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High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background—average student, average looks, average dysfunctional family. 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 the school, in his family, and in the world. In Twisted, the acclaimed Laurie Halse Anderson tackles a very controversial subject: what it means to be a man today. Fans and new readers alike will be captured by Tyler’s pitchperfect, funny voice, the surprising narrative arc, and the thoughtful moral dilemmas that are at the heart of all of the author’s award-winning, widely read work.
At first, Anderson's (Speak) contemporary novel appears to be a "twisted" version of a Cinderella story. Unpopular senior Tyler Miller ("a zit on the butt of the student body") gains stature and notoriety the summer after he pulls off an impressive prank: "spray-painting a couple thousand dollars worth of damage to the school." But readers soon discover that the author has something more complex and original to offer than a fairy-tale rendition of transformation. Humorous, compelling first-person narrative traces how Tyler's newfound happiness as a gutsy tough-guy soon turns to agony; he starts to wish that he could go back to being "invisible." Tyler is floating on Cloud Nine when he wins favor with rich, popular Bethany Milbury, but she drops him after he won't sleep with her, and then he gets the blame when compromising photos of her appear on the Internet. As a result, Tyler has to contend with the police, a verbally abusive father (who works for Bethany's dad), a principal who is still angry about the graffiti incident, and a slew of new enemies at school. With justice seemingly beyond his reach, Tyler considers suicide and running away from home before settling for less drastic measures. This dark comedy gives a chillingly accurate portrayal of the high-school social scene, in which morals, perceptions and conceptions of truth are continually being challenged. Tyler may not gain hero status with his peers, but readers will respect his integrity, which outshines his mistakes. Ages 12-up. (Mar.)Agent: Writers House.
Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.Gr 9 & Up - Socially inept Tyler Miller thinks his senior year of high school is going to be a year like no other. After being sentenced to a summer of "character building" physical labor following a graffiti prank, his reputation at school receives a boost, as do his muscles. Enter super-popular Bethany Milbury, sister of his tormentor, Chip, and daughter of his father's boss. Tyler's newfound physique has attracted her interest and infuriated Chip, leading to ongoing conflicts at school. Likewise, Tyler's inability to meet his volatile father's demands to "be an asset, not a liability" adds increasing tension. All too quickly, Tyler's life spirals out of control. In the wake of an incident at a wild party that Bethany has invited him to attend, he is left feeling completely isolated at school and alienated at home, a victim of "twisted" perception. Tyler must tackle the complex issues of integrity, personal responsibility, and identity on his own as he struggles to understand what it means to be a man. His once humorous voice now only conveys naked vulnerability. With gripping scenes and a rousing ending, Anderson authentically portrays Tyler's emotional instability as he contemplates darker and darker solutions to his situation. Readers will rejoice in Tyler's proclamation, "I'm not the problem here . . . I'm tired of feeling like I am." Teenage concerns with sex, alcohol, grades, and family are all tackled with honesty and candor. Once again, Anderson's taut, confident writing will cause this story to linger long after the book is set down.-Erin Schirota, Bronxville Public Library, NY
Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information
Laurie Halse Anderson is the author of the multiple award-winning Speak, Catalyst (an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults), and the New York Times best-seller, Prom. She lives in northern New York with her husband and a lot of firewood.
chapter one
I spent the last Friday of summer vacation spreading hot, sticky tar across the roof of George Washington High. My companions were Dopey, Toothless, and Joe, the brain surgeons in charge of building maintenance. At least they were getting paid. I was working forty feet above the ground, breathing in sulfur fumes from Satan’s vomitorium, for free.
Character building, my father said.
Mandatory community service, the judge said. Court-ordered restitution for the Foul Deed. He nailed me with the bill for the damage I had done, which meant I had to sell my car and bust my hump at a landscaping company all summer. Oh, and he gave me six months of meetings with a probation officer who thought I was a waste of human flesh.
Still, it was better than jail.
I pushed the mop back and forth, trying to coat the seams evenly. We didn’t want any rain getting into the building and destroying the classrooms. Didn’t want to hurt the school. No, sir, we sure didn’t.
Joe wandered over, looked at my work, and grunted.
“We done yet?” asked Dopey. “Thunderstorms rolling in soon. Heavy weather.”
I looked up. There were no clouds in the sky.
Joe nodded slowly, studying the roof. “Yeah, we’re done.” He turned off the motor on the tar kettle. “Last day for Tyler, here. Bet you’re glad to be quit of us, huh, kid?”
“Nah,” I lied. “You guys have been great.”
Dopey cackled. “If them sewer pipes back up again, we’ll get you out of class.”
There had been a few advantages to working with these guys. They taught me how to steal free soda out of the vending machines. I snagged a couple of keys when they weren’t looking. Best of all, the hard labor had turned me from Nerd Boy into Tyler the Amazing Hulk, with ripped muscles and enough testosterone to power a nuclear generator.
“Hey, get a load of this!” Toothless shouted.
We picked our way around the fresh tar patches and looked where he was pointing, four stories down. I stayed away from the edge; I wasn’t so good at heights. But then I saw them: angels with pony tails gathered in the parking lot.
The girls’ tennis team.
Wearing bikini tops and short shorts.
Wearing wet bikini tops and wet short shorts.
I inched closer. It was a car wash, with vehicles lined up all the way out to the road, mostly driven by guys. Barely clad girls were bending, stretching, soaping up, scrubbing, and squealing. They were squirting each other with hoses. And squealing. Did I mention that?
“Take me now, Lord,” Toothless muttered.
The marching band was practicing in the teachers’ lot. They fired up their version of “Louie, Louie.” Finely toned tennis-angel butts bounced back and forth to the beat. Then a goddess rose up from the hubcap of a white Ford Explorer.
Bethany Milbury.
The driver of the Explorer said something. Bethany smiled and blew at the soapsuds in her hands so bubbles floated through the air and landed on his nose. The driver melted into a puddle on the front seat. Bethany threw back her head and laughed. The sun flashed off her teeth.
Joe’s tongue dropped out of his mouth and sizzled on the hot roof. Dopey took off his glasses, rubbed them on a corner of his shirt, and put them back on. Toothless adjusted himself.
Bethany bounced along to the next car in line, a dark-green Avenger that was burning oil.
Bethany Milbury pushes me against the hood of my cherry-red, turbocharged Testarossa. “I love fast cars,” she whispers, soapy fingers in my hair.
“This is the fastest,” I say.
“I’ve been waiting so long for you, Tyler. . . .” Her head tilts, her lips open.
I am so ready for this.
She grabs my arm and snarls, “Be careful, dummy, you’ll break your neck.”
No, wait. I blinked. I was on a hot tar roof with three smelly grown men. Joe was gripping my arm, yanking me back from the edge.
“I said, be careful, dummy. That first step is a doozy.”
“Sorry,” I said. “I mean, thanks.”
A navy-blue 1995 Mercedes S500 sedan rolled into the parking lot. It came to complete stop. Left blinker flashing, it turned and parked in front of the building. A man in a black suit got out of the driver’s seat. Stood next to the car. Looked up at me and tapped the face of his watch once, twice, three times. I had inconvenienced him again. Dopey, Toothless, and Joe crawled out of sight. They had seen my father detonate before.
I spent the last Friday of summer vacation spreading hot, sticky tar across the roof of George Washington High. My companions were Dopey, Toothless, and Joe, the brain surgeons in charge of building maintenance. At least they were getting paid. I was working forty feet above the ground, breathing in sulfur fumes from Satan’s vomitorium, for free.
Character building, my father said.
Mandatory community service, the judge said. Court-ordered restitution for the Foul Deed. He nailed me with the bill for the damage I had done, which meant I had to sell my car and bust my hump at a landscaping company all summer. Oh, and he gave me six months of meetings with a probation officer who thought I was a waste of human flesh.
Still, it was better than jail.
I pushed the mop back and forth, trying to coat the seams evenly. We didn’t want any rain getting into the building and destroying the classrooms. Didn’t want to hurt the school. No, sir, we sure didn’t.
Joe wandered over, looked at my work, and grunted.
“We done yet?” asked Dopey. “Thunderstorms rolling in soon. Heavy weather.”
I looked up. There were no clouds in the sky.
Joe nodded slowly, studying the roof. “Yeah, we’re done.” He turned off the motor on the tar kettle. “Last day for Tyler, here. Bet you’re glad to be quit of us, huh, kid?”
“Nah,” I lied. “You guys have been great.”
Dopey cackled. “If them sewer pipes back up again, we’ll get you out of class.”
There had been a few advantages to working with these guys. They taught me how to steal free soda out of the vending machines. I snagged a coupleof keys when they weren’t looking. Best of all, the hard labor had turned me from Nerd Boy into Tyler the Amazing Hulk, with ripped muscles and enough testosterone to power a nuclear generator.
“Hey, get a load of this!” Toothless shouted.
We picked our way around the fresh tar patches and looked where he was pointing, four stories down. I stayed away from the edge; I wasn’t so good at heights. But then I saw them: angels with pony tails gathered in the parking lot.
The girls’ tennis team.
Wearing bikini tops and short shorts.
Wearing wet bikini tops and wet short shorts.
I inched closer. It was a car wash, with vehicles lined up all the way out to the road, mostly driven by guys. Barely clad girls were bending, stretching, soaping up, scrubbing, and squealing. They were squirting each other with hoses. And squealing. Did I mention that?
“Take me now, Lord,” Toothless muttered.
The marching band was practicing in the teachers’ lot. They fired up their version of “Louie, Louie.” Finely toned tennis-angel butts bounced back and forth to the beat. Then a goddess rose up from the hubcap of a white Ford Explorer.
Bethany Milbury.
The driver of the Explorer said something. Bethany smiled and blew at the soapsuds in her hands so bubbles floated through the air and landed on his nose. The driver melted into a puddle on the front seat. Bethany threw back her head and laughed. The sun flashed off her teeth.
Joe’s tongue dropped out of his mouth and sizzled on the hot roof. Dopey took off his glasses, rubbed them on a corner of his shirt, and put them back on. Toothless adjusted himself.
Bethany bounced along to the next car in line, a dark-green Avenger that was burning oil.
Bethany Milbury pushes me against the hood of my cherry-red, turbocharged Testarossa. “I love fast cars,” she whispers, soapy fingers in my hair.
“This is the fastest,” I say.
“I’ve been waiting so long for you, Tyler. . . .” Her head tilts, her lips open.
I am so ready for this.
She grabs my arm and snarls, “Be careful, dummy, you’ll break your neck.”
No, wait. I blinked. I was on a hot tar roof with three smelly grown men. Joe was gripping my arm, yanking me back from the edge.
“I said, be careful, dummy. That first step is a doozy.”
“Sorry,” I said. “I mean, thanks.”
A navy-blue 1995 Mercedes S500 sedan rolled into the parking lot. It came to complete stop. Left blinker flashing, it turned and parked in front of the building. A man in a black suit got out of the driver’s seat. Stood next to the car. Looked up at me and tapped the face of his watch once, twice, three times. I had inconvenienced him again.Dopey, Toothless, and Joe crawled out of sight. They had seen my father detonate before.
Twisted centers on Tyler, the used to be nerd, now somewhat bad boy who bloomed into a full grown, six foot hottie over the summer. With his newfound ripped physique, he may actually have a chance with the hottest girl in the school, the girl of his dreams, but his feelings have to contend with his dysfunctional family and his slowly crumbling world.
Character-wise, Tyler is fantastic. I couldn't put the book down because I was just so attached to the guy. Anderson writes from the teenage male perspective and does it so wondrously. Tyler is the epitome of teenage boy. He's moody and angry and lustful and beyond hormonal, but he's also a real character.
Tyler's funny and cares about his mom and his sister and he tries so hard to be a good guy. The things that happen to him are a bit out of his control, but that's where the book gets so good. The escalating tension builds so much throughout the story that I found myself just waiting for the explosion and Anderson does not disappoint.
Tyler's inner thoughts are vividly raw with his emotions. His past mistake (just the one really) becomes the center of his world, the single factor that drives his senior year. Anderson probes Tyler's family life so we see way past the pristine surface to a family that is falling apart bit by bit; from Tyler, a high school senior on parole, to Hannah, the freshman who wants to express herself and break free from her parents rules, to the mom who is fast becoming and alcoholic, and finally to the dad who is overworked, easily agitated, and constantly verbally abusive. Like I said, the family is twisted, but their imperfections are what make the entire story so easy to just get.
The book is stamped "THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR CHILDREN" but it isn't really all that graphic, at least in my opinion. Sure, there's talk of erections and cold showers and a scene alluding to masturbation, but Tyler is 18 years old. If people don't think that teens know, think about, or have sex, then they're fooling themselves. Tyler's world doesn't even revolve around the opposite sex. The plot focuses much more on him as a person and how much he has changed and how his family is a little twisted. This is definitely not for the younger crowd, but with the warning right there in the beginning, I don't see how/why it needs to be challenged in high schools.
Twisted is an incredibly well-written book that's easy to relate to and impossible to put down. Filled with lusty thoughts an uproarious humor, Anderson taps into the teenage male psyche in a way few female authors are able to do. Take the time to read this book, you won't regret it.
Opening line: I spent the last Friday of summer vacation spreading hot, sticky tar across the roof of George Washington High. ~ pg. 1
Favorite line (I have two): I scared myself, because once you've thought long and hard enough about doing something that is colossally stupid, you feel like you've actually done it, and then you're never quite sure what your limits are. ~ pg. 95
The guy in the mirror looked like somebody had wrapped his heart in barbed wire and pulled. He wasn't just a loser. He was lost, no-compass lost, don't-speak-the-language lost.
I have screwed up everything. ~ pg. 189
10 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When I started this book, I found myself laughing out loud from start to finish! Laurie Halse Anderson created the typical-teenage-boy character with precision, and made sure to add lots of hilarious comments with every twist and turn. To whoever is thinking about reading Twisted: I promise you you'll be holding your breath in every intense part, and rooting for Tyler the whole way through. There are so many Teen Angst Soap Operas out there that only bore the reader to death. Twisted is now my favorite book because it is a refreshing (and definitely NOT boring) book that deals with love and hate.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson was a superb fictional novel. Twisted grabbed my attention because of the way the author used dialogue. It made me laugh, fell bad and many more moods. The chapters didn't drag on so the novel was enjoyable and not painful to read. Twisted takes place in present day Illinois. Tyler Miller, the unseen nerdy kid turns into the bad boy rebel after spray painting a statue in his school. He got probation and had to do school work over summer so he bulked up, and became the senior stud. Chip Milbury doesn't care if he bulked up but Tyler is in love with Bethany, Chip's sister. Chip just thinks Tyler is an all out loser.
Tyler doesn't let Chip or the cops scare him so he still goes after Bethany no matter what happens. Tyler tries to cope with what he's dealing with by trying to blend in and act as if nothing happened with junior prank. He also ditches class to get away from the learning and all the teachers but he still gets in trouble by getting caught so that doesn't help him at all.
Laurie Anderson's dialogue is used frequently in Twisted. She uses Tyler as the narrator and his thoughts are used and the way an average high school student would talk; slang and cursing and improper speaking makes you believe that Tyler is writing it. Twisted is mainly about a nerdy kid's life getting messed up, inside and out. If someone likes romance, but action and comedy, Twisted can satisfy the pickiest of all readers.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.erosion-of-beauty
Posted Sat Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2011
A very typical Laurie Halse Anderson novel, but not quite as ambiguous as Speak was.
One of the many things I appreciated about the book was that I could see every single character in the halls of my high school. In fact, I think I know several of them. (The high school itself, however, was less believable. No dress code, for example... It's little things like that that get me. I digress.)
None of the main characters were one-dimensional. At some point, they all showed a dark side. But at some point, they all have a chance for redemption.
BUT it is a really fantastic coming-of-age story. It doesn't wrap everything up in a nice little box, just like in real life. It deals with the rumor mill, abuse, the dangers of alcohol, juvenile delinquency, and dysfunctional families in a very honest and believable way. I read the whole thing in one setting.
(For fans of John Green, Jay Asher, and other LHA books)
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MexicanLegend24
Posted Thu Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 2010
Twisted is mainly about a High School senior named Tyler Miller who used to be the type of guy who was non-noticeable around his school. The plot of the story quickly changes when Tyler does a foul deed and spray paints graffiti onto school property and gets a bad reputation for it. While tyler works his butt off at his outdoor work during summer he transforms into (The Amazing Hulk) and gets ripped, now attracting his love life Bethany Milbury. As Tyler transforms throughout the story, he soon notices that he wishes he could be invisible once again for the many problems he's had. Bethany Milbury (Tyler's secret crush) soon ruins Tyler's reputation after he wouldn't sleep with her and she post's compromising pictures of herself on the internet and therefore Tyler gets blamed. As a result of Tyler's problems he has to deal with the police, a very bad tempered father, and a very angry principal who is still mad at Tyler for spray painting on school property. Throughout the story, Tyler plays a game called Trophet. He gets stuck on certain levels of the game whenever there's a problem in his life. In the end of the book Tyler solves all his problems and therefore completes the game.
In the first few pages of the book, there's a sign that says "NOTE: THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR CHILDREN." The type of people I believe should read this novel are young adults and above. This novel includes bad words and other sorts of bad things. Although this novel was aimed at adults, I did get a special lesson from it, which is that I thought at first that the sign was only joking because many reviewers mentioned it was humorous. But after I started reading it, I soon realized that there was foul language. All in all, the book itself was pretty good besides the foul language and other stuff.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.crzy4bookz47
Posted Thu Aug 12 00:00:00 EDT 2010
I Also Recommend:
THIS BOOK FOR ME WAS A PAGE TURNER. laurie anderson really knows how to write books,even from a boys perspective. it funny at parts but really it felt real and dats wat i luv the most. so read this book itz awsome.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon May 02 00:00:00 EDT 2011
i love laurie halse anderson..shes my favorite. her books rock my socks off...twisted is amazing.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Nov 12 00:00:00 EST 2012
The story is about a teenaged boy whos dreams become real. Fantasies now have a chance of happening. But, pictures were taken that made his dreams become nightmares. The book is okay, nothing to bag about but could not be classified as a piece of trash. Easy read through. In my opinion the book seemed unfinished like a big chuck of the book was missing. Who knows though, maybe I did not understand the end. Liked the character growth. Tyler went from a wimpy, cowardly nerd to a strong defender. Either way, give the book a shot, you might like it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri May 27 00:00:00 EDT 2011
A really good book about growing up
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.http://scholarberry.blogspot.com/
Tyler Miller was just the ordinary teenager. He even faded into the background more than most people. Then he sprayed a bunch of thoughts that's been stuck in his mind for a while on the school. Graffiti.
So of course he has to pay for it. Hence; community service. He lost his car + meeting a probation officer. No jail, though. No jail. So wasn't that sort of good?
If back then he was a wimp or one of the Norms, because of the landscaping company he did his service on, he's the Champ now. He's ripped and he attracted the Queen of his high school, Bethany Milbury. (Tyler's secret crush)
Bethany, though, unfortunately, is his father's boss daughter. Who is, to say, the sister of Tyler's nemesis, Chip Milbury.
Yoda, his best friend, is hot for his sister; Hannah.
With only Hannah and Yoda at his side, can he get Bethany by his side without crushing Chip?
How about just simply not getting grounded for hitting your, er, boss' son for being provoked?
A turn at Tyler's life completely swerved him out of the safe lane. But there's no turning back, cause the harm was done.
Another problem is that his dad never really listen. Typical. What about locking himself up with his computer--workaholic? Typical. Not trusting his own son at all? Sorta typical. All combined? Lord of Darkness. Ha.
Twisted is simple and full of emotions. Laurie Halse Anderson had also written Speak, Catalyst and Prom.
http://scholarberry.blogspot.com/
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Twisted is a book about a boy learning to become a man... He has some situations along the way: He spray paints the school because he thinks that it will make him a somebody. He becomes known as the "dangerous" boy. The most beautiful girl (Bethany) goes after him. Her older brother (bully but smaller than Tyler) tries to stand up to Tyler but can't do it just right. Tyler goes to a party, and Bethany gets drunk. She tries to have sex with Tyler by he doesn't. The next day, there are pictures of her naked all over the internet. Tyler gets blamed. Twisted was an awesome book. The whole story was Real.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I liked this book. Sometimes I was annoyed with Tyler but then sometimes I rooted for him and felt sorry for him. Tyler vandalizes his high school and becomes a legend. Once a nerd with nothing going on, a summer of hard works gives him a buff body and new confidence. Soon his enemy's(Chip) twin sister Bethany is hitting on him and paying attention to him. Bethany has been his dream girl since middle school and at a party he turns her down when she's drunk cuz he doesn't want to take advantage of her. Something happens at the same party,someone takes bad pictures of Bethany while she's drunk and people start to blame Tyler. His life becomes hell and life at home becomes unbearable.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Thu Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2010
i read this book and was amazed! it is a very good book and full of different emotions that keep the story flowing! i loved it and would reccomend it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2009
I didn't know this book was made only for young boys. I enjoyed it anwaysss!! It made me laugh, and think about what many boys might go through. Awesome book. And all my friends think so too! a really good read!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I Also Recommend:
it was very thrilling i would recommend it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2008
Courtney Morrow <BR/>Ms. Rogal <BR/>Strategic Reading <BR/>17 November 2008 <BR/> Twisted <BR/> By: Laurie Halse Anderson <BR/> ¿Hey, get a load of this!¿ (Toothless, Chapter 1) Laurie Halse Anderson¿s purpose in writing Twisted is that she has heard multiple stories from teenage boys who are faced with pressure. This inspired Laurie to write something new and different. The audience she intended this book for comes from teenagers who are in high school, and are facing the same problems or can relate to these situations. She chooses this group as her audience so they can relate to the situation and also learning from the situation. <BR/> The narrator who is telling this story is Tyler Miller. Tyler feels like people are talking about him, and only think he is a horrible kid for the incident he did last year. It is important that Tyler tells the story because the main events that happen are happening to him. Laurie has interpreted her characters very well. She has all of the students, teachers and the principal perfect in description and their characteristics. Laurie also interpreted the time period and the story line very well. Laurie really engaged you in the writing and made you feel like you were sitting on the sidelines along with him. <BR/> I think the character that I could relate to the most would have to be Tyler. I can relate to Tyler because we go through some of the same types of situations. Examples of situations are gossip, teen parties and parents. I think that Laurie Halse Anderson was very successful in writing her book Twisted. Laurie¿s purpose of writing Twisted is so people could relate to the same issue and learn from it. Twisted helped me learn about the effects of gossip and believing in yourself. An example from the book is when the whole student body is talking about Tyler and what happened at the party. Twisted reminds me a lot of the TV show Gossip Girl. In Gossip Girl they are always talking about each other and starting stories that are mostly faulty. <BR/> The significance of Twisted¿s title is Tyler goes through ordeals that give him a negative reputation. Further in the book Tyler get accused of more crimes. Tyler¿s school life, family life and life in general have become twisted. I would recommend this book to high school students, because they can relate to mostly everything Tyler goes through. <BR/> My final conclusions about the end of the book were a little disappointing. I always like books to end in a sappy love story, but I¿m glad Tyler got his family back and his life back. I loved reading Twisted. Once I got into the book I couldn¿t find myself putting it down and finished it in two days. I like the ending, but I again like sappy love story endings. I would give Twisted four stars. I really liked this book. I could relate to basically everything and it engaged my attention making me not wanting to put it down. So if Twisted isn¿t in your ¿to be read¿ pile, please don¿t wait move it to the top.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Thu May 02 00:00:00 EDT 2013
The book Twisted, Laurie Halse Anderson is about a Junior in high school named Tyler, who gets in trouble with the law and becomes popular because of it. The story takes you through the ups and downs of his life, there is many unexpected twists and complications he goes through. The main characters of the book Twisted were Tyler, his mom, his dad, and Yoda. Tyler was the kid that narrated the book and the main character he also was a dynamic character. Tyler’s mom and dad also played a big role in the story because they had to deal with everything that was going on with Tyler and Tyler always talked about his problems with them. Also Yoda is also a main character because he is Tyler’s best friend and he helps him through his struggles. Tyler faced a lot of problems, including being wrongly accused of doing a crime, sneaking out for parties, and getting into trouble with the law. My favorite character in this book was Tyler, I liked him because us as readers get to know him and get to know how he is feeling. I also liked him because I could connect with him, since I’m also a high school boy. My least favorite character of the book was Chip Milbury, I didn’t like him because he always would beat up and Tyler and he got Tyler’s dad fired.
This characters in this book are relatable to modern day readers. They are relatable because a lot of Tyler’s struggles are what kids are also going through or went through in their high school years. The characters actions were believable for the conflict because they are what a normal high school kid would go through. A real person would behave in this way if they were also going though what Tyler went through.
This book was one of the bests books I have ever read, it was well written and it was a page turner. My favorite part of the book was when Tyler and his dad forgave each other and became “friends again.” Also, I really liked the rising action because all the events that happened made you wan’t to keep reading. Also, the plot of this book was really well thought out. Another part of the book that I liked was that you could make a lot of inferences, which I always like doing. I wish I could change the ending of the book because it didn’t really resolve the conflict it just left you hanging.
I would recommend this book to boys that are in middle school and high school. I think only boys would like this book because the main character is a boy, and it talks about boy stuff. I think any type of person would like book because it has many aspects to it.
Anonymous
Posted Thu Apr 11 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Im sooooooo HORNEY GET IN BED NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh! Oh! Oh! Do it to me HARDER! HADER! HARDER!!!!!!!
YEH OH YEH
Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 02 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I loved this book. While there are some moments that are a little mature for some ages, I think the author did an amazing job of describing high school in a nutshell, and the confusing times many students will face in the transition into thier last years at school.
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Posted Sat Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Its the best book uve read so far! And i read a lot of books. Laurie is an amzing author!! This book>
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Overview
High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background—average student, average looks, average dysfunctional family. 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...