Book reviews

Twists and Turns
Janet McDonald Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Janet McDonald Books
New book search
Janet McDonald Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Twists and Turns
"

FSG, 2003, 16.00, 135 pp.
ISBN: 0374399557

High school is over for the teenage sisters Keeba and Teesha Washington. All their “adjective” friends are moving on from partying to adulthood while the two siblings remain clueless on Brooklyn benches. The duo feels talent-less and slinging burgers seems wrong for a high school graduate.

A friend persuades Keeba and Teesha that they have a talent that is hair braiding. Another friend floats a loan, and the sisters open up TeeKee's Tresses beauty shop. However, the slums of the Hillbrook Houses projects does not lend itself to a thriving business as the two young ladies cope with few customers, an unexpected rent increase and vandalism.

This is a strong inner city character study that uses street slang to provide insight into the life of a new high school grad struggling with the changes of adulthood. The two sisters, the support cast, and Brooklyn are well- written and believable charcaters whose message is to work hard on what one does best. However, though entertaining and teens will appreciate the novel due to the protagonists and their friends, the story line lacks a center so that it feels like electrons without a nucleus. Still high school students will enjoy the adventures of the Washington siblings.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Twists and Turns
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - present (2000-2010)
Kids growing up/acting up? Yes
Kids: - struggling to earn a living to survive
Inside culture (main char) - Black
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - small businessman
Age: - a teen
Ethnicity/Nationality - Black
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - society

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
United States Yes

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Unusual Style: - a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Twists and Turns
B More Careful by Shannon Holmes
Born Blue by Han Nolan
Eshaya Moya - Wind Spirits by Jane Flowers
Changing Faces by Kimberla Lawson Roby
Skin Deep by Kathleen Cross


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Literature books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story

Crime & Police story

Ethnic/regional/gender life

Exploring into the wild

Family, caring for ill

Family, loving relations

Family, struggle with

Internal struggle/realization?

Job/Profession/Status story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Political/social activism

Poverty, surviving

Pregnancy/Child rearing

Religion theme?

Romance/Romance Problems

Sports Story?

War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
James Patterson 12:08:13 PM
George W. Bush 2:32:02 AM
Anonymous 2:03:39 AM
Erin Hunters 9:00:01 PM
Betty Mahmoody 6:00:22 PM
Judith McNaught 11:55:44 AM
Iris Johansen 9:03:43 PM
Norah Lofts 1:11:37 PM
Jane Rubino 9:32:45 AM
Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twersky 11:28:51 PM
Faye Kellerman 12:37:41 AM
LaVyrle Spencer 7:25:23 PM
Robert James Waller 8:30:15 PM
Suzanne Weyn 12:50:03 AM
Deric Longden 2:54:11 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM

More message boards