In 1961 the movie The Parent Trap hit the big screen. It was an instant hit and later in spawned a remake starring Lindsey Lohan.
But before the movies, came a book called Lisa and Lottie by Erich Kastner, known as
Das doppelte Lottchen in its original German.
Overview
Das doppelte Lottchen was first published in 1949. It tells the story of nine year olds Lisa Palfry and Lottie Horn who meet at summer camp and discover they are twins separated as toddlers. Once they realize that they are twins, they hatch a plan to switch places and meet the parent that they don’t know.
Characters
There are six main characters in this story.
- Lisa Palfry- A lively, carefree girl who lives in Vienna with her father
- Lottie Horn- A dutiful, quiet girl who lives with her mother in Munich
- Lisalottie Horn- The girls’ mother who is a photo editor
- Arnold Palfry- The girls’ father who is a composer and conductor
- Rosa- The Palfry’s housekeeper
- Irene Gerlach- A woman who intends to marry Mr. Palfry
About The Author
Erich Kastner was a German author who known especially for his children’s books. During the reign of the Nazis, he was actually banned from publishing his work in Germany. So instead, he published in Switzerland.
My Thoughts
What I Liked:
I knew going in that this book wouldn’t be exactly like the Parent Trap that I grew up watching. And while there were some definite changes, the heart of the story was still the same, which I appreciated.
I enjoyed the relationship between Lottie and Lisa because it showed how strong of a bond they had despite being apart for so long.
What I Didn’t Like:
I wish there was more depth to the book. While I understand that it is a children’s book, I wish the author had spent more time immersing us in each girl’s world because I think it would help the reader better understand exactly how different each was.
There was also a decent amount telling the reader things that happened offstage instead of showing us. Showing us would have also helped with the depth issue that I mentioned above.
The third act felt very rushed and because of that, the ending just didn’t work for me.
Rating And Final Thoughts
Overall, I liked the book. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t earthshattering. But it did tell a story of family and evergreen hope that even in today’s world, we can appreciate and relate to.
My Rating: 3.5 Out Of 5 Stars
I had no idea the Parent Trap was based on a book?? How did I miss that memo?? I think I’ll have to give it a read!