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A review by silencia167
Need by Joelle Charbonneau
4.0
Find this review and more on my blog, The Reality of Books: https://therealityofbooks.wordpress.com/2015/07/30/need-by-joelle-charbonneau/
How far would you go to get something you want? How about something you need? Joelle Charbonneau’s newest novel, Need, explores the boundaries between want and need and encourages the reader to ask themselves “What in my life do I REALLY need?”
Need centers around a new social network site at Nottawa High School. The site is exclusive, invitation only, and promises its users to grant their every “need—“ with no consideration for the consequences. Protagonist Kaylee is perhaps the only student invited to join who really understands the difference between want and need—her father has left their family, and her brother needs a new kidney ASAP. In order to get their needs fulfilled, students are asked to do anything from inviting new students to the site or making a delivery. The requirements for fulfillment get worse and worse. While Kaylee waits for her need to be fulfilled, dangerous things start to happen around her. Kaylee becomes determined to figure out who is behind Need before they make her disappear.
One of my favorite parts about Charbonneau’s work is the way that she takes unique ideas and runs away with them. (If you haven’t read The Testing, you must. Immediately). Need is among the most unique YA novels I have ever read. The premise is astoundingly interesting and well laid out and executed throughout the novel.
I didn’t really care for Kaylee as a character. I found her to be pushy, and her motives seemed faulty. I understand her love for her brother and her wanting him to be okay, but I found it difficult to be sympathetic to her. She demanded things from people that she barely knew, and was not at all understanding when they were hesitant. I do, however, think that Kaylee is the only character who showed any resemblance of development. In the very end of the novel, (staying spoiler free!), she does begin to understand that there are other people in the world beyond her family. The other characters all remain fairly static—they do not change from when we initially see them. While each of these characters was completely different from the others, none of them grew or changed in the slightest.
The most confusing part of this book were all the different viewpoints. Many different characters were introduced throughout the book, and it was hard at first to keep track of who was who and what their different “needs” were. However, once the needs started being fulfilled, it became easier to decipher who was who and how they all wove together. It’s important to not skip any of these seemingly extra sections, no matter how confused they make you, as they all add up by the end of the book.
In an age where every single teenager is glued to a screen of some sort, this is a book that will grab their attention and turn some heads. I really enjoyed Charbonneau’s The Testing series. I enjoyed Need as well, though not quite as much as The Testing. It was engaging enough to consume in one night, but not quite as put together as The Testing. 4 stars—the characters are too weak to award a full 5.
**I received Need, by Joelle Charbonneau, as an ARC from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Need is expected for publication November 3rd, 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers.
How far would you go to get something you want? How about something you need? Joelle Charbonneau’s newest novel, Need, explores the boundaries between want and need and encourages the reader to ask themselves “What in my life do I REALLY need?”
Need centers around a new social network site at Nottawa High School. The site is exclusive, invitation only, and promises its users to grant their every “need—“ with no consideration for the consequences. Protagonist Kaylee is perhaps the only student invited to join who really understands the difference between want and need—her father has left their family, and her brother needs a new kidney ASAP. In order to get their needs fulfilled, students are asked to do anything from inviting new students to the site or making a delivery. The requirements for fulfillment get worse and worse. While Kaylee waits for her need to be fulfilled, dangerous things start to happen around her. Kaylee becomes determined to figure out who is behind Need before they make her disappear.
One of my favorite parts about Charbonneau’s work is the way that she takes unique ideas and runs away with them. (If you haven’t read The Testing, you must. Immediately). Need is among the most unique YA novels I have ever read. The premise is astoundingly interesting and well laid out and executed throughout the novel.
I didn’t really care for Kaylee as a character. I found her to be pushy, and her motives seemed faulty. I understand her love for her brother and her wanting him to be okay, but I found it difficult to be sympathetic to her. She demanded things from people that she barely knew, and was not at all understanding when they were hesitant. I do, however, think that Kaylee is the only character who showed any resemblance of development. In the very end of the novel, (staying spoiler free!), she does begin to understand that there are other people in the world beyond her family. The other characters all remain fairly static—they do not change from when we initially see them. While each of these characters was completely different from the others, none of them grew or changed in the slightest.
The most confusing part of this book were all the different viewpoints. Many different characters were introduced throughout the book, and it was hard at first to keep track of who was who and what their different “needs” were. However, once the needs started being fulfilled, it became easier to decipher who was who and how they all wove together. It’s important to not skip any of these seemingly extra sections, no matter how confused they make you, as they all add up by the end of the book.
In an age where every single teenager is glued to a screen of some sort, this is a book that will grab their attention and turn some heads. I really enjoyed Charbonneau’s The Testing series. I enjoyed Need as well, though not quite as much as The Testing. It was engaging enough to consume in one night, but not quite as put together as The Testing. 4 stars—the characters are too weak to award a full 5.
**I received Need, by Joelle Charbonneau, as an ARC from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Need is expected for publication November 3rd, 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers.