Acorn

Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Arts and Leisure

Media Credit: fantasticfiction.co.uk

With her debut novel, "Speak," Laurie Halse Anderson proved she was a writer unafraid to tread the darker side of the teen world. Her latest novel, "Twisted," follows this trend. 

Tyler "Ty" Miller belongs to a seemingly perfect family. But beneath the surface lie parental fights of seismic proportions and late night comforting sessions for his sister. If this weren't enough, his reputation at school is about as pathetic as they come: The gamer nerd whose only friend is obsessed with Star Wars.

Tyler's reputation gets a boost the summer before his senior year. He attempts a school prank that goes awry-an incident he dubs "The Foul Deed." He is arrested and sentenced to community service.

This earns him a "bad boy" reputation, not to mention a set of beefy biceps and the attention of his dream girl. 

Amid the turmoil and high points of the story, Tyler's voice shines through. This is the first novel where Anderson's main character is male.

Anderson has a knack for giving her teenage characters a unique point of view without making them sound full of angst. One such moment is when a drunken girl leads Ty to the "pearly gates" during a party. What follows is a typed-out discussion between his brain and hormones that is laugh-out-loud funny.

Adding to the authenticity of her story is the fact that the author expertly captures the nuances of high school culture.

After a string of unfair treatment, Tyler wonders whether his life is worth continuing.

Another aspect of "Twisted" that makes it a great read is that the language in many instances is poetry in paragraph form. While working for a landscaping company as part of his community service, Tyler thinks about the hole he has to dig for a tree: "The mowers swept by, blasting cut grass and exhaust. I kept digging, pick first, then shovel. Pick and shovel. Break, then dig. An inch, three inches, another foot down."

Despite the humor and skillful descriptions, this book is not a light read. But any reader willing to go along for the ride will not be disappointed.

The story sees Ty not necessarily grow up, but grow into himself.

In "Twisted," Anderson takes the hardships of adolescence and explains them through the eyes of a high school outcast who is refreshingly human and accessible.

The story is intense, humorous and ultimately poignant.

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