Twist begins with her mother, whose delusions of grandeur bring both wonders and horrors to the Bertei home. Bertei details her mother’s battle with undiagnosed schizophrenia that eventually leads to the removal of her children, and the beginning of young Maddie’s wild journey. By her middle school years, Maddie Twist has moved through several foster homes and reformatories. With each new posting, she discovers sanctuary amongst her peers—outcast girls—while gaining belief in her identity, and unwavering trust in her own voice.
As she ages out of the system and finds herself navigating the world alone, Maddie’s only constant is a ribbon of music that weaves itself around her heart. She can sing, and she is certain it will be the beacon that guides her toward another life. Her turbulent childhood and teenage years led to Bertei never completing a formal education and becoming an autodidact. During those years of constant change, Bertei started to write poetry and was discovered by legendary Cleveland musician Peter Laughner who mentored her and convinced her to pursue a career in music.
In frank prose without an ounce of self-pity, Twist is an episodic survival of the fittest, navigating the crooked rivers of poverty, race, sexuality, and gender. It is a world of little girl gangsters, drag queen solidarity, wild roller-skating, and magical thinking. With Twist, Bertei gives us a story of violence and madness, of heartbreak and perseverance, and, ultimately, redemption.
Adele Bertei was the lead singer of the Bloods, an all-girl lesbian band whose sole release, Button Up, was released by the Au Pairs' label Exit Records in 1981, and was a favorite of John Peel. Bertei was the duet voice on Thomas Dolby’s UK top 10 hit in 1984, “Hyperactive!” and the lead voice of Jellybean’s UK top twenty hit “Just a Mirage” in 1988.
