Just Listen

by Sarah Dessen

[Katie King]

**3 Stars**

Sarah Dessen is known in young adult circles for her contemporary stories that address the tougher side of teen life. I have a friend that almost exclusively reads her books (she's not a reader), so I pretty much associate them with each other. Because of this friend, I developed a sort of attitude about Dessen's books despite never having read one. Basically, I deemed them fluff and had no interest.

Looking to expand my horizons, I picked up a copy of Just Listen at the used bookstore one day. I didn't even know what it was about - I figured I had heard of it, so there was a good chance it was one of Dessen's bestsellers, a.k.a. more enjoyable. I promptly put it on my to-read shelf and forgot about it. It was contemporary; no way I was going to jump right on that one. Last week, however, I found myself without my wisdom teeth and without anything to do. My eyes scanned my ever-growing to-read shelf, finally stopping on Just Listen. The day had come.

Just Listen follows Annabel Greene, local commercial model and high school student, as she starts off another school year. This school year is markedly different in that she has lost all of her friends and had spent the entire summer in isolation. Throughout the course of the novel, we learn exactly why that is and how she responds to it during the year.

I literally read this starting at 8pm one night and finished by 11am the next morning (with a break for sleep). It wasn't because the writing was amazing or the story was riveting. I just really wanted to know what happened, and now. There are hundreds of books out there that address exactly the same topics but this one just got me. I wormed my way out of high school exactly 3 years ago, but somehow Dessen drew me back in. Not so dissimilar to The Boyfriend List. I felt Annabel's pain each time she was confronted by Sophie. I felt the olive branch being extended by Clarke. I felt the comfort of Owen's hand. I felt the helplessness of watching her sister Whitney. I wasn't truly absorbed in the story, but the emotion got to me. When Annabel told her family what happened, and she described her family's reactions, I felt a little pang in my heart.

I loved Mallory. She was so full of spirit, especially when she had her faux modeling shoot. Whitney was also a great, somber character without really saying much. Emily was both tragic and brave; the fashion show was a great moment for her. Sophie was such a bitch that when she turned on Annabel, it felt so right for her character. A lot of the female characters were pretty strong in their own right, albeit one-sided.

Of course this novel does have it's problems. There was a lot going on in Annabel's life and sometimes it was hard to keep track of what she was doing or when it was occurring. The role Owen played in her life seemed to make her out as helpless, which I guess at first she did act like it. Owen is better described as a catalyst rather than someone doing all the work. There was a lot of music mentioned, which made me wonder about their connection seeing as they hardly talk about anything else. I was kind of disappointed we never heard more about Sophie at the end, but maybe that's for the better.

Summary
Expectations were shattered by this surprisingly thoughtful novel. A relatable protagonist, vivid characters, a few interesting subplots, and a light romance. Though my curiosity for Dessen's novels has been satisfied and I won't be seeking out others, that shouldn't stop anyone else.