Recycler

January 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up-This sequel to "Cycler" (Random, 2008) brings back the same characters, though Tommy's fans will be disappointed by his brief appearance. Freshly arrived in New York City, Jill and Ramie are looking for balance between grueling jobs and busy social lives. It's a bigger challenge for Jill, who still shares her body for four days out of the month with her brother, Jack. While Jack's happy dating Ramie, Jill's looking for someone new to mend her broken heart. However, the siblings' irregular schedule starts to fray their relationships with Ramie, and when they find themselves abandoned, each looks to a different place to find comfort and strength. Readers will need to have read the first book, since there are many plot points that carry over. Brief moments of discussion regarding gender, identity, and perception are so spare that casual readers may overlook them. McLaughlin's own voice occasionally creeps into the tale and dominates the narrative, but she soon relinquishes the flow back to the characters. Jill and Jack each receive a signature typeface, which is a nice visual cue rather than a boring gimmick. Moments of quirky humor help move the narrative along, but it feels slow at times. Fans will enjoy the open ending and eagerly anticipate the next book, but most other readers will quickly place it back on the shelves."Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.