The Polaris Uprising by Jennifer Ibarra
(Polaris #1)
Publication date: October 30th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Young AdultSynopsis:
In less than seven years, eighteen-year-old Ryla Jensen will succeed her father as the president of Neress, a nation where all citizens are cared for from the moment they’re born. Fed, sheltered, even educated—every need of theirs is met.
The only price they pay is their free will.
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 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.
4.5 Stars
This is a fantastic debut novel for Ms. Ibarra. Ryla just turned 18 and will assume the rule of the country her father brought back to survival from the brink of collapse during a war when she turns 25. Her older and sensitive sister, Alanna, has been passed over for the ruling even though she is the eldest. In the strict society their father has built, marriage is arranged by genetics, jobs are given based on results from testing, and the law is followed to the letter or swift consequences are enforced. Alanna, now running a clinic in the middle of the city, is about to marry Owen, who has been her arranged suitor since childhood. The novel goes back and forth between Alanna and Ryla’s perspectives, keeping the book fresh and interesting. While Alanna battles her feelings for Owen and struggles to not be pained by her father’s constant disapproval, Ryla’s eyes are slowly being opened to how the country is truly run.
Meeting and becoming engaged in a secret friendship/relationship with Tyson, her tutor’s son, Ryla is introduced to the underground movement the Polaris group. As she is accepted into their ranks, she learns the horrors of keeping the country running smoothly according to her father’s dictates and views, and causalities keep rising. Ryla is forced to make a choice after two catastrophic losses- save her people or stay with her family?
Super entertaining read that never got dull. The author clearly explains the history and culture of the world Ryla and Alanna live in and has very real characters readers will be attached to.
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 trilogy and mixes dystopia with family drama, romance, and political intrigue.
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.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.jenniferibarra.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/writejenwrite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialjenniferibarra
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7124832.Jennifer_Ibarra
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