Horn Book

Stolen from a lab by their "Mom," the three Best girls are clones successfully sharing one life. That is, until two of them fall for different classmates, and that carefully constructed life begins to unravel; they must explore whether it's possible--and safe--to establish separate identities. Despite the pat, farfetched ending, this is an entertaining read with a grabbing premise.

School Library Journal

Gr 8-10 Patrick delivers a far-fetched notion in a seamlessly palatable way. Lizzie is a clone-she and her two sisters divide the day and live as if they were one girl named Elizabeth. Their doctor mother was a genetics scientist at a lab secretly working on human-cloning research, and for moral reasons, she decided to steal the babies. In Florida, the girls were being reared as triplets when Mom suddenly uprooted them to California and created new identities for them. Lizzie, the narrator, is generally happy with her strange life until she falls for classmate Sean. Although they are nearly 17, the girls have never been able to risk dating. But Sean makes it impossible not to fall in love with him and doing so will destroy their carefully constructed lie. The implications of Lizzie and Sean's relationship lead to revelations, twists, and turns in this hard-to-put down, light sci-fi tale; the intensity builds and never lets up. Give this offering to Patrick's fans and chick-lit readers ready for something a little different. Tara Kehoe, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ

ALA Booklist

Anyone meeting 17-year-old sisters Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey would think they are triplets. Of course, no one would meet them all at once, because each sister handles one part of their day rning, afternoon, and evening. Truth is they aren't actually sisters; they're clones. The girls' mother, a genetics scientist, used her own eggs for the cloning experiment and disappeared after the babies were born. But when the project was discovered, the government went looking for girl triplets. Dividing the day they would seem like one girl instead of three came the new plan. But now the girls don't want to lead a third of a life, especially narrator Lizzie, who finds a romantic relationship with classmate Sean. For all the possibilities here, not a great deal happens. This is more romance touched by a bit of mystery and some genetics than a sci-fi story. Readers will enjoy the setup, and there are a few tense moments in the middle, but no huge reveal. Give this to kids who like their cloning possibilities light and easy.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Patrick (Revived) is making a niche for herself with high-concept romantic thrillers about girls whose realities are far from the norm, and her third novel may be her best yet. Lizzie is a clone, one of three 16-year-old -sisters,- raised under the strict supervision of their scientist mother. Everyone outside the house thinks Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey are the same person, Elizabeth Best, since their mother has the girls living in shifts: Ella goes to school in the morning, Lizzie takes the midday shift, and Betsy gets evenings. The girls are growing increasingly resistant to this arrangement, especially after Lizzie and Ella fall for two different boys at school. Having three girls masquerade as one certainly sets the stage for conflict, but it-s the strong bond between the three girls as they begin to assert themselves, as well as Lizzie-s tantalizing and clandestine new relationship with classmate Sean Kelly, that will keep readers riveted. Patrick doesn-t dwell on the science behind the story, but instead uses cloning as a vehicle to explore themes of identity, sisterhood, and family. Ages 12-up. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (May)