Despite its clever concept, the 'sliding doors' aspect of Louis & Louise came less to the fore than I was expecting. I found myself wondering how much of what happens to Louis/Louise in the book is actually a product of their gender and social stereotyping and how much (aside from things that have obvious biological limitations) might have happened to either of them anyway? Some key events, such as bereavement, happen to both of them, others to only one. It seemed to me that this determined what followed as much perhaps as the fact of their gender.

The author juxtaposes Louis and Louise who are two iterations of the same person with Allie and Benny, non-identical twins who nevertheless look alike. At times, I felt the story became more about Allie and Benny as it is they who propel many of the events.

I did find it a little difficult at times to remember what happened in each life (especially as both characters are often referred to as 'Lou') and had to resort to drawing myself a chart.

In Casablanca, Maine, the reader gets an evocative portrait of small-town America. A place that has become slightly rundown over the years due to the impact of economic decline but where everyone knows everyone else and life is built around community events and small acts of neighbourliness. And there were some clever touches such as the fact the book Louis writes is about a woman who posed as a man. I also really liked the depiction of the relationship between Louis's mother and father. Even when separated there was a touching love and understanding between them.

There were unexpected elements of melodrama between the subtle character studies that exemplify Julie Cohen's writing.

This had a clever idea for a plot - following the same story but each a little divergent depending on if a child was born male or female.
For me it just never quite worked, I didn't care for either version of 'Lou' and feel that the plot device that hit each version was not really comparable for the two genders.
Lots to discuss but ultimately not quite for me.

Louis and Louise are one and the same person in two different realities. I enjoyed their similar yet different stories, and saw how lives were directed by the choices they'd made, and the reactions to events in their lives. It made me think about how gender influences our lives, and encourage me to be bolder and more open in my own choices. I also realised how much of life is chance and how it can all turn on a dime. What if I did this, or said that? Then this wouldn't or would have happened, which resulted in this ...

Julie Cohen's writing is always good, she leads you from page to page wanting to know more.

I’m not quite sure how to start or even write the review for Julie Cohen’s Louis and Louise. I think it’s so hard because of its originality, and knowing if I had figured out what the authors intentions were when she wrote the novel. Anyway I shall give it a go!

Louis and Louise, born on the same day, at the same time, in the same town and from the same family. Louis and Louise are one and the same person, the only difference their gender. Gender, man and woman, how differently we treat, perceive them. What are the differing consequences to any of our actions as a man and a woman? That was, I hope, what Cohen set out to show in this novel. and how brilliantly she did it!

Both had to deal with present day events, but also events that happened in the past, on their graduation night, that somehow shaped their adult lives.

Louis, recoiling from the breakdown of his marriage, a published author, yet not sure who he was or where or what he should be.

The same could have been said for Louise, except she was a single mother, teacher, a wannabe author. She too struggled with life, with where and who she should be.

And so, we entered a parallel universe, but one that never confused, never felt awkward, but seamlessly slotted together. Cohen took us deep into the psyche of Louis and Louise, as her narrative made me feel angry, frustrated, emotional but also at times happy and joyful. She made me care about them, and want the best for them, as they struggled with the same issues, yet dealt with them slightly differently, making you wonder if they would achieve the same outcome.

The issues Cohen raised, gender, sexuality were timely and current, but never forced on the reader, they lingered within the narrative, prompting and provoking me, the reader, to think just that little bit harder.

I loved the other big character in the novel, the small town of Casablanca. I admired how Cohen used the claustrophobia of a small town, where everyone knew everyone, where everyone lived under a microscope. She raised the stakes even higher with its occupants dependant on the one industry, the paper mill, owned by the family of Louis and Louise. As Cohen took us into the past, she used a strike at the paper mill to show the divide between the community, then bang, she plunged Louis and Louise into differing but dramatic situations. It was one of those heartstopping moments in a novel that you relish, that made you hold your breath, that made you turn the pages even faster to discover the outcome.

If you want to read an engrossing, immersive and intelligent thought provoking novel then look no further than Louis and Louise. It was just brilliant.

A heartwarming story about two alernate lives if a baby is born male or female....slow to get into but a nice read.

This is the story of one person from their birth. However the twist is that it is told in two timelines - one where they are born Louis and one where they are born Louise.

I wanted to read this book as I was intrigued to see it spelt out how different a life would be whether you were born a boy or a girl. I don't want to spoil how things turn out for each of the genders, but in general I found that apart from some obvious of the time stereotypes imposed on them, their lives worked out pretty well all in all. I did think that there are from a woman's perspective so many other ways in which you can be discriminated against in life - even today, that weren't touched upon. This in fact led me to think the book was written by a man - as I just began the book without a thought to the gender of the author.

I'll admit to getting a little confused at times about which person we were reading about. It was usually just before the storyline switched - it only last a moment as I had to mentally switch to the other storyline.

What I wasn't prepared for was the absolutely beautiful writing - it felt like a warm hug wrapped around you. I also had a couple of misty eyed tissue moments at some of the key relationship moments. I really wanted to finish the book and did so in a day, but at the same time I didn't want this voice to end - I really liked it and want to read more by this author.

There are comparisons of this book mechanism with Sliding Doors - I can see that but really this is a much deeper experience and one you shouldn't miss.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Such an interesting idea for a book! Imagine if 2 people one boy and one girl are born on the same day , have the same friends and same ideas that they want from life what would happen to them? Enter Louis and Louise. I was expecting them to have the same reactions to events and they did to a point but they both had other different scenarios that played out - despite that I really enjoyed the book and thought it was an original read .

A baby is born in 1970s Maine, USA. In one reality she’s a girl – Louise; in the other, a boy – Louis. Both have the same friends, the same interests and the same ambitions. Both flee from their hometown after one fateful night that changes everything. Thirteen years later, Lou’s mother is dying, so he/she returns to face the past. Original, thought-provoking and highly enjoyable, Louis & Louise is perfect for book clubs.

Fantastic and fascinating story about fate, destiny and the role gender can play in life.

How gender can produce certain preconceptions of what a person can or can't do.

It was the story of Lou Alder, who in one version was born Male and the other female. We see snippets of their younger lives and what they are up to today.

With both their stories there are certain similarities, key happenings and the friendship over the years with Benny and Allie which is so interesting to view.

This is without a doubt an incredibly well written, well researched book that really will get you thinking.

Arguably this is probably the author's best book and it was so unlike others that I have read before.

I don't really want to say much more as its book that will have a greater impact the less preconceptions you have about it. But Louis and Louise is certainly a story not to be missed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is the perfect boon for those who loved Sliding Doors and About Time. There’s a a charm and sincerity within the story to keep its momentum and its commentary on gender representation within society it fascinating.

I was absolutely fascinated by the premise of this novel; one life lived twice in a different gender. As well as being a satisfying story it made me think long and hard about gender identity and how it is shaped from childhood and the choices we make - often unwittingly - because of it.

Julie Cohen is a great storyteller and the small town in Maine where most of the book is set came to life in her skilled hands. It takes Louis and Louise from birth until their early thirties, flashing between the present and the defining moments of their childhoods. I found their relationship with their twin friends (a boy and a girl) echoed their own gender identities beautifully.

One thing that jarred was the few paragraphs - one quite early on - where the author 'stepped in' and explained to the reader what was happening and it wasn't necessary. To me it smacked of over zealous editing on the part of the publisher and was really off putting. Otherwise a great book I'd thoroughly recommend.

Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen uses the ‘sliding doors’ narrative format to tell the story of one person, Lou Alder – one life, lived twice. Peggy and Irving Adler have their first and only child Lou (Louis David Alder or Louise Dawn Alder) on 8th September 1978 in Maine, Lou is separated only in the ‘e’ in their name and the gender assigned to them by the doctor at birth.

As Lou grows up, much of their life overlaps in its two narratives; same home town, same friends, same school, same parents, same family history. However, as the story goes on, their gender whether male or female and the way they’re treated soon has a butterfly effect on Lou’s life and the paths they choose. In both narratives though, a life-changing event pushes Lou to move away from town for good, until that is, some news from home draws them back into the secrets and pain from before.

Louis & Louise is a brilliantly told story with an intricately woven plot that twists and turns throughout this twice lived life. Cohen’s writing is brilliantly gripping, intriguing and well-written and truly brings both halves of Lou to life.

What’s more, Cohen uses gender-neutral pronouns (they, them, their) to ensure this book is inclusive to the LGBT+ community and throughout the book, the author highlights the gender stereotypes we enforce on people, in particular, when socialising children, which may impact how they feel about themselves and their identity.

A brilliant exploration of gender, Louis and Louise is an amazing and thoroughly enjoyable story with an absorbing plot full of secrets and mystery – a highly recommended read!

Brilliant unique premise however think the story lost its way as it went along. Seemed to be more focused on Louise than Lois and would have preferred if it had been chapter about. Fairly enjoyable but was expecting more.

Really enjoyed the bisexual element to this story and the overall point it made about society and gender. Found the story a little cliched in places, but was a quick and enjoyable read.

This book has such a great concept, it simultaneously tells the story of both Louis and Louise - existing effectively in parallel universes, both born to the same parents, one a girl and one a boy. It looks at how their lives progress and the differences in them thanks to their gender. I found I quickly got into the swing of how the book worked and I enjoyed it.

I'll admit I was a little apprehensive about this book, but not because I had any doubts about the writing. It was just that I rarely have the opportunity to sit down with a book these days, and I was concerned that its structure might make it difficult to read in short bursts. Should you have similar qualms, worry not. While its themes might be challenging, the structure is entirely comfortable to read - "one life, lived twice", the alternating accounts of the life of the same person and the way it differs so radically based on that small letter "e". It looks at those lives in terms of expectations, opportunities, actions, decisions, and the perceptions and expectations of others - and it works just perfectly.

I particularly liked the way the story is anchored by the small industrial town of Casablanca, Maine, rarely visited by either adult Lou, but where both stories reach resolution. At their core is one night and its repercussions, the differing outcomes, the way the events play out differently - but the stories feature most of the same strong supporting characters (other than those encountered only in adulthood), the same decaying industrial backdrop, but with a significant twist to the way events play out. You might expect it to be a little preachy on the issues of gender and sexuality, but it isn't at all - it focuses on identity and differing realities, and allows the reader to draw their own lessons, which makes it far more thought-provoking and engaging.

While the structure is intricate and very cleverly handled, the characters are particularly well-drawn - mother Peggy with her obsession around appearance (her own, but also the perception of others), the wonderfully gentle and caring father Irving, Allie in both her adult lives, and I particularly liked the extra dimension added by Louise's daughter and Louis' wife. And its themes and issues are wider than gender alone - there's also a focus on class issues, the secrets families hide, the limited opportunities of a small town upbringing in a setting blighted by its industrial past, with lessons to be learned about forgiveness, acceptance and love.

I feel I'm not doing the book full justice with this review, but it's a difficult one to call without going into the ins and outs of the parallel stories - and I think it's important to be able to experience this book without that. But I found it emotional, compelling, and filled with moments - large and small - that give considerable opportunity for reflection on its many issues. I really loved it.

(Review also copied to Amazon, but link not yet available)

Interesting concept, but one that could’ve gone further, and didn’t.

The novel tells the story of “Lou”, who in one life was born a girl, and in another a boy, and takes them through events of life that aren’t always the same, nor with the same outcomes, depending on the character’s sex.

I enjoyed the characters in general, whether the main one(s) or their best friend and parents, and the parts of the narrative where they had to come to terms with the impending death of a beloved one: the latter came, in one case, with heavy baggage of secrecy and forgiveness that could potentially not be given, which is always a delicate theme to explore. (Or, at least, it is for me, because it’s never all black and white, and the part of me that feels the character should not forgive constantly clashes with the other part, which isn’t a vindictive one. I’m not a very revengeful person in my own life, after all.)

While it was a quick read for me, and I liked following Lou’s path overall, I wasn’t awed, though. I think I was expecting more out of it: more of the many subtle, day-to-day ways society enforces gender stereotypes, for instance. The novel has some, such as Louise starting to wear contact lenses as a teenager because “you’d be so much prettier without glasses”, or her grandmother chiming in with “ladies don’t do this and later you’ll marry and have children because that’s what girls do”, but those were more tiny bits lost in the narrative. I also felt that some parts resorted to easy shortcuts: the corresponding gender stereotypes for Louis were mostly the oh so typical “are you gay or what” (there are so many other ways gender stereotypes are enforced for boys), and Louise’s “catastrophic night” event was… so expected that I guessed it just from the blurb. (Someone please tell me -that- is not the only dark/striking event a woman can have in her life… I mean, no such event at all would be better, of course, but there are so many other possibilities, and I believe one should’ve been tackled here, instead of resorting to the obvious choice.)

Conclusion: 2.5 stars. It is a pleasant read, one that raises valid points and lends itself to reflection, but for me, it took the easy road, where it could’ve explored so many other paths.

Julie Cohen's LOUIS & LOUISE tells the story of Lou, who is born into a mill-owning Maine family in the 1980s. The main twist in the story, however, is that in one life Lou is born male, and in the other, female. This book explores Lou's childhood, their family and friendships, and tracks the arc of their life story through their teens, twenties and thirties in both timelines.

It's a beautifully written look at how people's lives can change in a minute, and how expectations we place on ourselves and others can affect not just how we feel and what we do, but sometimes whole chunks of our time on earth. The issues explored in both Louis and Louise's lives are sensitively written, with many echoes between each of Lou's timelines. The sense of place in Maine, USA, is wonderfully evocative, and I would in several places compare it to the writing of Stephen King.

I read this book over the course of just a couple of days, keen to find out what happened to Lou in their teen years that affected so much of their later life and, in more than one case, their relationships with those who were closest to them.

I've been reading Julie Cohen's books since she was published by Mills & Boon, through Little Black Dress and beyond. Her writing has always been sharp and yet soothing, illustrative and thoughtful. She just gets better and better, and I think that LOUIS & LOUISE may just be her best book yet. Highly recommended.

I don't think I really "got" the concept of this novel, maybe it went a bit over my head, but I felt like it read as two completely different stories depending on gender - which I get is the point - but I felt it was a bit unresolved eg what happens with Benny and Allie depending on if it's Louis/Louise's story.

As ever fantastic, beautiful writing from Julie Cohen but I don't think I quite got this one. Definitely worth a read though.

Intriguing, interesting and thought-provoking

A real tale of two halves - reminiscent of the superb film sliding doors - which takes us on the journeys of Louis and Louise. Born in a small town, they leave after graduation and don’t return until their mother is seriously ill, some 13 years later.

Interesting dynamics and good insights into Lou’s life as both female and male. Initially I was a bit confused but as I carried on, the stories revealed themselves bit by bit. Intertwining the stories made sense as the book progressed - to see the same situations played out by a male and a female character was interesting and intriguing... and thought-provoking.

Our inherent bias is laid bare in this book and it certainly provides food for thought as to how we treat our children!

I have always enjoyed Julie Cohen’s books and this is no exception. Thought provoking, this will have you thinking about its themes for a long while after you’ve finished the book. 4* well worth the read.