Whiskey and Charlie

Smith (A New Map of the Universe) constructs an engaging narrative about the complicated relationship between a pair of brothers. Charlie and Whiskey Ferns are identical twin brothers residing in England with their parents, Bill and Elaine. Whiskey is the athletic, gregarious, and ambitious twin; Charlie is the reserved, studious, and introspective one who envies Whiskey's glamorous successes. Aunt Audrey buys them walkie-talkies and they learn the NATO phonetic alphabet, which gives Whiskey his nickname. The Ferns move overseas to Melbourne where Bill takes a job as a boilermaker, and the twins acclimate to their new home. As they grow up, the already strained personal connection between the twins is completely broken after Whiskey invites Charlie to his New Year's Eve party, and Charlie falls in love with Whiskey's latest girlfriend, a sensitive model named Juliet. The family yarn takes a tragic turn when a motorist runs into Whiskey, leaving him in a coma, and the Smith sibling dynamic takes a more complex turn.Beset with guilt and rage, Charlie holds vigil at his estranged brother's bedside. The author skillfully portrays the coma patient's care, and fleshes out the minor characters, particularly Juliet, who grows exasperated by Charlie's fear of commitment. Smith's novel is well plotted and vividly depicts the permanent bond between two very different siblings. (Apr.)