Sarah Miller does an amazing job of showing an as complete picture as possible of the lives of Violet and Daisy Hilton. I had never heard of these sisters prior to reading this novel, and I was unprepared for the hardships and heartbreak that these two women endured throughout their lives. From being abandoned by their mother at birth, to being abused by the person who was supposed to be their mother but instead exploited them, to having no privacy and always being on display for their guardians to profit off of. They never got to learn motherly love, never got to learn to manage the money they were making from being in the show business (once they finally were able to take home the money they earned!) and as a result led very sheltered, isolated lives up until their death. Once they were no longer performing, they became broke and it was only because of the help of others that they were able to secure a job and home. Thankfully, they were able to peacefully live out the rest of their lives in North Carolina, but Violet and Daisy were robbed of so much in their lives and my heart breaks for everything they had to go through.

It is what you would expect it to be, an impartial research project based on frequently biased sources. The author explains that the research frequently comes from biased sources and explains their research methods and decisions. It's unfortunate that the twins' early lives were much more interesting than the end because it makes for a slow ending to the book.

I really enjoyed Violet and Daisy‘s story and the life they lead. It was interesting to see them displayed as an act while they were in America. Their story left me wanting more and I really enjoyed reading this book!

A simplistic and often euphemistic biography about conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton, who were put on exhibit practically from birth, abused by managers, and ultimately ended up leaving show business when their lack of experience and changing entertainment tastes in the US met. Author Miller seems to have a penchant for writing books about highly public figures who never sought the limelight themselves, but in this book at least her take is a very superficial one, never delving into the issues of class, gender, and bodily autonomy that she promises in the introduction. A disappointment.

In 1908, an unmarried woman gives birth to conjoined twin girls. The ashamed mother wanted nothing to do with the "freaks" that she was certain were the punishment for her sin. Midwife Mary Hilton legally adopts the twins and promptly displays them to the public. Thus begins the life of exhibition for Violet and Daisy Hilton until they cannot take the abuse any longer.

Before I picked up this ARC, I'd never heard of the Hilton sisters. Or so I thought. As it happens, I did see a very old film from 1932, Freaks, and the Hilton sisters were in that film. So while I have seen them before, I can safely say I knew nothing about their life.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Violet and Daisy as I read this one. The author does an excellent job of presenting the facts that could be proven and sharing the "ballyhoo" or tall tales that were spread about the twins. The book follows Violet and Daisy from their birth, through every exhibition they were part of, and then to their death. It was especially interesting to see how they displayed their unique personality and how they had some privacy from each other, even when they were by each other's side 24/7.

The one thing that is very clear is how they were captives of those who were supposed to be caring for them. Once they had their freedom, they didn't know how to manage their affairs and that lead them into more trouble. As the vaudeville circuit and the stage life that was the only life they knew, they took up burlesque dancing to support themselves until they finally took positions at a grocery store. The last half of the book I found very sad to read.

Although at times it was a little disconcerting to read a story only to have the author immediately show that it was another tall tale, it wasn't overly distracting. I found it interesting to see how much Mary Hilton and then the twins themselves would twist the truth to make the most of a situation.

I thought this was an interesting read and would recommend it for readers who would enjoy a look at two of vaudeville's stars.

While it was obvious that Miller did a lot of research for this book there was something about Violet and Daisy that I couldn't find myself being engrossed in. Miller treats them with humanity and not as the freaks as people would have looked at them and yet I felt like there was something missing in their character that made them feel not quite real.

The author wrote an engrossing book on the sad and often depressing lives of the conjoined Hilton twins, Violet and Daisy. It kept me interested until the end. However, based on the description, I thought the book would be a novelization of their lives. It also didn't really feel like a YA book to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this arc.

3.5 stars

This review is based on an ARC of Violet and Daisy: The Story of Vaudeville's Famous Conjoined Twins, which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (Random House Children's/Schwartz & Wade).

Sarah Miller's Violet and Daisy is a thoroughly researched and wonderfully presented biography of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton. Nearly from birth and even after death, these two were stars. I was tirelessly fascinated by their story: their rise to epic stardom and their rocky road down to earth.

Despite periods of poor documentation throughout the twins' lives, Sarah Miller pieces together the bits she can to share their story with the world--and it's this passion from Miller that struck me the most while reading this biography. The author's devotion to and enthusiasm for her subjects and her book are palpable in her writing and research. Further, she writes about these so-called "freaks" with tact and humanity. Miller's knack for her trade has me captivated--she is a biographer to explore!

Whether you are interested in Vaudeville, or Siamese twins, or just looking to read a fascinating life story, Violet and Daisy is an unforgettable book about two undeniable women!

I received an advance copy of, Violet and Daisy, by Sarah Miller. What an interesting and sad story. Conjoined twins Violet and Daisy, are put in the circus, freak show.

While at times Violet and Daisy was hard to get through, I can't fault the writing at all. This book gives you a look into the sideshow business in the 1920s and 1930s, and a shocking treatment of children by a legal guardian, who at first claimed to be a caretaker only to then show her true colours after everything was final. It was a good book, yet not a fun book, but that is to be expected with these kinds of subjects.

I had never heard of Violet and Daisy Hilton before reading this book. What a life they had. Conjoined twins who were rejected by their mother and taken on by a family who gave a new definition to exploitation. It was appalled it how the girls were treated, well after they reached maturity. The Hiltons were billed out of thousands of dollars by their ‘guardians.’ They never quite adjusted to society, given the way they were kept isolated. I felt sad at their treatment and abuse. Their death was also sad. There were a few things that were surprising in the book, I enjoyed the pictures provided as well. Their story was so similar to the Dionne quintuplets.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of VIOLET & DAISY by Sarah Miller in exchange for my honest review.***

Conjoined twins VIOLET & DAISY Hilton were used and abused by their adopted mother Mary Hilton and later by her daughter and son-in-law. Forced to work in circuses and vaudeville that twins never saw a penny of their earnings and weren’t allowed to interact with others. Basically, VIOLET & DAISY were captives until as adults they took their guardians to court for emancipation.

With engaging writing, Sarah Miller does a great job trying to make often dull facts seem interesting, but not enough is known about the emotional aspect of their lives to compensate for the overabundance of facts about the money they earned and shows they performed. Miller could only work with the facts she had, unlike a memoirist who can create a story that as readable as a novel. I felt the same way about the Dionne Quintuplets’ biography. The Quints’ lives on display mirrored that of VIOLET & DAISY.

To summarize, VIOLET & DAISY is a well-written biography that will inform, though likely not entertain. Photographs in the center of the story added flavor and depth to the story.

This was a slog to get through and definitely too long without enough excitement for my middle school readers. Besides the length of the book and the slow pace, perhaps my main issue is the number of times I heard that there are no records about various events so we can only guess at what happened to the girls. I go into a nonfiction book expecting details so that was very disappointing.

Violet and Daisy Hilton have always fascinated me and I was so excited to learn more about their lives! Expert storytelling, very engaging!

WHAT A BOOK!

I've always been fascinated with stories - either true or fictional - about the circus. This book chronicles the lives of Violet and Daisy, a set of conjoined twins. While these two sisters were a sideshow attraction, there was so much more to them. They shared a powerful bond that no one, no matter how cruel, could break.

If you are interested in books about the circus or just a person who likes engrossing stories.. I'd highly recommend this title.

Read if you: Have heard about the Hilton conjoined twins and want to learn more.

I learned about Daisy and Violet Hilton when I first became aware of the Side Show musical years ago. Having read books by Sarah Miller before, I was intrigued when this came up on NetGalley. Overall, I found it an entertaining (though, as other reviewers have said, a bit repetitive when an event was set up, only to be revealed that it was probably a fabrication) and affecting.

Librarians/booksellers: Purchase if YA nonfiction is popular.

Many thanks to Schwartz & Wade and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Violet and Daisy Hinton were born in 1908 and were adopted by the midwife who delivered them, after their mother declared them "monsters" and refused to care for them. Of course, "adopted" is a very kind word for it - she had them shown as oddities from the second she was able, used them for marketing her own pub, and exploited them for as much money as she could get. As they grew, the sisters were put in sideshows, traveled around the world being gawked at, and eventually learned to embrace their individuality while being confined to a life together.

My notes: A decent but unremarkable biography of a pair of fascinating sisters.

I absolutely loved this! Violet and Daisy had such a tragic life, and I loved how the author was able to portray both their heartbreaks and triumphs in a real way. I also like how the author didn't shy away from controversy. I'm so glad I picked this book up, and I'm going to be telling everyone I know about Violet and Daisy!

This has rocketed to the top of my summer reading list to assign my students. This book is an excellent study on what it means to be a twin and how the public reacts and celebrifies those with the slightest differences.

Violet & Daisy
by Sarah Miller
Pub Date: 27 Apr 2021
Read courtesy of http:///www.netgalley.com

I think Sarah Miller was successful in telling the story of Violet and Daisy Hilton because she got me to go to Amazon Prime and rent the movie "Freaks." I was interested in how Miller described Violet's and Daisy's participation and reaction to it and had to experience it for myself.

Miller made me interested in the Hilton sisters' world: their environment, their thoughts, their society. I felt like I was being told the truth about the psychology and sociology of the people and the times.

The exact thing that I appreciated about Miller's honesty with the facts is also the thing Miller could have achieved more honestly. Though she continuously announced the problems with the data and accounts that she used were subject to memory flaws and gaps in documentation, she also used the sensationalist prose like click bait. She pulled readers in by telling them the suppositions and misrepresentations and then revealed that some or all of what she just told you isn't true. If this is truly aimed at a young adult audience, then Miller's prose should help modern readers understand the sources of what they are about to read not provide what is titillating just to shoot it down.

rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐