Title: The Polaris Uprising
Author: Jennifer Ibarra
Publication: Oct. 30, 2013, Tiwala Books
Format: Digital copy, 328 pages
Source: Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you Dianne!)
Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords
Synopsis:
No citizen shall be left behind
Life in Neress is simple. For nearly four decades, people have known exactly what’s expected of them. Obey the rules, follow the path that’s been laid out, and everything will be provided for: food, shelter, education, safety. No need goes unmet. But the cost is steep: you lose all rights to make your own choices in life.
In seven years, eighteen-year-old Ryla Jensen will come of age and take over for her father as president of this idyllic nation.
Groomed since childhood to take on a role she’s not even sure she wants, Ryla’s only escape from the pressures of duty is her sister, Alanna.
But when her eyes are finally opened to the oppressive regime her father built, she begins to question everything she’s set to inherit—and finds herself at odds with her sister’s blind allegiance to their father. Torn between loyalty to her family and the fight for freedom, Ryla must decide just how far she’s willing to go to make a stand and risk losing the person she loves most in the world: Alanna.
Misfit Review:
I had the interest of reading it because it kind of had the kingdom dynamic and also ruined politics so I was like, YAAAY! I have to read it. After reading, my mind flashed with different things like: "OH MY GOD! What the hell just happened?" and "I can't believe they would do that." Basically, I was stomped, but in a good way!
*this may not contain quotes from the book, I will try, but it's hard to do so when I'm reading from a digital copy..>_<... BLINDNESS!
So the story follows Ryla as she is set to rule Neress on her 25th birthday but unusual things started to happen in the kingdom and she finds out that her dotting, supportive father-who happens to be the king, (duh Jayvee)- is an abusive little son of.. I'm sorry! This part gave me a lot of feels and I think this book sort of got to me in a feels kind of way. Maybe because I was rereading TFIOS while reading this too.. So, anyway, Ryla finds out and she can't help but hate her father and then she finds out that her sweet, meek sister, Alanna is taking her father's side on things!
I really had the Frozen vibe here in some ways coz the sisterly love is there and I barely read anything this catastrophic between siblings. And it's sort of refreshing to read something that doesn't necessarily focus on romance but more on family and how it can change ones perspective about it. There is romance but you'd know what was more important. The romance was kinda meh which is good, in a way. You are getting my point here, yes? FAMILY IS ALSO IMPORTANT!
I never really thought that I'd get action sequences from the start of reading this book but then I kind of knew from how Ryla is starting to notice things were different between what her father was trying to do, so Ryla, in a sense makes a really, really good character for that matter, a foil to her father's plans. And then Alanna just. I am a bit annoyed with her character. Not in the sense that I do not like her, but why can't she trust her sister and go defending their father. I don't know if it's out of respect or she was too afraid to go against His Highness but Alanna as I've said is quite meek, so there. But she did have her time in the spotlight. So, good for her.
The dual POV was kinda confusing for me in a way, maybe because I'd rather not be inside Alanna's head and just focus on Ryla's. I find her more enticing as a character and someone I'm willing to spend 300+ pages to hear. But the reason must be for more character reference and for the readers to know why this and that happened but nothing excited me more when it was Ryla's turn to talk.
Jennifer Ibarra's writing style is polished and sophisticated. And yes nitty-gritty when it came to the politics and all that jazz. I never did get politics but Jennifer Ibarra was able to take me into a monarchical take on the government that I had never quite imagined honestly. I know that I have seen movies of these things happening.. A rebellion against the monarchy. but in a book, not so much. So it was a treat to read it from Jennifer Ibarra's novel! PLUS! GUYS! SHE'S FILIPINO!!! I love it! She makes me really proud! :) And also invested to do the same.. :)
Anyway, I really do recommend you guys to read this novel! It's imaginative, compelling and overall, a really good read!
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Jennifer Ibarra grew up on a steady diet of books, Star Wars, and other fantastic feats of the imagination. Her debut novel, THE POLARIS UPRISING, is the first book in a planned trilogy and has been called "Frozen meets THE HUNGER GAMES," exploring family drama, romance, and political intrigue against a dystopian backdrop.
She lives in Silicon Valley, where she does marketing for a tech company and spends her time running, cooking, baking, and keeping up with celebrity gossip.
And a little message from Jennifer to us readers. I hope you take your time reading it...
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