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slflorence99's review
4.0
It's no secret I'm a big Neal Shusterman fan. I read this book pretty much in one day and found it engaging, creative, and challenging. That said, of all of Neal's books I've read to date, I thought this one was maybe a little too statement-heavy. It was as if he attempted to take on all of the social struggles of our world in one book, and it became a little preachy with the first person narrative. I think all of the issues he addressed are important and valid. I just think the discussion ended up a little more obvious than in his other books.
bluejaybooks's review against another edition
Not sure how I feel about this one. It's compulsively readable, but the narrator sometimes comes across to me as borderline talking down to the reader about things that I personally often already knew about.
That said, it was interesting to see COVID-19 discussed in a book though. This is the first one I've read that's done so outside the acknowledgement section.
Also, I think it may have been more interesting had the reverse sexuality of the entire human race scenario mentioned in the book actually happened rather than how things ended up.
That said, it was interesting to see COVID-19 discussed in a book though. This is the first one I've read that's done so outside the acknowledgement section.
Also, I think it may have been more interesting had the reverse sexuality of the entire human race scenario mentioned in the book actually happened rather than how things ended up.
Spoiler
And, maybe I'm just not well read enough on the topic, but I feel like LGBTQIA rights wouldn't be where they are today without a successful civil rights movement in the 1960s for racial minorities, but gay people seemed to have the same rights in this book as they do today in spite of this. Then again, we are talking about an alternate reality, so who knows?mrssreads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lilyst's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
katykelly's review
3.0
Fab concept but felt rushed though.
I've loved all the Shusterman's I've read. I chose this seeing his name and casting a brief glance at the synopsis. And it's a wonderfully enticing prospect anyway - parallel dimensions!
High school football player Ash doesn't really think too deeply about the lives and problems of those around him - a younger brother he doesn't have much of a relationship with, a friend with a controlling partner, he even slept with his best friend's sister.
We don't see Ash as a bad guy, he's a regular teenager, but we do feel the confusion as he takes a hit in a game one Friday night and finds that the world around him stops at blue lights now, and not at red. And then it happens again and more and bigger changes begin to seep into reality.
In a plot with elements of David Levithan's Every Day and reminiscent of old favourites Sliders and Quantum Leap, Ash learns that he's moving between parallel universes... that one small change can affect a whole lot of other things... that things really could be worse... and that he'd do anything to get back to his own dimension.
While I enjoyed the book, the character and the concept, looking at it as a whole, I was disappointed that some things felt glossed over. Dimension jumps cover broad and big topics: race, gender, homosexuality, controlling/abusive relationships, drugs, sibling relationships - yet some of these could have been whole novels in themselves and are barely touched upon.
Shusterman does take the time to build a narrative with some scientific-sounding backstory/encompassing structure as to why and how this is all happening to Ash, and I did like the idea of this and the new characters this brought in. The continuity of Ash's life and how new changes fit with old ones worked.
I'd have rated this more highly for spending more time on each iteration, for exploring the issues raised in worlds related to Ash's friends and his own changed body. A lot was fit in but not mined for its possibilities.
Still worth a read and recommending, fascinating idea. Some violence but not graphic. For ages 13 and above.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
I've loved all the Shusterman's I've read. I chose this seeing his name and casting a brief glance at the synopsis. And it's a wonderfully enticing prospect anyway - parallel dimensions!
High school football player Ash doesn't really think too deeply about the lives and problems of those around him - a younger brother he doesn't have much of a relationship with, a friend with a controlling partner, he even slept with his best friend's sister.
We don't see Ash as a bad guy, he's a regular teenager, but we do feel the confusion as he takes a hit in a game one Friday night and finds that the world around him stops at blue lights now, and not at red. And then it happens again and more and bigger changes begin to seep into reality.
In a plot with elements of David Levithan's Every Day and reminiscent of old favourites Sliders and Quantum Leap, Ash learns that he's moving between parallel universes... that one small change can affect a whole lot of other things... that things really could be worse... and that he'd do anything to get back to his own dimension.
While I enjoyed the book, the character and the concept, looking at it as a whole, I was disappointed that some things felt glossed over. Dimension jumps cover broad and big topics: race, gender, homosexuality, controlling/abusive relationships, drugs, sibling relationships - yet some of these could have been whole novels in themselves and are barely touched upon.
Shusterman does take the time to build a narrative with some scientific-sounding backstory/encompassing structure as to why and how this is all happening to Ash, and I did like the idea of this and the new characters this brought in. The continuity of Ash's life and how new changes fit with old ones worked.
I'd have rated this more highly for spending more time on each iteration, for exploring the issues raised in worlds related to Ash's friends and his own changed body. A lot was fit in but not mined for its possibilities.
Still worth a read and recommending, fascinating idea. Some violence but not graphic. For ages 13 and above.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
lucka229's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
katelyn_22's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
purplepandaa's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
luccinda's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brendalovesbooks's review
4.0
After reading this book, and before reviewing, I read some other reviews, especially negative ones. Things were presented in those reviews that I hadn't really thought about, and that are definitely valid opinions. I'm coming at it from another angle though. I work as a librarian in a predominantly white middle school. I think reading this book could give kids a lot to think about, and would actually make a great choice for a book club, as there are a lot of things to discuss.
It did feel very 2020 to me, touching on every hot button issue the author could think of, but I think in the end it was something I would feel good about having my students read.
It did feel very 2020 to me, touching on every hot button issue the author could think of, but I think in the end it was something I would feel good about having my students read.