Restart is an outstanding tale about a boy whose future could go one of two ways. In this well-written story about a boy who is caught between two very different peer groups, the prolific author Gordan Korman depicts the life of a boy who has to find – and choose which life he wants to live.
Korman opens the book with the main character, the feared bully Chase Ambrose, lying in a hospital bed, not knowing who he is or what he looks like or any other detail of his previous life that he can place. Over time, however, Chase collects clues of what he was like, such as from the scared looks on people’s faces when he encounters them, or the way the hallways clear when he approaches.
When Chase gets an invitation to join the video club, though, whose members are kids he picked on more then there are stars in the sky, he jumps on it, and thus begins a new life. He meets new friends and builds up a special relationship with an old Medal Of Honor recipent. The old Chase seems totally gone, but his old pals don’t like it. So they cook up a scheme to destroy Chase’s new social life.
This book has so many twists and turns that are fun to read, but would need a spoiler alert to be describe them here.But as the plot progresses, Korman skillfully illustrates his characters’ development and growth.
Restart weighs right and wrong and paint a picture of forgiveness. Furthermore, it emphasizes that friendship is better then feared popularity.
I give this book five out of five stars.