How the characters in this story are interconnected is a marvel of storytelling. JOHN IRVINGFate, circumstance, and the symbolism of sight collide in this modern gothic novel.On a hot June day in 1965, two six-year-old boys, Gareth and Jack, compete to see who can climb higher up a tree. When Jack falls and loses his eye on a thorn bush, the accident sets off a series of events that will bind the boys together for the rest of their lives.When the best friends meet albino twins Clara and Blanca, a shared fate unfolds. With Gareth and Jacks help, the twins are able to reclaim their lives and leave their nightmarish past behind them.From the shores of Lake Ontario to the hustle of Berlin, from the art of oculary to punk opera, this is a story of dark secrets, suppressed desires, forgiveness, and love.

Heidi von Palleske is a writer, actor, andactivist. She has written poetry, articles, and fiction, and won the H.R. Percy Novel Prize forThey Dont Run Red Trains Anymore. Heidi spends time on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, but calls Toronto home.