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Troubletwisters (Troubletwisters #1)

by Garth Nix (Goodreads Author), Sean Williams (Goodreads Author)

3.44 of 5 stars 3.44 · rating details · 718 ratings · 155 reviews

Are you a troubletwister?

Jaide and Jack Shield's lives are changing in a very, very strange way. The weather is turning against them. Magical disasters occur when they're around. And a mysterious explosion has just destroyed their house...from the inside.
Without knowing why, the twins are stolen away to live with Grandma X--a relative they've never, ever met. At Grandma...more

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Scholastic Press

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May 06, 2012 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This type of book has a number of conventions. They aren't universally followed, but still, I think it's fair to say they exist. One of these is that the kids should prevail through their own efforts. Or put another way, adults can't do it for them. Which leads to a problem; how to get rid of the parents! This is one reason why orphans are a cliche of this type of literature. (Another is that orphans are easy to make into Protagonists with a Hidden Destiny (PHDs).) Another widely deployed method...more This type of book has a number of conventions. They aren't universally followed, but still, I think it's fair to say they exist. One of these is that the kids should prevail through their own efforts. Or put another way, adults can't do it for them. Which leads to a problem; how to get rid of the parents! This is one reason why orphans are a cliche of this type of literature. (Another is that orphans are easy to make into Protagonists with a Hidden Destiny (PHDs).) Another widely deployed method is - send the kids to boarding school. If you are feeling exceptionally unoriginal you could have an orphan PHD at a boarding school! Yes, I'm talking about you, Rowling. It used to be easier, of course: look at the unsupervised, unrestricted autonomy the children in Swallows and Amazons or even The Dark Is Rising Sequence had. Most parents are far too paranoid to allow that these days.

Here, one parent is sent off to a remote location to cover for a short-handed ambulance station and won't be back for days and the other has to go away because he will make matters worse for the kids in some way that is never convincingly explained. Which feels a bit contrived. Still, they go to live with Grandma and she gets neutralised by mistrust and bungling on the part of the protagonists, which is much better, assuming you think the kids can be quite foolish at times. And that leads to another convention: the kids should be fallible. In fact this applies much more widely than just to books for kids. Ever seen a caper movie where everything goes according to plan? Usually it's either boring or about a lot more than the caper. No doubt you can think of other examples. These kids are extremely fallible - much less than half of what they try works and some of it makes things worse. But they are in way over their heads with no clue what is going on so some surrogate parents in the form of two talking cats and an oracular alligator skull have to help. And the roomful of magical artifacts don't go amiss either. But still, the heroes prevail in the end by a method different from that that the kitties and the croc (it's not clear whether it's a croc or a gator) suggest, even if they do tell them what needs to be achieved. So the kids do prevail due to their own endeavors, ultimately. But only when they quit acting as individuals and work as a team...which leads to something that is becoming a convention or at least a common technique: siblings of near age. In this case 4mins difference. Yes, they are twins. I think twins and siblings only a year or so apart as protagonists will be increasingly common in the future. This is because girls have to have positive role-models. But the fact is that up to a certain age, kids don't identify very well with members of the opposite sex. (It took me many years to realise that the reason why I didn't like The Tombs of Atuan and Greenwitch as much as the other entries in their respective series when I first read them was because of the focus on girl protagonists.) So if you have a girl or a boy, you stand to lose about half your potential audience. Hence you need a protagonist of each sex with approximately equal standing for each. The girls can be just as plucky, brave and inventive as the boys you know! And if you didn't, maybe you will learn through reading the book! So siblings are an option for getting protagonists of both sexes.

Of course the kids need an antagonist. There are really two types in fantasy literature; the Externalised Evil and the Evil Dude/Dudette. I don't really like the EE as much as the ED. EEs don't need much motivation; they do Bad stuff 'cos they are Bad! Also they often need a Senior Evil Henchperson to actually get things done - and the SEH often doesn't have any obvious reason for being Bad, either. And ultimately, back in reality, it is people who are Bad and EEs are an excuse. Novels can, as far as I'm concerned, be as fantastical as their authors' imaginations allow but the people in them need to be as real as possible. Even if there's an EE, the people who work for it should have a good (psychological, not moral) reason for doing so.

Yeah, so - about this book...
There's an EE, some contrived plot contortions to set up the situation and some surrogate parents (SPs)to help out. But two of the SPs are talking cats and I am a complete sucker for talking cats (actually just a complete sucker for all cats) and the other one won't help unless you let it bite you...so this book is just about servicable but yet again is a disappointment in comparison to Nix' Old Kingdom series.(less)

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Oct 16, 2011 April rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade, library, cybils

Y’all, Garth Nix knows how to write a prologue, or at least I’m going to assume Nix wrote the prologue, but hey, it could have been Sean Williams. Anyways, with middle graders, you have to hook them and reel them in. Troubletwisters definitely begins with a bang-literally. Jaide and Jack Shields are twins. (Sidebar: I think twins are a trend in MG SFF) Their dad is about to return from a business trip and they are watching. With excitement, they bring his bag upstairs, touch a metal rod and all...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Grace rated it 1 of 5 stars

Alright, first off I should probably admit that I never finished the book. I read a little over 100 pages in and gave up, although I flicked through in case anything amazing suddenly happened (it didn't). I feel that by 100 pages, the author should have delivered something to make the reader want to continue reading. I don't want to have to force myself to finish a book, that's stupid. So what was the problem?

Well, to start off with it was painfully condescending. I can't help but feel that the...more Alright, first off I should probably admit that I never finished the book. I read a little over 100 pages in and gave up, although I flicked through in case anything amazing suddenly happened (it didn't). I feel that by 100 pages, the author should have delivered something to make the reader want to continue reading. I don't want to have to force myself to finish a book, that's stupid. So what was the problem?

Well, to start off with it was painfully condescending. I can't help but feel that the authors sat down and went "right, we're writing for children now, so we're going to have to dum it down". Just because it's a children's book does not mean you can deliver a crappy piece of work that feels the need to spell everything out (I'm surprised that Nix had anything to do with this book, having read his other stories). Diana Wynne Jones writes (or I suppose I should say wrote) children's books, books with rich, believable characters, interesting worlds and creative plots. Her children's books are the type I like. This book was not.

Secondly, nothing really happens. There's some weird magic at the start, and then for the next 100 pages all that really happens is they go to stay with their grandmother. Sure, every so often something 'mysterious' will occur, in an attempt to assure the reader that yes magical stuff is going on, and something interesting will eventually happen. It's all really pointless filler, none of which is actually intriguing, just annoying. It would be more productive to just get on with the plot, rather than drawing it out unnecessarily.

Thirdly, the characters were bland and uninteresting. I'm sure the authors made an attempt to make them individuals, and they do make a point of explaining how the twins are different, but none of it seems real. Even grandma X, who can be summed up in the word 'mysterious'. Her entier point in being is to me mysterious, she is not a person so much as a poor attempt to make the story interesting. They didn't seem like people, they weren't believable and I could not empathise with them at all. It's hard to read a book when you have zero emotional investment or interest in the characters.

Lastly, I saw nothing original. A couple of children who are developing mystical powers and must save the world from some kind of evil? We've seen it before. Seen it written and handled a lot better.

The kind of audience it feels like it was written for isn't the kind of audience that would be able to read a book this thick. If you're old enough to read it, you should read other things. If you like children's books, try Diana Wynne Jones or Paul Stewart. (less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jack and Jaide's house blows up after a weird series of events and an invitation from their previously unknown Grandma X, so of course their mother takes them off to live at her house while theirs is being rebuilt. Their father is off working, and their mother also gets a job that takes her away from home, leaving them to find weird happenings at their grandmother's house. Why will no one tell them what "troubletwisters" are? Why can they see things others can't? Why does their grandmother's cat...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Kate Priestley rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ooh, not sure what's happened to Garth Nix lately. I have a hunch he's trying to churn out too many books too quickly. I still haven't forgiven him for pausing 'Keys to the Kingdom' before the end so that he could start a whole new series(which I have to say pretty much bombed in the library). I'd just qualify that by saying that Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen remain some of my favourite books of all time, so maybe I'm expecting too much here.

But Trouble Twisters just didn't grab me at all. The ba...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Libby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-fiction, fantasy, for-my-boys, girl-power

I would give this one 3 stars for the intended audience. Kids who enjoy fantasy and adventure would really get into this. For me, it felt too typical for recent kid's fantasy and I got a little bored, so my personal rating would be 2.

A strange explosion destroying their house is just the beginning of unexplained changes disrupting Jaide and Jack Shield’s lives. The twins are sent to live with Grandma X, a woman they have never met who is as mysterious as her name. With Grandma X, more disasters...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Doris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, fantasy

The Evil. It is so mysterious, so uninformative, that it makes your insides twist to think about it. What could it be? What does it want? Where is it from? And of course, what does it want with our twin protaganists and the world they inhabit?

These questions are all there for the discerning reader, especially those who realize that the parents of the twins would really prefer to shelter them, and keep them in the dark (metaphorically speaking) about their potential, and about, of course, all The...more The Evil. It is so mysterious, so uninformative, that it makes your insides twist to think about it. What could it be? What does it want? Where is it from? And of course, what does it want with our twin protaganists and the world they inhabit?

These questions are all there for the discerning reader, especially those who realize that the parents of the twins would really prefer to shelter them, and keep them in the dark (metaphorically speaking) about their potential, and about, of course, all The Evil that surrounds them.

In this story, however, the twins get thrust into an adventure where The Evil is attempting to breach a weak spot and take over a small spot of this world, via a double-sided potential entryway. First of course, there is the event of the twins' powers coming active. Until that started, they were ignored by The Evil and its many facets. Then there is the problem on the coast, where Grandma X, their father's mysterious and hitherto unknown parent, and the strange patrolling she does around her town.

I did have a couple of issues with the story, mainly to do with the language. The tale was good, but the language needs to be considered in the light of the fact that the twins were not sea creatures. True, they can recognize a boat, but what landlubber would know what a "dredger" was? I grew up on beaches, but had to look it up.

For my second example: I encountered a phrase distinctly British sounding when Grandma kept up a "cracking pace". I assumed this meant walking fast or determinedly, but it was far enough out of my lexicon that I am still a little puzzled. Did it mean a fun pace as in "cracking good time"? Did it mean breaking bones or twigs as she walked?

At any rate, I enjoyed the characters, including the obvious contrived method of removing adult supervision from the main story. I would like to have or at least heard more of Rodeo Dave, as he appears to have a wind affinity. I felt sorry for Rennie, and wonder what in her life made her susceptible. I had to shake my head at the desire of all the adults to keep the youngsters in the dark. Overall it was a good story, with a realistic end and a satisfying conclusion. (view spoiler)

(less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'll you a secret. I love it when I sit down to write a book review and I have a great story of what happened when I purchased the book. This review starts off with a fun one. I purchased Troubletwisters a little while back from a popular department store near my home. As I was taking it (and a few other items beside,) through the checkouts, the checkout operator paused, looked at the book and asked me if I thought it was any good. (Of course I did. Why else would I be bothering to read it?) Any...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jack and Jaide are rambunctious twelve-year-old twins whose father is rarely home. Then one day he returns in a bolt of lightning, and their house is destroyed. The twins go to stay with their mysterious grandmother, who talks to her cats and can make them forget things with hot cocoa. They're not sure they can trust Grandma X--but it seems that an equally mysterious, far more frightening magical force is after them, and she may be their only ally.

Definitely the worst book Nix has ever written....more

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have always loved Garth Nix's books. SABRIEL and its sequels might be my favorites, but I was never disappointed. I continued to read The Keys to the Kingdom series even though I was rather old for it because I wanted to know how Arthur solved his problems. I've never read anything by Sean Williams before, but I haven't heard bad things and I've had excellent luck with Australian authors.

TROUBLETWISTERS, strangely, didn't quite work for me. It's the tale of twins Jaide and Jack, who go to live...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Jaide and Jack are waiting for Dad to come home. When his suitcase falls open and they pick up a metal rod the house explodes and a series of events happen that sends them to Grandma X’s house. They are troubletwisters and must learn to control their powers. The problem is no one really wants to tell them exactly what those powers are or how to control them. When the evil villian threatens to take over their minds and bodies they are forced to teach themselves with a little help from two talking...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars

It has always annoyed me when adults are dismissive of a child's question. "Don't worry about that." "I'll tell you later." "Some day you'll understand." "I don't have time to talk." It's bad enough in real life, but there's no excuse for writing these responses into a middle-grade book. If you don't want the reader to know, just don't bring up the question.

Another pet peeve: "You have no choice"/"I have no choice." Part of what makes a story interesting is what choices the characters make -- fo...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Kristel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: troubletwisters, weather-magic, cats, grandma-x, north, east, west, south, seasons, wind, darkness, light, magical-mansion, twins, absent-father, fantasy, science-fiction, tweens, ages-8-and-up, series-1

Jaidaith and Jackaran find themselves suddenly staying with their grandmother when their house accidentally blows up. The twins’ dad had finally come home after one of his many, long business trips and suddenly there’s a typhoon in the house! City officials labeled it a gas explosion but Jaide and Jack know something is hinky. Off they go to stay with their paternal grandma, whom they have never met, until their house is rebuilt. Grandma’s bizarre house makes doors and signs appear then disappea...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Sarah Udall rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well I know it is a independent reader but I like many of those. The book was meant for a younger audience and that is fine. (My nephew like it more then I did!) It takes a bit to get into and the explanation come a bit late in the book. This is about twins that are about 12 hand coming into there powers. they will end up being guardians to protect the world from the forces of evil. The evil wants them the dad leaves them to their mom to go down and live with his mother who will train them. She...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like Garth Nix---a lot, but when you're as good as he is, it becomes a little too easy to coast, and I think there's a little of that going on here. It's not up to the crazy, weird and darkly wonderful world he created for his Keys to the Kingdom series. Still, even an okay Garth Nix book can have a lot going for it in terms of adventure and magic and this is still a decent fast-paced summer read for reluctant readers in the post-Potter blues who want a little magic.

Orphans have had their time...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Monica! marked it as abandoned

Shelves: the-sparkles-mean-its-magic, meh, this-heres-the-wattle, but-wait-theres-more

Okay, I know this is a stupid reason to abandon a book, but here's a selection of text from the first thirty or so pages:

"Jack couldn't help himself. 'What's a troubletwister?' he asked.
'We're not going to talk about it now. I want you to forget it,' Susan repeated in a warning voice" (5).

"Come to us, troubletwisters. Join us... welcome, most welcome!" (10)

"One day, troubletwisters, I hope you'll understand" (18).

"'Look at how grown up you are! Already twelve, already troubletwisters.'
'What is...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those books where three stars looks like too harsh of a rating, but the "really liked it" of four stars is a bit too high. This was a fun good-vs-evil story, though it also falls into a children's/young-adult category I've been noticing more of lately, in which the main characters are stunningly, stubbornly, unbelievably blind to the true nature of people who are on their side. It's an "I've been working with this mysterious person who's had many opportunities to harm me but has n...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Carla Ehrenreich rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, junior, fantasy, boy-friendly

I liked that the characters didn't just get everything handed to them. And they weren't pronounced the greatest troubletwisters ever known. They had problems and significant failures.like when Jaide tried to get to the lighthouse by flying and ended up getting attacked by the birds. And the fact that they suspect their grandmother as someone who is not acting in their best interests. because she is obviously lieing to them and the excused of the adults about not telling them anything because too...more

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May 21, 2012 Andrea rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, contemporary-fantasy

This book for younger readers has some things which will appeal to its target audience (particularly many scenes of muck and bugs crawling on things), but I at least bounced off the structure and main source of conflict behind the story.

Jack and Jaide are twins, with a perpetually absent father and a cross mother, who receive a mysterious letter from their previously unknown "Grandmother X" addressing them as "troubletwisters" and expecting to see them soon. This is a forewarning of disaster, as...more This book for younger readers has some things which will appeal to its target audience (particularly many scenes of muck and bugs crawling on things), but I at least bounced off the structure and main source of conflict behind the story.

Jack and Jaide are twins, with a perpetually absent father and a cross mother, who receive a mysterious letter from their previously unknown "Grandmother X" addressing them as "troubletwisters" and expecting to see them soon. This is a forewarning of disaster, as an extremely strange, overwhelming and scary incident sees them off to live at Grandmother X's for a while.

Problems I had with the story:

1. Cross and grumpy Mum who has married someone with powers (learning about this afterwards), and thinks the best way to deal with it is denial, being cross and grumpy, and shutting down any conversation about the situation. This is something I've seen before and one which annoys the hell out of me. But particularly here when Mum is a paramedic and, one would presume, has an ounce of chutzpah. If strange magic things make your house blow up, and this relates specifically to your children, putting your hands over your ears and going La La La is not the way to protect your children.

2. Conflict driven almost entirely by not telling the protagonists what's going on. Apparently negative consequences could arise from providing "troubletwisters" with a clear, sensible and timely explanation of what they are, what they're facing, and what they should and shouldn't do. Instead we have hidden tests, memory erasures, false suspicion, drama which arises entirely because of the kids not knowing what's going on - and all because of possible negative consequences of being told beforehand (troubletwisters are the children of "Wardens" whose powers are not yet under control and who might therefore warp 'magics' around them). HOWEVER, given that the creatively named "The Evil" is actively hunting the kids, I can think of a few clear and obvious consequences of NOT telling them what's going on.

3. The whole "negative consequences" argument falls down once you realise that most children of Wardens would have to have a pretty damn good idea what their parents do unless they have one of those cross and grumpy in denial Mums. AND the grandmother's tendency to address the children as "troubletwisters" and then act mysterious when they ask her why. [A thing just as annoying as Doctor Who's River Song carolling "Spoilers!" at every opportunity.] Since being a "troubletwister" is simply a phase kids of Wardens go through where they don't have control of their powers (ie. an analogue of being a teenager), it is simply weird to have not only their grandmother but suddenly their own father addressing them as "my dear troubletwisters". It would be like saying "my dear teenagers" to your own kids.

4. All this could perhaps be saved if the kids themselves were interesting, or if there was an enormous amount of delight and wonder invested in the magical events and new house setting they find themselves in. Instead we have a focus on action, weirdness without wonder, and two kids who come across more as being opposite traits rather than being interesting people who we care about.

So, as a story it might work for kids who like lots of dramatic encounters with bugs, but it read overlong and contrived to this not-kid.

If you want to read a Nix middle-grade, read the Keys to the Kingdom series, which is head and shoulders above this story.(less)

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Jul 05, 2011 Phoebe rated it 2 of 5 stars

The day Jack and Jaide receive a letter in the mail from a grandma they've never met, their ever-traveling dad shows up a day late and their house explodes after the twins find a strange metal rod in their father's luggage. With this exciting beginning, the story is off and running. The twins are taken to live with Grandma X, and they quickly discover that there is something very strange about her. Is she a witch? What's going on with all the bugs, and the rats? And the talking cats? Following a...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Georgie R rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 9-12's

Recommended to Georgie by: Head Librarian at my school (and the Authors)

First off - I met the authors of this book. They came to my High School as part of their Book Tour and I was chosen to be one of the lucky 4 to interview them. For full details (and a transcript of the interview) visit my blog at: http://diaryoftheaverageteenbooklova....

To start with I was a bit wary, as I had heard a preview before being given my copy (signed by the authors to me) and wasn't THAT impressed. But after the first chapter or so I started getting more into the action. To start with...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kids-fiction

*Originally posted on my blog, Read Love

Because Garth Nix is one of the authors for Troubletwisters, I went into this reading with lofty hopes. Herein lies the problem with great expectations: They can set you up for disappointment. Yes, I was a little disappointed. Troubletwisters is not a bad book, mind you. It's a good book, and I enjoyed reading it. But in the end, I was left wanting more. Though to be fair, I'm not the targeted audience. Unlike Sabriel, my favorite Nix novel, Troubletwister...more *Originally posted on my blog, Read Love

Because Garth Nix is one of the authors for Troubletwisters, I went into this reading with lofty hopes. Herein lies the problem with great expectations: They can set you up for disappointment. Yes, I was a little disappointed. Troubletwisters is not a bad book, mind you. It's a good book, and I enjoyed reading it. But in the end, I was left wanting more. Though to be fair, I'm not the targeted audience. Unlike Sabriel, my favorite Nix novel, Troubletwisters will not find broad appeal among all ages. However, in the hands of a child, especially a nine- or ten-year-old boy, this is likely a four star book.

Jack and Jaide are twelve-year-old twins whose appearances are as different as night and day. At the story's beginning, you find them bickering and competing as all siblings do. They seem like ordinary kids. But when their Dad finally shows up (late again!) and the twins get a mysterious letter from their grandmother, the reader is curious and eager to learn more.

One thing the novel does well is address the questions that a reader might have in a manner that keeps the plot twists and turns from feeling contrived. Many times the answers to these questions are grounded in logic. For instance, when the twins ask their mother how long they will stay with their grandmother after their house explodes, her answer makes sense: Long enough to wait for the insurance money to come through and the house to be rebuilt, she says. This realistic detail lends credibility to the plot. And, pay close attention, because things that are mentioned in passing may come into play later.

Troubletwisters also succeeds in setting up a mystery and building suspense. As the twins learn more about their unusual grandmother, whose strange house (complete with talking cats) is vividly drawn, both their experiences and Grandma X become increasingly creepy. Might she be a witch?! The narrator shares Jack's worry: "it could be the gingerbread house all over again, and mad or not, he didn't fancy being Hansel...." The details gradually unfold as the twins gain more knowledge. Grandma X is at once fascinating and frightening. She seems omnipresent, faster than she should be, and she talks to cats! The cats -- Ari(stotle) and Kleo(patra) -- are great characters, by the way. To some degree, I was more intrigued by Grandma X and the cats than by the heroic twin duo.

Once the mystery is revealed, the story pales a bit. Troubletwisters left me wanting more imagination and originality. Though the early promise is there, it never quite comes to fruition. Young readers' interests, however, will increase as the novel progresses and the action builds. And once the adventure begins, the reader is in for loads of creepy, skin-crawling descriptions of evil-possessed ants, flies, rats, cockroaches, piercing white eyes, and other sometimes scary, but always icky stuff.

This is a story of two gifted children who are caught in the classic struggle of good vs. evil. Over the course of Troubletwisters, Jack and Jaide learn who they are, what their gifts are, and how to use them. And, perhaps most importantly, by story's end they've learned to work together. Their magical gifts complement each other like yin and yang. And it's in working together that they are strongest.

By the conclusion, most of Jack and Jaide's questions have been answered, but there is some lingering mystery. And there are characters like Grandma X's friend, Rodeo Dave, and the town schoolteacher Mr. Carver, or "Heath," as he insists we call him, whom we are merely introduced to. Troubletwisters is the first in what is to be a 5-book series, so I'm sure we'll see more of them. And this is where I hope my expectations will find fulfillment. This series could be one of those instances where the first installment serves to lay the groundwork for greater things to come. And I look forward to finding out what's in store. (less)

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Oct 05, 2011 Ruth Hyland rated it 2 of 5 stars

this book kind of reminded me of the first book of the fablehaven series. I didn't much like that one either and loved the rest of the series. the first half of the book seemed slow with lots of "what's going on?" and "why won't you tell us anything?" by the main characters. then the second half of the book started to pick up and get very exciting. I really like the author Garth Nix and enjoyed his Sabriel series and i think i've read some of his other stuff but don't remember off the top of my...more

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May 06, 2013 Shaheen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, allenandunwin

I'm not in the target audience for this book, so I'm going to try to review this in terms of how I would have liked it when I was (a little) younger.

I think Troubletwisters can be summed up rather quickly as simple - simple in plot, characterisation, language and execution. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, considering the intended age of the readership, but I think the book is condescending towards them. The authors uncharacteristically assume that their audience wants stereotypical ch...more I'm not in the target audience for this book, so I'm going to try to review this in terms of how I would have liked it when I was (a little) younger.

I think Troubletwisters can be summed up rather quickly as simple - simple in plot, characterisation, language and execution. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, considering the intended age of the readership, but I think the book is condescending towards them. The authors uncharacteristically assume that their audience wants stereotypical characters, cartoonish villains and sluggish plot. But readers accustomed to Rowling, Wynne Jones and Nix's The Old Kingdom Chronicles will be severely disappointed in the lack of sophistication in Troubletwisters.

The protagonists are chosen such that the book appeals, in theory, equally to boys and girls - the twins Jack and Jaide conform to every stereotype available, as does their absentee father, overly cautious mother, and batty, mysterious grandmother. The cats, who start talking half way through the book, quickly become parental figures who help the twins on their quest while the adults flounder.

However, I think the characterisation would have worked if it hadn't been for the plot. After an explosive beginning, the book stagnates until the final 100 pages, and readers are treated to the hum-drum lives of the protagonists as they attempt to undermine the authority of the grandmother they instantly dislike for a majority of the novel.

The concept behind the book is intriguing, and appealing enough to hook me for the next book. I think where the book fails is in grounding the conflict between Good and Evil in a way that seems plausible - the forces of Good exist because they have to, and Evil is literally an amorphous concept that wants to destroy for destruction's sake. Once I got over this hurdle, the rest of the book was fairly enjoyable. And I want to see the kids figure out the secrets that have been hinted at in this book.

I wanted to like Troubletwisters a lot, and I even wanted to put myself in a twelve-year-old's shoes to achieve this. But, ultimately, I find myself profoundly disappointed that these two eminently qualified Australian authors have served up something so inferior to their other works. I can only hope that they stop underestimating their audience in the future.

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .(less)

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May 11, 2011 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

This review has also appeared at Australian SpecFic in Focus.

I am a long-time fan of both Garth Nix and Sean Williams (more so the latter’s SF than fantasy), so the idea of a collaboration between the two – aimed at children – is exciting indeed. And I was fortunate enough to hear Sean Williams speak about the act of collaboration at Natcon50, where he discussed the different things that each brought to the writing: that (I think!) Williams wrote the first rough draft, then Nix added bits and ch...more This review has also appeared at Australian SpecFic in Focus.

I am a long-time fan of both Garth Nix and Sean Williams (more so the latter’s SF than fantasy), so the idea of a collaboration between the two – aimed at children – is exciting indeed. And I was fortunate enough to hear Sean Williams speak about the act of collaboration at Natcon50, where he discussed the different things that each brought to the writing: that (I think!) Williams wrote the first rough draft, then Nix added bits and changed bits, and sent it back again… and so on. I was particularly amused to hear that the two got into some serious brinksmanship over who could be the most gross, since they are both little boys at heart, so I intrigued to read and discover what this looked like in practice. (The answer: they do indeed manage to be quite gross. I am not a fan of rats or cockroaches.)

Troubletwisters harks very strongly to the classics of fantasy written for younger readers. The main characters are twins: Jaide and Jack. (In talking about the story, Williams admitted that he has long been intrigued by twins and their use in fiction. As I see it, it’s almost like you’re getting a character for free – and it means that you always have the opportunity for your characters to discuss things, disagree about things, or be worried about someone.) Their father is away a lot, and they know nothing about his side of the family… until a disaster means that they have to go and stay with their mysterious paternal grandmother, where they begin to learn about some strange abilities. These plot devices could have felt hackneyed and stale, being by no means original; instead they feel familiar, but by no means comfortable. Williams and Nix use the twins as a means of exploring different reactions to scenarios and individuals, and there are indications that the two will have different experiences of their abilities that will be explored in later books of the series (there will be another four). The trope of leaving home and going to an alien place is as old as fiction itself; it can be, and is used here as, the catalyst for self-discovery and learning about the world. The strange relative and slightly intimidating new environment – Grandma X and her weird house – are perfect for the target age-group: visiting unknown relatives can be a very scary thing indeed.

The plot moves quickly: the twins arrive at their Grandma’s house and soon things start to go wrong. Additionally, weird things happen when they are around: a sign their mother can’t see, a freak whirlwind, talking cats…. There is, of course, a reason for this – it’s their nature – and the narrative is largely concerned with the pair beginning to learn about their abilities, and what it means to use them. Of course, they can’t simply do this is peace and quiet. Instead, they are confronted with a rather nasty villain, and it’s in dealing with this villain and its impact on their environment that they really start to learn about what it means to be “troubletwisters”. While the twins are allowed some breathing space – Williams and Nix don’t pretend 12-year-olds can simply go on throughout the night – the main action takes place over only three or four days, so it does feel a bit relentless. Since this is certainly how it feels for Jaide and Jack, that’s a perfectly reasonable feeling for the reader.

As with Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series, which shares a certain tone with Troubletwisters, it’s unclear what country this book is set in. Grandma X lives in Portland – but not the one you’ve heard of. Reading as an Australian, I could well believe that this was set on the Victorian coast. Having visited the UK, I can imagine it set there, too, and I imagine that setting it in America would be as easy for readers there. This ubiquity is no doubt good for getting international readers; it also gives the book a certain Everyplace vibe. This could happen to anyone, anywhere.

I have two, fairly minor, quibbles with this book. The first is the naming of the twins. I quite like the names Jaide and Jack… but those names are short for Jaidith and Jackaran. These names simply do not work to my ear – Jackaran in particular seems too complicated, and I am not a huge fan of made-up names in a real-world context. I really hope that there is an explanation for the names in later books. On the same topic, but in the opposite direction, I was disappointed by the lack of originality in naming the villain (which I won’t reveal here). It seemed too mundane for something that so threatening.

Overall, then, this is a marvellous opening to what promises to be a very interesting new children’s fantasy series. It sets up the main characters as attractive and interesting, although not without their problems, as well as introducing some supporting characters who will no doubt go on to be important (did I mention the talking cats?). There is clearly a problem to be resolved – what to do about the villain – as well as a quest, in learning to use and control their abilities. Plus, of course, there’s the issue of their slightly fractured family, which will no doubt continue to be an issue that the twins have to deal with. I have faith in the two authors that this series will continue to be enjoyable, without being predictable(less)

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Feb 22, 2011 Siobhan (Totally Bookalicious) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thank you to Egmont for giving me this chance to read read the arc copy of this novel.

Troubletwister is a fun read about twins Jack and Jaide as they embarked on adventure that changes their lives. They are forced to go live with their Grandma after their house is detroyed and thats were the story really gets going. They two characters are just fantastic, they are very likeable. They are very quick on the mark that there is something about Grandma X and they are determind to find out what. Jaid...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Dana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Twelve year old twins Jack and Jaide receive a strange letter from Grandma X, whom they had never heard of before, and their house comes crashing down at the beginning of this children's fantasy adventure.

My 12 year old son read this before I did and when he was halfway through the book I asked him what it was about and he said he could not tell yet. Now I know why. This is a fun, fast paced adventure, but this entire book is just the introduction to the series, which has yet to be written and p...more

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May 18, 2011 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, teen-fantasy

This is a book that is actually a collaboration between Garth Nix and Sean Williams, and boy can I tell you this series has so much potential. Besides, any book that talks about the game Park and Shop deserves to be placed proudly on my shelf!

When I first started with the Troubletwisters I was expecting an average, run of the mill fantasy but it turned into something completely different.

This novel is a little slow to get started and I absolutely cannot stand books that put kids in danger but "...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Katharine Ott rated it 3 of 5 stars

Garth Nix has a good reputation as a young adult fantasy author. Troubletwisters, co-written with Sean Williams, is the first in a new series for middle grades with an inviting deep blue cover, a weather vane and two youngsters swirling in the air around it. Twins Jack and Jaide are front and center in this rather heavy fantasy which is chock-full of the requisite ingredients - talking cats, missing parents, disgusting rodents and insects, special powers and more. That "more" was part of the tro...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Bookstorequeer marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed, fantasy, supernatural-misc, young-adult, 9-12

I had a lot of trouble getting into this book. Actually, I never really did. I was frustrated with the characters from the beginning and it never came together in the 133 pages that I forced myself through.

I finally gave up when there was yet another upsurge of bugs all over the place. I have issues with bugs being on people and I wasn't enjoying the story as it was so I gave up.

I'm a little sad because I was intrigued by the idea of this book, being able to control or influence the weather is s...more

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About Garth Nix

Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.

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Books by Garth Nix

Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #1)

Drowned Wednesday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #3)

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