What the novel restart by Gordon Korman tells you about change and opportunity
Gordon Korman is a Canadian author known for his young adult and children's realistic fiction novels, often portraying middle school and high school children as lead characters. His books have sold over 30 million copies around the world and reached the number spot in the New York Times Bestseller list. He began writing at a very young age, starting from a writing project in grade 7, and has been writing ever since. He's 62 now, and currently lives in New York, and has written over 100 books. The book "Restart" is his 95th.
Strong Premise
Written in 2017, Restart is a middle grade, contemporary, realistic fiction novel about a boy called Chase Ambrose who's lost his entire memory after falling off the roof of his house. He doesn't remember how he fell off the roof or hit his head; all he remembers is a little girl in a white frock.
But there's no one that matches that description in his life. The story follows him as he tries to get back to his old life and find out he was.
Fun Writing Style
The book is written in first person multi-narrative style; the narrations smoothly shift between Chase and his friends and enemies from school. It mostly stays with Chase but shifts appropriately.
In the beginning, we are only with Chase, and straightaway learn that he's popular around town. He was the best player in the school football team (American football) that led the school to win the championship for the first time in decades. He also learns from his phone's wallpaper that two boys called Aaron and Bear were his best friends and also players in the football team.
Photo by Joe Calomeni: https://www.pexels.com/photo/football-players-718952/
When he gets back to school, he finds out that, although he's popular, a lot of people shy away from him. Some even look terrified. The day he comes out of the house, a girl called Shoshanna Weber dumbs yoghurt on his head and walks out of the restaurant. He doesn't even remember who she is, let alone why she did it.
Here the author puts us in the mind of the girl, and through her texting with her brother, we start to see who Chase Ambrose was and is from others' perspective. Evidently Shoshanna's brother Joel was so severely bullied by Chase and his friends that their parents had to transfer him to a boarding school in some other town. The two of them talk of Chase escaping his fall as an upset, and we for the first time see how serious the matter is; the old Chase was someone hated with passion. The contemporary style of writing in the texting between these siblings is refreshing and relatable.
When we transfer to the mind of video club member Brendan Espinoza as Chase returns to school, we see another POV with trauma from bulling, but one that takes it in a humorous manner. Through Brendan the writer presents us with great humor as he pulls out many antics trying to make a viral video for the video club. He uses Chase's amnesia to recruit him to the video club after much hesitance. His narrations often include commentary in the "Attenborough" style (the style of the renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough, the voice of wildlife documentaries) of Chase and other characters.
Rich and Relatable Characters
Through the glimpses of his past from others, his sudden visions, what Chase is up to and thinking now, we are able to compare and decide that he's a completely different person now. Although he still spends time with his old friends, we can see that he's uncomfortable around them and is steering away.
He soon learns he'd done a criminal act with Aaron and Bear, and that they were punished with months of community service at an elderly home for months. He was exempted from it because of the accident, but he goes with those two anyway. Here he builds a relationship with an old man called Mr. Solway, which brings out more of this bright new side. Through Mr. Solway, we are also shown the state of someone old and without anyone to love.
Joel Weber, the boy who was transferred to a boarding school because of Chase returns to the same school after his sister starts liking the new Chase. But it isn't long before something happens between him, Chase, Aaron, and Bear, seemingly sending Chase back to where he started.
All along, the writer gives us hints of the truth behind how Chase fell through visions and whispers between Aaron and Bear. It's clear that there's something greater and sinister behind it all, and both Chase and reader are worried about what it could be. Could Chase have done something worse in his past? Will he really change, or fall back to his old ways? Does he really have amnesia, or is all of this another of his great pranks?
This feeling of suspense and mystery spices up and adds tension to a fun, humorous read, setting up a great ending.
Strong Themes
The book portrays how people can really change if they put their mind to it. It shows that anyone can truly "restart," no matter what they've done in the past. Importantly, it presents the significance of holding on to the change, no matter what haunts you from the past. I'm not going to reveal who portrays this theme because it would be a spoiler. (There are a lot of people who restart in this book, after all)
Photo by Polina ⠀ from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/beads-with-letters-lying-on-a-pink-background-6185628/
It shows that we should seize the opportunities, and that they don't come in easy ways. Life is unpredictable.
It also shows the weight and sacrifice of being a good person, and the evils of being a bad one. You have to decide who you want to be and stick to it, no matter what (that is, of course, if you're sure that you're right and someone trusted agrees).
The Takeaway
The strong premise, the fun and modern style of writing, the rich and relatable characters, setting, and importantly the strong themes and morals portrayed in this novel make it an excellent read for children, teens, and even adults.
A novel of this genre that touches on such high values and captures the essence of high school life without swear words, gore, and lust, is a great gift for the modern child and the genre as a whole.