Neal Shusterman

Game Changer

"A timely, speculative thought experiment in perspective, privilege, and identity." —Kirkus "The conceit behind Shusterman’s latest is truly unique. While it exhibits the author’s usual storytelling aplomb, it also manages to delve into more serious and timely subject matter, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. Despite these heavy topics, the story still moves at a lively pace and, thanks to a zany sci-fi twist, manages to pack in a few laughs as well." —Booklist All it takes is one hit on the football field, and suddenly Ash’s life doesn’t look quite the way he remembers it. Impossible though it seems, he’s been hit into another dimension—and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own. The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he’s ever wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past…universes where he finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes. And if he isn’t careful, the world he’s learning to see more clearly could blink out of existence… This high-concept novel from the National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Arc of a Scythe series tackles the most urgent themes of our time, making this a must-buy for readers who are starting to ask big questions about their own role in the universe.

illa

dnf at 30%

yeah, not interested in reading about how a straight cis white boy who plays football has this huge world changing experience that makes him realize just how serious racism, homophobia and sexism is when he experiences it for himself personally. I rarely cringe at books but the way this was written from the start had me deeply uncomfortable and felt wrong. not my cup of tea.

Marvin Best

great book for pre teens, light writing style, pretty predictable

Franzi

I read the reviews after being so excited about Game Changer. To be honest, I didn't even think about the negative aspects most readers wrote about and for a while I felt really ashamed that I didn't see the obvious problems of Game Changer. The reviews made me think a lot about all those topics mentioned, and that's why I came to this conclusion:

Personally, I don't think it is about a white boy who once again saves the world. It is about a white boy who learns about the cruel world of racism and discrimination because of his own actions. He notices how privileged he is and as the book goes on, he wants to change the world he lives in because it is never fair. I love the diversity and the thought about: what if I were a girl, what if I were gay, what if I were racist. It shows the cruelty of the world towards certain groups in a new way, and it made me think A LOT about those topics. That's why I think Neal Shusterman did a great job on this one. I feel like he wanted us to think about our own actions, thoughts and views on the world we live in.

Jillian Slindee

Just feels like a huge piece of propaganda. Felt yucky reading it. Would not recommend for summer reading

Jeni Enjaian

I expected a lot more from this book than Shusterman ultimately delivered. I have appreciated Shusterman's books ever since he visited the middle school where I completed my student teaching. His Sythe series blew me away. I love the concept he sets up in this book. I loved some of the introductory portions. In the end, however, the narrative became preachy and in so doing I could predict the outcomes. Good but nowhere near what I know Shusterman is capable of.

Ash is used to taking hits on the field for his high school football team until he takes one that doesn't just impact his body, but his whole reality. It starts with one small shift, but with every game, every hit, Ash finds himself pushed through a succession of universes almost-but-not-really like his own, until the small shifts in reality become significant shifts in Ash's own identity. As Ash experiences life from other perspectives, he starts to question the world he thought he knew, as well as the ones he finds himself catapulted into. For better or worse, the one thing Ash knows is that he's got to find a way to put things back.

Joanna Rosenwink 

Thank you to NetGalley and Walker Books for providing me with an eproof of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Arc of a Scythe trilogy by Neal Shusterman, so when I heard about this book I was keen to read it. 
Game Changer follows highs school American football player Ash, who discovers that when he performs a particularly hard tackle, it causes shifts in the universe. Initially so subtle he thinks he must just have remembered things wrong, the shifts become more significant until Ash’s entire identity changes.

Books exploring parallel universes are something I find fascinating, and this is no exception. The author uses this as a way to explore how biases affect so much of our lives, and how the smallest of changes in the past could have lead to a very different present.

Thought-provoking and gripping, many of the issues dealt with are ones which have come very much to the forefront over the past few years.

Lisa Beasley

I think Neal Shusterman had really good intentions with this book and he does carry some of them off, but overall I think he was just trying to hit on too many issues at once and as such a lot of it felt glossed over. It was a good read, and I do like the authors writing but it was just lacking for me. The idea is an interesting one which just maybe missed the mark a bit. 

I was sent this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A timely, speculative thought experiment in perspective, privilege, and identity. --Kirkus The conceit behind Shusterman's latest is truly unique. While it exhibits the author's usual storytelling aplomb, it also manages to delve into more serious and timely subject matter, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. Despite these heavy topics, the story still moves at a lively pace and, thanks to a zany sci-fi twist, manages to pack in a few laughs as well. --Booklist All it takes is one hit on the football field, and suddenly Ash's life doesn't look quite the way he remembers it. Impossible though it seems, he's been hit into another dimension--and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own. The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he's ever wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past...universes where he finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes. And if he isn't careful, the world he's learning to see more clearly could blink out of existence... This high-concept novel from the National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Arc of a Scythe series tackles the most urgent themes of our time, making this a must-buy for readers who are starting to ask big questions about their own role in the universe.

Game Changer

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