“Lose your memory.
Find your life.”
Restart
Gordan Korman
Chase Ambrose doesn’t remember falling off the roof. He doesn’t remember winning All State last year. He doesn’t remember his friends, his family, or even his name when he wakes up in the hospital. And he certainly doesn’t remember why a girl would want to spill her frozen yogurt on him… The kids at school give him a wide berth, some are downright petrified of him and soon Chase isn’t just trying to come to terms with who he is, but also who he was… Is there such a thing as a restart button on life?
If there is one thing I can say about this book is that I love the premise. I’m also not someone who has been diagnosed with amnesia, so I’m unsure of the book’s accuracy, but I immensely preferred this book over Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac. Don’t get me wrong, the book falls a little short in terms of well rounded characters, some are just flat-out stereotypes, and yet it’s still a satisfying story because it’s a good twist on a redemption arc.
If I had been given the chance to quit reading this story instead of finishing it, I might have. Chase’s father is so many shades of toxic I probably would have quit much earlier in the book. His single-minded mentality and machismo brand of masculinity don’t change much, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this story was written with more depth, if he was homophobic and Chase’s older brother was gay. It felt coded, but that’s how I read it.
Additionally, the pressure on Chase to succeed in football at the 8th grade level just seems… unrealistic? That’s not even considered junior varsity. Plus, for his father to have the stance that 8th grade held his glory days on the gridiron? Yikes. Peaking at 13? Yikes.
I didn’t have a favorite character, or really feel like I clicked with any of them either. They all had a lot of growing to do, but if I had to pick one I’d go with Brendan. Brendan is the first one to give Chase a chance after he comes back to school with amnesia, and I think next to Chase he’s the most well-rounded character. Plus he’s a nerd and overly enthusiastic, and his reputation lets him get away with small acts of chaos… and alright, maybe it’s also because he reminded me a little bit of me when I was his age.
There are a lot of examples of complicated adults in the book too, but complicated adults that mean well and who sometimes make the easy decision instead of the right one. In some ways, I was able to empathize with most of them (except Chase’s father) because life is hard and so is working with teenagers. Especially teenagers that have the tendency to bully one another.
Overall, this is an easy middle grade read, and I think it will be one I’ll hand to kids in the future. It’s feel good in the right ways, since Chase doesn’t seek forgiveness for his past self, nor does he feel like the world owes him anything either. He simply seeks to be better and so does better, and that’s a great takeaway. I read this book for Battle of the Books this year, and I honestly didn’t feel like it was a waste of my time which has happened in the past. It might be in part to being on the book selection committee, but nonetheless, I found Restart to be enjoyable, and even a little compulsive towards the end.
The Little Book Witch 