Cycler [Hardcover]

Lauren McLaughlin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 26, 2008

AS FAR AS anyone at her high school knows, Jill McTeague is an average smart girl trying to get her dream date to ask her to the prom.

What no one knows, except for Jill’s mom and dad, is that for the four days Jill is out of school each month, she is not Jill at all. She is Jack, a genuine boy—complete with all the parts. Jack lives his four days per month in the solitude of Jill’s room. But his personality has been building since the cycling began. He is less and less content with his confinement and his cycles are becoming more frequent. Now Jill’s question about the prom isn’t who she'll go with, but who she'll be when the big night arrives.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up—"I am all girl." That's the mantra that Jill desperately chants to herself whenever she feels the inevitable approaching—her 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 © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

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/Jack’s dad banished to the basement, for example? McLaughlin handles each teen’s 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. Grades 9-12. --Frances Bradburn

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375851917
• ISBN-13: 978-0375851919
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,412,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lauren McLaughlin grew up in the small town of Wenham, Massachusetts. After college, she spent ten years as a screenwriter and producer before abandoning her screen ambitions to write fiction full time. She lives in New York and London with her husband and daughter and is currently at work on her fourth novel. When not writing, Lauren can be found at the piano, in a dance studio, or in the kitchen inventing new desserts.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cycler Hits The Target August 26, 2008

By Pitter Pat

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found Lauren McLaughlin's Cycler to be a truly enjoyable read. It will provide a challenge to the reader as it delves into gender and sexuality, topics that need to be probed if you are a teenager. The book is a "must read" for those young adults who are questioning their persona. The characters are funny, as are many of the situations they find themselves in.
Ms. McLaughlin is a quality storyteller, The book may invoke some controversy, but that is what makes it interesting. Young adults will relate to the characters. It is thought provoking. That makes it an enjoyable read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars very entertaining book December 6, 2008

By Tam Nguyen

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

i picked up the book yesterday, thinking i was just gonna read this over the week, slowly. i ended finishing it in a day. i couldnt help but keep reading it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read November 10, 2008

By Laura Herbertson

Format:Hardcover

Once I started reading, I didn't put the book down. The characters were well developed and distinctly different. The story had personality. It reads like a young adult novel, but there are a few sex scenes. The sexiness really added to the story, because, after all, it IS a book about gender lines.

Clever, witty, well-written...definitely read this.