Tricks Every Boy Can Do

Paul Buchanan’s Tricks Every Boy Can Do is a linear look at the life of two brothers who are identical, and yet not twins. Their differences are highlighted time and again through the choices they make and the company they keep. Identical in looks, yet different in every other way, a series of betrayals and deceptions should have put them at odds with each other. While their paths diverge time and again, one thing brings them back together in an unlikely way: a woman. The story unfolds, giving us glimpses into the thoughts of the woman, the brothers, and their mother and keeps us from hating one character entirely even as we root for another.

Well-written, entertaining, and as frustrating as it is lively, Tricks Every Boy Can Do feels authentic and as if the characters are very real. Set in a bygone era, the story feels true and correct in that setting but also as relevant, as if it were set yesterday. It’s a look at the webs we weave and the way they become entangled that feels true to life.