Game Changer

I picked up Gamechanger by Neal Shusterman based on my past reading of his work. I really enjoyed the Scythe series as well as the book Dry. He has an engaging writing style that raises interesting and thoughtful points about our world while weaving complicated and intriguing plot lines. I had high hopes for Gamechanger, and it did not disappoint. It is a book that asks challenging questions about the world we live in while encouraging and enticing the reader to look at the world through different eyes. This is a book well worth reading.We are all biased by our experiences. It is hard to see beyond our own struggles, triumphs, and perspectives to think about how other people experience the world. But what if our circumstances, what if we, were suddenly and drastically different? This is the premise of Gamechanger. The main character falls into the ability to blindly shift small events in the past that fundamentally alter modern reality, kind of a butterfly effect vibe. He then wakes up to a world changed, and where he is the only one who realizes that things are different. Through this storyline, a stereotypical high school football player, along with the readers riding along with him, gets to experience difference. He gets to experience his life and world but in different shoes. The story walks us through the eternal question of “what if?” and that ride in and of itself makes the book worth reading.The other reason to read this book is because it is a great story. It has conflict, romance, intrigue, and moments that genuinely make the reader pause and reflect on their own experience. The modern world often feels overwhelming. There are so many problems and complications and arguments that it can be difficult not to adopt a pessimistic attitude. Gamechanger takes us to a world where the main character is thrust into the position of realizing how things could be worse, how the obstacles could be higher, how good he really has it. It also manages to draw us into genuinely caring about his fate, which is a mark of a really good story. This is a book that hooks the reader, reels her in, and then keeps her close and rivetted through the last 100 pages. Reading this book moved Neal Shusterman near the top of my favorite author list, and pushed his books from the “I’d recommend them” category to the “I need to read this” category. He’s great.I highly recommend Gamechanger. I gave my copy to my 14 year old son immediately upon finishing it. It’s an entertaining and thought provoking book.

Although this novel didn’t blow me away like Shusterman’s past novels “Unwind, “Everlost” or “Scythe” did, it was still pretty good. The plot was well executed, the characters were incredibly well-developed, and the messages were important and realistic within the historical context.However, this book didn’t really feel like a Shusterman title. Usually, this author’s novels hold some sort of philosophical meaning that you can ponder on once you’re done— whether that be questions on the value of life, morality, or otherwise. The book didn’t have that. The “message” just felt like something entirely political. I completely agree with his political messages, mins you, but it really feels as though it was shoehorned in just so the author could get his political messages out into the world considering what is going on in present day. Many of Shusterman’s other novels felt timeless and mindful, while this book felt like it would only be interesting to readers in the present day. I also dislike how, at one point, one of the characters erases someone from existing and just treats that like its a totally normal thing.Despite its minor flaws, though, I think it was a good read. I liked how the character of “Layton” wasn’t just a one-sided evil abuser like most antagonists are. I also really liked the relationship between the protagonist and his brother, it was very well thought out and hearty. One thing that I enjoyed very much was the plot— it was cool, interesting, and pretty solid. The climax of the book had me on the edge of my seat, and it enthralled into the world of the story.Overall, it was a pretty solid read. Although it was not my favourite book ever, I enjoyed it and the characters will probably be stuck in my head for the next few days. This book was solid, but it has the potential to be extraordinary. Im disappointed that the author didn’t seize the opportunity to make this a timeless classic, but I’m pleased with the final product in general. Though, if you’re really looking for something that will truly blow you away, I recommend “Unwind,” which is another one of Shusterman’s novels.