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fabricate8 's review for:
Just Listen
by Sarah Dessen
3Q 3P J,S
Annabel Green is a teen model who seems to have everything a girl could dream about: popularity, good grades, and a supportive family. Despite what it seems like in the ads, her life is far from perfect. After a disastrous party over the summer, she returns to school friendless. Because she has no one to sit with at lunch, she sits next to Owen, another outsider, who is never seen without his iPod. The two eventually develop a friendship, although Annabel struggles to live up to Owen’s one rule: don’t lie.
The novel reminds me very much of Speak, where a quite girl silently suffers and chooses to isolate herself. In Just Listen, Annabel does not become as disconnected and instead of refusing to speak, she tells people what they want to hear, even if it’s not what she thinks. The novel is also more about developing and repairing relationships, both with Owen, and her sister, who is struggling to overcome anorexia, as well as her best friend from childhood. Like Melinda, Annabel learns to say what’s on her mind even if it’s hard.
I think that this book would definitely appeal to (some) teen girls more than guys because it’s long and gets somewhat angst-ridden. Owen is a cool character, but definitely has to put up with a lot from Annabel, as she struggles to communicate. I can’t really put my finger on it, but this book felt dated, even though it was published in 2006.
Annabel Green is a teen model who seems to have everything a girl could dream about: popularity, good grades, and a supportive family. Despite what it seems like in the ads, her life is far from perfect. After a disastrous party over the summer, she returns to school friendless. Because she has no one to sit with at lunch, she sits next to Owen, another outsider, who is never seen without his iPod. The two eventually develop a friendship, although Annabel struggles to live up to Owen’s one rule: don’t lie.
The novel reminds me very much of Speak, where a quite girl silently suffers and chooses to isolate herself. In Just Listen, Annabel does not become as disconnected and instead of refusing to speak, she tells people what they want to hear, even if it’s not what she thinks. The novel is also more about developing and repairing relationships, both with Owen, and her sister, who is struggling to overcome anorexia, as well as her best friend from childhood. Like Melinda, Annabel learns to say what’s on her mind even if it’s hard.
I think that this book would definitely appeal to (some) teen girls more than guys because it’s long and gets somewhat angst-ridden. Owen is a cool character, but definitely has to put up with a lot from Annabel, as she struggles to communicate. I can’t really put my finger on it, but this book felt dated, even though it was published in 2006.