Living in Suspension by Winifred Morris
A YA novel published by Eastside Gal (11/17/15)
Summary:
“All of a sudden I can see why the trees bend upward. They’re just trying to keep their balance while the earth keeps moving out from under them.” (Kindle Locations 712-713).
Not every kid with problems can be diagnosed. Not every kid can be neatly labeled. Sky doesn’t even know why he is the way he is. The only thing he knows for certain is that he likes words. He likes the story that he’s writing. He likes his creative writing class. But there must be something wrong with him. Everyone tells him he should be doing better. That he could do better. Sky knows he is doing his best so there must be something wrong with him.
Keywords:
School, Skipping, Home, Suspension, Dropout, High School, Drugs, Problems, Words, Writing, Fantasy, Stories, Distraction, Losers, Friendship, Family, Struggles, Unknown Future
My Review:
Morris paints a bleak view of school and the system in regards to Sky. If this is what school is like for some kids, I weep for the future and that 30% that drop out. Sky is the kid everybody knows. He is the kid that falls through the cracks. He isn’t at the bottom and he is certainly not at the top. What is wrong with him? His parents can’t figure that out. His teachers can’t figure it out. The principal doesn’t want to bother figuring it out. The other kids don’t care. Even Sky doesn’t know what’s wrong with himself. He doesn’t want to be a loser. He wants to have a future. Morris paints this beautiful mosaic of something hazy that you can’t quite put your finger on that keeps Sky from succeeding in the conventional school system. Even I can’t quite figure out what is wrong with Sky because he is more complicated than a simple label of “ADD” or “lack of motivation” or “delinquent.”
Sky just doesn’t like school and Morris shows me why. For kids who always loved learning, seeing school through Sky’s eyes shows a very different world. Sky isn’t lacking in parental support. He goes to a good school. Sometimes, that just isn’t enough.
The writing style was so captivating. Sky’s voice came through loud and clear. His perspective was fascinating and there was a good balance between how he saw the world and his thoughts about what he was experiencing.
This novel was published by Eastside Gal November 17th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating:4.50
Links for more information:
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