Cycler

June 9, 2008
The idea governing this debut novel is as fascinating as it is grotesque: for the four days before Jill McTeague gets her period, she is a guy—her body literally morphs, with a full complement of genitalia, body hair and musculature. Her male self calls himself Jack (the chapters alternate between Jill’s and Jack’s voices). Jill and her parents keep Jack caged in Jill’s bedroom until he changes back into Jill, who then returns to school, her social life and her heterosexual romantic aspirations as if nothing has happened. For the first third of the book, the premise substitutes for a plot; at this point, Jack goes after Ramie, Jill’s free-spirited best friend, while Jill learns that the guy she likes is bisexual. What with the escalating craziness of Jill/Jack’s parents and the sex scenes (including Jack’s responses to the porn his mother buys for him), the degree to which McLaughlin pushes toward the ever-more-disturbing seems gratuitous. The gender-bending premise, certainly guaranteed to grab teens’ interest, is much more fun (and possibly more fruitful) to talk about than to read about here. Ages 14–up.

August 1, 2008
Gr 9 Up-"I am all girl." That's the mantra that Jill desperately chants to herself whenever she feels the inevitable approachingher body transforming into Jack. Four days a month, prior to menstruation, Jill's body mysteriously morphs into a male body, complete with sex organs. Despite countless hospital visits and hours of research, there is no explanation for this frightening phenomenon. In order to deal with the situation, the teen has developed a "Plan B," consisting of visualization techniques and chanting. Despite missing school and the necessity of giving noncommittal answers about her absences to her friend Ramie, Jill has ordinary teenage worries. Prom date issues are her prime concern, including garnering the attention of an elusive male student. Jill's situation grows treacherous when Jack rebels against the restraints placed upon him. The family has managed to keep him under control, but now he desires life outside the four walls of Jill's bedroom. His resentful attitude toward Jill causes significant upheaval and damage to her social life and causes a startling development in her friendship with Ramie. Themes of bisexuality, porn addiction, and gender identity make this best suited for mature readers. The writing is witty without being overly precious or self-conscious. The nonjudgmental attitude of some of the teen characters may not be entirely realistic, and the ending is abrupt and inconclusive. Still, Jill's real-life secondary concerns will ring true for many readers."Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2008
Grades 9-12 For most of the month, Jill is a normal teenager who has best friends, Ramie and Daria; a crush, Tommy Knutson; and elaborate plans for wrangling an invitation to the prom. On four days during each month, though, Jill physically morphs into Jack, complete with the anatomy and fantasies of a 17-year-old boy. For three years, Jack has cooperated with his parents ultimatum of complete secrecy, but recently he has begun to slip out of the house to explore the neighborhood. Not everything is explained in this bizarre plot: Why is Jill/Jacks dad banished to the basement, for example?McLaughlin handles each teens transformation with vivid, sexually explicit detail, and the discomfort the characters experience is well drawn, as are the supporting characters, including brazen Ramie and bisexual Tommy. This original, contemporary fantasy will circulate widely, leaving readers hoping that McLaughlin has many more such fresh, edgy books already in the editorial pipeline.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)