Audiobook Review: YA Alternate Worlds

Game Changer by Neil Shusterman

Read by Andrew Eiden and Jennifer Jill Araya

Published: February 2021

Summary from Goodreads:

Confession:

I really enjoyed listening to this story. It is a very compelling story that touches on a lot of current issues that will make you think about the world we live in. In each world that Ash finds himself in, he discovers more about himself, his friends and how one event can change everyone’s lives.

The two narrators do a fantastic job. Andrew Eiden tells most of the story through Ash’s character. He does a great job showing Ash’s confusion when he finds himself in a new world. He also does well with the other emotions and all of the characters. Jennifer Jill Araya also does a nice job with her small section. I wasn’t quite expecting there to be two voices, but when it changes it makes sense. I would totally listen to these two narrators again.

I really liked Ash. Yes, he is a young white male, who at the start of the story is a little bit clueless about things. But as he sees how the world could be and how actions sometimes speak louder than words, he changes and grows so much. Ash starts the story as a well liked football player, I really liked that he is a lineman not the quarterback, who’s family is middle class. He has many friends and hopes to get a scholarship so he can get into a good college. He is known for his hard tackles and for sacking the quarterbacks of the opposing teams. When his latest hit sends him off into an alternate universe he starts by noticing little things, like blue instead of red stop signs. As he is sent into each universe the changes get bigger and soon he finds himself in a world where things are not great for his friends and it is up to Ash to get things back to the way they should be.

There is a great supporting cast of characters in this story that I really enjoyed. I loved Leo, Ash’s best friend, who is black and calls Ash out whenever he makes statements that are ignorant. Katie, a crush/friend depending on the universe, who supports Ash no matter what, and also sort of remembers the old universe. She is a pretty smart young woman who really wants to help Ash. I also loved his brother, and how their relationship changed in each of the worlds.

I really liked how the story developed. Each world was just slightly worse than the one before it. Each world also touched on some very important topics, such as racism, homophobia, and toxic relationships. In one world, Brown vs the Board of Education, never happened and POC are worse off than ever. I also appreciated that Ash changed in each of the worlds as well, his family is better off, he deals drugs in some, he is gay, and also at one point he is a young woman. All of these changes help Ash to learn what it is like for other people and for his friends.

There are a lot of negative reviews for this story and I get where they are coming from. I see their perspective too, but I think that was sort of the point of the story. To start conversations and to get people thinking and discussing these topics and what to do about them. This is just a story, but one that I think could be a catalyst to people expanding their thoughts and feelings about many of the issues brought up in the story.

I really enjoyed this story and found it quite the compelling read. There are some issues with it though and I encourage you to look at some of the more negative reviews as well as some of the positive ones, before deciding if this is a story you want to read. I can see where this isn’t going to be a story for everyone, but it should be.