Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2007. TWISTED. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670061013.
Tyler pulled what he thought was a funny prank at the end of his junior year that got him in serious trouble. After spending the summer doing character building manual labor Tyler is ready to suffer through his senior year. He dreads going back to school and facing his bullies again. “I was good at digging holes. It was the rest of life I sucked at.” (page 25). At school he finds he has a new reputation based on his arrest record and the muscles he developed over the summer. Following a wild party Tyler gets accused of an Internet crime and is shunned again at school. Throughout all of this he has to deal with an overstressed father who loves to yell and a mother who isn't home very often. Tyler begins thinking dark thoughts and has to decide what voices he will follow.
One aspect of this book that most readers will be able to relate to is the fact that Tyler uses video gaming to escape reality. Most people have something that they do to get away from reality, if even just for a short period of time. When Tyler is stressed out, either about his home life or his school life, he finds solace in his video game. This book also shows the consequences of underage drinking. After getting drunk at a party naked pictures of Bethany show up on the Internet. She is humiliated and charges are pressed against the boy who took the pictures. Tyler also potentially faces trouble because he is on probation and went to the party. These are things that happen at high school and college parties.
Through the first person point of view we are able to see what Tyler is thinking. For example, when he faces ridicule at school and when Bethany finally notices him. The tone of the book varies throughout the story. When Tyler is hanging out with Bethany the tone is very euphoric. When he feels like he has messed up so much that he can’t keep going and contemplates suicide the tone becomes very dark. The changing tone will keep readers interested in what is coming next. The setting is very modern shown by the use of online computer games and the use of the Internet. This helps readers relate to the story because they feel it is something that could happen to them.
The writing style will appeal to young adults because it is fast paced and not too complicated. "What works well here is the frank, on-target humor, the taut pacing, and the small moments recounted in Tyler's first-person voice that illuminate his emotional anguish. Writing for the first time from a male perspective, Anderson skillfully explores identity and power struggles that all young people will recognize."
Reference List:
Engberg, Gillian. "Review of Twisted." Booklist 103, no. 9/10 (2007): 78. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=113&sid=bf241bbb-0fb5-4254-84cb-0c636be40609%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=23776793 (accessed September 30, 2011).
Tyler pulled what he thought was a funny prank at the end of his junior year that got him in serious trouble. After spending the summer doing character building manual labor Tyler is ready to suffer through his senior year. He dreads going back to school and facing his bullies again. “I was good at digging holes. It was the rest of life I sucked at.” (page 25). At school he finds he has a new reputation based on his arrest record and the muscles he developed over the summer. Following a wild party Tyler gets accused of an Internet crime and is shunned again at school. Throughout all of this he has to deal with an overstressed father who loves to yell and a mother who isn't home very often. Tyler begins thinking dark thoughts and has to decide what voices he will follow.
One aspect of this book that most readers will be able to relate to is the fact that Tyler uses video gaming to escape reality. Most people have something that they do to get away from reality, if even just for a short period of time. When Tyler is stressed out, either about his home life or his school life, he finds solace in his video game. This book also shows the consequences of underage drinking. After getting drunk at a party naked pictures of Bethany show up on the Internet. She is humiliated and charges are pressed against the boy who took the pictures. Tyler also potentially faces trouble because he is on probation and went to the party. These are things that happen at high school and college parties.
Through the first person point of view we are able to see what Tyler is thinking. For example, when he faces ridicule at school and when Bethany finally notices him. The tone of the book varies throughout the story. When Tyler is hanging out with Bethany the tone is very euphoric. When he feels like he has messed up so much that he can’t keep going and contemplates suicide the tone becomes very dark. The changing tone will keep readers interested in what is coming next. The setting is very modern shown by the use of online computer games and the use of the Internet. This helps readers relate to the story because they feel it is something that could happen to them.
The writing style will appeal to young adults because it is fast paced and not too complicated. "What works well here is the frank, on-target humor, the taut pacing, and the small moments recounted in Tyler's first-person voice that illuminate his emotional anguish. Writing for the first time from a male perspective, Anderson skillfully explores identity and power struggles that all young people will recognize."
Reference List:
Engberg, Gillian. "Review of Twisted." Booklist 103, no. 9/10 (2007): 78. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=113&sid=bf241bbb-0fb5-4254-84cb-0c636be40609%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=23776793 (accessed September 30, 2011).
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