Review: Twisted Symmetry by Benjamin J. Myers

Chess Tuesday and her brothers, Box and Splinter, are street rats; outcast children who live on the fringes of society. They know nothing of their past but now they are being tracked by two powerful, rival sides - the Twisted Symmetry and the Committee. They don't know why - but it soon becomes clear that they possess a terrifying legacy for their future.

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I was contacted to review the latest book in the series but requested the first book since I had never heard of this series before now.

The short would be that whilst I really did like this book I felt that something was missing. The structure was good, the characters were okay and the action kept me reading, keeping a good pace, but still there seemed to be something missing.

To start with, I wasn't sure that this book was for me, but what kept me reading was Chess, she's street-smart but also a little girl at heart, she seemed believable as 11 years old and she was also really tough. I also liked her brothers, Box was curious and tough but constantly pushed back by his twin, Splinter who likes to be in control. Splinter was a harsh character, constantly telling Chess she isn't special. I couldn't believe how mean he was at times. The cover art matches what I though Chess, Box and Splinter would actually look like.

I really liked the story, it was very original. The kids are dragged into a company who want to use their street skills to infiltrate another corporation, but they don't know who they can trust which adds to the mystery and suspense. At times the pace dropped but most of the time I was gripped, especially near the end when the action picks up. Myer's writing was good but not fantastic, the voice wasn't anything that stands out.

Overall, I liked this book but did feel that at times it didn't completely grip me. I liked the characters and enjoyed the action.

Overall Rating: C+

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Book released January 2009 by Orion Books
Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review