SECRETS IN THE MIRROR

A young man suffers years of torment by his narcissistic twin brother in this debut novel.

Gavin DiMasi, a teenager in 1990s Massachusetts, dreams of being a chef. His father, Tony, dismisses culinary school, insisting that Gavin go to Harvard with his twin, Devon. They’re mirror twins—Devon’s internal organs are “reversed” from typical anatomy. But the brothers are opposites in many other respects. Devon incessantly demeans quieter, kindhearted Gavin, whom he dubs “Twinkie.” A psychiatrist diagnoses Devon with narcissistic personality disorder and explains that he inflicts “Narcissistic Abuse” on others, though Gavin is his preferred target. It’s not easy for Gavin to pull away from his twin, but the culinary arts and a young woman’s love and encouragement give him strength. Devon, meanwhile, sinks into drug abuse and crime. It’s not long before Devon, who may believe Gavin abandoned him, targets his brother in frightening ways. Kain’s grim, character-driven story, which spans a decade, thoughtfully develops its cast. The parents’ relationship, for one, echoes the twins’ dynamic of good versus evil. Devon is an irredeemable villain; along with his maltreatment of Gavin, he is a blatant racist and gets worse as the years pass. Devon’s frequent displays of narcissism, along with lengthy psychological digressions about NPD, result in a slow pace. Still, the novel provides a thoughtful consideration of a disorder that has the capacity to devastate relationships. A few effective shocks roll out in the novel’s latter half and bleak final act.

A somber, absorbing coming-of-age tale.