Dual Citizens Shortlisted for the Giller Prize 2019

A gripping, thoughtful novel about sisters, ambition, work and motherhood. All her life, Lark Brossard has felt invisible, overshadowed by the people around her: first by her temperamental mother, Marianne; then by her sister Robin, a brilliantly talented pianist who is as wild as the animals she loves; and finally by Lawrence Wheelock, a renowned filmmaker who is both Lark's employer and her occasional lover. When Wheelock denies her what she longs for most - a child - Lark is forced to re-examine a life marked by unrealized ambitions and thwarted desires. As she tries to take charge of her destiny, she discovers that despite the difficulties of their relationship, there is only one person she can truly rely on: her sister, Robin.In this gripping, dazzlingly insightful novel, Alix Ohlin tells the story of two sisters, and what ambition, work and motherhood means for them. 'An exceptional depiction of the bond between sisters' Publishers Weekly'A lovely, deeply moving work. A lyrical account of the lives of two women, their failures and hopes, and ultimately their quiet redemption' Kirkus'Entrancing. This is a spellbinding, fever-dream of a tale that will leave you forever changed, and will surely earn Ohlin a place among the greatest writers of our generation. I loved it' Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year[thumbnail of author pic and photo credit] A masterful achievement: a joint coming-of-age story and an achingly poignant portrait of the strange, painful, ultimately life-sustaining bonds between sisters.Lark and Robin are half-sisters whose similarities end at being named for birds. While Lark is shy and studious, Robin is wild and artistic. Raised in Montreal by their disinterested single mother, they form a fierce team in childhood regardless of their differences. As they grow up, Lark excels at school and Robin becomes an extraordinary pianist. At seventeen, Lark flees to America to attend college, where she finds her calling in documentary films, and her sister soon joins her.Later, in New York City, they find themselves tested: Lark struggles with self-doubt, and Robin chafes against the demands of Juilliard. Under pressure, their bond grows strained and ultimately is broken, and their paths abruptly diverge. Years later, Lark's life is in tatters and Robin's is wilder than ever. As Lark tries to take charge of her destiny, she discovers that despite the difficulties of their relationship, there is only one person she can truly rely on: her sister.In this gripping, unforgettable novel about art, ambition, sisterhood, motherhood and self-knowledge, Alix Ohlin traces the rich and complicated lives of two indelible women. Dual Citizens captures the unique language of sisters and makes visible the imperceptible strings that bind us to the ones we love for good.