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Book title: Just Listen
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 371
My rating: 2 out of 5.
The protagonist of the story, Annabel Greene is very relatable. At one glance, you'd think her life is perfect and that she has it all- model looks, great friends, a full and happy family. But on the very first page of the book, the author makes it clear that looks can be deceiving. Between her two older sisters- Kristen, who is bubbly and full of life and always has too much to say and Whitney, who is breathtakingly beautiful and smart, Annabel has always felt left out, trying to stick in 'somewhere in between.'
And to top it all off, she loses her friends to one unspeakable summer where something terrible happens. While the characters are neatly crafted out and Annabel is well understood, Kristen's character starts feeling unnecessary and irrelevant to the story somewhere in between. Whitney, on the other hand, has a big role to play in the story formation and is probably more significant than the Antagonist- Owen Amstrong.
Owen Armstrong's role in the book is easy- he is honest and straight forward and goes well with Annabel's character who is in turn shy and silent.
Annabel finds it hard to open up to her family and her lost friends but something surprising happens ever since Owen enters her life- she stops hiding and starts speaking up. With Owen's easy attitude and realistic approach, he starts making an impact on Annabel's life unknowingly and even becomes somewhat of an inspiration. But at the same time, I thought his character felt a little too perfect which made him seem more like he was created only to support Annabel's character and less like a real human being.
Inspite of a good suspense created by the author, the story as a whole lacked twists and became monotonous after a point.
Even though it is clear that Annabel loses her best friend (Clarke) at the very beginning and becomes friend's with the devil and it-girl Sophie, the author keeps trying to emphasize their roles in the book and keeps trying to show how forlorn Annabel is, making it feel like the story is on pause half way through.
And yet, even though the book moves at a slow pace, it is an interesting read because every character's background is well explained and solid and goes really well in contrast with Annabel's.
What I liked the most about the story was that it showed how slowly things started changing in Annabel's life, making all the events seem very realistic. The author didn't jump to a conclusion or settle things too quickly, instead she made me feel like I was a part of Annabel's life, like I was watching her grow up through her room's window.
She learns her lessons and grows up as a person. She stops hiding because of music and Owen. It doesn't seem like the main character is Annabel, it just seems like she's the narrator because the author has placed enough emphasis on characters like Sophie, Clarke, Whitney, Owen and even Annabel's mother (Grace), to make it feel like we're going through a little of all their lives, making the book even more confluent and enjoyable.
It is a good read for contemporary lovers like me, however if you're looking for a book with twists and turns and major suspense, then don't pick it up.
This is my first review ever but I'm hoping to do more of these, so let me know what you think. I tried my best to not add any spoilers but forgive me if I have unintentionally done so.
If you do end up reading the book or already have, tell me what your thoughts are on it. (link below)
Thank you!
http://www.amazon.in/Just-Listen-Sarah-Dessen/dp/0141322918/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469896234&sr=1-1&keywords=just+listen
Book title: Just Listen
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 371
My rating: 2 out of 5.
The protagonist of the story, Annabel Greene is very relatable. At one glance, you'd think her life is perfect and that she has it all- model looks, great friends, a full and happy family. But on the very first page of the book, the author makes it clear that looks can be deceiving. Between her two older sisters- Kristen, who is bubbly and full of life and always has too much to say and Whitney, who is breathtakingly beautiful and smart, Annabel has always felt left out, trying to stick in 'somewhere in between.'
And to top it all off, she loses her friends to one unspeakable summer where something terrible happens. While the characters are neatly crafted out and Annabel is well understood, Kristen's character starts feeling unnecessary and irrelevant to the story somewhere in between. Whitney, on the other hand, has a big role to play in the story formation and is probably more significant than the Antagonist- Owen Amstrong.
Owen Armstrong's role in the book is easy- he is honest and straight forward and goes well with Annabel's character who is in turn shy and silent.
Annabel finds it hard to open up to her family and her lost friends but something surprising happens ever since Owen enters her life- she stops hiding and starts speaking up. With Owen's easy attitude and realistic approach, he starts making an impact on Annabel's life unknowingly and even becomes somewhat of an inspiration. But at the same time, I thought his character felt a little too perfect which made him seem more like he was created only to support Annabel's character and less like a real human being.
Inspite of a good suspense created by the author, the story as a whole lacked twists and became monotonous after a point.
Even though it is clear that Annabel loses her best friend (Clarke) at the very beginning and becomes friend's with the devil and it-girl Sophie, the author keeps trying to emphasize their roles in the book and keeps trying to show how forlorn Annabel is, making it feel like the story is on pause half way through.
And yet, even though the book moves at a slow pace, it is an interesting read because every character's background is well explained and solid and goes really well in contrast with Annabel's.
What I liked the most about the story was that it showed how slowly things started changing in Annabel's life, making all the events seem very realistic. The author didn't jump to a conclusion or settle things too quickly, instead she made me feel like I was a part of Annabel's life, like I was watching her grow up through her room's window.
She learns her lessons and grows up as a person. She stops hiding because of music and Owen. It doesn't seem like the main character is Annabel, it just seems like she's the narrator because the author has placed enough emphasis on characters like Sophie, Clarke, Whitney, Owen and even Annabel's mother (Grace), to make it feel like we're going through a little of all their lives, making the book even more confluent and enjoyable.
It is a good read for contemporary lovers like me, however if you're looking for a book with twists and turns and major suspense, then don't pick it up.
This is my first review ever but I'm hoping to do more of these, so let me know what you think. I tried my best to not add any spoilers but forgive me if I have unintentionally done so.
If you do end up reading the book or already have, tell me what your thoughts are on it. (link below)
Thank you!
http://www.amazon.in/Just-Listen-Sarah-Dessen/dp/0141322918/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469896234&sr=1-1&keywords=just+listen
