Niles is the more grounded one and Holland the more mischievous one. It stars legendary acting teacher Uta Hagen, in one of her rare film roles, as Ada, the doting grandmother to twin boys Niles and Holland (played by actual identical twins Chris and Martin Udvarnoky). Director Robert Mulligan ('To Kill a Mockingbird') milks the location for a lot of atmosphere - and the finale is particularly sinister - but the horrors of this film are largely psychological, which will appeal to those genre fans looking for something subtle. Thanks for stopping by! This is a place where you'll find my book reviews and random thoughts.'The Other' is an adaptation of the Thomas Tryon novel, scripted (and executive produced) by Tryon himself, which tells us a story of evil set against the backdrop of a peaceful farming community in Depression era Connecticut.

While this was a bit slow in pace, I really enjoyed it and loved reading the final chapters on Halloween! Reading keeps you wondering if things are things what we think they are, or if we are at the mercy of a disturbed mind? As with many works that centre around disturbed children, expect some animal violence as well.Īs Dan Chon mentions in his Afterword in the NYBR edition, The Other calls to mind works by Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith – not bad company to be in for Tryon. This is the dark tale of twin brothers Niles and Holland a story full of plot twists and chilling imagery. I went into The Other expecting a quick read, and ended up getting more than I bargained for. This is the sort of book that makes you want to start reading it again as soon as you’ve finished the last page.

As the summer goes on, though, and Holland’s pranks become increasingly sinister, Niles finds he can no longer make excuses for his brother’s actions. Perry still hasn’t recovered from the shock of her husband’s gruesome end and stays sequestered in her room, leaving her sons to roam free. The Perrys live in the bucolic New England town their family settled centuries ago, and as it happens, the extended clan has gathered at its ancestral farm this summer to mourn the death of the twins’ father in a most unfortunate accident. Holland is bold and mischievous, a bad influence, while Niles is kind and eager to please, the sort of boy who makes parents proud. They are close, close enough, almost, to read each other’s thoughts, but they couldn’t be more different. Holland and Niles Perry are identical thirteen-year-old twins.

The other tryon