(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“Luck always seems to be against the man who depends on it.”- Ukrainian proverb
Vira Blyzinska fled to Poland from her home in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. She brought little with her except for her viola da gamba. Unfortunately, her twin brother, Sevastyan, stayed behind to serve in the military. That said, they managed to communicate almost daily.
Due to the Uniting For Ukraine program, Vira was able to fly to Baltimore in the U.S. After her arrival, she is attacked by thugs, and her belongings, including her phone, are stolen. How will Sevastyan know how to contact her? Since she feels victimized as a woman, she takes on her twin’s identity.
She gets a job cleaning for composer, Orson, who has been commissioned to direct an opera for the Twelfth Night Festival. He is blocked creatively as his muse, singer Isabella Foiani, has refused to sing in the opera. Once Orson discovers Vira’s (who he thinks is Sevastyan) talent, he asks her opinions on the musical arrangements. More importantly he believes that Vira (Sevastyan) can persuade Isabella to join the opera. As each relationship develops, we learn the potential harm that this deception could cause. In the back of our minds, we still wonder if the twins will ever reunite.
The Deceived Ones takes its title from Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, “Twelfth Night”. Each character is fascinating and completely fleshed out. Maybe this novel takes too much from other stories incorporating gender deception, but the contemporary issues of crime, immigration, xenophobia, and cultural diversity make it an engaging read.
