26A

Diana Evans is the new literary voice of multicultural Britain. Her unforgettable first novel has all the heartbreak of Brick Lane and all the vibrancy of White Teeth, but a very special magic of its own.

Identical twins, Georgia and Bessi, live in the loft of 26 Waifer Avenue. It is a place of beanbags, nectarines and secrets, and visitors must always knock before entering. Down below there is not such harmony. Their Nigerian mother puts cayenne pepper on her Yorkshire pudding and has mysterious ways of dealing with homesickness; their father angrily roams the streets of Neasden, prey to the demons of his Derbyshire upbringing. Forced to create their own identities, the Hunter children build a separate universe. Older sister Bel discovers sex, high heels and organic hairdressing, the twins prepare for a flapjack empire, and baby sister Kemy learns to moonwalk for Michael Jackson. It is when the reality comes knocking that the fantasies of childhood start to give way. How will Georgia and Bessi cope in a world of separateness and solitude, and which of them will be stronger?

Reading Group Book Questions

1. ‘There were thoughts with bows and thoughts without.’ Can you find other examples of where the twins’ own thoughts are invested with the life and persona of the twin’s outward appearances? What is the effect of this narrative technique? Do you like it, and do you find it a unique way of writing?
2. Discuss the significance of the characters’ time in Sekon and how it impacts on the rest of their lives. Did you find that Evan’s use of colours to tell her story changed in any way after this time?
3. How important is magic realism as a device for Evans to tell her story? Find some examples of this technique and consider why they are significant to the novel.
4. ‘It was the first time ever, in this land of twoness in oneness, that something had seemed unsayable.’ Discuss what impact the ‘cartwheel’ incident with Sedrick has on the twin’s relationship.
5. How necessary is a belief in mythology or mysticism to your enjoyment of this novel?

About The Author

Diana Evans is a graduate of the University of East Anglia's Creative Writing MA and has published short fiction in a number of anthologies. She has worked as a journalist and arts critic for Marie Claire, the Evening Standard, The Source and Pride magazine, and writes regularly for the Independent and the Stage. She lives in West London.