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Paralysed
It was just like any other Saturday morning for Simon—a rugby match at school, with his girlfriend Emma in the crowd. But then an accident changes everything, leaving Simon paralyzed, Emma devastated, and Simon's best friend Danny stricken with guilt. How do you cope when your future is snatched from you? Emma's determined that her relationship with Simon will withstand the trauma but he's not so sure. And while Danny wants to stand by Simon, his growing closeness to Emma threatens all three of them. This is an honest look at the effects of disability on three teenagers—none of who will ever be the same again.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 15, 2012
I tought this book was just amazing
December 26, 2014
Paralysed is an easy yet thoughtful read.
The majority of the characters aren't all that developed and there are a few cringey (not to mention unnecessary) plot lines.
That being said, this book has its merits, namely with the character of Danny. I thought Dan was a fantastic, true, dare I say it inspirational character. Also, I think that the interaction between Simon and Pete in the unit was interesting and I'd have liked to have seen more of it.
To begin, Emma's character was really quite annoying. Saying she was in love with Simon, she obviously wasn't. I know what love is, if you truly love someone, no illness, at least physical (I can't speak for Dementia as that actually does change a person's personality) will affect how you feel. The utterance and confession of "I love you" has in itself become somewhat of a redundant concept, at least among people of the ages of the main characters in Paralysed. They don't understand what they're saying. Sherry Ashworth not acknowledging this plain fact. Moving on, Emma kissing Adam and saying she felt a tiny thing there, kissing Simon and saying even though she didn't fancy him she still loved him, and totally acting as if kissing him is a chore, and then on top of this kissing Danny, Simon's best friend (As we hear a gazillion times throughout the novel) sends out the total wrong message and meant I had little respect for her as a character. Running through my head at various points throughout the novel "Oh so she fancies Danny now? Do I care? She seems to fancy every guy in her friendship group..." it was just annoying.
Rant about Emma over.
I think that as far as unneeded plot lines go, this book was full of them, but the thing that annoyed me the most was Danny's constant blaming himself after the accident. Then to me it felt like suddenly that aspect of how Danny was feeling disappeared, it made me initially dislike him, but I suppose this view that Danny was a bit of a waster helped contribute to the contrast that meant I liked him a lot in the latter half of the novel.
Conversely to my above negativity (I was in a very bad mood) I did actually enjoy reading this novel. I really loved the bit about the Three Peaks Challenge. Furthermore I thought the relationship between Danny, Calvin and Mr Neale was done perfectly! I loved it. They complimented each other in a very entertaining way and I would brush over Emma's chapters so I could get to the bits where Danny would be training for or attempting the Three Peak's Challenge. Sherry Ashworth should write a tie-in novel where Danny, Calvin and Mr Neale attempt another challenge (in the hypothetical next novel Emma should definitely not be Danny's girlfriend or heaven forbid... WIFE).
The majority of the characters aren't all that developed and there are a few cringey (not to mention unnecessary) plot lines.
That being said, this book has its merits, namely with the character of Danny. I thought Dan was a fantastic, true, dare I say it inspirational character. Also, I think that the interaction between Simon and Pete in the unit was interesting and I'd have liked to have seen more of it.
To begin, Emma's character was really quite annoying. Saying she was in love with Simon, she obviously wasn't. I know what love is, if you truly love someone, no illness, at least physical (I can't speak for Dementia as that actually does change a person's personality) will affect how you feel. The utterance and confession of "I love you" has in itself become somewhat of a redundant concept, at least among people of the ages of the main characters in Paralysed. They don't understand what they're saying. Sherry Ashworth not acknowledging this plain fact. Moving on, Emma kissing Adam and saying she felt a tiny thing there, kissing Simon and saying even though she didn't fancy him she still loved him, and totally acting as if kissing him is a chore, and then on top of this kissing Danny, Simon's best friend (As we hear a gazillion times throughout the novel) sends out the total wrong message and meant I had little respect for her as a character. Running through my head at various points throughout the novel "Oh so she fancies Danny now? Do I care? She seems to fancy every guy in her friendship group..." it was just annoying.
Rant about Emma over.
I think that as far as unneeded plot lines go, this book was full of them, but the thing that annoyed me the most was Danny's constant blaming himself after the accident. Then to me it felt like suddenly that aspect of how Danny was feeling disappeared, it made me initially dislike him, but I suppose this view that Danny was a bit of a waster helped contribute to the contrast that meant I liked him a lot in the latter half of the novel.
Conversely to my above negativity (I was in a very bad mood) I did actually enjoy reading this novel. I really loved the bit about the Three Peaks Challenge. Furthermore I thought the relationship between Danny, Calvin and Mr Neale was done perfectly! I loved it. They complimented each other in a very entertaining way and I would brush over Emma's chapters so I could get to the bits where Danny would be training for or attempting the Three Peak's Challenge. Sherry Ashworth should write a tie-in novel where Danny, Calvin and Mr Neale attempt another challenge (in the hypothetical next novel Emma should definitely not be Danny's girlfriend or heaven forbid... WIFE).
July 20, 2009
YA
Simon and Schuster
Best friends Simon and Danny are rather different from each other. Danny prefers lazing around to playing football and keeping in shape as Simon does. Nevertheless, they are good friends, and enjoy hanging out with other friends, including Simon's girlfriend Emma. However, an accident at a football match which Simon shouldn't have been playing at leaves Simon paralysed.
The story follows the ups and downs of Simon's new life. It's Danny's story of how he changes his life around from being a complete lazy so-and-so, with the threat of getting kicked out of school, to someone who seizes the moment and makes an effort in life for someone other than thimself. It's Emma's story of that fateful day, all the emotion of seeing a person she loves change forever.
There isn't anything I'd want to change about this story. The three points of view all have a distinct voice. On an emotional level I could relate to all the pain, suffering and tough decisions that needed to be made. I kept yelling at Danny for not trying so hard at school - slacking on schoolwork is beyond my comprehension. I admired Emma for sticking by Simon, even when her heart wasn't in it. And Simon's courage not to give up, his determination to accept the less pleasant aspects of his new life had me reaching for the tissues a lot.
There's mention of taking a personal relationship further, and I think there might be the odd curse, but for a YA book its not bad on the content level.
I it a 5 out of 5
Check out Sherry's reason for writing paralysed. It explains how she got all the emotions spot on.
Simon and Schuster
Best friends Simon and Danny are rather different from each other. Danny prefers lazing around to playing football and keeping in shape as Simon does. Nevertheless, they are good friends, and enjoy hanging out with other friends, including Simon's girlfriend Emma. However, an accident at a football match which Simon shouldn't have been playing at leaves Simon paralysed.
The story follows the ups and downs of Simon's new life. It's Danny's story of how he changes his life around from being a complete lazy so-and-so, with the threat of getting kicked out of school, to someone who seizes the moment and makes an effort in life for someone other than thimself. It's Emma's story of that fateful day, all the emotion of seeing a person she loves change forever.
There isn't anything I'd want to change about this story. The three points of view all have a distinct voice. On an emotional level I could relate to all the pain, suffering and tough decisions that needed to be made. I kept yelling at Danny for not trying so hard at school - slacking on schoolwork is beyond my comprehension. I admired Emma for sticking by Simon, even when her heart wasn't in it. And Simon's courage not to give up, his determination to accept the less pleasant aspects of his new life had me reaching for the tissues a lot.
There's mention of taking a personal relationship further, and I think there might be the odd curse, but for a YA book its not bad on the content level.
I it a 5 out of 5
Check out Sherry's reason for writing paralysed. It explains how she got all the emotions spot on.
August 14, 2016
Paralysed is about three friends and how their lives drastically change after one of them had an accident that damages his spine, making him a paraplegic.
The book alternates perspectives between the three friends, Simon - who is the boy everyone wants to be until after his football accident, Emma - Simon's devoted girlfriend who finds herself struggling with how different their lives are now, and Danny - Simon's best friend who starts to see himself in a different way after what's happened.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, finding out about the accident and the repercussions from this, how the accident rippled out to affect all of the characters involved in the story. I enjoyed the switching of perspectives and the use of changing narration in the middle of a conversation or event, to continue from that person's view.
I however found the writing itself to be quite simplistic and while the characters seemed to be well-rounded, they all got quite irksome at one point or another, especially Emma. I just didn't care for her constant moaning.
I didn't really enjoy the second half of the book as much, when it all became so focused on their romantic/friendship relationships with one another - turning the story into just another threesome, not done very well.
Overall I think the illness itself was handled quite well and I liked the added elements of Simon's brother and parents being affected by his condition.
However because of the elements I didn't like so much, I wouldn't find myself reading this again or recommending it, unless a specific situation called for it.
The book alternates perspectives between the three friends, Simon - who is the boy everyone wants to be until after his football accident, Emma - Simon's devoted girlfriend who finds herself struggling with how different their lives are now, and Danny - Simon's best friend who starts to see himself in a different way after what's happened.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, finding out about the accident and the repercussions from this, how the accident rippled out to affect all of the characters involved in the story. I enjoyed the switching of perspectives and the use of changing narration in the middle of a conversation or event, to continue from that person's view.
I however found the writing itself to be quite simplistic and while the characters seemed to be well-rounded, they all got quite irksome at one point or another, especially Emma. I just didn't care for her constant moaning.
I didn't really enjoy the second half of the book as much, when it all became so focused on their romantic/friendship relationships with one another - turning the story into just another threesome, not done very well.
Overall I think the illness itself was handled quite well and I liked the added elements of Simon's brother and parents being affected by his condition.
However because of the elements I didn't like so much, I wouldn't find myself reading this again or recommending it, unless a specific situation called for it.
June 23, 2012
Pretty interesting story here, of Simon who has an accident while playing rugby which leaves him paralysed, and how his best friend Danny and girlfriend Emma cope with that. The book's told in three alternating perspectives which at times worked, and at times felt like a bit too much - I didn't feel as much of a connection with Emma as with the other two, and didn't feel that she was given as much depth. I also could have done without the generic romance plot of her switching to Danny midway through the book! Really, the story was interesting enough without that angle at all. It worked really well as just the story of the two guys - they went through so much personal growth and Emma just... didn't. She was just kind of there to complete the triangle.
Simon was the athletic one, and Danny was kind of a lazy slob who was also in danger of being kicked out of school. But then with the help of one of his teachers, he decides to complete a thing called the Three Peaks Challenge, to raise money for Simon, and during the process of training for this he both gets fit and finds his way in the world. That was a really cool story, and it was also great reading about what Simon went though and how he came to terms with everything, and what his experiences were like. It's a very realistic and interesting story to read and while it didn't astound me, it was definitely worth borrowing from the library.
Simon was the athletic one, and Danny was kind of a lazy slob who was also in danger of being kicked out of school. But then with the help of one of his teachers, he decides to complete a thing called the Three Peaks Challenge, to raise money for Simon, and during the process of training for this he both gets fit and finds his way in the world. That was a really cool story, and it was also great reading about what Simon went though and how he came to terms with everything, and what his experiences were like. It's a very realistic and interesting story to read and while it didn't astound me, it was definitely worth borrowing from the library.
April 14, 2014
girl that likes a guy and becomes paralized and sad events happen
August 16, 2019
Loved the characters, although a couple were slightly too two-dimensional, and the plot was great. It was an easy read, but a book that dealt with an issue that many people have to suffer through (whether that be them themselves becoming paralysed, or a loved one/friend).
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews