Hear

by Jacqueline Abelson

[Angie]

Hear is not just another YA cancer book. Yes, Charlotte has been in out of the hospital to have tumors removed from her arms and legs, but her disease does not dominate the story. It’s just the starting point. Charlotte’s doctor discovers two relatively large tumors in her brain, which must be removed. The sooner, the better, but at the cost of her hearing. Sound or life may not seem like a tough decision, but for someone who lives and breathes music, it is. After her diagnosis, Hear follows Charlotte during her last month with her hearing. Her boss at a music magazine, gives her one last assignment: listen to two bands and choose one for the upcoming benefit.

The only character we actually get to know is Charlotte. Others play an important role in her story, but they just felt flat. They seemed to just fill a role: love interest, play boy, best friend, asshole brother-in-law, etc. Actually, the brother-in-law –Andrew– was the one I had the biggest problem with. Why is he so awful to Charlotte and how can her parents and sister not see it? I found myself frustrated with them for becoming upset with Charlotte when she finally stands up to him, especially since it’s right before her surgery!

I felt like he was just there to add a family conflict. I also don’t think that was need. The timing of Charlotte’s surgery was enough of a conflict between her and her parents, I think. They of course wanted her to have the tumors removed at the first available appointment, since each day is an increased risk of something more serious than hearing loss. Charlotte wants to keep her hearing for as long as possible, since it’s her world. Ultimately, her parents let her have her time despite the health risks. It shows that they care about her health, but also her happiness.

In the end, I enjoyed Hear despite its flaws. It’s a more light-hearted addition to the other YA cancer books out there. But like I said, it doesn’t exactly feel like a cancer book. I enjoyed watching Charlotte come to terms with her hearing loss and realizing that she still can enjoy music in her life, although not in the same way. I did wish it had been a little longer though, so that Charlotte’s relationships would have had time to develop. As it is though, Hear is a very quick, light read with some depth to it.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.