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Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

« H E Alissa :: email
posted Sunday, 26 August 2007
Tyler has always been a geek- until a graffiti prank makes him a legend and the physical labor required during his mandatory community service gives him muscles.  His new muscles attract the attention of popular Bethany Milbury, the "goddess" who just happens to be the daughter of Tyler's father's boss and the sister of Tyler's biggest tormentor, Chip.  While things are looking up at school for the start of Tyler's senior year, things are home continue to be volatile as Tyler's father's angry and explosive behavior keeps the family on edge.  Tyler's positive start to the school year quickly ends following a wild party in which pictures of a drunken, passed out Bethany appear on the internet and Tyler finds himself potentially facing felony charges of lewd behavior, forcible touching, sexual harrassment, sexual misconduct, voyeurism, and kidnapping.   As Tyler struggles to prove his innocence in an environment that has already deemed him guilty, he contemplates increasingly darker means of escaping his situation. 
Tyler is an interesting, complex and very authentic character.  His narration is full of vulnerabilty and emotional anguish that conveys the struggles of a young man growing up and trying to find out for himself what it means to be a man.  Anderson has another slam dunk with Twisted- its haunting story, chilling scenes, and raw emotion will stay with readers long after the story has completed.

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comments (1)


1. A Maynard left...
Thursday, 6 March 2008 8:52 pm

I agree that Twisted is very well done. I read occasional teen works as part of my job as a librarian, and I rarely enjoy them nor find the teen voices especially convincing. Twisted is a great exception--the story moves quickly and convincingly and Tyler sounds like a teen boy with both teen and adult worries.