Well, not really. While they do look very much alike, Armanda and Lidy are several years apart. Lidy is married and has a toddler. Armanda is 18; and she really wants to go to the party that Lidy is going to. She convinces Lidy to attend the birthday party of her god-child on an island several hours away even though Lidy doesn't really know anyone there. Thus the switch is made. And again you think, it is the classic tale of twins trading places. But no, everyone knows of the switch - there is no trick, there is no sneaking. The switch is made in the bright and open gaze of daylight.
So begins the story of the switch and the death of Lidy Blaauw. In a cosmic confluence of events, a massive storm rises up, all of the levies break, the people responsible for the levies are away and the island that Lidy is visiting is literally swept away of all people, animals and buildings.
The story is told chapter by chapter switching between Armanda and Lidy. Armanda, Sjoerd (Lidy's husband) and the rest of the family try to understand what happened to Lidy and try to come to terms with her death throughout the book. Armanda gets married, has children, gets divorced and never fully lives her life because she feels she is trying to live for both herself and Lidy.
While Armanda and the rest of Lidy's family live out their lives, Lidy on the other hand, tells the story of the greatest natural disaster ever to hit the Netherlands and her infinitesimal part in it. Chapter by chapter her death is drawn out to the very end of the book even though you know she is dead and despite the fact that everyone else has moved on.
This was a very interesting way to write the book, one group of people living on for years, the other one dead but still telling her story till the very end of the book when finally Armanda and Lidy's voices are mingled together. I thought the book was interesting, but it wasn't gripping. It just didn't have enough power, enough oomph to really catch my attention and keep it day after day. I know this is why it took me forever to read this book!
To be fair, here is the New York Times book review in case you want to read it. The reviewer seemed to have a gentler view of de Moor's book. For me, if I run across another of her books, I'll probably give it a shot as I always try to give an author at least two tries.
Rating: 5 / 10
ISBN: 9780307264947
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Edition: 1st American Edition