The stage of adolescence is the part of life where everyone is struggling to find their own identity. Constant pressure from friends, family, school, and society is inevitable and thus, makes one wonder, what's it like to rebel against these pressures?
Author Melissa Smith has seen it all. As someone such as herself who spent time working in the educational sector, she saw the struggles of adolescents and wondered how overwhelming it must feel to live by impossible demands of the different influences of one's life. She believes that discrimination has no place in this world, and no kind of prejudice should stop someone from being their true selves and living a life free from anyone's opinions. This is how her book came to be.
The Theory of Rebellion 2: School Debut tells the story of Melody, a girl who is constantly pressured by her friends to have a boyfriend, which she doesn't want. She likes music and singing and only wants to perform for her fans. She doesn't like school and does not feel that she should live by others' demands for her, which makes her a person target for humiliation and discrimination in school. To add to that, she struggles with racism even with such a tremendous talent, making her unique from her peers.
According to Melissa, she wrote this book in hopes that someone out there may read and find her book and relate to the struggles that the main protagonist, Melody, experiences, and feels. She hopes that it helps the youth of today to cope in more ways than one and helps parents and teachers better understand the struggles of adolescence so it may not be watered down and labeled as "teenage angst."
Through this book, may we open a discussion about issues that occur in real life. Ones that involve adolescents who are struggling in more ways than one, dealing with issues they should never have to deal with alone. The book offers a wider perspective in looking at someone's personality by showing us real-life teenagers who want to pursue a different passion in life, like Melody, who only wants to pursue music. It's a great way to illustrate what it's like to be a teenager through the words of someone who has experienced it and seen others' lived experiences of it.
High school is truly the time of someone's life where struggles arise, and adolescents are forced to deal with them. With different influences and pressures, adolescents may feel a bit lost in what they want to pursue. Opinions matter in this stage of life, and The Theory of Rebellion tells the readers that opinions are only opinions and do not matter, for what you truly would want to be is someone that makes you happy. That there may be no magical fairy that could make people want you more, but you can be, through your own ways and words.
Lastly, this young adult novel will remind us of those nostalgic days where we find ourselves rebelling against certain ideas that we know are wrong and help us remember that we were once Melody too. A rock and roll rebel.
If you're eager to know more about Melissa and her works, she can be found on her Facebook page #TheoryofRebellion and on Instagram, where she showcases her art and poems @MelsTheory.
For updates and information about her other books and projects, you can visit at: https://www.melsrebellion.page.
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