Book Review: Twisted

Today, I post my first Young Adult book review. I chose TWISTED because it's one of the rare authentic YA books written from a boy's point of view that appeals to everyone. I re-read it after writing my own teen boy POV book and hope I did as a great a job as Ms. Anderson did. Time will tell!

Have you read TWISTED? If so, what did you think of it? Do you like books written from the teen boy POV?

Title:  Twisted
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: May 2008
Format:  Trade paperback / eBook

Buy Links
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Back Cover Blurb:

High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background. But since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer doing outdoor work to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn’t believe. His new physique attracts the attention of queen bee Bethany Milbury, who just so happens to be his father’s boss’s daughter, the sister of his biggest enemy and Tyler’s secret crush. And that sets off a string of events and changes that have Tyler questioning his place in school, in his family, and in the world.

 

My Review:

 

Fantastic Insight into a Male Teen’s World! I loved the author’s New York Times Bestseller SPEAK and since I had recently written a novel from the teen boy POV, I just had to read TWISTED again.

 

This line on the dust jacket thoroughly captivated me:  "Everybody told me to be a man ... Nobody told me how."

 

Tyler used to be a nameless nobody with a secret crush on the hottest girl in school. That is until he got into trouble that landed him probation and a community service stint working with the school’s maintenance crew over summer. As the new school year starts, Tyler’s ripped, six-feet tall and hot! And he’s thinking he might have a chance with the girl of his dreams. But he has also become the infamous bad boy from last year who committed the “Foul Deed,” which continues to plague him during senior year.

 

I loved the author’s depiction of Tyler. She does an excellent job of writing from the teen boy perspective…he’s moody and angry at times, funny and caring, hormonal and lusting after his secret crush, Bethany. An overall normal teenage boy! Even with a “twisted” dysfunctional family and a world gone awry from his one big mistake, he totally enthralled me.

 

“THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR CHILDREN” is stamped on the inside cover of the book. I had to laugh at that. TWISTED is for teenagers, their parents and anyone who wants a real look into the inner psyche and struggles of a teen boy growing into manhood. This is not just a book for boys. It’s a book for girls who want to learn about a boy’s mind and to see how boys struggle just as much as girls do as they grow into adulthood. Even when Tyler thinks his problems are insurmountable and he toys with the idea of suicide, there’s so much hope in this story. So many people are there for Tyler from his best friend, his mother and sister, his English teacher to the janitorial crew he befriended over the summer. They all make him realize he has so much to offer to the world beyond high school.

 

With a dose of humor, TWISTED is an insightful and powerful page-turner. It’s an excellent example of a young adult novel from a male point of view that should be read by boys, girls and adults alike. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Anderson’s work. I’m hooked.