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A review by grandpas_farts
Need by Joelle Charbonneau
2.0
I've noticed, actually five years ago I noticed, that I am too old for some books. I have not been in high school close to ten years, started 9th grade over ten years ago, so typically, I stay away from teen fic unless it's grossly popular. Not only am I a literature fanatic, I am a middle school English teacher as well, meaning I like to stay hip on what the teens are into. Joelle Charboneau came to my school last year for an author visit and when she told us about Need I was thinking, geez, gotta read this book! This was the first, and possibly, last book I will read by this author.
The writing was not bad. The characters were not a complete bore. The storyline was interesting. However, all these factors did not make me devour this YA read in a day or two as it typically would if it were more intriguing. Maybe it was all the characters. Maybe it was the unnecessary budding romance between the two best friends. Maybe I just could not get into this as I have other books. Whatever the case may be, it was not enough to keep me going, substitute hours of sleep or rate it higher than two stars.
Nottawa High School is home to the most selfish and non-conscience having teenagers. Over winter break NEED pops up, a brand new social media unlike any other. It grants the users wishes. Whatever they desire, NEED will grant, at a cost of course. In order to join need or get a need fulfilled users will have to complete a request from the website, anything from sending people an e-mail to delivering a box of cookies to a girl on her birthday. While some of the actions seem harmless, when most of the city's younger residents begin dropping like flies, some users begin to question NEED and if their want is really worth it.
I am an "adult" on a good day. To some extent, I guess that means I think or ration like an adult and not like the 16 year old girl I was *gasp* ten years ago. For my NEED request at 26 I would want to cure cancer, make college free, raise minimum wage to a livable amount, rid poverty, give more benefits to our veterans, and of course, as an election year, get Uncle Bern into the White House, BACK TO BACK! But this is an "adult's" brain, who sees past the bigger picture of getting out of 7th period to waste my days away watching MTV show actual music videos while eating an unorganic bag of greasy chips and never gaining a pound without working out. 16 year old Megan would have easily wanted Lil' Fizz to fall madly in love with her and take her away from the palindrome life of suburbia, tickets to a concert, a new computer or something very superficial. Or maybe not. I cannot say that I was a super selfish child who only thought of herself. However, NONE of these students were like this.
Everybody was seeking out for themselves. They never stopped and thought of the consequences , or noted the pattern of what was happening to their friends. They only saw, iPod, work out equipment etc. There were too many narrators and I forgot who most of them were and what they were wanting to get. Even now, a few days after reading the book, I cannot tell you the best friend's name. The reasoning for the villain to target Kaylee was pointless and to bring her best friend in it was even more silly seeing as how he had even less to do with the reasoning behind disliking the kid. I will not read it again but who is to say someone else will not like this for themselves? We can only hope that the students in Norway delete the e-mail.
The writing was not bad. The characters were not a complete bore. The storyline was interesting. However, all these factors did not make me devour this YA read in a day or two as it typically would if it were more intriguing. Maybe it was all the characters. Maybe it was the unnecessary budding romance between the two best friends. Maybe I just could not get into this as I have other books. Whatever the case may be, it was not enough to keep me going, substitute hours of sleep or rate it higher than two stars.
Nottawa High School is home to the most selfish and non-conscience having teenagers. Over winter break NEED pops up, a brand new social media unlike any other. It grants the users wishes. Whatever they desire, NEED will grant, at a cost of course. In order to join need or get a need fulfilled users will have to complete a request from the website, anything from sending people an e-mail to delivering a box of cookies to a girl on her birthday. While some of the actions seem harmless, when most of the city's younger residents begin dropping like flies, some users begin to question NEED and if their want is really worth it.
I am an "adult" on a good day. To some extent, I guess that means I think or ration like an adult and not like the 16 year old girl I was *gasp* ten years ago. For my NEED request at 26 I would want to cure cancer, make college free, raise minimum wage to a livable amount, rid poverty, give more benefits to our veterans, and of course, as an election year, get Uncle Bern into the White House, BACK TO BACK! But this is an "adult's" brain, who sees past the bigger picture of getting out of 7th period to waste my days away watching MTV show actual music videos while eating an unorganic bag of greasy chips and never gaining a pound without working out. 16 year old Megan would have easily wanted Lil' Fizz to fall madly in love with her and take her away from the palindrome life of suburbia, tickets to a concert, a new computer or something very superficial. Or maybe not. I cannot say that I was a super selfish child who only thought of herself. However, NONE of these students were like this.
Everybody was seeking out for themselves. They never stopped and thought of the consequences , or noted the pattern of what was happening to their friends. They only saw, iPod, work out equipment etc. There were too many narrators and I forgot who most of them were and what they were wanting to get. Even now, a few days after reading the book, I cannot tell you the best friend's name. The reasoning for the villain to target Kaylee was pointless and to bring her best friend in it was even more silly seeing as how he had even less to do with the reasoning behind disliking the kid. I will not read it again but who is to say someone else will not like this for themselves? We can only hope that the students in Norway delete the e-mail.