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Doppelganger
Doppelgangers are monsters, hardwired for murder.They are not supposed to have doubts, but this one does. He wishes he could be different. More human, maybe. But even that can't stop him from killing people so he can take their places and live their lives. He has to do it; it's who he is.But when the doppelganger murders a small-town teenager, assumes his shape, and takes over his life, he's shocked by the world he steps into. Engulfed in a whirlwind of peer pressure, messy family dynamics, and a provocative relationship with a beautiful girl, he quickly learns that there's more than one way to be human, and many ways to be a monster.Told in the tortured voice of a most extraordinary teen, this contemporary gothic romance brews a captivating combination of violence, desire, and atonement. Here is the story of a monster yearning for a human life.
258 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2006
29 people are currently reading
1146 people want to read
About the author
David Stahler Jr.
8 books39 followersDavid Stahler Jr. is a fourth-generation Vermonter who, in addition to writing, teaches at his alma mater, Lyndon Institute, in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
An author of YA Fiction across a variety of genres with an emphasis on the strange and supernatural, his books include the TRUESIGHT trilogy (a science fiction series with a dystopian bent), DOPPELGANGER, A GATHERING OF SHADES, and SPINNING OUT.
His work has received several awards and accolades--including a Best Book Award from the American Library Association, Le Prix Farniente, and numerous state reading list selections--and has been translated into French, Italian, and Chinese.
An author of YA Fiction across a variety of genres with an emphasis on the strange and supernatural, his books include the TRUESIGHT trilogy (a science fiction series with a dystopian bent), DOPPELGANGER, A GATHERING OF SHADES, and SPINNING OUT.
His work has received several awards and accolades--including a Best Book Award from the American Library Association, Le Prix Farniente, and numerous state reading list selections--and has been translated into French, Italian, and Chinese.
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June 24, 2014(This review is from 2007.)
A friend of mine likes to complain about manga (no, this book isn’t manga, but stay with me.) He says that all of the plots are the same because they all seem to take place in some high school setting, plus some wacky concept. It’s ninjas in high school, or aliens in high school, or robots in high school, etc. At first, when he’d say this, I’d nod my head—it does seem like a lot of those mangas take place in the same setting. Why don’t they get original already?
Then I started reading young adult literature a little bit more. Eventually, I ended up writing a young adult book (only to later find that I’d written middle grade, but that’s another story). I’m still interested in the genre, as it didn’t ‘exist’ when I was a young adult. (Or, it did, but it wasn’t considered it’s own genre—there was only the adult section and the children’s section, no specific teen section.)
The more I read, the more I understood why so many books and graphic novels in this genre take place in schools. It’s because that is where the conflict is for their readership. It’s not unoriginal to set a book for high school students in a high school—any more than it would be unoriginal to have epic fantasy characters have jobs.
Why do I say this? Well, you may have noticed on the blog that I’ve been reading a book called Doppelganger recently. It’s a dark urban (i.e. horror) fantasy book about a shapshifter. Who goes to high school.
That’s the plot, in a nutshell—but, that doesn’t really describe how good this book is. It’s about a creature who has to kill humans and take their shapes. It’s built into him; it’s what his race does. Yet, this one is brand new at it, having just reached his maturity. At sixteen, he makes his first few kills, and unwittingly ends up in the life of a troubled teen with a terrible home life and a whole ton of conflict.
He has to take over being the star player of the local football team, and step into the shoes of what everyone thinks is the guy who had the perfect life. Only, that doesn’t take into account the abusive father (who is surprisingly well drawn and sympathetic), the girlfriend who secretly hates him (and whom the doppelganger finds himself coming to love), and the doppelganger’s own guilt at having killed a man he feels didn’t deserve it.
The book is awesome. It explores what it is to be human, and what it is to not be human. It’s told with a very strong first-person viewpoint, the narrative of the monster himself, as he deals with what he’s driven to do—and struggles to understand the lives of the humans around him even as he imitates one of them. It’s beautiful at times, poignant at times, and very well paced. The middle is stronger than the end, but the whole thing is extremely well written and compelling.
So, I recommend it. If you’ve read my reviews here before, you’ll know that I don’t tend to write reviews about the books I don't like. I figure that as a professional courtesy, I don’t need to give bad publicity to the books I didn’t enjoy, and instead prefer to focus on giving good publicity to those that I do. This book, from what I’ve heard, hasn’t gotten the buzz and attention it deserves. And, even if it has, it deserves more. Give it a read, if you get the chance.
A friend of mine likes to complain about manga (no, this book isn’t manga, but stay with me.) He says that all of the plots are the same because they all seem to take place in some high school setting, plus some wacky concept. It’s ninjas in high school, or aliens in high school, or robots in high school, etc. At first, when he’d say this, I’d nod my head—it does seem like a lot of those mangas take place in the same setting. Why don’t they get original already?
Then I started reading young adult literature a little bit more. Eventually, I ended up writing a young adult book (only to later find that I’d written middle grade, but that’s another story). I’m still interested in the genre, as it didn’t ‘exist’ when I was a young adult. (Or, it did, but it wasn’t considered it’s own genre—there was only the adult section and the children’s section, no specific teen section.)
The more I read, the more I understood why so many books and graphic novels in this genre take place in schools. It’s because that is where the conflict is for their readership. It’s not unoriginal to set a book for high school students in a high school—any more than it would be unoriginal to have epic fantasy characters have jobs.
Why do I say this? Well, you may have noticed on the blog that I’ve been reading a book called Doppelganger recently. It’s a dark urban (i.e. horror) fantasy book about a shapshifter. Who goes to high school.
That’s the plot, in a nutshell—but, that doesn’t really describe how good this book is. It’s about a creature who has to kill humans and take their shapes. It’s built into him; it’s what his race does. Yet, this one is brand new at it, having just reached his maturity. At sixteen, he makes his first few kills, and unwittingly ends up in the life of a troubled teen with a terrible home life and a whole ton of conflict.
He has to take over being the star player of the local football team, and step into the shoes of what everyone thinks is the guy who had the perfect life. Only, that doesn’t take into account the abusive father (who is surprisingly well drawn and sympathetic), the girlfriend who secretly hates him (and whom the doppelganger finds himself coming to love), and the doppelganger’s own guilt at having killed a man he feels didn’t deserve it.
The book is awesome. It explores what it is to be human, and what it is to not be human. It’s told with a very strong first-person viewpoint, the narrative of the monster himself, as he deals with what he’s driven to do—and struggles to understand the lives of the humans around him even as he imitates one of them. It’s beautiful at times, poignant at times, and very well paced. The middle is stronger than the end, but the whole thing is extremely well written and compelling.
So, I recommend it. If you’ve read my reviews here before, you’ll know that I don’t tend to write reviews about the books I don't like. I figure that as a professional courtesy, I don’t need to give bad publicity to the books I didn’t enjoy, and instead prefer to focus on giving good publicity to those that I do. This book, from what I’ve heard, hasn’t gotten the buzz and attention it deserves. And, even if it has, it deserves more. Give it a read, if you get the chance.
November 13, 2012
Reviewed by Karin Perry for TeensReadToo.com
"He" doesn't have a name. "He" isn't one of us. "His" species lives among ours without us even knowing. "He" is a monster. "He" is a doppelganger. A doppelganger is a shape shifter, but before a person can be copied, they must be dead.
Growing up, he lived in an isolated cabin in the woods with only his mother and television for company. He spent much of his time alone reading because his mother went out to change skins often. He never knew what she was going to look like when she came home. Finally, at the age of sixteen, his mother kicked him out. She didn't want to be tied down to him any more and felt he was old enough to take care of himself.
At first when he leaves the cabin he is frightened. He'd never killed before, but knew he couldn't survive looking like his true self. He hears a train in the distance and approaches it, not knowing what he'd find. A hobo, who isn't well, happens to be riding the rails. He puts his hands around the hobo's neck and kills him, then assumes his form, leaving the dead man on the train to be discovered later. He spends several weeks in the hobo's form, traveling from town to town, but when he stops in Bakersville his life takes a turn he's not prepared for.
While sitting by a fire on the edge of town as the hobo, he is approached by three high school boys who start to poke fun and be cruel to him. Two of the boys lose interest and leave because one boy in particular, Chris, starts to go over the line and looks like he is going to harm the hobo. Once the other two leave, "he" kills Chris, wraps his body in plastic, stuffs him in a storm drain, and assumes his shape. Once in Chris' skin, he heads back to meet the other two boys and goes home.
As Chris, he falls in love, feels some family attachment, and learns that humans can be monsters, too. Once you get into this story, you won't be able to put it down. David Stahler has written a fantastic young adult fantasy that will have you questioning the definition of good and evil.
"He" doesn't have a name. "He" isn't one of us. "His" species lives among ours without us even knowing. "He" is a monster. "He" is a doppelganger. A doppelganger is a shape shifter, but before a person can be copied, they must be dead.
Growing up, he lived in an isolated cabin in the woods with only his mother and television for company. He spent much of his time alone reading because his mother went out to change skins often. He never knew what she was going to look like when she came home. Finally, at the age of sixteen, his mother kicked him out. She didn't want to be tied down to him any more and felt he was old enough to take care of himself.
At first when he leaves the cabin he is frightened. He'd never killed before, but knew he couldn't survive looking like his true self. He hears a train in the distance and approaches it, not knowing what he'd find. A hobo, who isn't well, happens to be riding the rails. He puts his hands around the hobo's neck and kills him, then assumes his form, leaving the dead man on the train to be discovered later. He spends several weeks in the hobo's form, traveling from town to town, but when he stops in Bakersville his life takes a turn he's not prepared for.
While sitting by a fire on the edge of town as the hobo, he is approached by three high school boys who start to poke fun and be cruel to him. Two of the boys lose interest and leave because one boy in particular, Chris, starts to go over the line and looks like he is going to harm the hobo. Once the other two leave, "he" kills Chris, wraps his body in plastic, stuffs him in a storm drain, and assumes his shape. Once in Chris' skin, he heads back to meet the other two boys and goes home.
As Chris, he falls in love, feels some family attachment, and learns that humans can be monsters, too. Once you get into this story, you won't be able to put it down. David Stahler has written a fantastic young adult fantasy that will have you questioning the definition of good and evil.
August 15, 2016
The beginning was good, but the story slowly got less interesting as it went on. The idea is very cool, but the author didn't do as much with it as he could have- we know about as much about doppelgangers at the end of the book as we did at the beginning. The relationship between the main character and his girlfriend is underdeveloped, as is the main character. Nothing really significant happened to the main character or to the Parker family, which made the whole story feel sort of pointless.
April 16, 2024
Such a good book, but I wish I never read it. Don't like open ended endings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2014
This was the best book I have ever read. I couldn't stop reading it. I liked everything about it. I started balling at the end and I don't want to read any other book, it kind of put me in this terrible sadness and I can't stop thinking about the end, I wish there was a sequel to it. I would like to know what happens to him, what happens to his family, what happens to Amber. He just left them... I feel like I fell in love with him. I never wanted it to end. I wish that they could stay together, somehow. His family was just starting to be normal, then he leaves them, they'll never know what happened because he burried Chris. If I were Amber I would probably go insane. They were so deeply in love, and then he had to leave. I wish he could stay as Chris forever. I wish that it didn't end, it really upsets me. I read it in 5 days because it was so good. It's the only thing I wanted to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 / 5
Listened via Audible.
The Details:
Narrated by Brad Raimondo
Unabridged
It's free on Audible, and I think I had only read one changeling/doppelganger book before (which I hated), so I thought I'd give this a try.
They dropped the F-slur early on, and had so much of that super toxic masculinity, which shocked me - totally not needed.
Other than that, it certainly kept me gripped...
I was quite shocked when it was over. It felt quite abrupt. I was really expecting to see more lives lived, but that would have got repetitive fast.
Overall, this was an entertaining read, that kept my attention for the day and a bit I was in this world.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
Listened via Audible.
The Details:
Narrated by Brad Raimondo
Unabridged
It's free on Audible, and I think I had only read one changeling/doppelganger book before (which I hated), so I thought I'd give this a try.
They dropped the F-slur early on, and had so much of that super toxic masculinity, which shocked me - totally not needed.
Other than that, it certainly kept me gripped...
I was quite shocked when it was over. It felt quite abrupt. I was really expecting to see more lives lived, but that would have got repetitive fast.
Overall, this was an entertaining read, that kept my attention for the day and a bit I was in this world.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
March 1, 2016
The book Doppelganger by David Stahler Jr. was a great book. The author made the characters come to life and the setting really helped out how dark the book really is. The plot really set the mood and made me feel the pain that the characters were going through. Everyone should read this book. I finished the book really fast because I just had to know what was going to happen next. The ending was not how I expected it to be and I like books like that so then it surprises me. The book is about a teenager boy who is a doppelganger. Doppelgangers aren’t qualified as human, they are more like monsters. They kill people. They stalk you and find out everything about you and once they have figured out your life then they will kill you in secret and take your life. But things get a little tough when one doppelganger has a human father and a doppleganger mom. It hardly ever happens but it did for this one doppelganger…This book was definitely worth reading and I really liked it.
The characters were described well. I could actually picture what they looked like and how they all acted. Some of the characters I actually felt bad for. The main character was my favorite because he was described the best and you actually got to really know his personality well. The author told what doppelgangers are and how they acted. “Most important is that we’re shape-shifters. We can change the way we look, the sound of our voice; we can even change our sex, though we usually prefer not to. We’re like chameleons, but taken to a higher level.” The author told me what a doppelganger can do. If the author hadn’t done a great job of describing the characters then I don't think that I wouldn't have finished the book, the characters brought the book to life for me and probably for everyone else who read this book.
The way the author set up the plot worked very well for this book. He had many plot twists and the setting was set up good too. In alleys, corners, dark railroads and after hours. And it set the mood for scariness. The author shows what it's really like to be a monster. In most books that I have read, the start is all happy and normal and then gets darker. But in the book Doppelganger it starts off dark and kinda just stays that way. I never really thought I would like a book like this, but the author made it interesting and he made the darkness work throughout the story. It was also one of those books that the first page gets me hooked into the book. The middle of the book was more about family issues but then what happened with his family contributed to the rest of the book and made it more believable. I feel like the author wrote this book to tell about what it’s like to not fit in, be different than most people and some people think that they are different than the human race. I don't know if that's why he wrote it but that's just my opinion and that's what I thought when I finished the book.
The story takes place in mostly small towns, but once the main character gets to Bakersville, his life changes. The way David stahler wrote about the setting made the story come to life for me. The setting had the characters act the way they did. The main character was raised in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Most of the setting took place in creepy places such as railroads and in the woods at night time. Since the main character was raised in a lonely cabin with his mother who would keep leaving and then left forever, that affects how he acts. The doppelgangers kill in quiet dark places where people don’t go. The author always made the setting realistic.
This book is a wonderful book to read. I couldn’t put it down. Everyone should read it. The start of the book gets you hooked right away. The characters were formed great. The darkness of the story made me really like it. During the middle of the book it lightens up a little bit and then towards the end it goes back to dark and creepy. I loved the characters, especially how they were all described and how they acted. I would recommend this book to mostly teenagers because I think it's about not fitting in and what’s it like to be different, like a monster...
The characters were described well. I could actually picture what they looked like and how they all acted. Some of the characters I actually felt bad for. The main character was my favorite because he was described the best and you actually got to really know his personality well. The author told what doppelgangers are and how they acted. “Most important is that we’re shape-shifters. We can change the way we look, the sound of our voice; we can even change our sex, though we usually prefer not to. We’re like chameleons, but taken to a higher level.” The author told me what a doppelganger can do. If the author hadn’t done a great job of describing the characters then I don't think that I wouldn't have finished the book, the characters brought the book to life for me and probably for everyone else who read this book.
The way the author set up the plot worked very well for this book. He had many plot twists and the setting was set up good too. In alleys, corners, dark railroads and after hours. And it set the mood for scariness. The author shows what it's really like to be a monster. In most books that I have read, the start is all happy and normal and then gets darker. But in the book Doppelganger it starts off dark and kinda just stays that way. I never really thought I would like a book like this, but the author made it interesting and he made the darkness work throughout the story. It was also one of those books that the first page gets me hooked into the book. The middle of the book was more about family issues but then what happened with his family contributed to the rest of the book and made it more believable. I feel like the author wrote this book to tell about what it’s like to not fit in, be different than most people and some people think that they are different than the human race. I don't know if that's why he wrote it but that's just my opinion and that's what I thought when I finished the book.
The story takes place in mostly small towns, but once the main character gets to Bakersville, his life changes. The way David stahler wrote about the setting made the story come to life for me. The setting had the characters act the way they did. The main character was raised in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Most of the setting took place in creepy places such as railroads and in the woods at night time. Since the main character was raised in a lonely cabin with his mother who would keep leaving and then left forever, that affects how he acts. The doppelgangers kill in quiet dark places where people don’t go. The author always made the setting realistic.
This book is a wonderful book to read. I couldn’t put it down. Everyone should read it. The start of the book gets you hooked right away. The characters were formed great. The darkness of the story made me really like it. During the middle of the book it lightens up a little bit and then towards the end it goes back to dark and creepy. I loved the characters, especially how they were all described and how they acted. I would recommend this book to mostly teenagers because I think it's about not fitting in and what’s it like to be different, like a monster...
August 1, 2009
Doppelgangers are shapeshifters. They take on the body of those they kill. But He doesn't like to kill. He thinks it's wrong. He doesnt even have a name. He describes his race as monsters and killers because of their natural urge to kill humans. But just like every other doppelganger, He cant resist the urge to "take a human form". After being attacked by the teen, in self defense, He kills the boy and takes his form. But doppelgangers are supposed to stalk their prey and learn sufficient information about their lives before taking their form....He has no idea what He has gotten Himslef into...
Doppelganger keeps you reading with themes that include fear, courage, desire, and love. As the doppelganger takes over the teen's life, He finds Himself dealing with human-like emotions and human-like issues that a doppelganger seems to never come across as its true form. Between the issues of the teen's abusive father, fearful mother, scared sister, and resentful girlfriend, He has no idea how to cope with it all....Not to mention the constant risk of losing the form of the teen and having to move on to the next vulnerable human.
How long will He be able to hold on to the young boy's form??? And most of all, will He be able to live the boy's life without drawing attention to the fact that the real Chris Parker is dead???
Doppelganger keeps you reading with themes that include fear, courage, desire, and love. As the doppelganger takes over the teen's life, He finds Himself dealing with human-like emotions and human-like issues that a doppelganger seems to never come across as its true form. Between the issues of the teen's abusive father, fearful mother, scared sister, and resentful girlfriend, He has no idea how to cope with it all....Not to mention the constant risk of losing the form of the teen and having to move on to the next vulnerable human.
How long will He be able to hold on to the young boy's form??? And most of all, will He be able to live the boy's life without drawing attention to the fact that the real Chris Parker is dead???
February 22, 2009
The book Doppleganger is about a boy that is a monster. He has a urge to kill people, when he kills people the takes their form and their body. He can only keep the shape of the body for about a week. The book first takes place in a forest in Montana. Doppleganger is living with his mother. All of a sudden Doppleganger has to leave the house and survive on his own. His mom is ashamed of him because she made a mistake when making him. She was spots to mate with a other Doppleganger but she mated with a human so Doppleganger is half human.
I can make a text to world connection. Everybody has done something that they regret in the future. I have done a lot of stiff that i regret now. In the book the situation is different because Doppleganger has to kill people because it is his nature. The book is very interesting and horrific.
I would rate this book 5 stars because I thought this book was very good and I loved it. I would recommend this book to people who like horror and romance. This book was also very sad and it made me cry a little bit. This book I think was amazing and I have read it 3 times.
I can make a text to world connection. Everybody has done something that they regret in the future. I have done a lot of stiff that i regret now. In the book the situation is different because Doppleganger has to kill people because it is his nature. The book is very interesting and horrific.
I would rate this book 5 stars because I thought this book was very good and I loved it. I would recommend this book to people who like horror and romance. This book was also very sad and it made me cry a little bit. This book I think was amazing and I have read it 3 times.
November 18, 2009
I thought that this book was really good. It showed that even how ugly you truly may be, people will still like you for what you do and act like. Its cool how the doppelgangers are weird mutant like creatures that watch a single person of there choice for about a week and then kills the person and takes the form and life of the the person.
March 5, 2009
I was one of the first to read this as I got it from Harper Collins as a test reader. It is great YA lit. and VERY dark. Interested in questioning the limits of right and wrong? Pick up this book and ride the gray scale rollar coaster.
October 6, 2009
A story that explores the gray area between right and wrong and tries to truly define the word "monster." While the main character is not human, the supernatural component of this story is far less important than the exploration of a human teenage boy and his very real problems.
May 1, 2012
Interesting and weird (in at least two senses) and intriguing.
February 13, 2018
The concept of the novel intrigued me, but the deliver wasn't as good as I had hoped. I felt as if the entire story was revealed in the first chapter, and everything after that felt like one big Blah. There was too much telling, not enough showing. It was slow and I lost interested quickly. I'll admit, I didn't finish the book, so I can't really say the whole thing is bad. I just didn't care for it.
March 2, 2017
Read As a Book for school and I couldn't but it down. I was only supposed to read chapter 1 and by the end of that day I was on chapter 12. I could totally imagine doppelgangers in real life. Also the characters were so realistic, I felt I could step in to any of there shoes and actully feel what they were feeling
November 4, 2016
Good one, fast paced and short enough to read within a day
The prologue and first chapter will make or break the book I think, for me it hooked me right away
The ending was okay, I liked it, but felt it was rushed and left too many things open for me...
The prologue and first chapter will make or break the book I think, for me it hooked me right away
The ending was okay, I liked it, but felt it was rushed and left too many things open for me...
January 28, 2023
I read this book in 5th grade. I’m in 8th grade now and it is still my all time favorite book. This book had me sobbing when I finished it and I still get sad thinking about it. If you haven’t read it yet you absolutely have to.
November 14, 2025
For whatever reason, I have the French edition of this book and read it in French (even though my French isn't great).
I'm sure this would be a higher rating had I read it in English, but the premise of the story is unique and unlike anything I've ever read before.
I'm sure this would be a higher rating had I read it in English, but the premise of the story is unique and unlike anything I've ever read before.
October 31, 2018
A lot of interesting concepts for a YA novel
November 20, 2018
Honestly I really enjoyed this book, and I loved the fact that the main character really didn´t have a true identity
August 17, 2019
I didn't know this was YA fiction when I bought it, but as far as YA fiction goes it was OK.
June 29, 2020
This started off really interesting and then turned into a regular YA drama. Not enough doppelgänger for me.
July 7, 2020
Cool concept
Read
March 25, 2022he bettered all their lives ♡♡
January 29, 2023
14/1/2020
February 6, 2017
Great read. One of those books that you aren't sure how you want it to end.
November 14, 2018
I think Doppel Ganger could've been more then it was because after he takes over Chris body and gets settled into his new form the book kind of goes to a standstill. Now that he's used to Chris body the book mainly focuses on Amber and the Doppelganger with no action. I believe that if Amber was a DoppelGanger or he encountered a Doppelganger it would make the book better.
April 30, 2016
Doppelganger By: David Stahler, Jr.
Doppelganger tells the story of a teenage boy that is a race of monsters that kill humans and copy the image of their victims. The sheganger decides that "He" should go and live on his own and learn to become what they are meant to do. But "He" disagrees with the way his race. he eventually takes his first form as a homeless man and travels from town to town exploring. One night when "he" was alone at the edge of town, a couple of teenage boys approach "him" and begin to hassle the old man the two boys lose interest in bullying, except for one named Chris begins to be more violent towards the old man. The doppelganger then kills Chris and takes his form. "him" is now living as Chris Parker a football player and troubled kid. He soon falls in love and begins to feel attached to the family. Doppelganger was created by David Stahler Jr. And published in 2006.
The style of writing the author had in this books was similar to most young adult reading books. The story's plot is a bit confusing, the main character takes the form of the human he killed and try's to fix the problems between his "family" and the girl he like, but as the story begins to progress things are alright but the ending is what makes it confusing. Why did he leave? Why would he once the family try's to become better? Wouldn’t things go back to the way they were if his not there to fix things. And why would Amber forgive him so easily, the doppelganger killed Chris and Amber seems to be forgiving about the situationDavid Stahler Jr.
that her boyfriend is dead and some strange creature that looks exactly like him lives as him but is not really him. The main character was wise and mature for a sixteen year old, but he was believable to be a kid and act like most teenagers, he is just mature for his age. The relationship between the doppelganger and his mother is a bit weird as the story goes on, but it was interesting in a way to read something like this in a book for young adults. but the book had an interesting plot and didn’t seem to make my not wanting to read it.
Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters. The story had some situations that seemed that as if it came out of a movie. It moved me in a way to have deeper feeling for each other characters in the book. I liked how wise and deep the main character had for humans and the life they lived, since in the story Gabriel has lived in a cabin in the woods for 16 year with just him and his mother never getting to meet his father. With just television to have an insight of the life's of humans and their lifestyle he seemed to think about them more and understand that they are not as bad as what his mother describes them. In fact humans and doppelganger are similar in some ways, doppelgangers kill people to live, and humans do the same we kill but animals to survive. But some humans also kill other humans. In a weird sort of way we are the same. I would recommend this book for those that enjoy paranormal, fantasy, and romance genera. The age for those that should read it should be pg-15, this book is more for those that seem be more mature and can handle some of the situations this book has in it.
Doppelganger tells the story of a teenage boy that is a race of monsters that kill humans and copy the image of their victims. The sheganger decides that "He" should go and live on his own and learn to become what they are meant to do. But "He" disagrees with the way his race. he eventually takes his first form as a homeless man and travels from town to town exploring. One night when "he" was alone at the edge of town, a couple of teenage boys approach "him" and begin to hassle the old man the two boys lose interest in bullying, except for one named Chris begins to be more violent towards the old man. The doppelganger then kills Chris and takes his form. "him" is now living as Chris Parker a football player and troubled kid. He soon falls in love and begins to feel attached to the family. Doppelganger was created by David Stahler Jr. And published in 2006.
The style of writing the author had in this books was similar to most young adult reading books. The story's plot is a bit confusing, the main character takes the form of the human he killed and try's to fix the problems between his "family" and the girl he like, but as the story begins to progress things are alright but the ending is what makes it confusing. Why did he leave? Why would he once the family try's to become better? Wouldn’t things go back to the way they were if his not there to fix things. And why would Amber forgive him so easily, the doppelganger killed Chris and Amber seems to be forgiving about the situationDavid Stahler Jr.
that her boyfriend is dead and some strange creature that looks exactly like him lives as him but is not really him. The main character was wise and mature for a sixteen year old, but he was believable to be a kid and act like most teenagers, he is just mature for his age. The relationship between the doppelganger and his mother is a bit weird as the story goes on, but it was interesting in a way to read something like this in a book for young adults. but the book had an interesting plot and didn’t seem to make my not wanting to read it. Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters. The story had some situations that seemed that as if it came out of a movie. It moved me in a way to have deeper feeling for each other characters in the book. I liked how wise and deep the main character had for humans and the life they lived, since in the story Gabriel has lived in a cabin in the woods for 16 year with just him and his mother never getting to meet his father. With just television to have an insight of the life's of humans and their lifestyle he seemed to think about them more and understand that they are not as bad as what his mother describes them. In fact humans and doppelganger are similar in some ways, doppelgangers kill people to live, and humans do the same we kill but animals to survive. But some humans also kill other humans. In a weird sort of way we are the same. I would recommend this book for those that enjoy paranormal, fantasy, and romance genera. The age for those that should read it should be pg-15, this book is more for those that seem be more mature and can handle some of the situations this book has in it.
September 11, 2012
Doppelganger stuck out to me for a couple of reasons:
1) The cover (I am so ashamed to admit that!) It's super creepy and eerie -- my kind of story.
2) The premise. 'Doppelganger' is about a teen shapeshifter, a monster who can kill people and assume their form. I am a HUGE fan of 'Supernatural' (there's monster, man candy, and classic rock -- who could ask for anything more) as well as 'Fringe', and the book jacket description read like a fangirl's dream come true.
3) I liked the idea of exploring what it means to be a monster, which this book does nicely.
*******************
In 'Doppelganger', a sixteen year old shapeshifter is abandoned by his mother, left to fend for himself in the real world. Shapeshifters don't have names -- why bother? Their name will change as soon as their host does.
The main character spent most of his childhood watching TV while his mom was on the hunt for new bodies to take. He's intrigued by people, not disgusted or disdainful like most doppelgangers; he finds himself wanting to learn more about how they live, what makes them tick.
He first assumes the shape of a dying hobo out of the desperate need to take some form to keep from being seen (shapeshifters are supremely ugly beings). A group of teens attack him in his hobo form, and he ends up killing one of the teens and taking his form.
He always knew he'd have to take a body. He just didn't count on getting so involved in this human's life.
What I liked about this book:
I love paranormal stories, but it can get boring reading about the same old witches/werewolves/vampires/fairies all the time. The idea of a shapeshifter was fresh and interesting, and it's exactly what made me pick up the book in the first place.
The main character is richly and believably drawn. He's torn between following his nature as his mother taught him and fighting the urge to hurt people. This conflict is amplified by the fact that he so desperately wants to explore human life, but the only way he can do so is by killing someone and taking over their life.
What I didn't like about this book:
The writing was only so-so -- not terrible, but it didn't really GRAB me the way some other books have (wink wink, nudge nudge to 'The Scorpio Races').
Without giving away any spoilers, I found one character's reaction toward the end of the book to be COMPLETELY unbelievable. Whenever a character acts out of character, it throws me out of a book (I had to put this one down for a moment after reading that section).
Finally, while in theory I liked the idea of exploring what it means to be a monster, in execution this book came off a little heavy handed.
Final verdict:
2 3/4? Can I give a 3/4 star? This was a shade under a three star book for me -- I read it pretty quickly and liked it, but I didn't love it, and there was nothing terribly memorable about the story. If you ask me about this book in a month or two, I probably won't be able to name a single character.
1) The cover (I am so ashamed to admit that!) It's super creepy and eerie -- my kind of story.
2) The premise. 'Doppelganger' is about a teen shapeshifter, a monster who can kill people and assume their form. I am a HUGE fan of 'Supernatural' (there's monster, man candy, and classic rock -- who could ask for anything more) as well as 'Fringe', and the book jacket description read like a fangirl's dream come true.
3) I liked the idea of exploring what it means to be a monster, which this book does nicely.
*******************
In 'Doppelganger', a sixteen year old shapeshifter is abandoned by his mother, left to fend for himself in the real world. Shapeshifters don't have names -- why bother? Their name will change as soon as their host does.
The main character spent most of his childhood watching TV while his mom was on the hunt for new bodies to take. He's intrigued by people, not disgusted or disdainful like most doppelgangers; he finds himself wanting to learn more about how they live, what makes them tick.
He first assumes the shape of a dying hobo out of the desperate need to take some form to keep from being seen (shapeshifters are supremely ugly beings). A group of teens attack him in his hobo form, and he ends up killing one of the teens and taking his form.
He always knew he'd have to take a body. He just didn't count on getting so involved in this human's life.
What I liked about this book:
I love paranormal stories, but it can get boring reading about the same old witches/werewolves/vampires/fairies all the time. The idea of a shapeshifter was fresh and interesting, and it's exactly what made me pick up the book in the first place.
The main character is richly and believably drawn. He's torn between following his nature as his mother taught him and fighting the urge to hurt people. This conflict is amplified by the fact that he so desperately wants to explore human life, but the only way he can do so is by killing someone and taking over their life.
What I didn't like about this book:
The writing was only so-so -- not terrible, but it didn't really GRAB me the way some other books have (wink wink, nudge nudge to 'The Scorpio Races').
Without giving away any spoilers, I found one character's reaction toward the end of the book to be COMPLETELY unbelievable. Whenever a character acts out of character, it throws me out of a book (I had to put this one down for a moment after reading that section).
Finally, while in theory I liked the idea of exploring what it means to be a monster, in execution this book came off a little heavy handed.
Final verdict:
2 3/4? Can I give a 3/4 star? This was a shade under a three star book for me -- I read it pretty quickly and liked it, but I didn't love it, and there was nothing terribly memorable about the story. If you ask me about this book in a month or two, I probably won't be able to name a single character.
March 20, 2011
Doppelgangers are monsters that kill people and take the form of their bodies. This is usually preceded by meticulous research so that they can assume their lives as smoothly as possible, and then dispose of them once their limited time is up. One such nameless doppelganger has been abandoned by a mother who hates him, and goes off for the first time into the world. Except he messes up and kills a person, Chris, by accident, and now he has to figure out how to navigate this new life.
Chris seems to have it all - the wealthy parents, the awesome football skills, the respect of everyone in school, and of course, a hot girlfriend. But as the new Chris discovers, the life is far from perfect, with a destructive home life, a little sister he has to save, and the hot girlfriend no longer has the hots for him. Always different from other doppelgangers, Chris must now face a battery of challenges, from fixing the screwed up life he's landed in, hiding his secret and learning some, too, and above all, figuring out what it means to be a monster.
Despite being a monster, Chris remains a likeable character frustrated with his life and the world at large. Although he himself didn't have the easiest home life, he's shocked by the abuse the family had to suffer and learns that the real Chris wasn't as straightforwardly cruel as he initially appeared to be.
A romance develops between him and Amber, the real Chris' girlfriend, even as she uncovers the horrifying truths. The relationship could border on unrealistic, and often Amber appeared to be too accepting of what she discovers. The love seemed too sudden and strong for such a short period of time and especially given the circumstances.
This is a grim story that deals less with the fantastical aspect of doppelgangers and more with Chris adjusting to surviving the world. He struggles throughout the book with several problems, from the moralistic to those normal teenagers can relate to. David Stahler doesn't shy away from portraying the grittier sides of murder and its inherent issues, exploring the confusing sides of "right" and "wrong" without being too overbearing or eclipsing the story. Readers may prefer a better romance, but otherwise, Doppelganger was a suspenseful, chilling, yet surprisingly thoughtful read.
Chris seems to have it all - the wealthy parents, the awesome football skills, the respect of everyone in school, and of course, a hot girlfriend. But as the new Chris discovers, the life is far from perfect, with a destructive home life, a little sister he has to save, and the hot girlfriend no longer has the hots for him. Always different from other doppelgangers, Chris must now face a battery of challenges, from fixing the screwed up life he's landed in, hiding his secret and learning some, too, and above all, figuring out what it means to be a monster.
Despite being a monster, Chris remains a likeable character frustrated with his life and the world at large. Although he himself didn't have the easiest home life, he's shocked by the abuse the family had to suffer and learns that the real Chris wasn't as straightforwardly cruel as he initially appeared to be.
A romance develops between him and Amber, the real Chris' girlfriend, even as she uncovers the horrifying truths. The relationship could border on unrealistic, and often Amber appeared to be too accepting of what she discovers. The love seemed too sudden and strong for such a short period of time and especially given the circumstances.
This is a grim story that deals less with the fantastical aspect of doppelgangers and more with Chris adjusting to surviving the world. He struggles throughout the book with several problems, from the moralistic to those normal teenagers can relate to. David Stahler doesn't shy away from portraying the grittier sides of murder and its inherent issues, exploring the confusing sides of "right" and "wrong" without being too overbearing or eclipsing the story. Readers may prefer a better romance, but otherwise, Doppelganger was a suspenseful, chilling, yet surprisingly thoughtful read.
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