DA505 main
26/7/05
7:56 pm
Page 108
108 Drum: READS
26a
Diana Evans
Chatto & Windus: £12.99 (hardback)
Two’s company
As Diana Evans’ first novel wins
the Orange New Writers’ Award,
Matt Taylor finds an interesting
insight into the secret world of
twins, but isn’t so sure if he
agrees with the judges’ decision.
W
hatever else it is, 26a
is a challenging novel,
opening with a bizarre
and rather disturbing dream
sequence before turning through
180 degrees and plunging into
domestic detail as if nothing had
preceded it. In fact, this constant
sliding in and out of reality,
spending a few moments in the
spirit world or in an ‘altered state’
persists throughout the narrative
and can make it hard work for any
but the most attentive readers.
now the only survivor) explores
throughout the book.
Despite these obstacles, the story’s
premise is simple and interesting,
following the family life of the
Hunters who live at 26 Waifer
Avenue, Neasden. It was what
the city stepped on to be sexy.”
Up in the attic live twins Georgia
and Bessi, behind a door on which
they have inscribed the legend
‘26a’, marking out the territory of
their own special kingdom. The
g