Book Review - Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted is another gripping, realistic story in the vein of her best-selling Speak. Tyler Miller is a senior in high school, and in his head, he pictures himself as a dog on a leash skittering around on a thinly iced-over pond. This image comes from everyone in his life perpetually telling him that he's "on a short leash" and "on thin ice." But things weren't always that way. Tyler had been your average kind of small, kind of nerdy guy, but over the summer his idea for a prank at the school -- a spray painting incident featuring some poor spelling -- led to him having a parole officer and being the bane of his father's existence. Just before school starts, Tyler accidentally assists in breaking his (and everyone else in his high school's) dream girl's leg, which turns out to be not as bad as it sounds. For example, at school, she (Bethany) now acts like she knows him. And she asks him to meet her at the homecoming game!

But things are never that simple or that easy, as we well know, and with Tyler, the complicating factor is his father. His dad is constantly stressed out about work and generally unhappy, and the fact that his boss is Bethany's dad doesn't make things any easier. (It turns out it is preferred if your son is not involved in your boss's daughter breaking her leg.) The tension between Tyler and his father builds towards a riveting conclusion that really starts to make you think about how much you are beholden to your family.

****
(Four out of five stars)

Recommended to: fans of Laurie Halse Anderson's other books, anyone who's fed up with their parents (this book might make you feel better), anyone in search of a really good guy book