Twin study

In Dorothy Baker's 1962 novel Cassandra at the Wedding, the bride is Cassandra's identical twin sister Judith. Cassandra, a brilliant but troubled young woman, is none too pleased to be "losing" her other (better?) half, even if the groom is a damn-near-perfect doctor. As we get to know Cassandra, who narrates the first and third sections of this wonderful story (Judith gets the middle), it seems possible that she might steer the plot toward gentle farce (mistaken identity anyone?), or toward something a good bit darker. It's not giving much away to say that humor and pathos are kept in exquisite balance right up to the end. The dialogue is believable and crisp, the writing both musical and erudite. I was especially taken with the simple moments of intimacy– Cassandra brushing the sand from her twin's bare foot after a swim; Judith squeezing closer to Jack in the front seat of the car, despite the summer heat; a bedside touch. The handful of characters are vividly drawn, and none more so than Cassandra herself. One of the best novels I've read in years.