on our Russian history, but give light to so much of what influenced the twins' lives, and make the novel inimitable in its delivery. All of this said, Masha and Dasha's story is not only one of political, social and cultural poignancy - it is deeply, soul-warmingly (and soul-crushingly) personal.
Juliet Butler's decision to write solely from Dasha's perspective means we, as readers, are privileged to borrow a profound insight into the emotional state of both girls, but of Dasha particularly. Dasha being the more submissive of the twins, her story is at once a beautiful and painfully ugly mirror that reflects the world around her, while her sweet, childlike reflections offer the reader empathy and light from the very moment we meet her. Through the author's meticulously considered depictions of Dasha's world, we feel we begin to know Dasha ourselves. She offers us so much to relate to, despite her unimaginable struggles; so many of us - at some point in our lives, and to some degree - have been Dasha. Her vulnerability, naivety and deep desire to trust those around her is endearing at the very least, and heartbreaking at the very worst, and it's those sweet, almost poetic reflections on the world around her that draw you in from the very beginning and keep you gripped until the tragic end. That personal touch makes this book accessible to anybody of any age and from any place in the world, and gives a beautiful balance of humour and heartbreak.
Beautifully and sensitively written, and clearly with tremendous care for these two phenomenally brave women, 'The Less You Know, The Sounder you Sleep' will enlighten and inspire for years to come. It was a joy and an honour to read.
December 21, 2018
This is a beautifully written, captivating and unique story.
This book tells the tale of Siamese twins growing up in Soviet Russia.
I was gripped from the start, falling through the pages, curious to see their story unfold. Why are they conjoined? What does that mean for their future?
Not only does Dasha's voice provide incredible insight into how it must feel to be conjoined, throughout their story the author has woven historical events about Russian communism. Which I found fascinating.
The layering of the twins' story and the national narrative builds into a powerful metaphor around imperfections - and how we as a society respond to what is and isn't 'normal'.
I went through so many emotions reading this book. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I felt numb. I frantically googled parts to find with shock how real it all was. I learnt so much.
So yes, the less you know the sounder you sleep. But now I've read this story my eyes are wide open. And isn't that how all great books make us feel?
This book tells the tale of Siamese twins growing up in Soviet Russia.
I was gripped from the start, falling through the pages, curious to see their story unfold. Why are they conjoined? What does that mean for their future?
Not only does Dasha's voice provide incredible insight into how it must feel to be conjoined, throughout their story the author has woven historical events about Russian communism. Which I found fascinating.
The layering of the twins' story and the national narrative builds into a powerful metaphor around imperfections - and how we as a society respond to what is and isn't 'normal'.
I went through so many emotions reading this book. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I felt numb. I frantically googled parts to find with shock how real it all was. I learnt so much.
So yes, the less you know the sounder you sleep. But now I've read this story my eyes are wide open. And isn't that how all great books make us feel?
February 2, 2021
First of all, I'd like to say that this book was really a different experience since it made me see life in the perspective of conjoined twins. This book was quite heavy to read with how people see the twins with disgust and in a degrading way. It's also sad to read about how the twins lived a different life and that they were deprived of having a normal one. I feel so sorry for Masha and Dasha that they were born that way and with how different doctors have conducted experiments on them which were acceptable at that time. The political themes in this book are strong and are well integrated from Communism to Democracy. After reading this book, I felt really sad for the twins for the life they lived but happy that they have lived a long one. It truly is a wonder to think that this book is based on real life.
*SPOILER*
It was heartbreaking to read about their real mother not knowing that her daughters are alive.
One of the best moments for me is about Slava and Dasha's relationship.
*SPOILER*
It was heartbreaking to read about their real mother not knowing that her daughters are alive.
One of the best moments for me is about Slava and Dasha's relationship.
October 29, 2017
*I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway!*
This is an incredible read that is set against the political backdrop of Russia in the 1950s, Where conjoined twins Masha and Dasha were raised by scientists in research institutes and subjected to what is now considered prolonged medical torture. Their story is one of being physically attached to your opposite, to someone who beats and hurts you. Most narratives of conjoined twins show a closeness, a love despite differences, however Butler explores this disparity between Masha and Dasha, and the dangerous corners of their relationship. Told from Dasha’s point of view, Butler gives a voice to the twin constantly diminished and controlled by her sister. Not only does Dasha's voice provide incredible insight into how it must feel to be conjoined, Throughout the story the author has woven historical events about Russian communism. This is a unique and true story which is told beautifully and sensitively, A real page-turner that I would recommend to anyone.
This is an incredible read that is set against the political backdrop of Russia in the 1950s, Where conjoined twins Masha and Dasha were raised by scientists in research institutes and subjected to what is now considered prolonged medical torture. Their story is one of being physically attached to your opposite, to someone who beats and hurts you. Most narratives of conjoined twins show a closeness, a love despite differences, however Butler explores this disparity between Masha and Dasha, and the dangerous corners of their relationship. Told from Dasha’s point of view, Butler gives a voice to the twin constantly diminished and controlled by her sister. Not only does Dasha's voice provide incredible insight into how it must feel to be conjoined, Throughout the story the author has woven historical events about Russian communism. This is a unique and true story which is told beautifully and sensitively, A real page-turner that I would recommend to anyone.
July 12, 2017
Entering the world of Masha and Dasha, one is plunged into a life story on the fringes of endurance - something incomprehensible to the rest of us; somehow taboo and extremely rare.
One is subjected to horror and revulsion mixed with empathy and hope yet all through the resilience of their human spirit shines out like a beacon.
The twins' story shows how far we have come on the road to compassion; not just in Russia but the human family as a whole. Aristotle is reputed to have said that a society can be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members. However, just as it takes huge distances to change the course of a supertanker similarly it will take the vast Soviet Union time to change the way that they look after those with a disability.
I believe that Vladimir Putin has the strength and the will to improve their lives and will gradually change these things for the better. This brave book may help towards this end, in the way that lancing a boil leads to healing. I hope so, then these remarkable lives of pain and sadness will not have been lived in vain.
One is subjected to horror and revulsion mixed with empathy and hope yet all through the resilience of their human spirit shines out like a beacon.
The twins' story shows how far we have come on the road to compassion; not just in Russia but the human family as a whole. Aristotle is reputed to have said that a society can be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members. However, just as it takes huge distances to change the course of a supertanker similarly it will take the vast Soviet Union time to change the way that they look after those with a disability.
I believe that Vladimir Putin has the strength and the will to improve their lives and will gradually change these things for the better. This brave book may help towards this end, in the way that lancing a boil leads to healing. I hope so, then these remarkable lives of pain and sadness will not have been lived in vain.
September 8, 2017
I RECIVED THIS BOOK THROUGH GOODREADS GIVE AWAYS. I THOUGHT IT WAS BRILLIANT. I NEVER LOST INTEREST AND IT WAS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. IT WAS VERY SAD IN PARTS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK IT IS NOT THAT LONG AGO. IT WAS EDUCATIONAL REGARDING WHO WAS IN CHARGE IN RUSSIA DURING THE DIFFERENT YEARS AND THEIR IDEAS OF PROGRESS AND RESEARCH. I HAD A LOT OF SYMPATHY FOR DASHA WHO FOR MOST OF HER LIFE WAS BULLIED BY MASHA WHO NO DOUBT DID LOVE HER DESPITE HER CRUEL SELFISH WAYS. IT IS TERRIBLE TO THINK OF THEIR LAST HOURS - SO ALONE AND DESPERATE. IT IS A WAKE UP CALL TO PEOPLE WHO ONLY SEE PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND NOT THE PERSON.
October 1, 2017
Throughout all the pain and the suffering the cruelty and the horror
the part that will remain with me forever was that the twins were blind to other's disabilities.
What a heartwarming characteristic.
Learning the truth about Slava in the notes at the end of the book made such an impact.
.
the part that will remain with me forever was that the twins were blind to other's disabilities.
What a heartwarming characteristic.
Learning the truth about Slava in the notes at the end of the book made such an impact.
.
February 7, 2019
This was a well-written and researched story about two amazing women and the various nurses and scientists who worked on and with them. They lived an eventful and harrowing life through a significant period in Russia. I was amazed at the strength, tenacity and individuality of Masha and Dasha. Also, the many top level Russian scientists who were women in that era was impressive. I recommend the book wholeheartedly.
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