Title: A Season of TransformationAuthor: Jayne Fordham
Release Date: 30th March 2011
My Rating: 3/5
Blurb:
A Season of Transformation is a young adult fantasy/ romance novel set in the contemporary world. It is the story of five young people drawn together to complete a Quest, to protect their town from destruction. In order to defeat the story’s villain, Maxvale, the five virtual strangers must come together and not only forge a bond of trust but become proficient with the ‘abilities’ temporarily bestowed upon them.
In the midst of the lead up to the battle each of the young people has their own personal struggles they are trying to deal with. Lucas, an adopted and bitter teenager struggles to become the person he wants to be whilst developing feelings for Makenna, a rich kid who doesn’t like his attitude. Bonnie is a ‘gothic’ that is dealing with an alcoholic father, Ben the school nerd and Adam the class clown are trying to break free from their high school stereotypes. Can these five teens put their differences aside to defeat Maxvale and save their town?
In A Nutshell:
A Season of Transformation is a middle grade/young adult fantasy novel set in a small community outside of Sydney. It's a story about looking beyond stereotypes, having confidence, courage, and somewhere to belong.
My Review:
When five unlikely high school students are mysteriously granted magical abilities so they can save their town, they must work together, despite their differences, to avoid a centuries old act of revenge from ruining their community. From the perspective of Makenna, we see how the characters are challenged to look beyond stereotypes, as they become more efficient with their new abilities, their confidence builds as they face their insecurities, new friendships and feeling emerge and each person individually shines.
As a title, A Season of Transformation refers to all five main characters. Over the course of three months, they not only experience having some pretty cool new abilities but each of their lives transform in their own way. Each of our heroes all fit a particular stereotype - the jerk (Lucas), the nerd (Ben), the class clown (Adam), the goth (Bonnie) and the rich girl (Makenna). It looks at how each of them are treated in a high school, their feelings because if this, and why they have allowed a stereotype to represent them. The story brings these five together, who would normally never be friends, let alone even talk to each other.
To me, the fantasy element only played a small part of the story. Their new found powers (telekineasis, super speed, photographic memory, invisibility and the ability to walk through walls) are what brought them together and what they will ultimately use when the time comes, but it wasn't a main genre of the story. The powers overall aren't too ridiculous and they simmer away to a degree that I forgot it was a fantasy and not a general teen fiction. I really liked this since I have trouble with some fantasy novels. I got very caught up in the lives of each of the characters and really hoped they would find their place in the group. There was also a delicious new romance with all those early feelings of excitement that I got totally caught up in.
My only tiny issue with the story was that I sometimes got the feeling that it was being told to someone who hadn't experienced high school before. There was a lot of detail explaining each stereotype, especially the goths, but also the general school day. I personally don't think some of it was needed.
There are many issues discussed throughout A Season Of Transformation, some in depth, some only lightly touched upon. Bullying and confidence are the main ones but so is adoption, the death of a parent, friendships, relationships, and having an alcoholic parent. I believe it would be a good text for ages 12 to 15 to study, or in the very least, read. While I know the author is a psychologist, I wonder if she has been a school psychologist. The content suggests so.
You can purchase A Season Of Transformation via Amazon (Kindle) or Lulu (Kindle or Paperback).
Jayne Fordham's website.
A Season of Transformation on Goodreads
In the midst of the lead up to the battle each of the young people has their own personal struggles they are trying to deal with. Lucas, an adopted and bitter teenager struggles to become the person he wants to be whilst developing feelings for Makenna, a rich kid who doesn’t like his attitude. Bonnie is a ‘gothic’ that is dealing with an alcoholic father, Ben the school nerd and Adam the class clown are trying to break free from their high school stereotypes. Can these five teens put their differences aside to defeat Maxvale and save their town?
In A Nutshell:
A Season of Transformation is a middle grade/young adult fantasy novel set in a small community outside of Sydney. It's a story about looking beyond stereotypes, having confidence, courage, and somewhere to belong.
My Review:
When five unlikely high school students are mysteriously granted magical abilities so they can save their town, they must work together, despite their differences, to avoid a centuries old act of revenge from ruining their community. From the perspective of Makenna, we see how the characters are challenged to look beyond stereotypes, as they become more efficient with their new abilities, their confidence builds as they face their insecurities, new friendships and feeling emerge and each person individually shines.
As a title, A Season of Transformation refers to all five main characters. Over the course of three months, they not only experience having some pretty cool new abilities but each of their lives transform in their own way. Each of our heroes all fit a particular stereotype - the jerk (Lucas), the nerd (Ben), the class clown (Adam), the goth (Bonnie) and the rich girl (Makenna). It looks at how each of them are treated in a high school, their feelings because if this, and why they have allowed a stereotype to represent them. The story brings these five together, who would normally never be friends, let alone even talk to each other.
To me, the fantasy element only played a small part of the story. Their new found powers (telekineasis, super speed, photographic memory, invisibility and the ability to walk through walls) are what brought them together and what they will ultimately use when the time comes, but it wasn't a main genre of the story. The powers overall aren't too ridiculous and they simmer away to a degree that I forgot it was a fantasy and not a general teen fiction. I really liked this since I have trouble with some fantasy novels. I got very caught up in the lives of each of the characters and really hoped they would find their place in the group. There was also a delicious new romance with all those early feelings of excitement that I got totally caught up in.
My only tiny issue with the story was that I sometimes got the feeling that it was being told to someone who hadn't experienced high school before. There was a lot of detail explaining each stereotype, especially the goths, but also the general school day. I personally don't think some of it was needed.
There are many issues discussed throughout A Season Of Transformation, some in depth, some only lightly touched upon. Bullying and confidence are the main ones but so is adoption, the death of a parent, friendships, relationships, and having an alcoholic parent. I believe it would be a good text for ages 12 to 15 to study, or in the very least, read. While I know the author is a psychologist, I wonder if she has been a school psychologist. The content suggests so.
You can purchase A Season Of Transformation via Amazon (Kindle) or Lulu (Kindle or Paperback).
Jayne Fordham's website.
A Season of Transformation on Goodreads
Great review Jess! I would have never guessed from the cover that it was MG younger young adult fantasy!
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