The Loop

by Shandy Lawson

Overview

Ben and Maggie have met, fallen in love, and died together countless times. Over the course of two pivotal day -- both the best and worst of their lives -- they struggle again and again to resist the pull of fate and the force of time itself. With each failure, they return to the beginning of their end, a wild road trip that brings them to the scene of their own murders and into the hands of the man who is destined to kill them.

As time circles back on itself, events become more deeply ingrained, more inescapable for the two kids trapped inside the loop. The closer they come to breaking out, the tighter fate's clutches seem to grip them. They devise a desperate plan to break free and survive the days ahead, but what if Ben and Maggie's only shot at not dying is surviving apart?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423179139
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	04/30/2013
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Shandy Lawson's "day jobs" have ranged from making wine recommendations to being a machinist, a dispatcher in an auto repair garage, a philosophy tutor at a local college and a stone mason. Creatively, he put most of his energy into a career as a performing song writer before turning his focus to writing fiction. Shandy lives and works in New York City. The Loop is his first novel.

Visit him online at www.shandylawson.com.

Editorial Reviews

"An unstoppable ride...This light, action-packed read will be particularly good for reluctant readers."— Booklist

"A fast-paced head trip...Fans of action, thrillers, and light science fiction will love getting sucked into The Loop."— VOYA

"A life-or-death roller-coaster ride where danger, intrigue, and suspense linger at every turn."— School Library Journal

"A quick, intense page-turner with a ridiculously clever plot and characters to die for."— Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author

From the Publisher

Gr 9 Up—Caught in a time loop, Ben and Maggie are forced to repeat the same two days over and over. Each loop ultimately ends with their cold-blooded murder at the hands of a ruthless killer. While Ben experiences only a strong sense of déjà vu, Maggie can remember certain pieces of previous loops. Together the teens decide to tempt fate, alter the circuit, and avoid destiny, thus beginning a life-or-death roller-coaster ride where danger, intrigue, and suspense linger at every turn. Readers will root for the likable although superficial main characters as they try to take control of their lives. A strong and fast-paced plot drives this short but gripping time travel adventure. While there are some questionable moments and loose ends, this debut novel comes to a satisfying conclusion.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

School Library Journal

Two teenagers relive their violent deaths over and over when they find themselves stuck in a time loop. Ben and Maggie have met cute hundreds of times; they just don't remember. Ben experiences strong déjà vu when he accidently spills iced tea on himself after crashing into Maggie on a mall escalator in New Orleans. That innocent encounter leads to attempted murder, 24 hours on the lam, an envelope full of racetrack winnings and a final showdown in a dirty storeroom, where they are shot in cold blood by the same criminal over and over for their misbegotten cash. Each time the teens attempt to change the circumstances that spell their demise, they are thwarted by the machinations of fate, which keeps placing them in the bullets' paths. Is escape possible, or are Ben and Maggie doomed to repeat the worst day of their lives forever? While the initial premise is captivating, the tendency of all the characters to explain exactly what is happening and why at any given moment in unimaginative dialogue quickly becomes monotonous. Ben's and Maggie's characterizations are thin, and the rules and origin of the loop itself are vague and unconvincing. But the short chapters, straightforward storytelling and slim size may make it attractive to some. Clever idea, flawed execution. (Fiction. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews