Foto de l'autor

Brenda Vicars

Autor/a de Polarity in Motion

2 obres 24 Membres 6 Ressenyes

Obres de Brenda Vicars

Polarity in Motion (2014) 15 exemplars
Polarity in Motion 9 exemplars

Etiquetat

Coneixement comú

Encara no hi ha coneixement comú d'aquest autor. Pots ajudar.

Membres

Ressenyes

Good book

It's been awhile since I have read this book, but I do know it was a very good young adult read.
 
Marcat
JKJ94 | Hi ha 1 ressenya més | Jul 27, 2023 |
Polarity in Motion/Brenda Vicars While this book dealt with some big issues, it felt very juvenile. I really wanted to love this book due to all of its themes, but couldn't get past the writing.
 
Overall, the writing of this book felt like an adult writing how they think a teen would write. Maybe it's due to my being raised in a different school system than Polarity, but I didn't find her actions or those of the characters around her believable.
 
The treatment of the internet was not at all modern. While there was no mention of a time period the story took place in, there were explicit references to Netflix which only became big after the social media revolution. As such, it really makes no sense that Polarity had to research in order to figure out if a photo can be edited or not. Even if her parents had severely restricted her internet, she'd have been taught this in school.
 
Polarity gets practically obsessed with Zada to a really extreme point. She met the girl for approximately twenty minutes, and while I appreciate that Zada had been influential, the extent she goes in tracking Zada is stalkerish.
 
Her mother has Borderline Personality Disorder which adds an intriguing element to the book. I thought the treatment of this was done well and I learned quite a bit about the disorder. This was definitely the strongest aspect of the book and I enjoyed the harsh dynamic between Polarity and her mother and seeing them interact.
 
Some aspects felt very orchestrated. The events fell too nicely into line and were all too convenient. While I understand the motivations the author tried to give Tracey, they didn't quite add up. Nor did Polarity's reaction and her 'denial.' I didn't feel very satisfied with the ending.
 
There were times when characterisation could have been much stronger. This didn't feel like a romance to me despite the blurb as I felt there was little build up or tension, just Polarity's naiveté. Ethan, especially, as a character had basically no flaws and felt too good to be true, as did Polarity's grandmother and her grandmother's boyfriend. Cheryl and her cohort also didn't act the way I expected them to after receiving their own time.
Polarity acts younger than she is and rarely stands up to her parents on anything. I really couldn't like her. The way she speaks feels very child-like and she rarely manages to actually do something by herself. When she does, she's obnoxious about it. I wanted to feel sympathetic towards her, but I just couldn't.
 
I was disappointed to not enjoy this book as it tackles classism, racism, issues with the justice system, and other topics I think should be much more prominent in our books. However, the writing frustrated me more often than it engaged me.
 
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
… (més)
 
Marcat
whakaora | Hi ha 3 ressenyes més | Mar 5, 2023 |
4.5 stars.

Polarity in Motion by Brenda Vicars is a very poignant and thought-provoking story that touches on quite a few relevant social issues. Although a young adult novel, I highly recommend it to both teenagers and adults because the subject matter is so important in today's world.

Fifteen year old Polarity Weeks' life is anything but normal as she and her family frequently move in search of treatment for her mother's borderline personality disorder. Her home life is a minefield as she tiptoes around her mother's volatile mood swings and sometimes paranoid thinking. Polarity's first few weeks at her new school have been challenging as she is bullied by the girls in her class and she tries to live down her reputation as a poetry geek. But her life truly becomes a living nightmare when a nude picture of her is posted on line and no one, not even her parents, will believe her when she insists she neither posed for nor posted the photo. Child Protective Services immediately removes Polarity from her home as they investigate her parents and instead of ending up in foster care, she goes to live with her maternal grandmother during the investigation. Although eventually Polarity is able to return home, the matter is far from resolved, and she never gives up on clearing her name or finding out who is responsible for taking the picture and posting it on line.

Polarity is a very compassionate young woman who is very mature and responsible for her age. Despite the rather unusual situation with her mother, her parents are over protective and very involved in her life. Her experiences with the foster care system prove to be very eye opening as she gradually becomes aware of the injustice, inequality and discrimination that occurs around her. Instead of becoming disillusioned when she learns even those closest to her do not believe in her innocence, Polarity focuses on clearing her name and she learns some very important lessons about herself and the world around her in the process.

Polarity's relationship with her mother, Jennifer, is realistically depicted and it is occasionally quite heartbreaking. Her mother's illness makes her view the world in black and white, and she also thinks of people (and their actions) in terms of good and evil. She can also be quite cold and cutting when her viewpoint is skewed by her illness and this leads to some very painful confrontations between her and Polarity. While Jennifer cannot always maintain objectivity with those closest to her, she is quite sympathetic to other's suffering and she is quick to offer assistance to those in need. This dichotomy in her behavior provides a well-rounded view of both the positive and negative aspects of her illness which in turn makes her an easier character to like and more importantly, understand.

Polarity in Motion is an engrossing debut novel by Brenda Vicars. The storyline is fresh, unique and brilliantly executed. The characters are complex and three dimensional with realistic flaws and imperfections. It is an engaging young adult novel that is delightfully angst free despite the serious subject matter and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.
… (més)
 
Marcat
kbranfield | Hi ha 1 ressenya més | Feb 3, 2020 |
Title: Polarity In Motion
Author: Brenda Vicars
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Polarity in Motion" by Brenda Vicars

My Thoughts....

I found this novel a good thought provoking and touching read for any young adult and parent. What will happen as fifteen year old Polarity is put in a unfortunate situation? I liked how this author was able to 'address many level of bullying, social media, mental illness, racial discrimination, drugs and relationships' that so many youngsters can relate to. Even with all of this it is so hard to believe people can be so cruel. So, in the end how will this story end about a nude photo that goes viral? A bag of drugs and more? OK, to find out who put the photo out there and more you will have to pick up 'Polarity in Motion' to find out. How will Polarity 'save herself by saving someone else?'

I really enjoyed 'the love in the message about inequity that involved 'Polarity's road to self discovery.' The author did a great job giving the readers some amazing characters that were presented and handled the different issues so very well in this young adult novel. "Polarity in Motion" was definitely a compelling story to read and definitely learn from it.

Thank you to the author for a good read.
… (més)
 
Marcat
arlenadean | Hi ha 3 ressenyes més | Apr 18, 2018 |

Estadístiques

Obres
2
Membres
24
Popularitat
#522,742
Valoració
4.0
Ressenyes
6
ISBN
3