review: Three Black Swans by Caroline B. Cooney

pub date: 2010
publisher: Delacorte Press
pgs: 276
content: NO swearing, drugs, sex, underage drinking


While picking up the dry cleaning one day Missy overhears a news program on the radio discussing babies. She begins thinking about her own family and a niggling suspicion she’s had about herself and her cousin, Claire. She’s afraid to talk to her parents so instead she decides to do a little experiment for a science project. It doesn’t take to long for the project to get out of hand and for Missy and Claire to get a lot more than they thought possible.


The very first book I read by Caroline B. Cooney was The Face on the Milk Carton way back in middle school. (which is way back for me). I loved that book. I read the rest in the series and loved them, too. (Except for The Voice on the Radio. That one I found a little disappointing). I even taped, on my VCR, the 1995 made-for-television movie of The Face on the Milk Carton with Kellie Martin. I watched it many times through high school. (I wonder if I still have it? Mmmm..I should look). The point of this reminiscing being that I haven't read any other Cooney novel since. I hadn't realized this until I picked up Three Black Swans. 


Three Black Swans actually reminded me a lot of The Face on the Milk Carton. The theme of family and what makes a family and how to bring different families together to make one family. I was expecting some suspense, maybe because of the cover and premise, but there wasn't any. A few surprises, which really were surprises to me, but mostly just a story about two cousins figuring out who they are. I finished the book in one day. I still found myself really wrapped up in the Claire and Missy's story and I wanted to know how it was going to end before I went to bed. 


Cooney's writing style is interesting. Sometimes when I read a book I feel right there in the action and really connect with the characters. I didn't feel that way with this book. I felt like I was watching Missy and Claire's story as if I was outside on their porch, looking through the window. There was a distance for me as the audience to the characters. But that wasn't bad. I still enjoyed the book.