12/17/2008

Turnabout By Margaret Peterson Haddix

From Margaret Peterson Haddix comes another strange but intriguing sci-fi mystery, TURNABOUT. Melly and Anny-Beth were two centenarians near death when they were asked to participate in ‘Turnabout,’ a complex scientific experiment designed to reverse the aging process. Eighty-something years later, Melly and Anny-Beth are teenagers again, and they continue to get younger and younger each day. They know almost nothing about the mysterious Turnabout project, what is happening to them, or what will happen when their age hits zero. But they realize they will soon be too young to care for themselves, so they need some answers—fast. Fearful of the many doctors who are trying to study or “cure” them, and with no one to truly trust with their secret, Melly and Anny-Beth embark on a quest to finally get some answers. But at the same time, they find themselves on the run from a mysterious someone who is trying to find out more than Melly and Anny-Beth want to tell.

Turnabout is one of those truly suspenseful books that you just can’t put down. Not only is it a first-rate mystery and a futuristic sci-fi tale; it also raises some deep ethical questions about the scientific/medical world. Melly and Anny-Beth are likable, well-developed characters, and the story is told in an engaging style that makes you just want to keep reading! I was left with some questions at the end, and a feeling that the ending wasn’t fully finished (I won’t go into detail as to avoid spoilers!) But overall, Turnabout is entertaining, suspenseful, mysterious, and thought provoking--all the ingredients of a good mystery.

I award this book 4.5 out of 5 daggers.
Mysteriously Yours,

Misty

5 comments:

jocelyn said...

This book is an old favorite of mine, and I think it's Margaret Peterson Haddix's best. Glad you liked it!

Briar K. said...

Funny! I JUST read that book! I was going to review it-- perhaps I'll tack mine on to yours! Great review, by the way!

Twyla Lee said...

Yay, it's Misty! Great review.

Margaret Peterson Haddix is one of my favourite authors.

--Twyla

Anonymous said...

I read the book a little while ago, and in my opion this book is excellent, but i find it really annoying that the ending doesn't tell you what happens when there infants again. Do they die when they reach Zero, or do they start aging again, or do they stay babies forever? I myself wanted it to continue when i got the end of the book, and so I decided to make an ending that might sooth all... Anyways its an excellent book for anybody... (just a little confusing at the beginning)

Unknown said...

its a really good book...
the ending isn't really satisfying and left me with a lot of questions. i just wish there would be like an ending where it just says what happened to them after they got to zero.
other than the ending...its a great book. sorta confusing in the beginning cuz it goes from present to future.
:D