Six Degrees of Separation – from Ghost Cities to Fortune’s Folly

It’s time for #6degrees, inspired by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. We all start at the same place as other readers, add six books, and see where it ends up. This month’s starting point is Ghost Cities by Siang Lu, a satirical novel that begins with a Chinese-Australian character being fired from his job at the Chinese consulate in Sydney because he misrepresented his language skills and only speaks English.

In my job, we are always trying to hire people who speak more than one language. When candidates claim to be bilingual in Spanish, my colleague Alan, who is from Honduras, will gently question them in Spanish and they often look at him blankly, so I don’t have much sympathy for protagonist Xiang!

First Degree

Another book that starts out in Sydney is Pas de Don’t by Chloe Angyal (2023) about a ballerina who escapes from a bad relationship with another dancer in New York to star – temporarily – with the Australian National Ballet. At first, she is relieved there is a 'no workplace dating' rule but a secret fling turns into disgrace for her and Marcus, who is everything her former fiancé was not. My review.

Second Degree

Ballet is also the theme in Pirouette by Australian author Robyn Bavati, a sort of Parent Trap wannabe. Identical twins adopted as babies by different families meet by chance and decide to switch places. The obsessed dancer can go to an intensive camp while the one who wants to be a carefree teen can explore other interests. But it is harder to fool everyone than expected . . . 

Third Degree

One of the best known impersonation stories is Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey (1949). Brat is lured into posing as the missing Ashby twin when he learns the family breeds horses, which are his passion. Before Brat has time to appreciate his “new” family, someone tries to kill him. This is my favorite Tey and holds up to frequent rereads.

Fourth Degree

The Twins at St. Clare’s by Enid Blyton (1941) is another popular twin story. Pat and Isabel don’t want to go to boarding school at St. Clare’s so decide to act up in their first term, including impersonating each other when Pat misbehaves and is forbidden to go to town. Jokes, school sports, eccentric French teacher, midnight feasts, mean girls – I never liked Blyton’s anti-American streak but I did love her series.

Fifth Degree

First, Greyladies and, more recently, Furrowed Middlebrow rescued The Fair Miss Fortune (2011) from obscurity as it was not published in D.E. Stevenson’s lifetime. It’s a lighthearted romp in which a young woman moves to the country with her old nurse as chaperone, planning to open a tea shop. Just as Jane seems to be settling in nicely, her identical twin comes to visit, confusing everyone but especially Jane’s suitors. My review.

Sixth Degree

Betsy-Tacy fan Deva Fagan is known for her middle-school fantasies, and Fortune’s Folly (2009) features an appealing group of characters. After her mother died, Fortunata realized the only way to save her despondent father is by leaving home but she finds herself forced to earn her living by telling false fortunes. When a fortune for a prince backfires, she has to make it come true to avoid disaster! This book features a resourceful heroine and a hero with hidden depths.

So I connected an Australian novel, inspired by the uninhabited megacities of China, to a fantasy by a Maine author about a girl who does not believe in magic, with dancers, twins, and impersonation in between. Have you read any of these?  Next month (October 4, 2025), we’ll start with Dominic Amerena’s novel about authors and publishing, I Want Everything.