Another New York Times bestseller from Laurie Halse Anderson! High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background. 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 school, in his family, and in the world.
"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." (p.95)
One time I woke up after a freakishly realistic dream convinced that I had murdered someone. I spent a good 15 minutes or so in a groggy stupor trying to remember who I had killed. That's really irrelevant to this book except that this quote reminded me of that. That creepy feeling that you have done something very, very wrong.
On to Twisted where my hero worship of Laurie Halse Anderson continues. I'm running out of superlatives to describe her writing. I think Speak and Wintergirls will outrank this one for me if only because I personally relate more to the issues explored in those books and to the female narrators. Twisted is realistic, heartbreakingly sad, and so well done.
I loved the scenes with Tyler and Hannah like this one:
"It has been a long time, but we both knew the routine. I pulled out the sleeping bag from the top shelf of my closet. Hannah crawled into my bed. She had her old Raggedy Ann with her. That's the kind of thing brothers don't tell about sisters. I tucked the covers under her chin." (p.152)
