Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

As is the pattern with all of Sarah Dessen’s books, the title refers to a literal object in the book, which then becomes a metaphor for the emotional journey of the main character. In the case of Just Listen, the metaphor is music.

The book follows Annabel Greene as she begins her junior year of high school. Due to a falling out with Sophie, her former best friend, Annabel has morphed from popular clique to social outcast, and she begins the year on perhaps the worst possible note. But eventually she meets Owen, another social outcast, six feet tall and glued to his I-pod, ignoring almost everyone around him. Owen and Annabel begin a tentative friendship, revolving around their discussions on music. Soon he becomes her anchor as navigates the difficulties at school and at home.

The book touches on several heavy themes. Like all of Dessen’s books, family relationships are a significant part of the book. Annabel’s older sister, Whitney, is battling anorexia, perhaps an expected subject in a novel where the main character is a model, but unique in that it is not issue Annabel faces personally. Whitney’s struggles are by no means at the forefront of the novel. Rather they provide an obstacle for Annabel as she struggles to be honest with her family and herself. Annabel’s grapples not with body image but with her ability to express the truth. When Owen informs her, during one of their early conversations, that he “doesn’t lie”, even about little things, Annabel finds herself hyper-aware of all the little white lies she tells to avoid discomfort and confrontation.

I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that when it came to the “big reveal” of Annabel’s secret, I was expecting it. I think Dessen purposefully provides a lot of lead up to that scene; since the book is written for young adults, it’s only fair that she prepares the readers for that. The book was immensely readable, and it touches on some major themes without plunging the reader into a depression, which is something one generally expects of young adult fiction. I definitely enjoyed this book.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Re-readability Rating: 3 stars