Just Listen

Reader reviewed by librariane

Annabel's life has taken a turn for the worse, but it's partly her fault, and partly the fault of a former vindictive friend. It all started at the end of school year party, when Annabel was caught with her former best friend Sophie's boyfriend. The trouble is, she wasn't with the guy voluntarily, he actually raped her. But Annabel, the youngest of three sisters, has always been the nice one, so she's not used to speaking out or defending herself. As she suffers through a school year of isolation and Sophie's hateful gossip, she becomes friends with Owen, another school outcast who has taken anger
management courses. He helps her to see why it's good to be honest and let your feelings out in the open.

This is a quick read, and teenage girls will gobble this one up, especially if they've read Speak (Anderson). Annabel is an intriguing
character, and learning about her and her family, as well as Owen and his history. The characters are deep and complex, and each does a fair amount of changing before the book is done. Most of this is believable, though timing is a little hard to keep track of, as Annabel jumps around with her story. There is a fair amount of teen angst as well, though her friendship with Owen is a refreshing change. The ending was rather cheesy, and I wish she would have opened up to her sisters, as opposed to the typical ending where she makes up with Owen. I like Speak much better as a rape victim coming to terms novel,
but Dessen fans will enjoy this as well. Note: there is harsh language, but not much.

Reader reviewed by clarice

I have read every book by this author and this is amazing also. Not as good as some of her others in my opinion but it is still a really good book. A girl who models has to deal with losing her best friends, having a sister with an eating disorder, not wanting to model and being a complete outcast at school, when she meets another outcast he learns a lot and fixes her past mistakes.

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Over the course of just one summer before her junior year of high school, Annabel Greene has managed to lose all her friends. Always the quiet, nice one, a misunderstanding at an end-of-school party results in Annabel losing her gregarious best friend, Sophie, a complicated go-getter with many mood swings and only two sides to friendship. Youre either her friend, or youre her enemy. Being Sophies friend has caused the nice Annabel to lose several of her old friends as well, including her former best friend, Clarke, whom Sophie indirectly deemed nerdy and thus dropped like a hot potato.

Suddenly, Annabel finds herself all alone. She sits on the wall at lunch next to Owen, the loner boy who exudes an aura of intimidation for his gigantic stature and the omnipresence of earphones in his ear. Meanwhile, Annabels situation at home is not too great either. The past year was focused mostly on middle sister Whitneys eating disorder, and Whitney and eldest Kirstens constant clashes and subsequent falling-out in the face of Whitneys anorexia/bulimia.

Now, Whitneys at home and slowly recovering, but shes still taking up most of their parents attention. Thus, Annabel feels unable to tell her mother that she wants to quit modeling, something that all of her sisters have done and grown out of. Annabel is the last one left, and as a result, she feels pressured to stay on it in order to make her mother happy.

In the middle of Sophies attacks, her mothers inattention, and Whitneys glowers, Annabel strikes up an unexpected friendship with Owen. Turns out Owen is obsessed with musicand telling the truth all the time. With him, Annabel feels like a different person, one who can say what she wants to say all the time, instead of holding everything back like she usually does.

That is, until her past catches up to her. By trying to suppress all horrible memories of what happened to her that night at the party, Annabel is gradually but steadily ruining her future, including a possible romance with Owen. She must first admit to herself the truth before she can tell others and start on the path to recovery.

Like all of Sarah Dessens books, JUST LISTEN is chock full of important lessons. There are parallels between Annabel and Whitneys predicaments, as well as symbolism in the form of the Greenes glass house. While I did not find this novel to be as good as her other ones, I nevertheless could not put it down both times I read it. I recommend taking this novel in short breaths, instead of devouring it as you will most likely want to do. Just read&then go back and look for the deeper messages. JUST LISTEN will grow with you.

Reader reviewed by Stacey

In Just Listen Annabel Greene, the main character, struggles to hold in a what really happened to destroyed her reputation. Annabel's
ex-best friend, Sophie, spread a bunch of rumors about her and Sophie's
boyfriend. Annabel went from the girl with everything and being very
popular to a nobody, no one wanted anything to do with her. Annabel
feels that no one will listen and that she would never be able to tell
the truth about what really happened over the summer until she meets
Owen. Owen makes her feel like she finally wants to tell someone the
truth.

I thought this book was really good, once I started reading it I didn't
want to put it down. I just loved how I could sort of relate to how
Annabel feels at parts in the book, like when she feels no one will
care or understand and how she felt about the rumors. I also liked how
descriptive the book was on the characters because it helped me get a
mental picture of what they might be like.

Reader reviewed by Laura

Hmm this book had the perfect ending, The girl macy has been through so much, death of her dad and she thinks she's complete with a perfect boy friend who guys to summer math camp. While he's there she takes over his job at a library where the girls who work there don't like her much. Then she meets this guy who i guess who changes her a little. You'll have to read the book for the rest of the details because then i'll spoil it for you.

Reader reviewed by Lori (End)

WARNING; This review may be consisting of one gushing fan girl (i.e. me) still smiling over finishing the book Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. First, may I mention, I have searched, and searched, (and can you believe searched) to find a book coming in close with my love for Stephenie Meyer's creation Twilight and of course it's sequels New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. So to pick up her book, on my day at chapters, assuming it to be just another book, with just another character, about just another "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after" love tale. Then reading it, from cover to cover in a day (simply because I couldn't even start to put it down, It was at my side the WHOLE day) and finding I had a new love, a new passion, a new insanity, was a blessed surprise. I immediately fell for the characters (cough, Owen) and Dessen's style of writing. The way she wrote the words, I felt as if you could almost read between the lines, as it were. Like there were always more then one way to look at it, it could easily be taken literally, still making a full amount of sense, or take it just as easily, metaphorically, still, making sense. It was .."profound" I guess you could more simply say. I've read it three time since, each time needing more of the relationship between Owen and Annabel. Each time wanting to be the protagonist. Each time, feeling Whitney's pain, or grinning at Kristen's bubbly-ness. Laughing at Rolly (who, by the way, is an amazing character, I couldn't get enough of him, not to mention his lovable behavior) or wanting everyone to understand what it was really like for Annabel Greene ; The one who has it all, yet nothing she needs.

In short (if you had the patience to read all that) I LOVED the book, I think if you want an enticing read, and if you loved her other works (as both Remy/Dexter and Macy/Wes make an appearance) you'll fall head over heals with this book.

Reader reviewed by Hillary

Annabell's best friend now hates her. And now she's got no one, all she's got is her modeling. But then there's Owen. So at first he totally scares her to death, but then she gets to know him. They're an unlikely couple...actually, they're totally abnormal. They become friends. But she has this problem, she doesn't seem to be able to tell people anything. If it has the possibility of causing a conflict then she'll keep it to herself, even if it makes them hate her. Owen is the complete opposite. But in the end, will she finally be able to tell her ex-best friend what happened that night, or maybe even everybody? Will she be able to tell Owen the truth? Will it all work out?

I think that this book is my favorite of all of Sarah Dessen's books. I love them all but I think that this one was wonderful. Maybe that's just because I read it last but it was great either way.

I would recommend any of her books to anyone looking for a great book to read. You really get attached to the characters. Like if a character wasn't mentioned for a chapter I would actually miss them...weird. And it just cane out in paperback.

Also, the new Sarah Dessen book, Lock and Key, is coming out in April! So be sure to get that one too!

Reader reviewed by Kristin

I enjoyed this latest book from Sarah Dessen, but it definitely wasn't my favorite. I'm a fan of all of Dessen's books for a lot of reasons - she has realistic and likable characters, a clear, easy tone, peppered with humor and poignancy throughout, interesting situations that draw the reader in, and lots of intricate subplots. Dessen delivers all of this in Just Listen, a novel about Annabel, 16, the "girl who has everything" but whose life is really falling apart. However, I disliked how it was often quite similar to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and I think Speak did a better job in portraying this type of situation. Overall, worth reading, especially if you're a Dessen fan, but not one of my favorites. If you like this book, you may want to check out Speak as well.

This is a review of momentous significance and importance. (No, I’m not bragging.) You see, Just Listen is my first-ever Sarah Dessen book! I know, I know—”But Renae, you say contemporary YA is your favorite. How have you not read Sarah Dessen before?” Uh…yeah, I have no valid excuses. I’m a failure, okay? Point at me and laugh; make fun of my unworthy fan status. I can handle it.

But now that you’re done heckling, we can move on the important part: I read a Sarah Dessen book! Thank you, thank you. I’d like to especially thank the Academy, and my parents, and Viking Juvenile and…

And we’re done. I apologize for excessive silliness. On the the important part—my review.

The thing with Just Listen is that it doesn’t bring anything new to the bookish world (or maybe it did back in 2006 when it was first published). The formerly popular girl who made mistakes and then hooks up with sensitive loner guy? We all know that story. It’s everywhere! So I think that if you want to read this book (which you most definitely do, if you’re one of the uncool persons who hasn’t done so yet, and no need to worry, because I was formerly uncool also), don’t expect fireworks and shock-factor and moments of “OMG!” Because basically, I figured out the entire story within the first chapter.

However, predictability and unremarkable story (in my opinion) did not stop me from grinnng like a fool during a goodly portion of this book. I would say that I very rarely smile whilst reading, but because I’ve been reading a lot of light contemporary of late, that is no longer true. Anyway, yes—Just Listen is really cute. The interaction between the protagonist, Annabel, and her love interest, Owen, was adorable. See, Owen is really big into music, like…obsessed with obscure, weird music like drippy faucets or chanting or whatever. And then Annabel gives him her opinion on the music, and they sort-of-argue and it’s really cute. So cute I had a happy-grin.

As far as plot, I’m not really sure I could give a good run-down. Wendy said that Sarah Dessen books are “about nothing and yet absolutely everything at the same time” and though I only have Just Listen to use as evidence, I definitely agree. This book is just about one girl living her life, in maybe less-than-great circumstances, but it’s not all depressing, and it’s not all awesome. And I would say that this is very realistic, except for the almost (but not quite) cheesy-movie factor Dessen’s storytelling had, especially when, toward the end, Annabel was suddenly enlightened and discovered great insight into everything, all at once. I didn’t really buy it, but I think it worked for this kind of story.

Anyhoo. Overall, my first encounter with the Sarah Dessen (that author of mythical proportions), was a fairly solid success. Just Listen isn’t my favorite book, and I’m hoping that any future Dessens I try out will work better for me. But either way, I liked Just Listen, and I can now gracefully (or not so gracefully) bow off of this awards podium with my shiny trophy for Not Being A Poser YA Contemp Fan.
It’s been an honor.

Reader reviewed by Val

Just Listen is like any other Sarah Dessen novel in that it involves a female protagonist placed in a realistic situation and thats why many young adult readers among them many girls read her books and find they can relate. In Just Listen the main character Annabel Green begins to narrate her situation. The reader doesnt get the whole story until towards the end of the novel but one can put two and two together to infer what happened. Annabel is the epitome of an American girl with blonde hair, blue eyes and a modeling figure. But when readers learn more they discover that she in fact isnt the glamorous girl she appears to be on commercials and photos. She IS a teenage girl who gave up her true friends to hang out with a girl who finds pleasure in dominating people. This girls name is Sophie and something happens that makes Sophie think that Annabel is worthy to be called rude names like slut and tramp. Annabel like most girls when faced by this sudden betrayal are stunned and doesnt know what to do. She lies to her mother when she continues modeling, which she doesnt like, and she tells her that Sophie and her just got into a little fight.

There are times where you want to shake Annabel and knock some sense into her to remind her that its okay to stand up for yourself, you dont have to be a doormat because your so called friend treated you meanly. Unfortunately, we cannot do so but never fear because just when weve thought about giving up all hope Owen steps in. Owen is considered to be an outcast because he got into fights and he sits reclusively by himself at the lunch table always listening to his ipod. One day after a particularly vicious attack by Sophie, Owen sees Annabel and helps her. They talk and Annabel begins to discover its not the end of the world if she isnt by Sophies side. She finds Owens presence comforting and he opens her into a whole world of music and listening. The change is evident when Annabel becomes more opinionated and more confident. With the inadvertent help of Owen she is able to conquer her fears of her family with her sisters eating disorder and her moms emotional fragility. She begins to make friends with the friends she lost when she began hanging out with Sophie. She is able to face her fears and the incident that has mentally and physically hurt her& the reason why Sophie ostracized her.

Owen serves as her rock and its an interesting combination because you wouldnt think that a fallible character like him what with his anger problems would be a good sort of structure for a somewhat weak character. The novel is uplifting and doesnt disappoint in terms of plot. However I, having read almost every Sarah Dessen book had to say I wasnt as pleased with Just Listen as I was with many of her other novels. My favorite Sarah Dessen novel was Dreamland because it was one of the few books that have been able to move me to tears with its wonderful language and gripping plot. When I found out that Sarah Dessen was working on a new novel I was ecstatic and couldnt wait but reading Just Listen came off more as a beach read. You know& the kind of novel you bring to the beach and forget about maybe for a few days then find it again and read it. Its a good book dont get me wrong but I felt it lacked that powerful impact Sarah Dessens novels usually have on me.